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Hi Ross,

I have Kenneth's parents as Dugald McPherson and Marion McGillivray.  They were probably born c.1765, married c.1784 (around the time their first known child was born), and appear to have died before the 1841 census was taken. 

Kenneth Mcpherson had a brother Martin who emigrated from Skye on board the William Nicol in 1837, and settled in Kilmore, Victoria. 

I have plenty more info on this family, so feel free to email me directly if you want more details.

Rachel

Dear Skoosh,

Thanks for replying so quickly to my post.

I have been doing a little 'research' of my own on Highland carts following your post and have found out a couple of interesting facts.  I.F.Grant's book 'Highland Folk ways' is particularly informative on this subject (cf. chapter entitled 'Communication and Transport).  Apparently primitive carts called 'kellachs' were in use by the 1700s - particularly on the fringes of the Highlands.  According to Grant sledges were used in the districts of Kintail and Gairloch until the 1930s as they were more suited to the terrain.  When Hugh Miller took the newly made road to the west to work in Gairloch in 1823 he noticed 'two abandoned carts lying beside it'.

I actually don't believe for a second that my 5 or 6x great grandparents came to Skye in a dung cart - but it makes for a nice wee tale (which is probably why someone made it up).  Roads were either so dire or non existent in the 1700s that it would have been impossible to take a cart on their suggested route.

Anyway, are you able to expand on your comment 'the clan could have been doing with an alarm clock, they arrived late for most of the battles they never took part in'?  I am assuming you are refering to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745?  I was aware that Clan Macpherson of Cluny was 'late' for Culloden, but a number of Macphersons fought under Clan Ranald.  Ancestry.co.uk has uploaded a fascinating document called 'Directory ofScots Banished to the American Plantations 1650 - 1772'.  Some 2 dozen Macphersons who fought in the various Jacobite wars are listed. Are there other shameful tales that I need to be aware of before continuing my research?  

Rachel