Duncan McGilvray b. Isle of Mull, Argyllshire

[Highlandress]

Hi there,

Looking for details of the ancestors of this relative.

He was born in 1852 (immigration list) or 1855 (NZ marriage cert). He emigrated when he was 20 - 22

His New Zealand marriage certificate lists his parents as
Hugh McGilvray, Shepherd
Christina McCallum

I found a family on Mull Genealogy with these parents but he wasn't listed.

I can't find birth cert on Scotlands People. In fact one look up for 1856 turned out to be Neil McGilvray not Duncan.

I am interested in hearing from anyone who is working on this line.

[JMStrachan]

1861 census has a Duncan McGilvray age 9 born Torosay at Tapul House, Argyll as a cow herd in a household that includes John McGilvray age 39, a shepherd, born Kilfinichen (which is Isle of Mull).  The head of household of Donald McPhail farmer of 3000 acres.

No baptism on FamilySearch for a Duncan McGilvray born 1851/1852 though, so no way of knowing whether he was John McGilvray's son or some other relative.

[Highlandress]

Thanks for this. It's definitely a possibility.

To further confuse the issue, a vanity biography (paragraph) says that he was born in 1858 but that means that he was only 16 when he emigrated. It also spelt his name 'McGilray' but his marriage certificate suggests he couldn't write so maybe the mistakes were never picked up.

I have notes from a family member (now deceased) for the parents but I don't know what the sources were and I can't corroborate the info on Scotland's People ;
marriage 1849 - Loch Buie Chapel
Hugh McGILVRAY death 1879, buried at Burgh
Christina McGILVRAY death 1900, buried at Burgh

The family member's notes say he was born 'about 1850'

I'm going to search some other name spellings (McGilray, McGilway). Hopefully the Mull Genealogy site is up again.

[anne_p]

Family search has two other children born to:
 Hugh McGilvray/ MacGillivray and Christina McCallum
Both children were born in Kinlochspelvie, Torosay, Isle of Mull

Alexander MACGILLIVRAY birth registered 14 Jul 1856
Sarah  McGILVRAY b 3 dec 1858


I cannot locate this family on an 1861 census?
EDIT:
I have found daughter Sarah.
She married  Hugh McMillan and at 1901 her mother Christina was still living with her:

1901: Kilmun Farm House, Dalavich, Kilchrennan
( this is not on the Island of Mull. It is on the mainland, about 12mls south of Oban)

Hugh Mcmillan   46 b Archattan, Argyll
Sarah Mcmillan   43 b Torosay. Shepherd's wife
Duncan Mcmillan   13 Son
Hugh Allan Mcmillan   7 Son
Christina Mcgillivray   83 b TOROSAY Mother In Law ***** NB could not have died in Burgh 1900!
Kate Mcgillivray   34 B Torosay Sister in Law
Robert Mclachlan   17 boarder
Neil Mcintyre   14 Boarder

[anne_p]

I have located them:
1851   Burg, Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon
Hugh Macgilvray    43 born Ross, Argyll Dyke Builder & H Labourer
Christie Macgilvray      30 born Burgh Wife
Flora Macgilvray     3 born Burg, daughter

1861 ( same address as above)

Hugh Macgilvray   50 b Kilfinichen  Agricultural Labourer
Christian Mcgilvray   40 b Bury
Flora Mcgilvray   13  daughter
Mal Mcgilvray   9 SON b Bury **** As transcribed.
Alexr Mcgilvray   4 son
Sarah Mcgilvray   2 daughter


Cannot locate at 1871

1881: is this Christina? Visitor at :Beuanaonaich,Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon
Alexr Macphail   54
Cathrine Macphail   50
Donald Macphail   15
Angus Macphail   12
Margret Macphail   19
Christina McGilvray   60**** Visitor b Kilfinichen

1891:
Christina was living alone at Burg, and is entered as Shepherd's Widow age 70

1901 as posted above.

