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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Perthshire => Topic started by: Kmaleski on Monday 05 July 21 03:16 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I am indexing all of the McKercher/McKerracher families over at https://www.mckercher.org (https://www.mckercher.org)
I am doing so to map out and relate the families in order reconstruct trees and to determine possible linkages to the loosely documented origins from Braemar Farquharsons.
The McKerchers appear in 3 main groups.
1) Glenlyon/Loch Tay - Fortingall/Kenmore/Killin/Weem
2) Grandtully - Logierait/Dull
3) Aberfoyle/Buchanan/Port of Menteith
In regards to 3), there are number of early records and very few later records.
I was trying to determine why.
It appears that these McKercher/McKerracher aliased as McFarlane. They appear as McKercher pre 1750 and then finalize their names as McFarlane or in a few cases retain McKercher.
A significant number of personal family trees on Ancestry etc. are in error as this is not known.
Has any researcher on here seen any documentation of this alias in any of the literature?
While I have seen and documented aliases used in Breadalbane, I am not familiar with those used in these 3 parishes.
Best example:
Walter McKerracher married Mary Swan in 1788 in Aberfoyle. Some of his children finalized names as McKerracher while others as McFarlane. i.e. Post 1855 deaths are recorded as either depending on branch.
Any help or pointers would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Kori
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Hello Kori
You may have solved this mystery but, just in case it's useful, there's a will on the Scotlandspeople site for a McKerracher alias McFarlane:
McKerracher Duncan
26 / 7 / 1770
alias McFarlane, in Frew, parish of Kilmadock
Dunblane Commissary Court
I'm researching McFarlane and McKerchar in Buchanan, Stirling, hence coming across your message.
Catherine
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Hi Catherine,
Not solved yet.
I discussed with Andrew McFarlane over at www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info (http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info).
He suggested it may be McFarlane's having their name proscribed for a period (i.e. banned) for some infraction by their chief against the Government or the throne.
I am not sure.
McKerchers/McKerrachers moved south from Killin through Balquhidder/Callander to Port of Menteith/Kincardine in later periods - why not earlier? (and Aberfoyle/Buchanan)
OR possibly there were McKerchers who fought/served with the Earl of Menteith, and chose to reside on his estates. They often married Grahams.
In my index https://www.mckercher.org/ (https://www.mckercher.org/) I am recording them as McKerracher (McFarlane)
or McKercher (McFarlane) if I find that they were aliased.
Still need to research more.
Thank you for the pointer. If you find more or can share some more details as you progress, please do.
Cheers,
Kori
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Hi Kori,
I've been doing a similar exercise for clan Gregor in the area. I also have Campbell family in Balquhidder, and they used the alias McAinsh/McCaish, and I think some McDonalds in Callander/Aberfoyle/Port of Menteith used McArbrey, (they may have originated from Coilachra, Loch Katrine). There was also the use of Coskaroch in Balquhidder, which may have been a sept name as it died out, (I think it's based on warrior-hero in Gaelic). The McGregor aliases are definitely driven by proscription, but I suspect there was also a family sept name thing going on. It appears to stop around 1800, maybe because documents became more official and family nicknames couldn't be used.
John.
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Hi Kori
Happy to share more details. I only have one McKerchar in my tree so far:
Marriage 26 October 1738 Buchanan Parish: Agnes McKerchar and Daniel McAlpine in Rosse.
They were my 6x great grandparents. Unfortunately, Agnes's place of residence is illegible but someone who knows Buchanan well might be able to decipher it.
Rosse is Ross Priory. According to my family records the McAlpines were its proprietors for many years. Daniel (aka Donald and David depending on the record) is also associated with Calziemore (also spelled Culliemore).
Daniel and Agnes had several children. I know the fates of Jean and William.
There are further clues in the birth record for Jean McAlpine, baptised in Buchanan in November 1738. The two witnesses are both McKerchars, both possibly called Donald. Again dreadful handwriting. Place names are given for each of them and am trying to work out what they are. Best guesses are Ballindoran and something like Lodriss Green – wild guesses! Do either of these ring a bell?
