I have been researching my father's maternal side for the last year. My ggg grandfather William Weir was a shepherd from Roxburgh who walked north with a flock of sheep to Durness around 1800. His family married into the Grange Campbells and also the MacKay Chief's of Sutherland. I was fortunate enough to find a cousin in Australia who had researched this line right back to Robert the Bruce. I went to Inverness Library to have this verified by their genealogist and he was thrilled to bits to be able to work on this research, as he had studied the famous MacKays in great depth, saying that I should be honoured to be connected with such "gallant and formidable men".
I am still trying to trace 2 granduncles both born in Assynt. I know that their brother John Spence Weir emigrated to the Falkland Islands in 1875 and then onto Australia in 1879. I got this also from a cousin. I cannot trace Hugh Weir born 1845 and William Weir born 1847. I think they might have emigrated with brother John. I can find them on IGI as born in Assynt and they are mentioned in IGI under South West Pacific in Wellington. Does any one on list know of some of the boats that sailed to New Zealand around 1875-1885.
I am now turning my attention to my father's paternal side. My grandfather John Morrison was born in Badcall Inchard, Eddrachillis, in 1868 and had a brother John Sutherland Morrison born 1870. They were the sons of Murdoch Morrison (who I believe was blind) and Jane Sutherland. Any help gratefully received.
Many thanks to Christine for her wonderful cemetery list. I believe most of Balnakeil Cemetery in Durness is full of my relies.
Alness, Ross-shire
No comments:
Post a Comment