Bracadale - Skye

[jacquih66]

Hi McLean,
I also have McLean ancestry from Bracadale (but there were a LOT of McLeans in Bracadale), however Ewan is a name that crops up in my family.  What year was your Ewan born and what was his mother's name?
Jacqui

[mcleanm913]

Ewen was born in 1892 and died in 1979 (lived almost 80 years), He had a son named John Malcolm McLean, who is my great grandfather.  Ewen's mother's name was Barbara Cruikshanks. His father's name was John McLean.

[aquarooster]

My Bracadale ancestry spans a few families, and a few different locations. John Nicolson of Harlosh, Duirinish married Ann Gillies (or McRae) of Carbost, Bracadale. Ann was the 'natural' daughter of Lachlan Gillies of Fiskavaig, and Christina McRae of Carbost. Christina never married. She was the daughter of John McRae & Ann McDonald, presumably also of Carbost.

John Nicolson and Annie Gillies had the following children:
Magnus Nicolson, b. 1845
Catherine Nicolson, born circa 1850
Janet Nicolson, born 1852
Anne Nicolson, born 1854
John Nicolson, born 1856
Donald Nicolson, 1859

Both Janet & Anne died (Janet age 23, Anne aged 17); the other four children went on to have families of their own, though both Magnus and Catherine moved away from Skye to Glasgow. Magnus ultimately settled in Cumbrae, Bute, and Catherine stayed on in Glasgow and married Adam Grewar.

John and Donald were both stillmen at one time or another at Tallisker.

I am interested in the McRae branch; I believe that Christina was related to most McRaes in and around Carbost. As for the Gillies line, I can only find one entry for a Gillies family at Fiskervaig in 1841, that of Alexander Gillies and his wife Mary. Not sure if they are related as I have nothing on Lachlan Gillies save his name on Annie Gillies birth entry in the OPR.

For those of you who have been to Bracadale - how many places of burial are there? If I were to go to Carbost, would it be likely I'd find evidence of my ancestors buried there? Are there many stones? I did most of my research on this family 8 years ago and haven't revisited it much since; I'm hoping there are other resources on the area now, if not official records on births, etc. Any input appreciated.

Cheers,
Edie

[oldnomad]

May be a coincidence but by great great great gandfather, Murdoch Ferguson (1810 - 1890) happened to marry a Bracadale lass named Anne McAskill (1811- 1884) in about 1837.  They and their children emigrated to Australia in 1855.  Do either of those names dovetail into your research?

[Fergie38]

Hello Oldnomad.
Welcome to RootsChat.

Sorry but I have no connection to any Fergusons from that part of the country.

Cheers.

[Uistman59]

mcleanm913  I'm a bit puzzled that  John MacLean's siblings would be buried there because John was actually from North Uist rather than Skye:

The 1881 Census return for Bracadale shows
Name:   John McLean Age:   40 Estimated Birth Year:   abt 1841 Where born:   N Uist G, Inverness Shire
Occupation:   Minr Of Bracadale Parish

Spouse's name :   Barbara D McLean
Registration number:   109
Registration district:   Bracadale
Civil parish:   Bracadale
County:   Invernessshire
Address:   Balgoun
ED:   3  Household schedule number:   10   Line:   6  Roll:   cssct1881_31
Household Members:   Name   Age
John McLean   40
Barbara D McLean   23 born Kirkend St, Kirkcudbrightshire
Agnes McLeod   23   from Bracadale, servant
William Cameron 16 from North Uist, servant.

Hope this helps.