James McWhinnie Tarbolton Ayrshire

[Fordyce]

Agnes14,
Have you got more info on your James McWHINNIE & Agnes McCRONE?

I've just discovered that my Robert McQUARRIE (a miner) was born Robert McQUEENZEY in 1775 New Cumnock to John McQUENZEY & Kathrine CAMPBELL, also that McQUEENZEY is synomynous with McWHINNIE (as well as McKENZIE). Therefore I'm now looking at McWHINNYs (and variations) in New Cumnock.

I have Downies & McWhinnies in my family although I haven't researched the names  much but they were mining families and I have Annie Downie (h James Pearson, my gt gt g/parents) b Stair in 1802.  I also have a James Pearson married to Janet McWhinnie (parents Jas McW & Agnes McCrone) in New Cumnock.  My family were in New Cumnock, Dalmellington, Stair, St Quivox etc - all mining villages but I know the Pearsons were thought to have come from the north of England. 

[Agnes14]

The first McWhinnie I have a note of is Quinton WcWhinnie m Mary Crichton. I have shown 8 children to them, one of them James (b 1725)who married Agnes McCrone (b1730).  Amongst others, they had Janet McWhinnie who married James Pearson (my ancestor.  Unfortunately this tree was worked on in the early days when I didn't take notes!!  However I've checked on familysearch and they are on that.  Qu & Wh are interchangeable in Scots, at least it was then.  I don't have a Robert McW on my list (so far)

[Fordyce]

Thx for replying. I've been through the IGI and seen the McWhinne/McCrone family in New Cumnock too. He seems to be the patriarch McWhinnie in that parish. I've also found at least two, if not three or even four, Quintin Mcqwhinies in Straiton, back to 1660, so the trail seems to lead there.

But the OPR for Robert McQueenzey's 1775 baptism is clear, so I'm presently trying to establish whether 'McQueenzey' as written is a false rendering of 'McQuarrie'. Or else find why all three of John McQueenzey & Kathrine Campbell's children should undergo the change to McQuarrie/McWharrie.

I cannot find any record for these three families after 1775, until 1801 the baptism of John McQuarrie in Sorn (3xgtgdfater).

[Agnes14]

Don't forget spelling wasn't an issue, the clerk would write what he heard so there will be variations.
I looked up my'Personal & Family Names' book, couldn't find McWhinnie but there was a McQuarry and it states "McQuire disfigures in some families into McQuarry and that goes into Wharry"

I did however find and explanation on the internet which may get you a bit closer to an answer.
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/mcwhinnie

It all points so far to Irish origins and almost all the names mentioned  appear as variations of McWhinnie.

[Fordyce]

I quite appeciate all the variations on the wh etc, and don't have issues with any of those: "In Early Scots, the spelling of /ʍ/ is variously <wh, qu, qw, qh, qwh, qhu, qhw>" - www.dsl.ac.uk/SCOTSHIST/output4.php?file=NEW-Final8Chron.htm.
I think the /ʍ/ is the phonetic symbol for what I've described as an aspirant 'wh'.

I hadn't seen the McQuire transformation before - thx - and will most certainly bear that in mind.

But it's the ...innie to ...arrie that is not so straightforward. I'm looking for evidence of what did happen rather than what could happen.

Everyone on the McQuarrie side has the mindset that the Ayrshire folk likely originated in the McQuarrie heartland of Ulva (Mull), and recurring McQuarrie forenames like Flora, Lachlan, Allan and indeed Robert add credence to Ulva origins. Having a Catherine Campbell as matriarch does not detract from that view either!

It doesn't help that the only non-family McQu/Wharrie in Sorn is Colin - another common Campbell name - and I have some evidence is my Robert's brother.

There names are as good as absent on the McWhinnie side.

So, the search for the innie/arrie truth goes on!

[Agnes14]

My McWhinnie's start with Quinton McWhinnie b: 1682 New Cumnock
m: Mary Crichton (b 1684 N Cumnock) and had 9 children that I have note of.
You can get all the names on familysearch.org.   My trail follows 4th son, James (bapt. 19 Feb 1725).  He married Agnes McCrone and of his children, one of whom was Janet McWhinnie, my ancestor.
Janet married James Pearson & had 8 children.  Child 5, Elizabeth married Archibald McWhinney, child 7, Elspeth Pearson married Archibald McKenzie and child 8  Mgt (Maggie) was my gt g/mo who married John Wilson, Tarbolton .
This is all straightforward and easily obtainable from familysearch.org however back to James Pearson & Janet McWhinnie, their eldest son Thomas married Margaret Hunter and of their children, their son Thomas married Margaret Logan in 1833 and 5th child was named Jessie McKenzie (McWhinnie) Pearson.
It is uncertain whether Jessie married, I doubt it as her 4 children all carry the surname, Pearson.    I haven't done much work on the McWhinnie's but the new familysearch website has Quinton's tree as an Ancestral File so that would serve as a good guide for you.  The change in Jessie's name shows the interchanging perhaps due to local dialect and the clerks spelling of what he heard.  I can PM a copy of my tree if you like, just let me know.