I'm enoying your McKercher website! I'm now studying all the Donalds you have in the index.
Catherine
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Recommend you post the bits you can't decipher either in this thread or on the handwriting and deciphering forum here - you'll get lots of help to work out where these places are or were.
Make sure to include several lines besides the words you want to decipher so that folk can get an idea of the handwriting.
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Hi Catherine,
I know a bit about the family, but I don't have the two records you can't decipher. Maybe a seperate post to decipher the handwriting would be a good idea, as it's a bit off this topic.
To Kori's point, Agnes McKerchar is probably the Ann McFarlan in 1755. There are a few examples in the Buchanan registers where it specifically says "McFarlane or McKerrocher", and also "McFarlane or McInstalker".
I think this family is William McAlpine->Donald (two wives)->Daniel
Are you sure about Ross Priory? That's on Lochmond, but not in Buchanan Parish. I assumed Ross was Ross Farm, which is much further north, by Ross Point and Ross Wood. Ross Priory was the seat of the Leith-Buchanans of Ross.
I think their son Donald remained by Ross at Coille Mhor, (Calliemore), William and Jean lived in Aberfoyle Parish. I think Jean's daughter Jean married Andrew McFarlane and they lived at Glengyle with her brother Alexander and her cousin. The significance of this is that Dorothy Wordsworth stayed with them in 1803 and wrote several pages about the family's life there in her Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland, although she appears to have conflated Jean's brother and cousin;
"Mr. Macfarlane, and his wife's brother, Mr. Macalpine, farmed under the lady of Glengyle, the mother of the young laird, a minor."
BTW, the place names could be Corriegrennan and Ballindeor/Ballendoir/Balendoress/Balliniore/Ballymore. Both were south of Comer, and the latter was the residence of Duncan McKerchar/McFarlan and Anna Mcfarlane.
John.
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Hi all,
This is fantastic, as I have had so little information on the Buchanan families.
I should note that my index has the Buchanan names spelled as McKerchar with the "A". So best to search with a partial "McKerch" and then filter results.
Place names:
I have recorded some of the records with the location of Ballindoin - I may have misread - it is supposed to be Ballindeor?
The map I have attached has it located south of Gartincaber.
Ballimore is just southeast of Comer (not on this map)
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Donald McKerchar and Janet Norie m 1735 with ten children were residing at Ledrish. I have it recorded as Loddish because of the handwriting being hard to decipher.
I believe Ledrish or your Lodriss Green is east/southeast of Stucantagart. Cant find a map with it.
Ballindeor has to be adjacent.
Using this to identify the place names
http://las.denisrixson.com/2016/11/buchanan-table/ (http://las.denisrixson.com/2016/11/buchanan-table/)
along with the ordinance map here
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.1&lat=56.08146&lon=-4.50781&layers=257&b=1 (https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.1&lat=56.08146&lon=-4.50781&layers=257&b=1)
Hi Kori
Happy to share more details. I only have one McKerchar in my tree so far:
Marriage 26 October 1738 Buchanan Parish: Agnes McKerchar and Daniel McAlpine in Rosse.
They were my 6x great grandparents. Unfortunately, Agnes's place of residence is illegible but someone who knows Buchanan well might be able to decipher it.
Rosse is Ross Priory. According to my family records the McAlpines were its proprietors for many years. Daniel (aka Donald and David depending on the record) is also associated with Calziemore (also spelled Culliemore).
Daniel and Agnes had several children. I know the fates of Jean and William.
There are further clues in the birth record for Jean McAlpine, baptised in Buchanan in November 1738. The two witnesses are both McKerchars, both possibly called Donald. Again dreadful handwriting. Place names are given for each of them and am trying to work out what they are. Best guesses are Ballindoran and something like Lodriss Green – wild guesses! Do either of these ring a bell?
I'm enoying your McKercher website! I'm now studying all the Donalds you have in the index.
Catherine
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Found a map with Ledrish and Ballindeor - here mapped and spelled as Leddish and Balindom
https://maps.nls.uk/view/216442794 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/216442794)
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That must be the place. I thought it was a poor spelling of Ballimore in Brackern because of this;
1747 Duncan Mcgregor in Creitbiek and Cristin Mcgregor daur Sarah wit. James Paterson in s[ai]d town and Duncan McKerchar in Ballindeor.
