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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: Homebody on Thursday 16 August 07 02:16 BST (UK)
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Greetings from Canada: Does anyone know if passenger lists were kept of the clearance ships from the Scotland end. Records at this end are non-existant in most cases. I am specifically interested in the clearances in 1849-1851 of North and South Uist, and Barra. I have found two Mckinnon families on the LDS site, that could match. My particular Donald McKinnon was married to Catharine McIntyre and/or Catharine McNeil (possible 2 marriages). They had 3 children at the time of emigrating, Nancy (1839). Johnathan (1841), and Mary (1848). In Canada they had 4 more children (1856-1860), the distance in ages suggests possible 2 wives, so I've been told. They were gaelic speakers, and Roman Catholic farm workers here in Ontario. The ships would have arrived in Quebec, and then were to continue on to Ontario, but were not financed for the complete journey, so the government at this end had to step in, as some passengers were to come to family already here. Any information would be greatly appreciated, regards Homebody.
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Hello there,
Did you ever get the infomation you were looking for on your MacKinnons?
Vince MacNeil
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Hi Vince:
No, the brick wall is still standing on this line, but I'm working on it between other lines. In the meantime I have been reading more general history on Scotland, and picking every knowledgable persons brain that I meet. I've found out that few written records are available from the Outer Hebrides. It seems that a lot are in the form of oral history, but you probably already knew that. In truth, I may even be looking in the wrong spot, but the match from Barra seems to be the closest.
My husband and I went to Newfoundland this last summer, and on the way back we stayed in Cape Breton to visit the Gaelic College, Highland Farming Village and the Music Centre on the west side of Cape Breton. Unfortunately the resident researchers weren't in at the time, but several others at each venue tried to help. We even found a place called McKinnon's Harbour while driving around. I'll be going back again sometime in the future even though they probably are not related.
I've spent some time on Scotlands People, and lots of people replied to the query, but no luck there yet. I was hoping at least the naming pattern might have some hints, but none of the children that were married named their children after Donald or Catharine. That might have been because they all married English Protestant's though.
Not giving up, either way I'll learn a lot generally about the country of my ancestors.
Lois (Homebody)
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Hello Lois,
If your MacKinnons were from Barra then you likely would be connected to the families in the MacKinnon's Harbour area. I descend from MacKinnons from Barra. Most of the people in the Iona / Christmas Island area are descendants of Barra families.
I'd like to sort out what you know for sure. What are the names of the family members who were born in Ontario after they came and where did the family settle?
Vince MacNeil
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Hi again Vince:
I think I may have talked to you before early in my research.
I'll have to get back to you a little later on tonight, I'm just leaving for our grand-sons hockey game. I'll be sure to do it tonight, thanks for getting back to me.
Lois
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Hi Vince:
Donald and Catharine McKinnon first appear in the 1861 Census for Canada West, Ontario, Township of Brantford. The children born in Ontario are John born 1856, Neil born 1858 (Great-grandfather), Christina, born 1859, and Jonney, born 1860. They are still together on the 1871 Census in the same area.
On arrival in Canada they had 3 children, Nancy, born Scotland 1839, Johnathan, born Scotland 1844, and Mary, born Scotland 1846. They all appear on the 1861 Census, but by 1871 Johnathan is gone. The adults are all gaelic speakers, informant for Census records is unknown.
The 1881 Census has only Donald, Catharine and the youngest John. Nancy is on the Census for Barton Asylum, in Hamilton, Ontario, no sign of the eldest son Johnathan, Mary is married to Robert Wilson (English Protestant), and moves to Buffalo, N.Y. , John (middle son, first born in Ontario) has left, location not known, Neil marries Martha Harper (Ontario born Protestant) and stays in Brantford, Christina marries Albert Vince (Ontario born Protestant), and eventually ends up in Potlatch, Idaho, the last Jonney I think ends up in the same Asylum as his sister Nancy. I haven't yet proven this one, but I sent for Nancy's records, and it sounded like she was mentally handicaped (possible dementia), and by 1891 the John that appears in the asylum is about the right age and has early dementia.
Nancy's asylum records say she was born in Inverness to poor Highland Scots who cannot pay for her care. Christina's Idaho Census 1910 says her parents spoke Gaelic.
Donald dies in 1885, Township of Brantford but Indigent. His wife Catharine died in 1884 in the City of Brantford. Neil McKinnon is the informant for both deaths, but I don't know if they were living with his family. No information about burial, but the death records say they are Roman Catholic. The whole family while in Brantford were listed as farm labourers, so could be buried almost anywhere.
Hope this isn't too much all at once, or too confusing.
Lois
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Hi Lois, did I already give you the bapt records from the Barra Parish Register? The baptisms for Ann, Mary and John are Jonathan are there.
Vince
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Hi Vince:
I haven't received any information from you related to my McKinnon's, perhaps it was sent to one of the other Barra enquiries
Lois.
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Here is what I have on the family.
