The above photograph shows the old Mackay family croft at Acheilidh, Rogart.
married
CHRISTINA SUTHERLAND [1795-23/11/1857]
John, a tenant in Achillie (Acheilidh/Achvellie) Rogart, son of Donald Mackay and Margaret Sutherland married Christina (Christian) daughter of Hugh Sutherland and Mary Macleod.
In 1834 John Mackay in Achvellie paid two shillings and sixpence to fund for the building of the Duke of Sutherland’s monument.
In 1841 John, a tenant, Christian and their children were living at Achevely.
In 1851, still at Achevely, John was a lotter of 6 acres.
In 1857 John Mackay died at Astall, his usual residence was given as Achillie.
In 1861 Christina, a widow and farming 9 acres was at Achillie with three sons and a three year old grandson, William Mackay.
In 1871 they were all still at Achillie except for grandson William. Now they had a grandson, Daniel, aged 12 with them.
In 1875 Christina died at Achillie (DC).
In 1881 their son Murdoch and his wife, Ann Munro had taken over the croft.
John and Christina are buried in St Callan's Churchyard, Rogart ((RO-B38).
They had the following children:
JOHN MACKAY born 7th March 1820 Rogart (IGI) [died 5 April 1902 Balloan, Lairg aged 78 years] [married Johan Matheson] – 1841 census with parents
DONALD MACKAY born 25th December 1822 Rogart (IGI) [died 13th July 1883 Laid, Little Rogart] [married Henrietta Matheson – see below] (DC) – signed father’s death certificate in 1857 with his x mark
MARY ANN MACKAY born 25th March 1826 Rogart (IGI) [died 1918] [married James Todd, (born 1830 died 1891) in Australia] – 1841 census with parents – in 1852 Mary Ann left Rogart with her brother James for Australia - Mary Ann found employment and after several jobs became engaged to James Todd, a grazier and settled in Geelong - they reared a family of ten, six daughters and four sons
HUGH MACKAY born 28 March 1828 Rogart (IGI) [died 24 March 1875, general labourer, bachelor at Achaillie – brother Murdoch signed the death certificate] (DC) – 1841 census with parents – 1851 census with parents, a weaver - 1861 census with widowed mother, stone blaster – 1871 census with mother
JAMES MACKAY born 1st November 1830 Rogart (IGI) [died 1904 New Zealand] [married Jane Gillanders, (born 1839 died 1916) in New Zealand] – 1851 census with parents - in 1852 left Rogart for Australia - not finding Australia to his liking, continued on to New Zealand where he landed in Wellington in 1856 - he then moved to Christchurch where he settled and eventually bought land at Longbush in the neighbourhood of the Canterbury Settlement - he married and raised a family of twelve, seven sons and five daughters
ANGUS MACKAY born circa 1832 [died 1919] [married Miss Helm – lived in New Zealand] – 1841 census with parents – 1851 census with parents
WILLIAM MACKAY born 11th November 1834 Rogart (IGI) – may have died young – not shown on any census
MURDOCH MACKAY born 21st April 1837 Rogart (IGI) [died 1893 Achillie] [married Ann Munro] – 1841 census with parents – 1851 census with parents - 1861 census with widowed mother, woollen weaver – 1871 census with mother – signed mother’s death certificate in 1875 – also signed brother Hugh’s death certificate just two weeks before his mother died – Murdoch took over the croft on his mother’s death
ALEXANDER MACKAY born 8th October 1839 Rogart (IGI) [died 22nd September 1918 Achillie, crofter, single, Angus Mackay, nephew, signed death certificate] (DC) – 1841 census with parents – 1851 census with parents - 1861 census with widowed mother, ploughman – 1871 census with mother
DONALD MACKAY [c1822-13/7/1883] married HENRIETTA MATHESON [c1823-5/7/1886]
Donald was born in Rogart, son of John Mackay, lotter, and Christina Sutherland – see above (DC).