I guess the correct modern spelling would be baile an doire, or baile an doruis, if it means the village of the thicket, or grove.
I think this is Duncan McKerchar's family, but I only have the details of the first two baptisms;
1744 Duncan Mckerchar or Mcfarlan+Anna Mcfarlan
1745 Duncan Mckerchar/Ann Mcfarlan Walter
1749 Duncan Mckerchar/Anna Mcfarlan Daniel
1751 Duncan Mckerachar/Anna Mcfarlan Elizabeth
1753 Duncan Mckerrochar/Ann Mcfarlane George
1755 Douncan Mckerracher/Ann Mcfarlane Janet
1757 Duncan Mckerrochar/Agnes Mcfarlan Isaac
The two I have details for;
1749 Duncan Mckerchar in Ballendoir and Anna Mcfarlan sone Daniel wit. Donald Mckerchar his father and Donald Mckerchar in Park of Ballaronachie.
1751 Duncan Mckerachar in Balendore & Anna Mcfarlan daur Elizabeth wit. Daniel Carmichaill wright George Mcfarlan in Inchmissin.
The other record I have for Duncan and Christian McGregors mentions a McAlpin;
1749 Duncan Mcgregor in Creitbrekan and Christen Mcgregor daur Isball wit. Adam Mcalpin in Gartnalhinch and James Paterson in Creitbrekan
I think Adam's family is;
1742 Adam Mcalpine+Margrat Campbell
1743 Adam Mcalpin/Margrat Campbell Jean
1745 Adam Mcalpin/Margrat Campbell Elizabeth
1747 Adam Mcalpin/Margrat Campbell Margrat
1749 Adam Mcalpine/Margarat Campbel Giles
1752 Adam Mcalpin/Margaret Campbell Alexander
The details I have;
1747 Adam Mcalpin in Loeshe of Maine of Buchanan and Margt Campbell daur Margrat wit. Andrew Mcalpin in Aushingyle and John Leckie in Wester Mains of Buchanan.
1749 Adam Mcalpine and Margt Campbel in Gartnahinch daur Giles wit. Andrew Mcalpin in Auceshoill and Donald Mcqueen in Kallowood with others.
John.
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Here are the Donald and Duncan McKerchar's of Buchanan
If I have a place name in the righthand notes - I have that OPR record.
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John's, Malcolm's and a William
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Thank you everyone for all the advice and excellent information.
John, you asked about Ross Priory. I think you are correct in thinking it should be Ross in Buchanan. The notion that it was the priory comes from notes left by a great uncle, as follows:
"The McAlpines were proprietors of the Ross Priory (between Balmaha and Balloch on Loch Lomond) for 700 years. Then they sold it to the Duke of Montrose. One of the sons – Daniel McAlpine – took the farm of Culliemare near Rowardennan. His daughter Agnes [sic, should be Jean] married John Graham of Frenich near Aberfoyle. Their elder daughter married Andrew McFarlane of Glengyle, Cashell and Craigievairn..."
All of the relevant McAlpine deeds and other documents catalogued on National Records of Scotland site relate to Ross, Calziemore and Lurg. So a fanciful addition of the word priory at some point in time...
The Andrew McFarlane and Jean Graham (daughter of John of Calziemuck who died at Frenich in 1803) in these notes are the Mr and Mrs McFarlane visited by the Wordsworths and Coleridge in 1803.
I think a good contender for the McAlpine relative mistaken for a brother is James McAlpine (born 1755) or one of his sons. All of Jean Graham's brothers had died by 1803. Captain William McAlpine's will of 1809 describes his brother James as residing at Cashell (Andrew McFarlane's farm after Glengyle).
As to James McAlpine's mother, I think she may well be Ann McFarlane, Daniel's second wife, and not Agnes McKerchar under an alias. Two reasons: the witnesses to James's baptism are Andrew and Donald McFarlane of Salachy. Plus his birth is seven years after the last recorded baptism of a child of Agnes McKerchar.
