Ancestors of Kenneth Macleod born abt 1759 Parish of Durness

[djct59]

While there was no legal obligation to register births, in a solidly Calvinist Presbyterian community it would be a rash parent who would not have their child baptised in the sight of God; the number of births recorded annually fits reasonably with a community of around 1200 people, so it's reasonable to assume virtually every live birth in the parish is recorded.

Prior to 1764, you are wholly dependent on patronymics, as to call the previous village records (e.g. the 1693 Hearth Tax records) scanty is doing them a favour.

[djct59]

George McLeod, son of Kenneth McLeod of Sangobeg and Ann Morrison was baptised on 15th February 1801 - this suggests that the Reay Fencibles (or some of them) were still in Durness in late spring 1800

[pam4kids]

So are you saying that your conclusion that Neil MacLeod is Kenneth's father would be based on the evidence? So unless someone came forward with documented records, this would be just an assumption and put that name in your tree? Where else would you find any records other than the ones you know of? Oral history? Is it possible there would be a book written about the area with mention of the families living there? I tried googling that and came up with nothing significant. Have you ever seen DNA pinpointing an area or tree? Or possibly a specific MacLeod branch?

[djct59]

There are no better documented records anywhere. We are all dependent on Rev Thomson's records.

In support of Neil McLeod, there are -

1. The relative rarity of McLeods in Durness (approximately four or five adult males in the 1760s)
2. His locality in Sango
3. His fathering children within fifteen years or so of your ancestor's putative date of birth
4. Your ancestor marrying somebody with a remarkably close geographical link to a tiny township of a few dozen people

It's definitely not proved beyond reasonable doubt, but on balance of probabilities I'd say he's your man. The other McLeods (except Donald from Sango, who also had a daughter Janet) are in Achunahanait, which is close to the Kyle of Durness or miles to the west by Hope. There simply is no better feasible candidate.

[pam4kids]

Thank You!! So my puzzle has been solved!

[pam4kids]

Now I'm confused. I added Neil MacLeod to my tree on ancestry and went to search for records. There are marriage records for a Neil MacLeod living in Saingo, Sutherland, Scotland in 1772 and Isobel is the wife. Then there is another record, same place in 1775 and the wife is Janet. The records are from the parish.  Also, many, many of the trees there have Donald as the father with many kids and one is Kenneth. Catherine MacDonald is his wife. Marriage, Isle of Skye, 1769. And Donald dies 1830 in Durness. I don't want to monopolize your time but you've been most helpful.
Another tree has their  marriage date as 7 June 1775 at  Balamhulich, Sutherland, Scotland.

[djct59]

There is no marriage in the Durness records in 1772 of Neil McLeod to Isobel; someone has misunderstood the birth record for Isobel (seven years before the wife's name was added), and assumed she was a wife not a daughter. Neil McLeod married Janet Morrison in 1775.

I suspect Donald was his elder brother; he also lived in Sango and had a daughter Janet nin Dholicloid; however as she married Murdoch McPherson in 1790 she cannot be *your* Janet. I cannot comprehensively rule Donald out as Kenneth's father, but I'd reckon Neil is a far better candidate

[IanB]

I have been following this thread with interest but I am puzzled. Did you mean to say that Neil Macleod had a daughter, Janet, in 1775; rather than he married a Janet in 1775? It seems likely that he married ca. 1755, i.e. before the OPR commenced.
Ian Morrison

[djct59]

Yes; it is a matter of record that Neil McLeod from Sango fathered two daughters, one in 1772 and one (Janet) in 1775. His marriage predates the OPR commencing in 1764. Women bearing children for over fifteen years (and thus likely to be giving birth in their mid-40s) are far from rare in the Durness records.

Kenneth McLeod's father could be Donald, rather than Neil, but there's no reference to him as MacDholi, so I'm not convinced he's a better putative father than Neil