Durness Parish Register - Part 2

[djct59]

Sildeag: From the information provided it's certainly plausible, although MacLeod was not a particularly rare name in 18th century Sutherland. Certainly the names all fit, so unless you can locate another family it's a reasonable guess.

[Sildeag]

Thanks.

[ammcampbell]

Does anyone have any further information on the Grange Campbells, where exactly they came from, and when (or why) they came to Durness from the south?

Websites have a George Campbell born abt. 1680 at Island Choarie, Durness, Sutherland, as the earliest Grange Campbell ancestor listed, but no information as to his parentage or where his family migrated in from.

Any information would be much appreciated!

[djct59]

According to former local historian Graham Bruce, the Grange Campbells came from the southern lands around Loudon in Ayrshire and Kintyre. Following the defeat and execution for treason of Archibald Campbell, 8th Earl and 1st Marquess of Argyll in 1661, he having supported Cromwell's Commonwealth, being a Presbyterian or Covenanter was rather less safe, and tenancies could be given to thiose favoured by the new Royalist regime, so many Campbells moved north into the Dłthaich Mhic Aoidh (Mackay Country), where they were amongst fellow Presbyterians. While the Lords Reay were Royalist, they were perhaps reluctant Covenanters, and thus were Presbyterians. The history of Scottish religious conflict in the 17th century is a confusing one, with factions splitting, and switching sides in the civil wars, and a great many violent deaths - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_Time.

It is considered likely that the Grange Campbells settled in Durness in the late 17th/early 18th century; by the time proper parish records existed in 1764 there were at least ten discrete Grange/Graschich Campbell familes spread across the parish, although there is really no solid evidence of a birth in 1680. It does, though, fit the proposal that they moved north after the execution of the Marquess.

[ammcampbell]

Thank you for this clarification! Your response is much appreciated.

I assumed the move had to do with political elements, including the Covenanter movement, but it's great (and fascinating) to know the full spectrum of events in Scotland at the time that would have lead to these particular Campbells fleeing north.

It is too bad the Durness Parish Register only dates back as far as 1764, which means any concrete information on earlier generations of the Grange Campbells is probably lost to history (unless you have some suggestions as to how one might trace things more accurately without reference to the parish records, of course). 

Would there be work(s) by Graham Bruce worth investigating in terms of potential genealogical information?

[djct59]

Graham Bruce retired several years ago and left the village. I know he had (has?) an original of Hew Morrison's 1911 published Parish register which includes some pages not in the digital versions you can find online.

In terms of tracing Grange Campbells the biggest problem is that, being relative newcomers to the parish, in the late 18th century they were not known by two or three generation patronymics common amongst more local residents. Some information could be gleaned from the cemetery records, as some early 19th century graves specify ages of the deceased whoch can add a little to the published records, Unfortunately, Angi Lamb, who transcribed the records, and Christine Stokes, who published photographs of all the graves, both died within the last two years, and I don't believe anyone has yet succeeded in restoring the photo archive (formerly at http://burial-grounds-suth.blogspot.com/) online.

Some years ago I created a list of the various Grange Campbell families and where they lived in the parish, but I cannot lay my hands on it at the moment. As I recall, a number of them had more "Lowland" first names than were common in Sutherland. If I find my notes I'll post the details.

[djct59]

Well....there is evidence in the parish records for the existence of George Campbell Grange in the late 17th century.

Kenneth Campbell alias Grange, living in Durine then Croispol and married to Janet Campbell, is designed as MacNishmacEorish - son of Angus the son of George. Kenneth and Janet had their first child baptised in 1784, so Kenneth is likely to have been born c. 1755, making a grandfather born on the 1680s plausible.

The Granges initally settled the narrow strip between the Kyle of Durness and Durine on the north coast  - Hugh, John (a Chelsea Pensioner) and Donald MacRob in Sarsgrum/Keodale, Alexander in Achunahanait, another Donald in Keodale, Thomas in Croispol, Iye/Aiodh in Durine and George in Balvoolich. Donald MacRob moved north-east to Ceannabeinne and then to Eilean Choraidh by the late 1770s.

[ammcampbell]

Many thanks for your detailed responses! And very interesting about the confirmation of the existence of a George Campbell Grange in the late 17th century. This certainly lends insight into the validity of some of the research I've been able to accomplish online.

[fiveraliver]

Could anyone help interpret these aliases, married 4 Aug 1775:

Hugh Mackay, alias Macenicenicdholicuilam, in Shinnins . . . Isobel Mackay, alias nin Achinmacdholicachinskerray, in Erriboll

I read the groom as Hugh son of ? son of Donald son of William, where the missing generation must be John.  In the baptisms of his children, Hugh is variously:

Macen mhic En mhic Dholicuilleam (13 Jun 1776)
macEanmacdholicuilleam (4 Jan 1781)
macenicolicein (17 Jan 1787)
Maceaniceanicolicein (30 Jan 1792)

I read the bride as Isobel daughter of hector son of Donald son of Hector of Skerray.

This family mostly immigrated to Prince Edward Island.