McKechnie/McEachern

[elizabethss]

My GtGt Grandmother arrived in Australia in 1837.  She married in Glasgow 1835 and her name in the Register is Christian McKechnie, her husband was Robert Mackay.  We have never been certain of her maiden name but believe she was born in Argyllshire.  On their shipping record it says she is 25. She died in New South Wales in 1877.  We would very much appreciate any assistance discovering further information about her family.  Her sister Mary and husband Malcolm Paterson came on the same ship. DNA matches to me has confirmed Mary as her sister.

[Neale1961]

Welcome to RootsChat.
•   If Christian’s name when she was married was McKechnie, why do you say you are not sure of her surname. What information does the marriage record contain – parish? Abode? Witnesses?
•   McKechnie will be spelled in various ways on documents, but that is normal and to be expected. Gaelic spelling is McEachern / MacEachainn.
•   On the Australian birth records of her children, how is her name and place of birth recorded?
•   Christian’s death certificate gives her parents’ names as Donald and Catherine – please post ALL information from the death cert.
•   Christina’s 3rd marriage in 1860 to Henry Stanley was after civil registration. Therefore have a look at that marriage certificate to see what information it contains about her and her parents. Please post here.


•   Immigration records for Christian McKechnie and Robert McKay give their native place as Sutherland.
•   Immigration records for Mary McKechnie and Malcolm Paterson give native place as Argyle.
•   Another older sister named Janet McKechnie married to Lachlan Cochrane arrived in NSW in Dec 1838. She was 28 on embarkation.
Immigration information- a native of “Auchu…?”Argyle. Daughter of Donald McKechnie a farmer in the same place.  Janet’s death certificate names parents as Donald and Catherine.
(You might post the immigration record to the handwriting help board, to try and move forward that way. I shall post below)

I wonder about this possible 1841 census for parents ?? I am not all sure of it .
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14155bf4040b9d6efc7a76/catharine-mckichan-1841-argyllshire-glenorchy-innishail-1783-?locale=en


Children’s names may also give you hints about ancestors.
What are the FULL names of all of Christin’s children in order of birth? Be sure to include all middle names as these can be very useful.

[Neale1961]

A couple of births in Morven Argyll which might be of interest …
Cirsty MACEACHERN  - 26/11/1815 – parents: ALAN MACEACHERN / KATRINE RANKINE
Mary MCEACHERN - 04/01/1813 – parents: ALAN MCEACHERN / KATRINE RANKINE

A son John born 1826
 and another son Donald born 1829
Parents Alan and Catherine

This might be that family in 1841
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/64e0ddc6f493fd8e1f317ad0/allan-mceachern-1841-argyllshire-morvern-1791-?locale=en

[elizabethss]

Neil, I am absolutely staggered not only by the speed of your reply but the information you listed.
THANK YOU THANK YOU.  I have copied it so I can spend a little time absorbing it and reply with a few more details.

I have also to ask are you a relative?
Kindest regards

[Neale1961]

No, I am not a relative.
I saw your post had been sitting unanswered, and just took a look at some records. 

[Lodger]

Have you checked the 1835 marriage entry? The old parochial registers don't usually throw up much but you may just be lucky enough to find "native of Argyll" or something.
I have a Christian McEachern as a direct ancestor, who was born and died in the parish of Kilfinichen & Kilvickeon on the Isle of Mull in Argyllshire. She was born 1805 and died 1878. McEachern was both her maiden name and her married name. It was/is an extremely popular name there. It's is also very common on the Isle of Islay, also in Argyll.
The name Christian in Gaelic was always given to a woman, it was mostly shortened to Cirsty, which is pronounced phonetically in English as Kursse-tay, the S being very soft, almost sounding like shh.

Do you have a DNA to compare online? Gedmatch perhaps?  There is a Facebook group for Argyll DNA which is linked to Gedmatch.

[elizabethss]

Firstly to Neale, again thanks for being so helpful.  Actually I have some of the records you mention but because there was so much variation(understandable in Australia) in Christian's name it was difficult to pin down although I did think the marriage record with McKechnie was likely correct.  My files have been in somewhat disarray but I'll put them in chronological order and post details for others who may be interested in her family.

And to Lodger, thanks for your post and expanding my knowledge.  I have only done an Ancestry DNA and so far as I can tell I've not had a match with anyone named McKechnie/McEachern.  I've not imported my result into any of the other testing companies.  Perhaps I should investigate doing so.
Cheerio, Elizabeth

[Forfarian]

I've been doing a bit of work for a friend, whose ancestress was Margaret MacKichan, born in Glasgow in 1834, daughter of Archibald MacKichan and Isabella Cumming.

Archibald MacKichan was born in Ardchattan, Argyll, in 1810, parents Finlay MacKichan and Catherine MacTavish or Thomson.

It seems to me quite likely that MacKichan is another spelling variant of MacKechnie?

[elizabethss]

Further to this family.  Marriage to Robert McKay March 1835 Glasgow. Parish record supplied by LDS very poor, difficult to read. Has a James McKechnie and Wm Cruickshanks listed.  A further handwritten list of marriages names John McLaurin a Gaelic minister.  Scotlands People says Parish 644/1

Children of marriage
Donald born July 1836, dies before parents leave Scotland in 1837 for Australia
William Bowman, birth not registered named for parents' sponsor
Hannay(Hannah)
Catherine
Janet
Christina
Allan
Barbara

Husband dies 1853
1854 Christiana(Christian) marries neighbour William Pringle and declares she is a member of, or holds communion with the Weslyan Church
Pringle dies October 1858
Daughter born June 1859, but dies, not registered

1860 Christiana marries another neighbour Henry Charles Stanley, who dies 1869
On this marriage certificate says she was born in Argyllshire and her parents were
Allan McEachern and Catherine Rankin both deceased

Christiana is now the owner of land from 3 marriages.  On all documents she makes her mark.

1933 Christina Stuart(her daughter) dies and her mother is given as Christina McEachern