SUTHERLAND, MURRAY in Clyne & Kildonan

Greetings from New Zealand. I very much value this group as it has facilitated a connection with a descendant of my Helmsdale family who lives in Australia. I have also had a number of important links completed with advice and information from other members. Thank you so much everyone, it gives me a wonderful sense of belonging to this distant place – home of many of my ancestors. I have a deep sense of yearning to visit the places that “my people” walked and am looking forward to visiting Scotland in the near future.

My interests are

William SUTHERLAND born abt. 1768 – Clyne and his wife Anne MURRAY (nothing known)

Their son – Hector SUTHERLAND born 17 Apr 1808, Ardochie, Clyne – died 15 Aug 1887, Helmsdale

Hector’s wife – Jane McGREGOR born abt 1816, Wick – died 29 Mar 1899, Helmsdale

Hector and Jane had 10 children.

My family line is descended from Alexander Sutherland born April 1841 in Helmsdale – died in NZ – has zillions of descendants

He maintained contact with his brother William McGregor Sutherland who died rich and famous in Australia but whose line has died out.

I am very keen to follow the rest of the family and particularly would like to know whether some of this Sutherland line remain in Helmsdale.

Charlotte Sutherland born 11 Jun 1836 in Helmsdale – looking for more details

John Sutherland born 6 Sep 1842 in Helmsdale – looking for more details

Anne Sutherland born 1845 in Helmsdale – unmarried in 1891 so probably died without descendants

Margaret Sutherland born 1851 in Helmsdale – looking for more details

Donald Sutherland born 1853 in Helmsdale – looking for more details

Three of the other siblings died without descendants

Thank you again to all of the members and the wonderful contribution made by Christine Stokes. You’re fantastic!

Christine McDonald 

New Zealand

(ref EM0015)

FRASER, MACKAY, MACINTOSH, MURRAY, Dornoch

I am researching the family of Kenneth and Isabella Fraser of Embo, Dornoch.

Kenneth Fraser (son of Thomas Fraser and Marion MacKay) was born May 05,1800, in Tain, Ross and Cromarty: died January 19, 1883, in Embo, Dornoch. His wife; Isabella MacKay, (daughter of William MacKay and Anne Grant) was christened September 01, 1804 in Embo, Dornoch and died December 08, 1881, in Embo, Dornoch.

I am also interested in the MacIntosh and Murrays of Torboll, Dornoch.

Thank-you,

Loretta Souter

Canada

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

MACKAY, MURRAY, BRUCE, GRAY, GILLANDER, Dornoch, Rogart, Clyne

I was born in Helmsdale, Kildonan, Sutherland and my father was born in Golspie. All my Sutherland researches are finding his ancestors (and mine of course).

Researching:
1) McKAYS of the Doll Clyne, descended from John Mackay and Janet Murray of Loth probably Lothmore.
2) MACKAYS of Inchcape and Muie Rogart - interested in all Inchcape families.
3) MURRAYS of Achnagarrin, Rogart and Fleuchary, Dornoch
4) BRUCES descended from Alexander Bruce/Mary Ann or Marion Ross of Rogart/Dornoch parishes
5) GRAYS of Skibo and Evelix Dornoch - in fact researching all GRAY families in Sutherland.
6) GILLANDERS - Donald Gillanders and Margaret (Peggy) Campbell originally fron Contin, Ross and Cromarty, but recorded in several censuses in Sutherland where Donald was a shepherd. Believed to have emigrated with their large family post 1881 perhaps to Canada - my main BRICK WALL - found one son in Canada but did they all go there? Their eldest daughter Ann Gillanders who was my great grandmother is the only one of the family who remained in Scotland. She married Alexander Mackay of the Doll, Brora

A pilot officer W. Gillanders visited one of my great aunts in 1943 - can anyone in Canada tell me if it is possible to access WW2 records?

Presently researching all Mackay/McKay families in Sutherland - I must be mad!!!

Sheila Mackay

Edinburgh

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

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

MURRAY, Clyne & MACKAY, Rogart

My main research interests are in Clyne and Rogart.
Researching in Clyne.
Andrew MURRAY b.c. 1770/Christy BRUCE b.c. 1770 had three children:-
William MURRAY b.c. 1795 married Catherine MACLEOD b.c. 1790
James MURRAY b.c. 1797 married Ann GUNN b. 1798
Benjamin Williamson MURRAY b. 1804 married Helen ANDERSON b. 1805
Grant MURRAY b. 1824 son of William and Catherine married Jane Murray b. 1826 daughter of James and Ann [cousins]. They were my G G Grandparents.
Researching in Rogart, Inchcape.
Neil MACKAY b.c. 1762/Christina MATHESON had a son
Alexander MACKAY b.c. 1795 married Ann SUTHERLAND b.c. 1791 and their son
Neil MACKAY b. 1819 married Margaret SUTHERLAND b. 1818 and their son
Alexander MACKAY b. 1846 married Jane MURRAY b. 1834
They were my G Grandparents.
I have got lots of information to share.

Isabella McGregor
Fife, Scotland