Rowan, McLean, McKillop + Curious Fox

[piedstilt]

I have recently received my gg-grandfather's NZ death certificate and discovered a new name for the family tree - Rowan.

He was Francis McLean McKillop (emigrated to NZ c1862) with parents Donald McKillop and Catherine Rowan. The IGI has a Catherine Rowan born to Robert Rowan and Ann McLean, which could explain the McLean part of Frank's name (also included in his daughter's name).

On the 1841 census for Campbelltown I found a family of 'McKellops' - all the right names and ages, who had living with them one elderly Robert Rowan.  Think they must be the right ones!

When I googled Rowan and McLean I got one palpable hit on Curious Fox - someone spelling out all the children of Robert Rowan and Ann McLean (including Catherine) and asking about any other descendants. But what a frustration! This person is an unpaid subscriber, so in order to communicate I have to pay the £5 subscription ...

I'm still thinking about that, but posting this in the hope that Google might bring them here instead! Not to mention anyone else with such a connection ...

One curious thing. I have a first cousin (female) who is named Rowan - quite an unusual name for her age and place.  Like me she is a ggg-grand-daughter of the last Rowan in the family tree. Could this be sheer coincidence, or has the name filtered its way down through this very disparate family's consciousness?

Making my first trip to Scotland in July with the very firm intention to visit Argyll, particularly Campbelltown. Would be delighted to hear from any McKillops, McLeans, Rowans, Stewarts and/or Bowies!

Ros

[RMcleod]

I too found that Curious Fox post.  My great great grandfather was James Rowan born in 1794 in Kilmartin, Argyllshire. His wife was Catherine McLean born in Kilmartin in 1795.  I know of at least three children, my great grandmother Isabella and her twin brother Robert as well as an older brother Duncan.

In 1832 they showed up in Durness Sutherland where Isabella and her brother were christened before immigrating to Canada where Isabella married my great grandfather Donald McLeod from Lochinver Sutherland.

I'm going to Scotland in August and would very much like to meet some family while there.

Bob McLeod

[katye]

Hello Ros,

Re McKillops,

I think we may have a connection here. My gt gt gt grandmother was Margaret McKillop, born in Campbeltown in about 1810. Her parents were John McKillop and Margaret Leckie/Leakie. I have found 3 siblings for Margaret-Donald(1791),James(1796) and John(1798).

I saw your Donald McKillop on the 1841 census and he is the same age as my Donald McKillop plus he also lived in Drumlemble at the time. Gt gt gt grandmother was married to Donald McCallum and also living in Drumlemble. My gt gt grandma, her daughter,Catharine McCallum, age 6 was staying with Alex. McKillop(35),Isobell McKillop(50) and Margaret McKillop(2). I also found a James McKillop who I think is Margaret's brother but no sign of John.

So, do you know who Donald's parents were?

Regards,Katye.

[piedstilt]

Hi Bob and Katye,

Sorry I haven't replied to your posts before now, but they both came in while I was away on a three-month trip. Our internet access was a bit limited, so basically I left everything until I got home ...

Bob, we're not an exact match - though it could be a case of two brothers marrying two sisters? I can see I am going to have to relent one day and join Curious Fox.

Katye, I think I have something pretty exciting to show you!

While we were in Scotland we stayed in Campbeltown and went to Drumlemble, which is just a small group of houses with most of them post-dating my ancestors' time there. We gave up a bit disconsolately and started to drive on to the coast, when we spotted a tiny and very old cemetery just beyond Drumlemble. Photo attached.

Braving the cows (just babies) we climbed a gate and went to explore it. Many of the headstones had fallen down or could no longer be read, and I could find only one McKillop grave in the whole place. It didn't ring a bell, but I took a photo of it anyway, thinking I would look into it later. We were just about to give up and move on when I spotted not a McKillop grave, but a Bowie one - my ggg-grandmother Catherine Stewart, whose daughter Agnes Bowie married a McKillop. This was the most amazing moment!

However, there's more ... This morning I thought 'I must reply to those postings on Rootschat' so I pulled up my photos of that day and looked more closely at the McKillop one. I have come to the conclusion that this has to be YOUR ggg-grandmother!!!

I have attached the photo, but it is probably a bit hard to read. The headstone says:

Erected by Margaret McKillop
in memory of her husband
DANIEL McCALLUM
who died in Feby 185[5?]
aged 45 years
and of their family
JOHN
died 8th August 1876, aged 36 years
Alexr, Isabella, Donald and
Alexr who died young.
_____________________

MARGARET McKILLOP
died 5th Jany 1891 aged 81 years.

Note the husband as Daniel, rather than Donald,  but otherwise it MUST be a match! The other extraordinary thing is that I looked up my diary and I took the photo on July 19 - the day that you posted your message!

I have yet to get my head around the connection between our Donald McKillops (who may well be one and the same) but if you PM your contact details I'll try to get you better copies of these pics.

What an extraordinary coincidence!

Ros

 

 

[Burrow Digger]

I have McCallums from Lephenstrath Bridge in the 1841 census. I have not yet been able to go back further than that.
How far away is Lephenstrath Bridge from Drumlemble?  Lephenstrath Bridge is south of Campbeltown, closer to Southend.

Names in my McCallum line include Donald, Daniel, Robert , John and James. No Alexander so far.   I havent found any wife named Margaret yet either.

I'm wondering if this might be related to my family or not?

BD

[Burrow Digger]

Also have you seen this 1851 census entry???  It comes from the 2% sample I think. I have no idea if it's correct or not, but some of the names match that headstone.

Paisley Street  (Campbeltown?)  Argyll

Daniel McCallum Head Widr aged 39 Laborer ARL Campbeltown
Peter McCallum Son aged 12 Scholar AYR Ardrossan
Margaret McCallum Daur aged 7 Scholar AYR Ardrossan
Mary McCallum Daur aged 5 Scholar AYR Ardrossan
Alexander McCallum Son aged 2 Scholar AYR Ardrossan
Alexander McCallum Visitor Mar aged 71 Scholar ARL Campbeltown
Margret Connar Servt un aged 17 ARL Campbeltown

[Hera]

Hi

Just came across this post and I have this McCallum family in my tree, Daniel McCallum and Margaret Mckillop. Here are the details I have:

Daniel MCCALLUM born 1810 (app.), died Feb 1855 Coalminer. 
Married Margaret MCKILLOP on 5 December 1833 in Campbeltown. 
Margaret MCKILLOP (known as 'Betsy') born 1810 (app.), died 5 Jan 1891
She and Daniel MCCALLUM had the following children:

Catherine MCCALLUM (27 Nov 1834- )
Margaret MCCALLUM (31 Dec 1835- )
Isabella MCCALLUM (25 Feb 1839- died young)
John MCCALLUM (7 Sep 1840-1876)
Daniel MCCALLUM (13 Jun 1842- died young)
Alexander MCCALLUM (10 Mar 1844- died young)
Alexander MCCALLUM (23 March 1846- died young)
Mary MCCALLUM (22 Jun 1848- )
Flora MCCALLUM (28 Nov 1850- )

Mary McCallum married a Robert TODD in 1876 from which my line descends
I'm afraid the fathers name is definitely Daniel and not Donald in this family, which is the same as the headstone above. Let me know if you think this information matches.

Rhoda

[Hera]

Hi Just realised that Daniel and Donald are interchangable names and so will be the same person