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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Ross & Cromarty => Topic started by: malbec on Thursday 12 June 08 09:59 BST (UK)
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Hi I'm trying to track down any info on Murdoch McKenzie who was married to a Katharine...last name unknown.
Katharine gave birth to a son, John, in Gairloch in 1804 (which is where I have her name from) so I'm guessing at birth
years for Katharine and Murdoch of around 1760-1780ish and a marriage around late 1790's to early 1800's. Murdoch's occupation on John's birth certificate is given as "tennant".
John McKenzie was a fisherman in Wick and in 1840 married Isabella Phimister. Murdoch's name is mentioned as a witness for
their marriage.
I have come to a complete halt on this branch using Scotland online and am not sure where to go from here.
Thanks!
Bec
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Seems I've stumped everyone ???
It is possible that Katharine's maiden surname was also Mckenzie. I have come to this assumption
going on the register with Murdoch and Katharine's son John's birth. Murdoch and Katharine are both accorded the same surname, McKenzie, however other births listed on the same page have different (ie maiden?) surnames for husband and wife.
Is this theory plausible??
I have found John Mckenzie and his wife listed in the 1881 census in Boathaven, Wick. In the 1891 census
Isabella is listed as a widow however I can find no record of John's death :( Was hoping to find this with his parents names on it.
Any takers??
Bec
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John MacKenzie's death certificate is on ScotlandsPeople. He died 28.12.1886 aged 83 at Boathaven, Wick. His father was John, a general labourer and his mother was Margaret MacKenzie. MacKenzie was her maiden and married name. Hope this helps.
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Thanks Kilsyth...that looks like him from the Wife's name and from the occupation in the 1881 census...but parents names are different to his birth registration. Murdo is father's name on it and Murdoch is his witness at his marriage whilst Katharine is the mother's name on the birth. From the census data I'm certain I have the right birth too...oh the confusion ::)
::)
Bec
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Remember you work backwards from what you know. Do you have other information to confirm that Murdo is the line you are looking for?
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Only the marriage and birth registrations.
And that every other tree I have come across with the son John Mckenzie on it has the same birth in 1804 in Gairloch that I came up with ;) and so parents Murdoch and Katharine
Bec
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Hi Bec
What were John and Isabella's children's names in birth order? Also, Isabella's parents' names.
The IGI just lists:
William - 1857
James - 1860
Margaret - 1862
It might mean that they used the Scottish naming conventions and it would be possible to work it out from that.
Regards
Gadget
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I see on the 1851 that the children are:
John
Alexandrina
Margaret
George
It looks as if his father might have been a John from this pattern. However, I'm not sure of Isabella's parents. There is a couple having children around the time of Isabella's birth who might be possible parents - George Phimister and Alexandrina Warse. If this is the case, a John and Margaret would fit perfectly as parents of John and George and Alexandrina for Isabella.
there is an Isabella with parents John and Marjory - but Marjory isn't used at all for Isabella's children.
Gadget
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Yes Gadget, I agree with your findings. I also found a John born to John Mackenzie and Margaret Mackenzie in 1810.
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I see that his age varies on the censuses. Also, John M(a)ckenzie was a pretty common name over on that side - it was MacKenzie country!
Gadget
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Yes his age varies wildly on the censuses (censii?? ;) ) Wish I could be as creative with my age ;)
Gadget, Isabella's parents are George Phimister and Alexandrina Wares...so that bit is right.
How interchangable are the McKenzie and Mackenzie?? My grandmother was always Mackenzie which gave
me a bit of trouble when I first started researching as I hadn't even considered that her ancestors might have been McKenzies.
I had come up with John born in 1804 and then found this site...(tree)
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=elizabeth365_1&id=I15153
which seemed to confirm what I had come up with...of course we could both be speculating wildly! :)
Bec
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The info fits with our findings, Bec. Have you contacted the person?
Having lived in MacKenzie country, the spelling varies and it would have depended, in those days, on who entered the info in the parish records, I would think.
His parents do look like a John and Margaret though rather than Murdo(ch). Not all baptisms were entered in the records.
The Murdoch on the marriage record might have been a brother. have you tried tracing up any of John's siblings?
Gadget
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Hi Gadget,
No I hadn't tried tracing any of the siblings...I was struggling with so many Mckenzies ;D
Bec
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Thinking about it more, the ones that I know are now all Mackenzies - I've just checked my telehone lists :)
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Looking for more info. re ancestor of my husband, Malcom McDonald.
Widower MALCOM MCDONALD House Carpenter, married in January 1820 in Lewiston, Glen Urquhart, Inverness-shire to MARY MCKENZIE, b. 1799 Ferrintosh, Killearnan Parish.
Their first son was Murdoch - born 1821 Glen Urquhart, then family possibly moved to Cullicudden, Resolis. Married 1846 Christina Urquhart, who was born June 1822, Ferrintosh, Killearnan Parish.
All of their seven children were born in Cullicudden, Resolis. Another possible son was William Hughin McDonald, born c. 1826, Petty, Urquhart. No more info. Can anyone help with more info. on original Malcolm and mary McKenzie? IGI gives Malcolm's birthdate as 1795 (and Mary's as 1799) but cannot find on Scotland's People - or rather, can't identify right one.
I think that Malcolm was born earlier, (to accommodate his first marriage - and possible death of first wife?). I found a Census record which gives his birthdate as 1767 which seems more logical. Ruth
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Dear malbec:
Don't get hung up on the Mackenzie / Mckenzie thing the two were pretty interchangeable and many families only became fixed on one or the other as literacy improved toward the end of the 1800's. This was certainly the case with my ancestors. I have also seen it suggested that McKenzie is just a contraction or abbreviation like can't for cannot.
Also don't get fixed on a particular age - on early census data it was very common for people to round their ages to the nearest 5 so 42 becomes 40. This has led me astray more than once.
I can offer no help in tracing your line but i send my sympathies when dealing with Mackenzies - they really were 10 a penny in the region Speaking from my own experience keep plugging away and eventually something will click into place.
Good luck
Jane