CAMPBELL, MACKAY, MORRISON, SUTHERLAND, WEIR

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.

Muriel Vass

Alness, Ross-shire

MATHESON, MACLEOD, McASKILL, MACKENZIE in Assynt

I am researching JOHN MACLEOD s/o John Macleod and Janet Macleod born 1795 Assynt married to MARGARET BANNERMAN (photo on left) born 1798 Loth and their family from Balchladich Stoer - my 4x great grandparents
their children -
WILLIAM MACLEOD - born 1819 brought up by his uncle Rev Alex Macleod. Went on to become Doctor - Royal Navy surgeon,
and eventually inspector general of hospitals and fleets.
JONATHAN MACLEOD - born 1823 never married died 1885 Balchladich
DOLINA MACLEOD - my 3x g grandmother born 1826 married 1846 her cousin William Matheson, s/o William Matheson and Anne Macleod Dolina died 1866.
MARGARET MACLEOD - born 1828 never married died 1872
JANET/JESSIE MACLEOD - born 1831 married 1. 1853 Norman Macleod s/o Murdoch and Christina and married 2. William Kerr . Jessie died 1870
ALEXANDER MACLEOD - born 1834 no info on him. Its thought he went to the US
ANN MACLEOD - born 1837 married 1873 to Alexander Macleod s/o Donald Macleod and Margaret Macrae. Ann died 1890 Balchladich.
JOHN MACLEOD - born 1842 went to NZ died 1919 in Christchurch NZ.
WILLIAM MACLEOD - born 1844 married 1865 Mary Macleod in Glasgow. No other info known


WILLIAM MATHESON born 1792 and ANNE MACLEOD born 1799 married 1818 Balchladich Stoer my 3x great grandparents
their children -
WILLIAM MATHESON born 1819 married his cousin Dolina Macleod 1846
ALEXANDER MATHESON born 1821 nothing known about him
BARBARA MATHESON born 1825 married hector Mackenzie 1851
JANET/JESSIE MATHESON born 1827 never married
ANNE MATHESON born 1830 married Donald Macaskill
HENRIETTA (HENNY) MATHESON born 1835 married Duncan Macleod 1857
CATHERINE MATHESON born 1857 born 1836 never married my 2x great grandmother
GEORGE MATHESON born 1840 married Isabella Matheson and Sarah Mackenzie
ISABELLA MATHESON born 1844 married George Matheson

WILLIAM MATHESON AND DOLINA MACLEOD married 1846 my 3x great grandparents
their children -
DONALD MATHESON born 1847
JOHN MATHESON born 1849
MARGARET MATHESON born 1851
GEORGE MATHESON born 1853
WILLIAM MATHESON born 1855 died 1859
BARBARA MATHESON my 2x great grandmother born 1858 married William Morrison
JANET MATHESON born 1861
WILLIAM MATHESON born 1863 died 1866
ANNIE MATHESON born 1866 died 1866

GEORGE MUNRO born 1876 Clashmore Stoer s/o Barbara Matheson (above) and George Munro AND CATHERINE MATHESON/CAMPBELL born 1869 Balchladich d/o Catherine Matheson and Angus Campbell - George Munro and Catherine Matheson/Campbell are my great grandparents, They married in the Stoer free church in 1893.
They had 7 children all born in Clashmore Stoer before they moved to Nedd. It is believed the family stayed in Nedd until after the war ended before they moved to Lochside house Lochmore. The last of the family emigrated to NZ in 1925, following after several of their children. Their first son William emigrated to NZ in 1913 followed a year later by his brother.

Thanks
Sandy Perry
Brisbane Queensland
AUSTRALIA

MACLEOD in Eddrachillis, Handa Island & MACRAE in Assynt

Macleod in Eddrachillis

All my people on my mother's side of the family came from Oldshore in the Kinlochbervie area.I was born in Kinlochbervie and went to school for the first four years at Oldshoremore School. I have lots of details on the people from this area that I am willing to share with anyone.

The Macleod's in my family originally came from Handa Island, Eddrachilles and in the 1841 census of Handa the household had the following people in it: George MacLeod, 60 years (my G/G/G/Grandfather), Ann Macleod, 55 years, (she was born in Ireland), John MacLeod, 25 years, Margaret MacLeod, 25 years, Robert MacLeod, 20 years, (My G/G/Grandfather). Robert Macleod must have left Handa prior to 1846 as he married a Mary MacKay at Kinlochbervie and their first child was born in 1847.

Handa Island had 12 families in the 1841 census and due to the potato famine they asked to be taken off the island. Most of the families went to Canada on the "Ellen" that left Loch Laxford on 22 May 1848. On the passenger list of the "Ellen" there was a family of George MacLeod, Nancy Macleod and Margaret Macleod. I am not sure if this is my people or not. I cannot find them in Scotland after 1841 and it may be that Nancy was written down in the ships's records instead of Ann. (I cannot recall seeing any other Nancy's in those days).

If anyone else has connections with Handa I would be delighted to hear from them.

Macrae in Assynt

My G/G/Grandmother was a Janet Macrae, born 1823 at Assynt, daughter of John Macrae and Isabella Macrae or Macrae. Janet was married to a Hugh MacPherson from Ardmore and she died on 6th September 1899 at Ardmore. In the 1851 census, Janet is shown living with an Alexander and Chirsty Sinclair (both born in Assynt) at Ardmore. She was their niece. A Duncan Macrae 19 years, a nephew of the Sinclairs, was also living at Ardmore in the same house. I know that there were another family of Macrae in Ardmore at the same time but I am not sure what the relationship was between Janet and them. Would love to find out.