[Fordyce]

On further consideration, I've now come round to the conclusion that the clerk wrote 'McQueenzey' (being a variation of the local McWhinne that did occur more than once) when he should have written 'McQuarrie' (there being only the one family in the area of that surname, and hence an unfamiliar surname).

Evidence has surfaced that Colin McWharrie (who fathered illeg Mary in 1792) is very likely the (rather elder) brother of my Robert McWharrie - both are associated with Gilmilnscoft. Furthermore, almost certainly the same Colin turns up in Edinburgh in later years, now married, and with children three of whom were named John, Lachlan, and Allan, which resonate with McWharrie but not with McWhinnie. Even the forename Hector occurs in later years, which could point back to a known patriarch Hector McQuarrie (1759-1847) who came from Islay (rather than Ulva).

On balance, there's far more evidence that 'McQueenzey' is wrong than right. This exercise has proved to be fruitful even if not quite in the way I first expected! So thanks for your offer but I'll continue along the McQuarrie route - unless of course I change my mind again!

[jcarrz]

I have many branches and twiglets in my family including the name Drinnan - no idea if there is a connection though.  My Drinnans were mainly in farming.

No.35
Er by Alexander Gibson in mem of his son Hugh Oliver d 20 Jul 1877 aged 32; Agnes Brown his beloved wife d at Spring[field] 16 Feb 1895 aged 77; above Alexander Gibson d at Hillhead Coylton 4 Jun....in his 89th year

No.98
Er to mem of John Hay late shoemaker in Tarbolton d 2 Sep 1836 aged 69; also Margaret Drinnan his wife d 1 Feb 1869 aged 98; their sons Robert d 15 Dec 1854 aged 52; James d 29 Aug 1865 aged 72; John Hay d 27 Dec 1846 aged 50; Margaret Oliver his wife d 21 Jan 1873 aged 67; their son Hugh d 9 Dec 1893 aged 61....(rest illegible)
Reverse; Also his son William late innkeeper Tarbolton d at Glasgow 24 Oct 1868 aged 63

No.125
Er to mem of Margaret Finlayson wife of Hugh Oliver d 20 Nov 1842 aged 67; above Hugh Oliver d 9 Oct 1844 aged 75; and William Oliver his son d 26 Mar 1862 aged 58; also Janet Gibson his wife d 2 Jul 1877 aged 69

No. 514
(front flaked) In memoriam. Thomas Reid weaving agent d 8 Dec 1888 aged 55; Janet Oliver his wife d 19 Jan 18[8]...aged 59; Andrew Reid...agent d 18 Jun....years; Mary Ann J...[h]is wife d 30 Dec .....years

No.151 John Oliver/Helenora already given.

Agnes - I also have Drinnans in my tree, and olivers, hays, finlaysons, wallace, etc.

John Drinnan & Margaret Ralston had:
Margaret Drinnan (Dau 1772-1869) She married John Hay(1767-1836) and they had:
John Hay (son1796-1846) He married Margaret Oliver(1806-1873) and they had:
Grace Gibson Hay (dau 1835-1908 and my 3x great grandmother)

Margaret Oliver (1806-1973) was the daughter of Hugh Oliver (1768-1844) and Margaret Finlayson(1775-1842)
Hugh Olivers parents were William Oliver(1738-1782)and Agnes Wallace(1742-1817)
Margaret Finlayson's Parents were William Finlayson(b.1750) and Janet(jean) Thomson (b.1765)

It would be great to get more information on the Drinnans etc.

[gingerbit]

 This is my first search in Rootschat and not sure if the dates of the posts are fairly recent or not. I have a family tree of McWhinnie descendants from James and son Cunningham Stewart with his 3rd. wife Marion Shedden through to the present day. We have a host of Macrae and Oliver surnames in our tree mostly from the Stewarton area. Thanks for all the interesting info to-night.