MACKAY & MACDONALD

I have two main families in Sutherland County: MacKay and McDonald.

My first known ancestor in the MacKay family was William MacKay born ca 1789/90 and married Barbara Macpherson b ca 1792 d/o Robert Macpherson tenant in Islandrier who married Janet Calder d/o John Calder. William and Barbara lived at Alt na Calliche in Durness.

William and Barbara were evicted ca 1820 and made their way south to Rogart parish. Their children were: Neil, Robert, Alexander, John, William Barbara and Jesse.

Neil married Marion /Merrion Macdonald of Blarich and they lived at 24 Ardachue, Rogart parish. These are my ancestors. Alexander 1824-1902, married May/Mary Robb 1833-1911, their daughter Barbara who also married a MacKay, George, who was a porter at the Rogart railway station and their family emigrated to Edmonton, Alberta. Their daughter Barbara found me on the internet and now I have additional 'Mackay family' to add to the already rather large lot of people of Sutherland County.

For the McDonald Family, Peter Dillon of New Zealand is active in searching for (and finding) and correcting our past findings. He has a great website devoted to this family...... We still do not know who Ann(e) Ross was that married Angus McDonald sometime in or around 1771 nor Elisabeth Anderson who married their eldest son, Finlay/Phillip b 1774 and begat a rather large family.... The most recent mystery revolves around the baptism of some of the children: of Ann and Angus -- their first is listed as Margaret McDonald McCoirl christened 17 Nov 1771 in Auldebreck, Lairg parish. She died 12 Nov 1856 at Rhianbreck, Lairg and another daughter Catherina (Kett) McDonald or McCoirl was christened on 26 Sept 1787 in Brecklead, Lairg. Then Hugh McDonald or McCoril christened 19 April 1791 in Brecklead and died 23 June 1867 in Nova Scotia, Canada. The rest are plain McDonald. The McCoirl is a big mystery to everyone.....

Any ideas?

For now, best wishes

Florence Pelton Patterson

Stratford, Ontario, Canada

ROSS, MACKAY, CLARKE & others

I am researching the ROSS family from Lairg, mainly, however, once a family starts being researched it enlarges and many other names come along too.

Jenelle's POLSON family is one that has come along into my family albeit on my Dad's side rather than my Mum's that has the ROSS family.

Some of the families on my Mum's side:
ROSS, Donald - Lairg, Sutherland
MacKAY, Janet - Lairg, Sutherland
CLARKE, John and Nicholas maiden surname Carruthers - Rosehall, Sutherland
ARMSTRONG, Joseph Gordon - Creich, Sutherland
DINGWALL, Kennethina, parents Niel and Merran maiden surname MacLeod - Durness, Sutherland
MacKAY, Alexander -
FRASER, Margaret, parents Charles and Jessie maiden surname ROSS - Scotland
MacDONALD, Annie, parents Murdoch and Henrietta maiden surname MATHERSON - Lairg, Sutherland

then on my Dad's side:
POLSON, Angus Sutherland - Marrel, Sutherland
MURRAY, Elspeth - Rogart, Sutherland

Jeni Simpson Christchurch, Aotearoa/New Zealand

SIMPSON, TOUGH, MACDONALD, MACKAY in Eddrachillis, Lairg & Rogart

Hello, These are the folks and places that I'm researching.

The TOUGH line originated from Stirling - William TOUGH (b.1794 d.1880) m. Lillias CULLEN (b. c1793 d. 1880).
The SIMPSON line came to Scourie, Eddrachillis from Tain, Ross & Cromarty - Alexander SIMPSON (b. c1774 d.1863); Fa: Alexander SIMPSON m. Elizabeth CLARKE (b. c1775 d.1855; parents were Alexander CLARKE and Elizabeth ROSS).
John SIMPSON, (b.1808 d.1888; Tain, Ross and Cromarty and Eddrachillis) was the son of Alexander SIMPSON and Elizabeth CLARKE. He married Ann Cullen TOUGH (b. ~ 1824 Gargunnock, Stirling; d. 1903 Nairn). Their children include John SIMPSON (b. 12 May 1853; Scourie, d. 1918 Balmoral, Manitoba, Canada) who married Catherine MACDONALD (b. 1853 m.10 Feb 1882; Scourie, d. 1932 Balmoral, Manitoba, Canada).
The MACDONALD/MACKAY line from Lairg (Torroble) Donald MACDONALD (?--bef. 1851) m. Marion MACKAY (b. ~ 1778 d.1870; Fa: William MACKAY, Mo: Jane MATHESON).
Children: Donald (b. ~ 1803 d.1888), William (b.~ 1805 d.1880) and Jane (b. ~ 1805 d.1891).
I'm currently trying to determine when/where Donald MACDONALD died, I have not been able to locate this family definitively on the 1841 census. His wife is listed in the 1851 Census (house no. 23; Torroble, Parish of Lairg) as a widow and lotter.
Alexander MACKAY (b. ~ 1779 d.1872 East Langwell, Rogart; Fa.Alexander, Mo: Christina) m. Catharine MACKAY (b. 1788 d.1866; Fa.William).
Children include Merran Mackay (b. 1816 (Langwell, Rogart) d. 1865(Scourie) who married Donald MACDONALD (b. 1803 (Lairg) d.1888(Scourie), son of Donald MACDONALD above).
Any information on connections to these families would be welcome.
Thanks
Donna Marie Bilkovic
Virginia, USA

CAMPBELL in Lairg & MACNAB in Creich

My interests are starting with my 4th great grandparents, Alexander Campbell born 1768 Lairg, son of Alexander Campbell married Christian Gray, born c1774 Lairg, daughter of Angus Gray & Ann Sutherland. Their children married into the following families.Bethune, MacKay, Ross, McDonald (from Rogart).

Also researching my 2nd x great grandmothers family, McNab. Ellen McNab born 1819 Creich, daughter of Kenneth McNab & Catherine Calder.
Regards
Lorraine Weaver
Cairns, Queensland, Australia