SUTHERLAND, FRASER, MURRAY & MACKAY

In the 5 years I have been associated with this list I have been thrilled to find many distant relations among our members. Through their help I am researching the following families;
John SUTHERLAND (Colin) & Eppy BRUCE( b.1767 Strathbrora) of Kildonan, Gartymore, Loth & some descendants (namely Donald my ggg-grandfather) eventually settled in Doll,Clyne;

Oliver FRASER b.c.1755 & Barbara MACAULEY of Helmsdale, Loth;

William SUTHERLAND, Miller of Clyne & Margaret SUTHERLAND of Doll, parents of Margaret b.1790, Clyne (my ggg-grandmother);

William SUTHERLAND (Deuchary) & Betty MACKAY of Clyne, parents of Helen b.c.1826-1829 who married...John MURRAY (Bonesetter) of Doll,Clyne, born between 1828 -1831 illegitimate son Jane MURRAY d/o Alex MURRAY and a George MURRAY (cannot find him);

John SUTHERLAND married in 1846 Janet MURRAY, d/o Hugh MURRAY and Louisa MCLEOD;

George MURRAY & (not married) Ann ROSS, b.1825 d/o John ROSS, of Creich-parents of David MURRAY b.1853;

Alexander MACKAY b.c.1766 & Esther MURRAY of Dalchalm, Clyne;

Donald MACKAY & Helen MCANGUS b.1783, and his sibling Janet and William MACKAY of Fearn, Ross moved to Portgower Loth circa 1830.

Thanks to all for your help and companionship over the years.

Eileen Jefferies
Ontario

SUTHERLAND, MACKAY, MACBEATH

My name is Iain Sutherland in Yorkshire, England, brother of Mona Black in Queensland, Australia. I try and find the dead folk while Mona works out who taught them so well!

Our Mum, Margaret Robertson, was a side School Teacher at West Langwell School near Rogart in the 1930s. Photo on the left shows Margaret as a ten year old. John MacDonald's excellent book on Rogart has mention of our Robertsons and Macbeaths from Rogart. An article our Mum wrote a long time ago has been posted on the List "The Job Was Mine for Forty Pounds a Year" - would aTeacher work for that now?

Many people in Clyne in particular owe an unacknowledged debt to Mona, who about 17 years ago, asked Jackie Maclennan, then the Registrar, to look into our Family history. The work which he did was later given out by the late Willie Gunn and I have seen two exact copies on my visits to Brora. I was even refused sight of one because "Willie gave me it"! I must admit I find this hilarious particularly as the same gentleman gladly took the information I freely gave him and has since given talks based on both.

Our family begins with John Sutherland marrying Henrietta Mackay of Rogart around 1800. Henrietta's parents were John Mackay and Merron Matheson who I cannot trace in 1805. It appears that John and Henrietta were at Ladies Loch, Clyne, on a croft to be occupied by descendants till the 1930s. John's son married Jessie Bannerman from the croft next door and in turn their son John married Margaret MacBeath of Rogart. Son Donald did as his forefathers had and married a Rogart lass, our Mum.

James MacBeath, "soldier 2nd S.F.R.", married Ann MacBeath of Reisk, Kildonan, in March 1798. They were cleared from Reisk in 1813. The next mention I have of James is his death around 1830. His son Neil was at the Doll, Clyne, with his Mother in 1841. He married Margaret Ross. Both are buried in Clyne Kirkton.

One of their sons, James or Jamus, in John's book married twice - once to Christina Sutherland then as a widower to Margaret Sutherland who's Mother was Christina Grant of Achnaggarin, Rogart.

The Reid family were at Crakaig, Loth from before 1830 till the 1930s. Williamina Reid nee Gunn married to Gordon Reid was the daughter of William Gunn and Janet Gilchrist. Williamina died in 1869 aged 100. In 1841 William Reid married Catherine Swanson of Kilmote, Loth and their son Donald was our Mum's Grandfather. Another child, Catherine, married another James MacBeath and through this union we are related to both MacBeath lines in the Doll.

Kenneth Robertson, born in Kiltarlity, was a coach driver for the Duke of Sutherland's Factor and lived for a time in Golspie. He was in Rogart having seen war service but with a bad leg in 1917 and is in the photo on Christine's Site. Kenneth's wife Minnie was born near Croy. She died in Rogart and both are buried in Rogart Cemetary.

Iain Sutherland

Yorkshire, England

POLSON

My Sutherland interests are in the name POLSON and I am interested in all connections to this name. I have a large portfolio of families with this name and have pieced together several relationships.

My direct family line come from Marrel, near Helmsdale. My great great greatgrandparents were Murdoch Polson and Catherine Sutherland. Their eldest son James Polson and his wife Flora McKenzie inherited the Marrel croft and then it passed to their youngest son William Polson and his wife Annie Allan. William and Annie had 7 children. Their great grandson Walter Mackay still lives in Golspie. He has a coalyard.

James and Flora Polson had nine children, two of whom (John and Catherine) came to New Zealand. John married Christina Ross from West Helmsdale, daughter of Rhoderick Ross and Christy McIntosh. They came to NZ separately and married in Christchurch. They lived in the Tarras area of Central Otago and had a family of 9 children. They are my great grandparents.

Catherine married Murdoch Bruce, also in New Zealand. They lived at Seadowns, near Ashburton and had a family of 12 children.

James Polson's younger brother was Alexander Polson who married Elizabeth Sutherland. They lived at Marrel and had a family of 4 daughters.