Name: Donald MacKinnon
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Birth: abt 1805 Barra, Scotland
Death: 26 Oct 1885 Brantford, Brant Co., Ontario
Marriage: abt 1836
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Spouse: Catherine MacIntyre
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Birth: abt 1809 Barra, Scotland
Death: 1884 Brantford, Ontario
Children:
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1 F: Ann 'Nancy' MacKinnon
Birth: 21 Apr 1837 Bruthernish, Barra, Scotland
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2 M: John MacKinnon
Birth: 11 Oct 1839 Brevic, Barra, Scotland
Death: (before 1851)
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3 M: Jonathan 'Eoin' MacKinnon
Birth: 26 Dec 1840 Bruthernish, Barra, Scotland
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4 F: Mary MacKinnon
Birth: 4 Sep 1844 Bruirnish, Barra, Scotland
Spouse: Robert Wilson
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5 M: John MacKinnon
Birth: abt 1856
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6 M: Neil MacKinnon
Birth: abt 1858
Spouse: Martha Harper
Marriage: 24 May 1878 Brantford, Brant, Ontario
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7 F: Christina MacKinnon
Birth: abt 1859
Spouse: Albert Vincent
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8 M: John 'Johnny' MacKinnon
Birth: abt 1860
Notes for Donald MacKinnon
Living at Bruernish in 1851.
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Last Modified: 23 Jan 2012
Created: 24 Jan 2012
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Hi again Vince:
Many thanks for all that information. I was surprised regarding several bits, and yet not overly so.
I expected that the Mc was actually a Mac., due to changes over here. I'm sure this line will be on my mind for a long time as I like my t's crossed, and my i's dotted.
I will have to find out if the Brant Township born children were Baptised. There were only 2 RC churches at that time here, 1 right in Brantford, and the other in Paris. The diosese for the RC churches in Brant are in the control of Hamilton. I have heard that they are not too inclined to share information.
Would there be baptismal records for the Barra children on Scotlands People, or is Barra not yet digitised? I still have some credits left, and am still trying to finish pining down my Drysdale's also.
I would like your opinion on the possibility of a second wife for the Brant children. Neil was the informant for his mother's death certificate, it would be a big mistake to go from MacIntyre to McNeil. I wasn't too concerned with the gap in age groups because poverty, and miscarriage, disease all seem to go together, but a name difference is an issue.
Again, thanks very much.
Regards:
Lois
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Hello Lois,
Many parish records are available at local archives on microfilm. Ann was bapt on 24 Oct 1837, John on 12 Oct 1839, Eoin 28 Dec 1840, and Mary on 12 Sep 1844. There is a large age gap there. He could have married another Catherine. I would explore that if I were you. Yes, the records should be available on Scotland's People.
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Hi Vince:
I went ahead on Scotlands People, got birth/baptismal records for everyone except Donald. I couldn't find the death record for the first John, and I couldn't find the marriage record for Donald and Catharine. I suppose they could be in the Church of Scotland records, but I'll leave that for another day. Could be hand-fasting even .
If they followed the naming pattern, I'll look again for Donald's birth with parents names of John/Eoin and Mary both in, and outside of Barra.
Catharine's parents were John MacIntyre, and Christian Currie, which hopefully accounts for the Christy MacIntyre on the 1841 Census. They didn't use the naming pattern with the first daughter though. I'll definitely look into the second wife idea while I check into the Ontario born children again.
Thanks again for all your expertise.
Regards:
Lois
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Nancy would have been Ann. They were used for each other back then. I know you looked at the census. Catherine's age is consistent through to 1851 which suggests that she is the same person. How old was she in 1861?
1841/108 Barra -Inverness-shire
Bruinish
Chirsty MCINTYRE 70 Cottar Inverness-shire
Donald MCKINNON M 30 Fisherman Inverness-shire
Catharine MCKINNON F 30 Inverness-shire
Anne MCKINNON F 4 Inverness-shire
Eoin MCKINNON M 6m Inverness-shire
Mary MCINTYRE F 20 Female Servant Inverness-shire
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Hi Vince:
Consistancy drops off over here. The 1861 Census for Canada West, Township of Brantford, County of Brant is as follows:
Donnald McKinnon Labourer Scotland R.C. 53 Male Married Shanty Can't read or write
Catharine " == " " 42 Female " "
Nancy " == " " 21 " Single "
Mary " == " " 15 " " "
John " Labourer " " 5 Male "
Johnathan " " " " 17 " "
Neil " " " " 3 " "
Christina " " " " 2 Female "
Jonney " " " " 1 Male "
Clearly all the ditto marks are not accurate, no one is in school, the ages of the four youngest born in Ontario are consistant with arriving around 1854-55.
1871 Census
McKinnon, Donald Labourer Scotland R.C. 60 Male Married
" Catharine == " " 55 Female "
" Christina == O " 12 " ==
" Neal == O " 13 Male ==
" John == O " 14 " ==
" John == O " 10 " ==
" Mary == Scotland " 20 Female ==
Several ages are off on this one, lots of blanks, doubtful anyone went to school.
Nancy is in the asylum in Hamilton already, and Johnathan is gone .
Lois
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Vince:
I looked at the 1881 Census, and all of a sudden Donald jumps to 79 from 60 in 1871. Catharine is 55 in 1871, and is now 69 in 1881.
The death cert. for Donald in 1885 says he is 86 years old, and the death cert. for Catharine in 1884 says she is 60 years old.
Loois