Houstry

[dmg46]

I am wondering if anyone has a list of the inhabitants of Houstry, circa: 1780-1810. I am looking for any Gunns that might have been living there.

[ColC]

There are no records on https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk , at  Houstry, Caithness which is 3 miles NE of Latheron, Caithness where the are numerous births and marriages for the family all spelt GUN. The original records may name the abode but that would be a costly exercise.

The name appears to be spelt GUNN from about the early 1850s and continues to this day.

Why are you only looking at that period?

Colin

[Forfarian]

There are places called Houstry in the parishes of Halkirk https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.4&lat=58.50246&lon=-3.49010&layers=5&b=1&marker=58.49707,-3.48575 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND1357

Latheron https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.1&lat=58.29731&lon=-3.44263&layers=5&b=1 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND1535 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND1534

and Watten https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.9&lat=58.47457&lon=-3.35191&layers=5&b=1&marker=58.47147,-3.36465 and https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND2054

Your best bet for finding names of people living in whichever one you want around that time is the parish registers and kirk session records at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

[dmg46]

Colin,
Thanks for replying. I am trying to ascertain if the Donald Gunn of Kildonan mentioned in “Domestica Memorabilia” was actually born in Houstry.  I have established that I am descended from one of his sons. Alexander who came to Canada in 1830.

I have a genealogical chart that purports to show, that Donald (1767->1841) his brother John (1759 - <1861), sister Elizabeth (1764---) and brother David 1764-1827) were born in Houstry,  Younger siblings, Alexander (about 1788 ?? to 1859) and Anna (no birth date given were said to have been born in Kildonan. Their father was likely Robert Gunn (1715-1802) of Achaneccan Farm, Sutherlandshire and Their mother was probably Isobel Elder. Robert and Isobel were married in 1750.

I received some of this information from a genealogist associated with TimeSpan in Helmsdale. However, the more that I look into the records the more that I am suspicious that there are errors in the information that I have.  The dates raise some questions. If a couple were married in 1750, it would be expected that children would arrive shortly thereafter. Also the geography does not make sense to me. Most of my Gunns lived in the parishes of  Kildonan and Loth. The Gunns of Latheron seem to be a different family, descended from a common ancestor several generations back. Of course it does not help that the OPRs for Kildonan seem to have been lost.

It also does not help that everyone in this family seems to have the same 5 or 6 names. Other researchers have concluded that the existing records mix up these families. It makes for an interesting puzzle.

Again thanks for your attempt to help out.

Don Gunn
Victoria BC Canada

[dmg46]

Forfarian

Thanks also for replying to me. I have been using Scotlands people but the OPRs for Houstry seem to be missing.

[GR2]

Forfarian

Thanks also for replying to me. I have been using Scotlands people but the OPRs for Houstry seem to be missing.

The Houstry OPRs are not missing. There never were any as Houstry is not a parish, but a place within a parish. Forfarian has identified three parishes (Halkirk, Latheron and Watten) which contain places called Houstry. You would have to check for baptisms in the OPRs for these parishes. Unfortunately, unless you look at the actual entries, you can't tell where in a parish someone lived.

[ColC]

I just entered the name Gun** on SP, Caithness, no parish, father Robert and the names you mention, results below, though not necessarily the exact date for Donald.

LATHERON BAPTISMS FATHER ROBERT GUN

DOND 2/05/1757, JOHN 30/08/1759, David & Elizabeth 5/07/1764.

There is a total of 11 baptisms father Robert in Latheron 1755 – 1789, the last being Alexander.
There are a few GUNN baptisms at Thurso, Watten and one at Halkirk, these all name both parents.

I cannot see a marriage in Scotland on SP for Robert 1745 - 1755.

Colin

[Forfarian]

Thanks, GR2, for clarification. I should have spelled that out myself

I see that information from at least some parts of the surviving parish registers of Halkirk, Latheron and Watten has been transcribed into FreeREG https://www.freereg.org.uk/ so it might be worth searching there for any place names. But if you do, be sure to check the originals at Scotland's People as well.

A list of the dates of surviving registers in Caithness and Sutherland is available at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/list-of-oprs/list-of-oprs-1-56.pdf and a more detailed version is at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/list-of-oprs/detailed-list-of-old-parochial-registers-of-scotland.pdf. Note that all the registers listed therein are now in the care of the Registrar General and available on Scotland's People.

The Latheron Kirk Session minutes contain some records of baptisms and marriages. Only one volume of the Halkirk KS minutes is available, but the Watten KS minutes are available from early in the 18th century. All can be viewed at Scotland's People.

[Forfarian]

Another thought. You give Donald's name as Donald Gunn of Kildonan.

In older Scottish documents the use of the word 'of' is significant. It means, specifically, that the person mentioned was a member of a family who owned the place referred to. A tenant was described as 'in' his farm, and a labourer as 'at'.

Unfortunately various contributors to web sites, unaware of the importance of the distinction, tend to muddy the waters by using the word 'of' to mean only that the person came from, or lived in, the place referred to.

If your Donald Gunn was genuinely Donald Gunn of Kildonan, and not just Donald Gunn who happened to live in the parish of Kildonan, there should be records in the Registers of Sasines. See https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=26232.0