Hugh McPherson and Catherine McGhee

[ails81]

Hi, I am a bit stuck with my 4th gg Hugh McPherson and his wife Catherine McGhee.
Their daughter Christina (my 3rd gg) was born around 1822 in Ardnamurchan. 
She was married in 1842 to Donald McIntyre but as it was only banns no further info.
The only reason I know her parents names is from her death certificate from 1891 where they are both listed.
I have estimated their births around 1790/1800 based on Christinas birth but cannot find any record of either of them in births baptisms banns or death notices.
I cant find Catherine in any census.
I have found A Hugh McPherson in the 1841 and 1851 census living in Kilbrandon but I am not convinced it is the same guy as he is listed in both as unmarried and living with his sister.
I am a bit stuck as to where to go next and I would like to at least find out when they died and if there were any siblings for Christina.
Thank you
Aileen

[MonicaL]

Hi Aileen

With the main period you are looking at being before the start of official registration in Scotland from 1855, it can be hard to find the relevant documents. At best you will find entries from the Old Parish Registers. You mention you found the marriage banns. Marriage entries in the OPRs tend to be, in the main, no more than one liners with the most basic of info (you don't know until you look as it varied by clerk).

What religion were Donald and Christina? I ask only as this can also affect what records may be available. In general, OPR records are patchy for all sorts of reasons (lost or destroyed over the years for example) and also many people did not register BMDs, again for lots of reasons.

Is this the correct entry for Donald and Christina in 1851?

Donald Mcintyre 36 agr lab b. Kilmallie
Christian Mcintyre 30 b. Ardnamurchan
Catharine Mcintyre 6
Ewen Mcintyre 4
Dorothy Mcintyre 2
Ann M Pherson 38 sister in law, domestic servant, b. Ardnamurchan
Jean M Pherson 30 sister in law, domestic servant, b. Ardnamurchan

Address: Clovullin, Kilmallie
www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5e2eeae3f4040b26b15fcc76/dorothy-mcintyre-1851-argyllshire-ballachulish-ardgour-1849-?locale=en

If correct, two sisters showing as living with Christina and her family.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just a point to note, the first names Hugh and Ewen can be interchangeable, so you need to search under both when looking for records on Christina's father. See http://www.whatsinaname.net/php/search.php?action=search2&search_name=hugh

Monica

[MonicaL]

There is an entry in the OPRs for sister Jean. You can view the original image on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Jean MCPHERSON
Parents HUGH MCPHERSON/CATHARINE MCPHEE
26/04/1812 (christening or birth)
Ref 505/10 28
Ardnamurchan and Strontian or Sunar

Note that mother Catherine is showing as McPhee not McGhee here.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just seen that there are a few family trees for the family of Hugh M*cPherson and Catherine M*cPhee. Not sure if you have a subs or could check Ancestry in your local UK library?

Other siblings for Christina look to include:

Duncan 1794 - 1864
John 1802 - 1870
Hugh 1809 - 1872

Something to work with hopefully and try to verify in your searches.

Monica

[ails81]

Thank you so much Monica! Lots to look up. I didnt know that about Hugh and Ewen so thats so useful and didnt even think that I might have misread McGhee!  Thanks for taking the time I will follow all of this up.

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Hi ails81 (Cousin!),

My 4th gg are also Hugh McPherson and Catherine McPhee. I have looked on and off for years to get more info on them, as I also have only seen them on death certificates as well, except for one thing I will describe below.

Children of them include John (my ancestor), Hugh, Jean, Martin, and Duncan. I found one of Duncan's descendants through genealogy tests.

Hugh died a pauper (formally cowherd) in Achateny, in 1879. His son Allan was present. I have his death certificate, and also some census entries for him. He was living with John and John's wife for a while. In addition, I have I have Jean's birth cert from 1812 and some census entries; Martin's birth cert and a census entry; and John's death cert from 1870, along with census entries from 1851, 1861, and 1871. I can send you all of these. I didn't know about Christina.

Are you on GEDmatch? I have my family tree up there, but I can send it to you as well.

The only other thing I have is the text of an old document that was found in a notebook in 2002 when the Clan MacPherson museum was being indexed, entitled "The Macphersons of Ardgour and Ardnamurchan". Some of the info in the beginning is incorrect, but the later info matches up. There was a Donald, whose son was Donald Og ("the younger"), and Donald Og's eldest son was Ewen (Hugh). If this is correct, then your 5th gg is Donald Og, and your 6th is Donald.

"When Catherine Macpherson came down to Lochaber as Lady Cameron of Locheil the usual customs of those days was followed and she brought along as her body guards twelve of her own clansmen under the command of her brother Donald.  The twelve Macphersons on coming to Lochaber adopted the name Cameron but Donald MacPherson remained Donald MacPherson and he was the founder of the MacPherson of Ardgour and Ardnamurchan.  Locheil went away to France about 1748 but Donald MacPherson remained, and he survived his oldest son.  He lived on the farm at Drum na salie which untill then was the home farm on the Locheil Estate.  He was spoken of as Donald the eldest or similar while his grandson was spoken of as Donald og or junior from his younger sons there came down to us the Macphersons of Shieldfoot near Acharacle or “the Drovers”.  His oldest son Ewen lived at Garvan in Ardgour.  He was succeeded there by his oldest son Martain whose family are known as the Macpherson of Ardgour.  The second son of Ewen MacPherson Duncan married Annie Henderson from Western Ardnamurchan and followed the occupation of Cattle heard and sheepeard."

The info on Ewen, Duncan and Annie match up with both my family tree and the family tree of the person I found through genealogy tests.