RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: RedMystic on Sunday 01 February 15 00:11 GMT (UK)
-
Hi Chatters,
I'm looking for the birth of the right Alexander Cameron to see where he was born and who his parents were. ??? Can you help please?
Everthing I can find in print in old Ontario family history books says he was born in Inverness. An old family note says that he was born in the "shaddow of Ben Nevis".
At the time of his death in 1901 he was reported to be 86 years old which makes him born 1814 or 1815. (This is relatively consistent with Canadian census which bounce him around 1814 - 1818). He married in Quebec 11 Sep 1845. No parents are noted in the record I've found. :'(
I've attached the SP options. I've purchased the 19 Apr 1814 Glenelg birth as an option. Which of the others are close enough geographically to be considered "in the shaddow of Ben Nevis"? ???
Background in case it helps you think this through and offer alternative strategies to determining the right Alexander, his parents & his birth place:
There is an unverified tree on *A* that says his mother's name was Janet.
The Glenelg record I purchased (if correct) indicates the father is Alexander & no mother is included in the record.
The naming pattern for his chldren:
First 3 girls:
Jessie (should be named after mother's mother, however if she is actually named for father's mother then the name could coincide with the unverified tree that says mother is Janet. :-\)
Susan (should be named for father's mother but appears to be named for mother's mother)
Sarah (should be named for mother and is named for mother's middle name)
First 3 boys:
Malcolm (should be named after father's father, but appears to be named after mother's father)
Alexander
Ewen
These children were all born relatively close together with no liklihood of having an extra "unknown" child between the marriage date and first child or extras between the first six children.
Thoughts? What are my next steps to narrow this down? ::) ??? ;D
-
Kilmonivaig, in Cameron country, is in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the others would need a very long shadow indeed! ;D
No 8, mention of Samuel Cameron, the Cameron's of Glen Nevis, literally under the Ben, traditionally used the name Samuel (Somhairle = Sorley). Sorley's Cave there where the Glen Nevis women hid after Culloden, was soon discovered by the Redcoats who stole everything the women had.
Skoosh.
-
Thanks very much for the guidance. I'll follow that trail and see where it leads.
I'd feel more confident if Samuel had been used as the name for at least one child, but there were 14 kids & no-one named Sam.
It's a conundrum for me & I really appreciate that you've provided your expertise. :)
-
I'd have a look on Freecen 1841 (see what susan + cameron shows in Inverness shire) rather interesting entry with Camerons living at Ratlichveag...includes a Susan and a Ewen....SO many Camerons maybe a flick through the adjacent households might throw something up...
Skoosh - I love your history snippets :)
Jen
edit: should have added Jessie/Janet used interchangeably in Scotland
-
Red, it was the chief's family who used the name, they were known in Gaelic as the "Sliochd Somhairle Ruaidh", presumably being descended from a Red Samuel.
Skoosh.
-
Thanks Skoosh & jennywren. Do you know of any family history sites dedicated to the Camerons of Kilmonivaig? I'm hoping there is so I can see if there was an Alexander of about the right age who went off to make his way.
I've visited the library and looked in all 4 volumes of A Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation. It generally shows the area from which the person emigrated. Unfortunately for me, my Alexander is not included.
-
Hi RedMystic,
Sorry, can't help with family history site but if you've yet to read through the Statistical account of the parish for 1835-1845 it's worth a read. The section on the keeping of records is particular apopo as is the description of the ecclesiastical state of the parish.
http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sas.asp?action=public
Jen
-
Red, you should also be looking for stuff on the parish of Kilmallie, which together with Kilmonivaig makes up Lochaber, a good book if you can get hold of it is, "Bygone Lochaber" by Somerled MacMillan 1971, I think it used to be available from the West Highland Museum in Fort William.
Bests,
Skoosh.
-
Excellent. Thank you jennywren & Skoosh. I will follow-up on both. :)
Yesterday afternoon I figured out that Alexander Cameron's brother-in-law (a McCallum from Argyle) fought in the Patriot Rebellion in Quebec (Lower Canada at the time) in 1837-38. The frustrating thing is that I didn't even know that Canada had a Patriot Rebellion and I thought I was pretty good at Canadian history.
This makes me particularly appreciative of your recommendations for background reading regarding Lochaber and the parish. Knowing the history & context certainly helps in the search.