According to the same great uncle, my McFarlane line were in Sallochy for generations. "Glengyle" Andrew McFarlane was born in Sallochy in 1770. His father was Peter/Patrick and grandfather another Andrew (possibly the one who witnessed James's baptism).
Catherine
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Hi Catherine,
I think McAlpine was a cousin, but there was also a brother, (and so Wordsworth's confusion);
13/01/1798 ALEXANDER GRAHAM married CHRISTIAN MCVEAN Aberfoyle
26/12/1799 ALEXANDER GRAHAM/CHIRSTIAN MCVEAN JEAN ELIZABETH Callander [Glengyle]
His wife's family was probably;
19/08/1775 ALEXANDER MCVEAN married JEAN GRAHAME St Cuthbert's
21/08/1775 ALEXANDER MCVEAN married JEAN MCGRIGOR Buchanan
19/06/1776 ALEXANDER MCVEAN/JEAN MCGRIGOR ELIZABETH Buchanan [Comer]
27/05/1778 ALEXANDER MCVEAN/JEAN MCGRIGOR JOHN Buchanan [Comer]
27/04/1780 ALEXANDER MCVEAN/JEAN MCGRIGOR CHRISTIN Buchanan
04/01/1782 ALEXANDER MCVEAN/JEAN MCGRIGOR PATRICK Buchanan
01/09/1783 ALEXANDER MCVEAN/JEAN MCGRIGOR DONALD Buchanan
His wife's mother was probably Jean of Glengyle;
1753 John Graham of Glengyle/Jean Buchanan in Glenguile Jean [Callander]
Who appears to have married again;
1786 Alexander Stewart son to James Tacksman in Duniverig+Jean McGregor daur to John of Glengyle
1787 Alexander Stewart/Jean McGregor Tacksman in Duniverig James Aberfoyle
1789 Alexr. Stewart/Jean McGregor Tacksman of Duniverig John Aberfoyle
1790 Alexr Stewart/Jean McGregor Tacksman of Duniverig Duncan Aberfoyle
1792 Alexr. Stewart/Jean McGregor Tacksman of Duniverig Henry Gregor Aberfoyle
1794 Alexr. Stewart/Jean McGrigor Tacksman in Duniverig Alexander Aberfoyle
1796 Mr Alexr Stewart/Jean McGregor in Duniverig David Aberfoyle
And so, the Glengyle connection. Maybe Andrew had recently died when the Wordsworths visited, and Dorothy was told about him as Christian's husband, but assumed it was the McAlpine cousin.
My data is mainly McGregor families, and so I see other families through a McGregor lens, but if it helps this is what I have for McFarlanes at Sallochy;
1715 Gregor Mcgregor in Coreuclet and Katherine Mcfarlan sone John wit. Robt Mcfarlan in Salachy and Neil Mcbeth in Callimore
And these three lines on the same day;
1719 Robt Mcfarlan & Marion Mcnaughtan in Salachie sone Robert wit. Walter and John Mcfarlans in Salachie
1719 William Mcjock in Salachie & Ann Mcfarlan daur Elizabeth wit. ut supra (Latin for as above)
1719 Donald Mcgregor in Cailnesse & Kathrine Mcgregor daur Jean wit. ut supra
And the family you already mentioned;
23/03/1770 PETER MACFARLANE/MARGRET MACFARLANE ANDREW Buchanan [Sallochy]
20/09/1772 PETER MCFARLAN/MARGRAT MCFARLAN JOHN Buchanan [Easter Sallochie]
12/10/1774 PETER MCFARLANE/MARGARET MCFARLANE WILLIAM Buchanan [Easter Sallochie]
15/04/1777 PETER MCFARLANE/MARGARET MCFARLANE ROBERT Buchanan [Easter Sallochy]
20/02/1780 PETER MCFARLANE/MARGARET MCFARLANE MARGRET Buchanan
01/07/1785 PETER MCFARLANE/MARGARET MCFARLANE PETER Buchanan
10/12/1789 PETER MCFARLANE/MARGRET MCFARLANE JAMES Buchanan [Sallochie]
John.