Death of Christina McGillivray . Other name McCallum . Age 87. Registered in Lochgilphead, Argyll 1903 (Mainland)
Death of Hugh McGilvray,. Age 75. Registered in Torosay, Argyll 1879 (Mull)

EDIT:
Found the 1871 census which was mistranscribed

Cottage at Burg Farm
Hugh Mc Gillony   63 Cow Herd
Christian Mc Gillony   51
Alexander Mc Gillony   14
Sarah Mc Gillony   12
Catherine Mc Gillony   4

From censuses 1851-1901 there does not appear to be a son named Duncan in this household

[Highlandress]

Thanks Anne,

This looks right but it's strange that Duncan never appears in the household. Perhaps he is the boy that JMStrachan mentions above but that would make him the same age as 'Mal' who I think is Malcolm.

Perhaps he adopted a past when he emmigrated? Unless he is Alexander but I don't think they did middle names then did they? I'll take a look at Alexander's birth certificate.

Did you find all of this info on Family Search?

[anne_p]

The births were from Family Search but I also ran a check to confirm they were also on Scotland's People.
The rest of the info came from Ancestry census records.
I could not find the McGilivray/McCallum marriage but I wonder if either had been married before?
Hugh would be about 40 years old if he married in 1848, and wonder if he had other, older children.
 It did occur to me that Duncan could be a grandchild rather than a child.

Ancestry records are transcribed and only by looking at the original for 1861, could you establish if that 9yr old boy named Mal is a mistranscription or correctly transcribed.

I will have a look at NZ electoral rolls and see if any of the other McGillivray children appear there

[Highlandress]

Hi Annie,

I know about his children (3 daughters). I also tried to find other siblings / relatives who may have immigrated before or after him. There is another Duncan McGilvray listed in NZ BDM but I don't think he was a relative.

I checked Alex Mc in Argyllshire for marriages and deaths and didn't find a match. Now I just have to check the rest of Scotland and all the other colonies to rule out that theory.

[anne_p]

I think you are right.
Neither Malcolm nor Alexander Left Scotland.
I think you can safely assume that Duncan and Malcom are not the same person!
:
Alexander McGilivray and Georgina Lindsay married in Perthshire 1882
1891:
Ashentean House, Glenorchy, and Inishal, Argyll

Alexander McGilvera   31 b Argyll. Occ Shepherd
Georgina McGilvera   28 b Crieff, Perthshire
Isabella McGilvera   8 dau b Fife
Christena McGilvera   6 dau b Glenorchy
Grace McGilvera           4 dau born Glenorchy 
Georgina McGilvera   2 dau Born Glenorchy
Hugh McGilvera      1 son b Glenorchy
(Ist son and 2nd daughter are traditionally named for thr father's parents, and above looks about right)

1901: Cadderley Farm, Muckairn, Archattan and Muckairn, Argyll
Alexander McGilvray   41 b Mull. Shepherd
Georgina McGilvray   32 wife b Crieff
Georgina McGilvray   12
Hugh McGilvray   10
Duncan McGilvray   9 son  b Glenorchy
Alexander McGilvray   6 sonb  Perthshire
James Burns McGilvray 4 son b Perthshire
Sarah McGilvray     3 daughter b Ardchattan
Charles McGilvray   1 son b Ardchattan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AND Malcolm :
looks like he married Isabella McDonald in Mull 1881
1891:
BURG Kilfinichen  ( Parents former home)

Malcolm McGiloray   37 b Torosay. Occ Shepherd
Isabella McGiloray   30 Wife b Kilfinichen
Hugh McGiloray   9  son b Torosay
Neil McGiloray   7 son b Torosay
Duncan McGiloray 3 son b Torosay
Alexr McGiloray   1 son B Torosay

1901 Same address as 1891
Malcolm Mcgilvray   57
Bella Mcgilvray   59
Neil Mcgilvray   17
Duncan Mcgilvray   12
Sandy Mcgilvray   11
Coll Mcgilvray   9 son B Kilfinichen
Duncan Mcgilvray   7 son b Kilfinichen ??
Christy Mcgilvray   3 dau b Kilfinichen