Henrietta (Hennie) was born in Lairg, daughter of Robert Matheson and Ann Ross.
Donald and Henrietta married in Pitfour, Rogart, on 28 December 1849 (OPR).
In 1851 Donald and Hennie were at Little Rogart (Laid) with baby Christy, who was one month old. Donald was an agricultural labourer working for Donald Munro.
In 1861 Donald, a farmer of 7 acres, and Henrietta were at Laid, Rogart. Aunt Henrietta Munro, a pensioner's wife was also living with them.
In 1871 and 1881 Donald was a flesher and farmer of 6 acres at Laid.
Donald died at Laid, Little Rogart, in 1883. He was recorded as a lotter and a flesher (butcher) on his death certificate. Henrietta died in 1886 at Little Rogart. This family are buried in Rogart (RO-B36).
They had the following children:
CHRISTINA MACKAY (Christy) born 1st September 1850 Lead, Rogart (FCR) [died 30th November 1878 at Laid, aged 28 – buried with parents] - 1851 census with parents – 1861 census with parents – 1871 census with parents, general domestic servant
ROBERT MACKAY born 9th December 1851 Little Rogart (FCR) [died aged 30 South Australia] – 1861 census with parents
JOHN MACKAY born 2 November 1853 Lead, Rogart (IGI) [died 1929 Invercargill, New Zealand - emigrated to New Zealand 1874] – 1861 census with parents – 1871 census with parents, farm servant
DONALD MACKAY born 29 September 1855 Rogart (IGI) [died 23 February 1878 at Laid – apprentice blacksmith – single] (DC)
WILLIAM MACKAY born 24 February 1858 Rogart (IGI) [died 4 July 1879, clerk in seed warehouse, single] – 1871 census with parents, herd boy – signed sister Ann’s death certificate in 1871 and Christina’s in 1878
JAMES MACKAY, born 5 March 1860 Rogart (IGI) [died 15th April 1882 Laid, Rogart – farm servant, single] (DC) – 1861 census with parents – 1871 & 1881 census with parents
ALEXANDER MACKAY born 15 May 1864 Lead, Rogart (IGI) – 1871 census with parents, scholar – 1881 census with parents – signed brother James’s death certificate in 1882 – signed father’s death certificate in 1883 – signed mother’s death certificate in 1886 - following the death of his parents Alexander with siblings Henrietta and Hugh, sailed for New Zealand in the ship, Rhapehu, and landed in New Zealand in 1887 to join their brother John, who had settled in West Otago
HENRIETTA MACKAY born 13 November 1866 Lead, Rogart (IGI) - emigrated to New Zealand 1888 – 1871 & 1881 census with parents - following the death of their parents Henrietta sailed for New Zealand with her brothers Hugh and Alexander in the ship, Rhapehu, and landed in New Zealand in 1887 to join their brother John, who had settled in West Otago
MURDOCH MACKAY born 3 November 1868 [died 5 June 1883 Laid, Rogart, brother Alexander signed death certificate] (DC) – 1871 & 81 census with parents
ANN MACKAY born 17 February 1871 Lead, Rogart (IGI) [died 7 March 1871 aged 18 days – brother William Mackay signed the death certificate] (DC)
HUGH MACKAY born 11 June 1872 Lead, Rogart (IGI) – 1881 census with parents - following the death of their parents Hugh with siblings sailed for New Zealand in the ship, Rhapehu, and landed in New Zealand in 1887 to join their brother John, who had settled in West Otago
Mary Bunting, New Zealand, and her sister Judy Diamond, are researching this family.
Carolyn Potter, USA, and Annette Jarrold, Timaru, New Zealand are also researching. Thankyou to Annette for the photograph of Laid croft which she took in 1975 and thanks to her brother for the photograph of Acheilidh croft house which he took in 1984.
If you would like to make contact with the researchers please email me.