Thanks

Hector MacRae

Bonar Bridge, Sutherland

MACLEOD & MACKENZIE in Assynt

When time permits and I'm not working on other branches of my family I contine to sporadically research my father's family. He was Ian MacLeod (Dean) in Culkein, Achnacarnin, Assynt, and the majority of his ancestors were MacLeods or Mackenzies, mostly from Culkein and Clashnessie.
I have a few dead ends at the moment.

Trying to find the parents of Kenneth Mackenzie born 1822 Stoer, Assynt. The IGI suggests that his mother could be Isabella and there is also a record of a baptism in Assynt 25th June 1822, giving father as Alexander and mother as Isobel. This may be my Kenneth but could be someone completely different.

My MacLeod line comes to an end with Norman MacLeod born about 1750. I don't know if he was actually born in Culkein or somewhere completely different. Death records only start in 1855 so no help there. I know that he was married to Ann MacLeod, from his son William's death certificate in 1865.

Marian Macleod

KERR in Achmelvich & MACLEOD in Pollan, Assynt

My folks were most recently from Pollan and Achmelvich. I believe that they were cleared from Loch Beannach, and Bad a Grinnan to Achmelvich circa 1820.

The last generation to live in Achmelvich at Redbrae, included my grandmother, Kathy Kerr (Christina Kitty Kerr was her birth cert name), and her sisters, Chrissie (another Christina), Fanny (Frances Margaret) Minnie (Williamina) , and their brothers Neil, who died as a teenager, and Murdo, who was blown up on the Somme and buried alive, but was rescued, and survived. All the children moved to Glasgow or Edinburgh in the post WW1. We still had some relatives living in Pollan at this stage too. Would anyone have known them, or of them? I understand that the family were known as Didems, but that is anecdotal.

Photograph above shows Murdo Kerr on his wedding day. He married Edith Allen just after World War One. Murdo was badly injured in the war and met Edie, his nurse, while convalescing in Norfolk.

* * * * *

The Pollan part of the family lived there from at least the 1750's, with my GGGGgrandparents being William McLeod and Janet McLeod. Both died between 1841 and 1851. I only have estimated birth dates from the 1841 census. Their children were Catherine, Murdoch (my GGG grandfather) Hugh, John and William. We have good information on Murdoch and Hugh, but nothing on the others.

The Bad a Grinnan and Loch Beannach families were the same line through a marriage in 1806 of Niel Kerr of Loch Beannach and Christy McLeod of BAd a Grinnan. Christy's parents were Donald McLeod and Elizabeth McDonald. I don't know who Neil's family were, but Alexander became the eldest boy's name through the next few generations. They had children Mary, Grace, Catherine, Alexander, Johanna, Donald, Ann. the Donald matching Christy's father's name, but no match for Elizabeth...

Again, would anyone know any of these families, or have links to them?

My best to all

Edward Paxton,

England

MACLEOD & ROBERTSON in Assynt

Have researched my MCLEOD ancestors in Ontario and have traced them back to Donald MCLEOD, Stoer, marrying Margaret (Peggy) ROBERTSON, Oldney, in the Parish of Assynt on Feb 16, 1832.

They had the following children:
Hugh, Donald (Daniel), John, Thomas, and possible an Anne.
I have found then in the 1841 census and believe I have them in the 1851 census in Kincardine area, Bruce county, Ontario. They were farming and fishing and one of the sons was a boat builder in Bayfield, Ontario.

I have not found anything one this couple in Scotland. I wouldappreciate if anyone you steer me in the right direction as where to continue my search in Scotland as I have no idea where to start looking.
Lea Ann Veysey
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

MACLEOD, MATHESON, FRASER in Assynt

I would love to find out more about my ggggrandfather, Angus Macleod (c1810) and his family...... His wife was Christy Macleod (c1813) and children were:
James,1839
Catherine ,1841,
Roderick,1843,
John,1845,
HECTOR,1848, (my gggrandpa)
Alexa, 1855
JOHAN, 1857 (who had a son, John Ross, born 1865).

Also, any Mathesons - Merran? 1824, and her husband, Donald Fraser 1820? and their family.
and Mackenzies, from near Lochinver, Assynt

The photograph shows Hector Macleod, Clachtoll, Assynt, my great, great grandpa. Photo was taken around 1923 and shows my great step aunt, Flossie McPhail (Mackenzie), her little sister, Ishbar and older sister, Hughina. Isn't this a treasure??
Betty Sheather, Australia

KERR in Drumbeg, Assynt & MACPHERSON in Farr and Durness

Searching for any information on the Kerrs of Drumbeg prior to 1800 plus similar on the Macphersons of Durness, prior to 1800.

William Mcpherson, born 1824 at Poul-Tigh-Keriken, Little Assynt, son of Neil Macpherson and Ann Fraser, and his wife Anne Kerr, born 1834 at Drumbeg, Assynt, daughter of Hugh Kerry and Mary Macleod, married 1857 in Assynt. William was a shepherd, and moved around quite a bit after mainly living in Ross and Cromarty. Some of their children, who were not born in Sutherland, due to William and Anne's unfortunate habit of not living in the same place for more than two years at a time are: Dolina, Robert, Murdoch, Neil, Colina and Mary - have information on the other three but would welcome info on these.

Peter Aikman

Chester, England

Photograph of William and Anne supplied by Peter.