Any information about POLSON families from Sutherland is always appreciated.

Adair Polson-Genge

Invercargill, New Zealand
See also HERE

HENDERSON, GUNN, BRUCE, POLSON & others

John Henderson & Catherine Polson had a son Gordon Henderson born 1796 in Kildonan. Gordon Henderson married Christy Bruce in Loth in 1824, daughter of Adam Bruce & Charlotte McLeod. Gordon Henderson & Christy Bruce had 3 sons, John, George & Gordon, all born in Loth.

George & Gordon married sisters, Betsy & Peggy Bruce, daughters of William Bruce & Jannet Gunn of Kildonan. William Bruce (born 1790s) was the son of Alexander Bruce & Margaret Sutherland & his wife Jannet Gunn (born 1790s) was the daughter of Donald Gunn & Esther Sutherland - all from Loth & Kildonan parish except Esther Sutherland who was from Caithness.

George Pope Henderson & wife Betsy Bruce - shown in photograph on left - emigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1871. Have lots of info to share. Always looking for someone else connected to these families.

Regards to all.

Margaret Gaven

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

POLSON in Loth

I'm looking for Polson and Murray in or around Marrel, Loth or in Kildonan.
Also searching for Sutherland, Fraser and McPherson in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.
Also all those who married the descendants of Angus Polson/Jean Polson of Loth.
Photograph shows Barbara, born 1874, daughter of Angus & Jean Polson.

Jenelle McCarrick
Queensland, Australia

SUTHERLAND in Loth & Kildonan

Still trying to establish the relationship between Esther SUTHERLAND born about 1771 in Loth and Donald SUTHERLAND (c.1767-1858), son of John SUTHERLAND and Betty SUTHERLAND of Kildonan in Kildonan Parish.

The 1851 census of Kildonan, Parish of Kildonan, describes Esther as "sister-in-law" to head of household Donald SUTHERLAND, retired gamekeeper, (wife Rose GORDON died 1849).

Donald's known siblings, as noted in Memorabilia Domestica, are John who married Catherine GRANT (Ian Meadhonach), John who went to Caithness (Ian Beg) and Cairstean. The 1851 census remains my only real clue to Esther's existence.

Best wishes to all,

Frances Bishop, Canada

MACLEOD & POLSON, Cayn, Clyne

I am still searching for the McLeod - Polson connection from Cayn. I have Hugh McLeod married Lizzy Polson. They had the following children: John, Catherine and twins William and Joseph.They were all born between 1785 and 1793.
William and Joseph lived at Marrel, Loth. John is the only one I have not got information about, so any leads gratefully received.

Graham McLeod
Christchurch, New Zealand

MELVILLE in Golspie and Clyne

I am researching the following:

Melvilles of the Doll, Clyne and Melvilles of Golspie plus Interested in Melvilles of Loth and Kildonan and related families.

Many families connected to the Melvilles in Golspie and Clyne – Sutherland, Matheson, Munro, McBeath, Gordon to name but a few.

Also researching Frasers and Rosses of Rosehall (Creich) area and their North West connections; Blacks and Turners who came with the sheep and joined the family. Pope families of Sutherland, Caithness and Easter Ross. Gunns of Corrish and Arichliney in Upper Kildonan.

Also the local history of Golspie, Doll and Brora areas.

Allan C Lannon
Thurso, Caithness

MELVILLE in Portgower, LOTH

Researching MELVILLE, MACKAY, CLUNAS, MURRAY & SUTHERLAND in Loth

My GG grandmother, Jane Mackay married John MELVILLE in Portgower (or Loth in other records) on February 22nd, 1828. There are no other details listed on the OPR etc. and I have searched for years trying to find her parents and hopefully siblings. I have much more on the MELVILLE family.

Their first child was Catherine b. in 1829 ; she married James McKAY, son of James McKAY and Mary McLEAN ( also from West Helmsdale) in Edinburgh on March 28th 1856 and it seems they went to Australia.

2) Donald was born on 25, March 1830 in West Helmsdale was marked 10 on the 1841 census in West Helmsdale; but wasn't with the rest of the family on the 1851 census in West Helmsdale.

3) Hugh was born on 20th December 1831 in West Helmsdale and was 8 on the 1841 census; on the 1851 census he was 18 a cooper b. in Kildonan and he seems to have ended up in New South Wales as George Hugh with parents stated as John MELVILLE and Jane McKAY on his certs. and papers. He was an assistant harbourmaster and married Catherine McKINNON in Newcastle NSW on July 7th 1863; he was probably responsible for Catherine and James moving out there. On the birth of their son, George Hugh MELVILLE on 7th March , 1868 it gives his occupation as Master Mariner and birthplace as West Helmsdale. He died in 1911.

4) Jane was b. 21st of May, 1834 and married a police constable, Donald BREMNER of Olrig, Caithness in Edinburgh on November 11, 1855 and stayed there to raise a family.

5) Isabella, my G grandmother, was b. May 31st , 1836 and married George HENSON in Edinburgh on 6th November, 1861 and after living in various Scottish cities and having 4 children they moved to South Shields , England in the 1870s where they had 5 more .

6) Roberta was b. May 09, 1839 and married Alexander MURRAY, son of Angus and Margaret FRASER of West Helmsdale in Edinburgh on January 20th , 1866. They moved back later to help out with the cooper business on the croft and took it over after John and his second wife Grace MacPherson of Caithness had died.

Dorothy Blais, nee Henson, Vancouver Island, Canada