Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON Can anyone help?.....

[Oran]

Firstly Hello everyone at TalkingScot.
I am looking for any information on both, Catherine Robertson who married and Alexander Macpherson a fisherman, who possibly lived in Tormore between 1815 to 1819.
A death entry or burial place would be very exciting, or any information, no matter how small.

Two of thier issues have been found to date, and have been searching every entry possible for thier daughter, Elizabeth/Betty Macpherson to establish her birth place, which took a lot of investigating, to try reveal where Catherine/Alexander might have lived and worked, even for a while.

Incidentally I have not yet found a likely death entry for Catherine Robertson or Alexander Macpherson, and they are not stated as deceased on thier daughters marriage certificate 1856, which may indicate they were still alive in 1856.

Elizabeth/Betty Macpherson 16.08.1819 Tormore, Sleat
John Macpherson 30.12.1815 Tormore, Sleat

Below are all the Census entry's I have found to date, for Elizabeth the daughter of Catherine/Alexander to establish her birthplace and movements.
Elizabeth had two sons, Robert born 1836 and Alexander born 1849 also listed as Kilmuir, not sure who the father is of these two sons, but they took the name Philip after Elizabeths marriage in 1856.

Elizabeth left Skye sometime after the birth of her second son Alexander 1849 and before 1861 where the family is found in Fort William, this is where Elizabeth married Robert Philip/Phillips in 1856 at Fort William.

1861 census Fort William area listed her birthplace as..Kilmuir (probably Kilmore)
1871 census Kilmalie area listed her birthplace as........Kilmalie (dautr. Elizabeth born Kilmalie)
1891 census Greenock listed her birthplace as.............Isle of Skye, Sleet, Scotland.
1901 census Greenock listed her birthplace as.. ..........Skye, Scotland.

Back to Catherine Robertson and Alexander Macpherson! I employed the services of www.Sky-Roots.co.uk who searched the 1841 and found a possible family in Ostaig, as listed below, with Norma’s comments.

1841 Ostaig, Sleat: (book 3, page 23).

Alexander MacPherson....71.pauper
Catherine........................62.wife
John................................25
Colin Chisholm...............10.grandson

1841 Carradale, Sleat: (book 5 pages 14/15).

John MacPherson....20.ag.lab
Betty.......................15
Chirsty MacInnes....60.pauper


“This was the only Alexander & Catherine MacPherson found together in 1841 of approximately the correct age to be the parents of your Elizabeth. This was the only Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson found in Sleat in 1841. Neither of these entries is found in the township of Tormore – as shown in the OPR. The 1851 census of Sleat was searched and no Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson was found. No couple named Alexander & Catherine, of the correct (appropriate) ages was found. Although some individuals named Alexander and Catherine were found, they could not be identified as Elizabeth’s parents”.

I also emailed Clan McDonald Archives, to see if there might be any estate or rental records for Ostaig, which would give any information.
They did inform me the Ostaig farm was absorbed into the neighbouring farm Kilbeg in the 1820’s, and that the above family might have been, Alexander Macpherson and a Catherine Lamont, which was the family living at Kilbeg, but equally could be, and is more likely, my family ancestors from Tormore.

[CatrionaL]

Hullo Oran

I know your post has been waiting a long time for a response but hope you still visit the site from time to time and will see it.

Are you aware that a search can be made for a female death using maiden surname and spouse(s) name(s)?

There is a death on

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

for a Catherine McPherson/Robertson in Sleat in 1876. She was 82 years old. The age is a bit out but it might be worth taking a look all the same.

Best wishes
Catriona

[Oran]

Hello Catriona,

Many thanks for your reply, indeed I do visit the site from time to time, and have been patiently waiting for any information.

I wasnt aware you could search for a death entry using a females maiden surname or spouse's name's, many thanks for this snippet of information.

Further, thank-you for pointing out a Catherine McPherson/Robertson in Sleat in 1876 died at 82 years old.
I did indeed take a look at this entry on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and noted her listed as widow of Malcom Robertson crofter, and wonder if I should be expecting to see Alexander Mcpherson? need time to ponder.

Many thanks for your post, and best wishes also

[Oran]

Hello again Catriona,

Actually a Death entry for Alexander Mcpherson or Catherine Robertson, would be absolutley fantastic!
As that would give me more information, as they seem to have vanished into thin air, need to investigate your find a little further, many thanks again.