-
Just to muddle this more, I've finally found Alexander Cameron in the 1901 census shortly before he died. (You have no idea how badly a simple name like Cameron can be mis-transcribed ::) ;D)
On the upside, the 1901 census in Canada provides a full birth date for Alexander. On the downside, it doesn't match any of the Inverness births in the SP search. Heavy sigh. :'(
Back to the drawing board.
-
Skoosh, can you please weigh in again. :)
The 22 Feb 1814 birth in Kilmorack is reasonably similar to the 18 Feb 1815 birth noted in the 1901 census. I've looked up Kilmorack and see that it is not far from Inverness and situated in hill and mountain pastures with the western portion of the parish "exceedingly mountainous". I can't tell how far it is from Ben Nevis.
Thoughts? Could this be a possibility for me? :-\
-
One more note - As much as I was hoping for a solid lead, I've ruled out the mother Janet b1779 Kilmonivaig that appears in another *A* tree. :P Her son Alexander was head of house in the 1851 Kilmonivaig census while the Alexander I'm searching for was already in Canada, married in Quebec in 1845, and having children.
-
Red, Kilmorack is outside Lochaber on the east side of Inverness-shire but if he was working as a shepherd for example, they did move around.
Skoosh.
-
Red, what does it have in the religion column at the end - I can't read it.
Jen
-
Jenny, is it Pres for Presbyterian?
Skoosh.
-
Skoosh, your eyes must be way better than mine I can't see anything! Don't tell me you can make out the occupation else I'm definitely going to spit oot the dummy ;)
Jen
-
Thanks Skoosh. I've run across so many 1901 full birth dates that are incorrect, I'm not fully convinced that it's right for Alexander Cameron. I think I'll leave the Kilmorack off the list for now as his mother's name doesn't fit the naming pattern for the children in subsequent generations.
jennywren, every census I've seen for Alexander Cameron says Presbyterian. ;)
I'm trying to figure out when he came to Canada as well. Based on the 1901 census (which again is a notoriously inconsistent source of emigration years), I'm guessing 1835 (though 5 is the only legible figure). Maybe another way to go at his birth place is to see if there are militay records for those who fought in the Patriot Revolution (1837-38) in Quebec/Ontario. A man who was to become his brother-in-law did. If Alexander did as well, I wonder if there might be a lead there? Hmmmm
FYI Canada's Patriot Revolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellions_of_1837
-
jennywren: occupation farmer ;) ;D
-
Hi to all, My g.g.grandmother was Mary Cameron born about 1813 (I think), her father was an Alexander Cameron who was an inkeeper at Unachan. She married Donald Cameron at Kilmonivaig 17 Jan 1833. He was a blacksmith at Blarour. Later Mary married a Munro (my g.g.grandfather) and migrated to Australia. On her death certificate her father was named Alexander and mother Janet. She had a sister Ann who married James Mackay 1834. Hope I'm not confusing any issues here but so many Camerons to get confused about.
Kaye
-
Hi RM,
Here's something to consider for the birth of Alexander but Skoosh will need to help with the geography ;D
According to the recent passing of Charles Kennedy, he was buried "in the shadow of Ben Nevis" !!!
States "Clunes, Achnacarry"..........
Close for Inverness-shire as it seems in earlier times Lochaber came under "Inverness-Shire"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clunes,_Lochaber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochaber
Annie
ADDED.........Maybe you need to broaden your search by a couple of years as people do lose their memory in old age & you mentioned the Canadian census having his b 1814 - 1818 so could even be 1812 - 1818 (not to big a gap) as I've had ages varying by not far off 10yrs ;D
ADDED...I looked further & it's called "Caol" - Kilmallie but no births so I tried leaving County/City blank & for 1810 - 1820 there are 22 matches for 23p
-
Folks, a very vague term this shadow business, I wouldn't fancy running from Ben Nevis to Clunes for the toilet! ;D
Skoosh.
-
Folks, a very vague term this shadow business, I wouldn't fancy running from Ben Nevis to Clunes for the toilet! ;D
;D ;D
Skoosh,
It seems to have been a "borderline" term & as RM has discounted the others (Inverness), I think this would be a good alternative as it actually has on SP "Kilmallie (Inverness)" ???
