John Ross from Rosehall

[ShirleyMunro]

Looking to trace Family of John Ross c1830 who was born in or near Rosehall (possibly connections with Achnahannet) Ross-shire Scotland.
He went to New Zealand with his brother who I don't know the name of and he lived in some where called Rosehall.
He had a sister or Cousin called Margaret Ross born 1830, who married William Munro, and his family were in touch with mine until a decade or 2 ago.
I am confused about where my ggg gran Margaret's family came from and I hope some of John's family might solve my missing link.
If anyone knows anything that might help, or as any advice I would be delighted to here from them.
Thanks Shirley

[jericho]

Hi Shirley


Do you have any ideas of when John Ross and his brother went to New Zealand and if so ages and dates may help us find him, and do you know where they lived once they arrived in New Zealand, as John Ross is such a common name, it would be good to know. Do you know if either married in New Zealand or perhaps their occupations. I myself have a John Ross who left Scotland and went to New Zealand, and I have come across several others in my research so we may need a few more details to help you find yours.


jericho

[spades]

Hi Shirley,

I don't know of a town named 'Rosehall' in New Zealand, although there is a town in South Canterbury named 'Rosewill' on the plain just NW of Timaru. But judging from your post 'Rosehall' may have been a private residence named after his place of origin rather than a town.   

Did the Margaret ROSS born 1830 marry William MUNRO in New Zealand? If so that might lead you to John ROSS.

Regards, riley

[ShirleyMunro]

Thank you both for getting in touch and sorry I was so vauge. It was late last night when I got the idea of putting a message on here.
Sadly I know very little about John and his brother. I do know John married after moving to New Zealand, and had family who lived somewhere called Rosehall.

An elderly relative told me about the connection and she doesn't know any more. I think John Ross's relatives kept contact with her mother (here in scotland) as she remembers seeing the letters, and noting the name Rosehall, but she told me she thought it was a place.

An educated guess would be that they left scotland in 1854-1855, arrived in New Zealand some time after that. I say this because if they lived near Rosehall, on a croft,(as I think they might have), it was at this time, estates around this area were evicting  tennents. I know for sure Margaret was involved in the Glencalvie riots, just before the evictions,and can account for people who were involved in the riots moving to the area where margaret later lived and married William Munro. They remained in Scotland.
 Christina Munro, margaret and williams daughter is the mother of the lady who told me about John.

Really I can't think of much else. I would guess John was born a few years either side of 1830, but I can't do much better than that. Family connections I do know of all come from crofting back ground, so I guess John was also from crofting back ground.

Regards Shirley

[spades]

Hi Shirley,

Like Jericho, I'm a bit stumped about what to suggest next, but because of the strong Scotch connection and the crofting background I suggest that you contact the Otago Settlers Museum (OSM) in Dunedin, as many Scotch emigrated to Otago, and Dunedin still retains a strong flavour of Scotland. http://www.otago.settlers.museum/

OSM boasts an excellent research service. You should mention his place and date of birth as well as the Rosehall connection.

I admit that this is a long shot but it seems reasonable. My feeling is that you should also pursue the Margaret ROSS/William MUNRO connection to see if more information can be teased out.

If you believe Margaret ROSS might be a sister of John, try to prove it via Old Parish Records. They were probably born in the same parish or those adjacent.

let us know how you get on.

Regards, riley

[liverpool annie]

Hi Shirley !

There is quite a bit on the web about the Glencalvie riots and the Massacre of the Rosses in 1854

In 1854 it was decided to clear Greenyards in Strathcarron but when the tacksman, Alexander Munro, was questioned by the tenants he said that no writs of eviction would be applied for in his name.

The women heard that there were men coming with writs of eviction so they met the men, searched their pockets, burned the writs and let the men go. The men told the court that they had been attacked by a mob of disorderly people. Two weeks later two or three men arrived claiming to have writs of eviction. They were met by the women who refused to let them past. The men got nervous and one pulled a pistol. A boy in the crowd, seeing the pistol aimed at his mother's head, took out his own rusty pistol. The men left peacefully but told their superiors that they had been met by riots.

On the 31st March constables from Ross and Inverness set out to clear Greenyards. They were again met by the women. Accounts differ as to whether the Riot Act was actually read but the Procurator Taylor gave the order to 'knock them down'. The police attacked the women, kicking them and beating them with ash batons. After the attack the houses were burned and prisoners taken back to Tain jail where they were charged with rioting and disorderly behaviour.

'The Massacre of the Rosses of Strathcarron, Ross-shire, by policemen when serving the tenants in Strathcarron with summonses of removal in March 1854; Also, a warning against the Clearing of the Glens', by Donald Ross (1886)

http://www.wildcountry.uk.com/Clearances%20website/nClearance%20History4.html

Annie 

[AMBLY]

Hi Shirley

This may be a total red-herring - his age? his year of arrival in nz - but there are co-incidences in that he right occupation, is from an area near Rose Hall in Ross as far as I can work out , and married in NZ a woman from that place: see---

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nzlscant/fairlie.htm
Reference: Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Canterbury edition.
Published 1903
mentions:
ROSS, JOHN, Farmer, Shinness Farm, Fairlie. Mr Ross was born in Shiness, Sutherlandshire, Scotland and was brought up to shepherding. He worked for five years on the Shinness Farm and for eleven years on the Forest Farm, Ross-shire. Mr Ross came to Lyttelton by the ship "Merope" in 1870 and went as shepherd on the Tekapo station for two years. He worked on several other runs and was managing Richmond station for some time. He worked to the North Island for two years; and on his return resumed management of "Richmond" for  sixteen years. Mr Ross then, in conjunction with a partner, leased the Lilly-Bank run of 70,000 acres for several years.  In 1891 he bought his present farm of 265 acres, which he named after his birthplace.  He also leases four other properties in the district amounting in all to nearly 2000 acres, and his stock comprises 2200 sheep and 100 head of cattle.  Mr Ross was for some time a member of the Mackenzie County Council and is now a member of the Timaru Agricultural Show Committee, and the Fairlie Oddfellows  Lodge, and has a large interest in the local saleyards.  Mr Ross married in 1878, to a daughter of the late Mr John Clarke, of Rose Hall, Scotland.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/family/merope70.htm
Passenger List Merope 1870
Lists John ROSS, age 30 (so born ca 1840)
He is the only ROSS on the list.

http://public.mackenzie.govt.nz/
Cemetery database, includes Fairlie cemetery -  and Burkes Pass nr Fairlie which has:
a Catherine ROSS who died 1911 age 66, wife of John ROSS
and a  John ROSS who died 1906, says wife Cathrine ROSS but also says he was a 66 day old infant so something not right....? If it was a male aged 66 yrsm would be a 1840 birth which matches the John ROSS on "Merope"......

Cheers
AMBLY

[spades]

WOW!

AMBLY, that's an outstanding piece of research. Does serendipidity rock or what?

riley

[liverpool annie]

Riley !

I think it's called " serendipidous myopicness " ............ 

That Ambly's a keeper - she comes up with the best stuff !!

Nice job Girl !!