Durness Parish Register

[wini]

Thanks Andy,
I will see if I can come up with any more information

wini

[IanB]

Andy,
Please excuse my butting in, but I believe Hew Morrison may have misread the minister's writing when he recorded the patronymic of Mary Mackay, the wife or Roderick (William, Roderick) Morrison
I think it should be as he has recorded it in their marriage 27 Nov 1777, i.e. nin Enicalistermacuillamroy or nin macIain 'ic Alisdair 'ic Uilleam ruaidh, i.e. daughter of John, son of Alistair(or Alexander), son of red-haired William.

This came to my attention because I recall having studied it when researching one of my ancestors with similar patronymics - Donald MacEnicalisterroy.

Ian

[IanB]

If anyone believes that they have ancestors who were born/baptized/married in the Durness area in the mid-nineteenth centurybut can't find them, they should not overlook the possibility that these ceremonies were performed in the Free Church. Many of such entries are not recorded in the IGI.

There is a Free Church register in Edinburgh but I don't know where. The relative who looked mine up simply referred to it as "NAS".
National Archives of Scotland?

If you happen to be looking for a Morrison, I have most of these.

Ian

[IanB]

A useful tool when searching for ancestors is Hugh Wallis's site

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/

This allows you to look at all the IGI entries in a parish for selected surnames during several batch periods.

The usual caveat applies: beware of LDS Church member entries. Don't believe them!

It may take you a little time to find your way around the site but it is well worth the effort.

Ian

[IanB]

Donald NZ,

Are you still looking for Donald Mackay of Clasneach, Clashneach, or Claiseneach?

I came across one yesterday while I was reading Ian Grimble's book, The World of Rob Donn, , my 7 x g grandfather.

It doesn't help much; "Early in 1757 the minister [Macdonald] happened to be visiting Donald Mackay of Claiseneach in Durness, whose wife Barbara was a daughter of Kenneth Sutherland of Keoldale and their son Captain George a servant of the East India Company."

I think Barbara was actually a sister of Kenneth Sutherland, the manager of Lord Reay's Durness barony.

There is another reference to a Donald Mackay of Clasneach in the genealogy of the Skerray Mackays in the Book of Mackay. He married Mary, a daughter of John of Clasneach.

It is not clear from the narative that John had any activity in Clasneach. He was otherwise known as Iain macEachainn [the second son of Hector Mackay of Skerray, son of John Mackay of Skerray, son of Hugh Mackay of Strathy] and was the factor for the 3rd Lord Reay at Muisel. He was also the mentor for Rob Donn, whom he hired as a cowherd.

Not much help I suppose, but you never know.

Ian

[pjmullaney]

Andy,
Thank you so much for the info!!  You given me my ggg grandmothers brothers and sisters!!  The burials seem to be possible, especially Anns, as the person who erected her stone in 1881 was my GG grandfather.
Thank you for all your time and effort, much appreciated. 

[IanB]

Donald,

I came across a little more information about Donald Mackay of Clasneach, hiding in the genealogy of the Sandwood Mackays.

The Hon. Charles Mackay, son of Donald 1st Lord Reay by his 3rd wife, had 3 sons and 2 daughters, the younger daughter being Margaret. She married John Sutherland of Keoldale and they had 2 children, (1) Kenneth Sutherland [who, as previously mentioned, became the manager of Lord Reay's Durness barony], and (2) Barbara Sutherland, who married Donald Mackay of Clasneach. They had 3 children: George [already mentioned]; Marion who married John Mackay, Borley; and Mary who married Neil Morrison, Kylestrome.

I took another look at your earlier post and wonder where you found  the approx. marriage date of 1749 for John, Borley and Marion Mackay? This seems a bit early for two reasons:  (1) I have not seen Marion's age recorded anywhere but allowing for the generations it seems compressed; (2) their first child was apparently born in 1766*, i.e. 17 years after they were married.
* unless some were born prior to the commencement of the Durness Parish Register in 1764

BTW, as you probably know, "John of Borley" indicates that he has some legal title to the land. "John in Borley", or "John, Borley" indicates he rents it.

The patronymic in Mary's baptismal registration is helpful but, unfortunately, the Book of Mackay does not list any "issue" for George., nor does "The History of the House and Clan of Mackay".

Ian

[andy_smed]

Hi Donald

Am away again but I do have some info on Donald MacKay and will post it this weekend when I get home.

Andy

[Donald NZ]

Thanks Andy, I look forward to seeing the info
Donald NZ