The strange thing is........If you select County/City "Inverness" & Parish "Kilmallie (Inverness) together nothing comes up for ANY Cameron b 1538 - 1854 ???
I found it by leaving the (County/City) Blank & only selected (Parish) Kilmallie (Inveness) ::)
I would certainly take a chance as it is still "classed" as what has been verified as "Inverness" :P
Annie
-
Hi to all, My g.g.grandmother was Mary Cameron born about 1813 (I think), her father was an Alexander Cameron who was an inkeeper at Unachan. ....
Hi there Kaye :) Maybe start a new thread with your family line otherwise your post may get a little lost on this older post by RM.
Monica
-
Hi:
Apologies for posting so late to this thread; I just discovered this message through a Google Search for Alexander Cameron!
The Alexander Cameron you are seeking is my GG grandfather. Our family records indicate that he was born in 1814, and this is the year that is also given in the newspaper article announcing his death in 1901. However, as you have found, a census record gives his birth year as 1815.
Here is a quote from the 1901 newspaper article: "The late Mr. Cameron was born in Inverness, near the foot of Ben Nevis in 1814." I was told that he immigrated to Canada in the year he was born.
As for his parents, I am still trying to pin them down. I was told his father's name was Ewen, and that his mother was also a Cameron.
Please let me know if there is other information you are seeking, and I will try to help.
-
There was a Cameron-ising campaign amongst Lochiel's tenantry in Lochaber whereby folk who had older surnames than Cameron were obliged to take that name.
The Strathspey Grant's endured the same policy & that people who appeared in an old Rental with predominantly Gaelic names, or patronymics, were listed in a later Rental as Grant's.
Skoosh.
-
The 22 Feb 1814 birth in Kilmorack is reasonably similar to the 18 Feb 1815 birth noted in the 1901 census. I've looked up Kilmorack and see that it is not far from Inverness and situated in hill and mountain pastures with the western portion of the parish "exceedingly mountainous". I can't tell how far it is from Ben Nevis. Thoughts? Could this be a possibility for me? :-\
No. You cannot see Ben Nevis from any house in the parish of Kilmorack.
-
Here's something to consider for the birth of Alexander but Skoosh will need to help with the geography ;D
According to the recent passing of Charles Kennedy, he was buried "in the shadow of Ben Nevis" !!!
States "Clunes, Achnacarry"..........
Close for Inverness-shire as it seems in earlier times Lochaber came under "Inverness-Shire"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clunes,_Lochaber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochaber/
Lochaber was always part of the county of Inverness, though until the establishment of Highland Council in the late 20th century its boundaries were not formally defined. It certainly included the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, and hence Achnacarry, which is in the parish of Kilmallie.
I looked further & it's called "Caol" - Kilmallie
Caol is on the north shore of Loch Linnhe, on what used to be the Moss of Corpach, a couple of miles from Fort William, betwen the river and the canal. It is in the parish of Kilmallie. On the first edition of the six-inch Ordnance Survey map it is shown as an area containing a handful of crofts. These days it is a large housing estate. See https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=56.8377&lon=-5.1021&layers=5&right=BingHyb
-
There was a Cameron-ising campaign amongst Lochiel's tenantry in Lochaber whereby folk who had older surnames than Cameron were obliged to take that name.
The Strathspey Grant's endured the same policy & that people who appeared in an old Rental with predominantly Gaelic names, or patronymics, were listed in a later Rental as Grant's.
Skoosh.
Thank you for this information, Skoosh. This might explain why Alexander and his wife shared a surname!
-
Indeed amalfa, the various branches of the ancient tribes of MacMartin's, MacGillonie's & MacSorlies etc, were compelled to call themselves Cameron.
The book you want is "Bygone Lochaber!" by Somerled MacMillan, author & publisher, which was printed privately in 1971 by K & R Davidson, Glasgow.
Skoosh.
Meanwhile in the Fraser country the Lord Lovat of the day was giving tenancies to in-comers prepared to change their name to Fraser with the added bonus of a quantity of meal. "Boll of Meal Fraser's!" as they were known.
-
Thank you so much for this tip, Skoosh! Much appreciated. There is much I need to learn about Scottish history if I want to make headway on this branch of the family tree! :)
-
@ amalfa, "Bygone Lochaber" looks pricey but I think it can be read online!
Skoosh.