My surnames & brickwalls: POLSON ROSS MATHESON MCKAY....

DanielleInTheLandOfOz · Post by **DanielleInTheLandOfOz** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:04 pm

Hi All

I began researching my husbands Sutherland/Caithness ancestors (most of whome originate from Sutherland and Caithness but also Stornoway County Ross - about 4 years ago, and feel I have exhausted everything that the IGI and census can offer and now am not sure where to go from here. I would appreciate any guidance on how best to tackle this very stubborn brick wall.

My husbands direct ancestors are:

Hugh ROSS born 1833 Scoury Village (merchant seaman, may have died at sea between 1865-1871 as I cannot find a death record) m. Margaret POLSON in 1862 in Manse of Sandwick. children from this union are: Nathaniel, Lachlan, Johanna and Janet Hughina

Hugh is the son of:

Lachlin ROSS (Crofter Farmer) b.c1806 Scourie, d.1853-1861 (parents ?) and Janet MATHESON b. 1810 in Lairg (year of marriage unknown).

Janet MATHESON is the daughter of Donald MATHESON and Margaret McKAY.

Donald MATHESON was born 1774 in Lairg, the son of William MATHESON and Isabella MUNRO.

Margaret POLSON (wife of Hugh ROSS above) was born 1840 in Durness, the daughter of Nathaniel POLSON and Johanna MORRISON who were married in 1837 in Durness (Johanna would have only been about 15 I think)

Nathaniel POLSON was born 1796 in Kildonan the son of Alexander POLSON and Margaret ROSS (Nathaniel was a Stone Mason of Helmsdale).

I have no further information on Alexander or Margaret POLSON, besides their other childrens names being Luis, Ann and James all born Kildonan.

Johanna MORRISON was born c1823 in Eddrachillis, on her death cert her parents names are given as William MORRISON (shoemaker) and Louisa MORRISON nee MORRISON. I have no further information on this Morrison line.

Street names that these ancestors have lived are: Argyll Square Pultneytown, Wellington Street Pultneytown, Vansittart Street and Knockbreak Durness.

Well that just about covers it. If you have stayed with me this far - THANK YOU! I have posted on this site and also on Caitness.org, so fingers crossed something crops up.

Kind regards

Danielle

Post by **Liz Turner** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:38 pm

Dear Danielle

Welcome to this great site - we've all been partying for the last couple of days at the annual virtual beach party - that's most likely why no-one has replied to you yet! Suspect there will be lots of hangovers today ...

You'll also find deaths from 1855 on the site, so might find more information than you have already. You'll find people here very helpful and willing to answer your questions and offer advice.

I have the name Ross in my own family but not, I'm afraid, any connection to yours - I don't think. My grandfather was called Ross and so far I've traced his family back through Edinburgh, Dundee and surrounding areas, via Aberdeen to Ross-shire. I'm filling in the more recent Ross family between 1840-1900 and then, I fear, I'll have to start searching seriously in Ross-shire - where most of them seem to originate from.

Have you tried the Scotland's people website you don't mention whether you have - see link at top of this page. My credits have expired at present but I've had a quick look on it and found:-

One marriage for Hugh Ross and Margaret Polson - this should give the date and place of the marriage of their parents (obviously also the parents names, and whether or not they were alive at the time of the marriage of Hugh and Margaret).

I found the deaths of two Margaret Ross - with other name Polson; and I found 5 deaths for Hugh Ross 1855-1955 with date of birth 1833. When I widened the birth year by +/- 2 there were 22.

If you don't have this information, it might be worth looking at them on the SP site.

Anyway - good luck with your searches and I'm sure others on the site will be along soon with more suggestions and help for you. I tmight also be worthwhile using the search button at the top of this page to find others researching the names that you are looking for.

Sorry if I've duplicated anything you already know!

Liz

DanielleInTheLandOfOz · Post by **DanielleInTheLandOfOz** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:48 am

Thank you for the warm welcome Liz and for taking an interest in this, much appreciated!

I dread to think how much I have spent on SP, it sure is a great site but ends up costly with such a common name as ROSS. Where can I begin searching the deaths 1855 onwards, as I am still getting a bit lost here.

Probably the most elusive of my bunch are Alexander POLSON c1770-? and Lachlan ROSS c1806-c1855.

I will see if I can get the marriage cert for Margaret and Hugh from SP on Thursday (pay day) as all I have is the year so the other details would be very useful and might hold a few clues.

Thanks again

Danielle

Morag · Post by **Morag** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:52 pm

Hi Danielle

I have an Alexanderina Polson , born 1851 , parents Nathaniel Polson & Johann Morrison. She married Angus Mac Neill 04/06/1878 in Govan , Glasgow ( the grooms brother was a minister and all the family seemed to be married there by him , so I don't think they were living in Govan )Alexanderina died before 1881 , I think in Barnsley,Yorkshire in March 1879 although I have not checked this out. The Mac Neills are the family I am interested in , so I have not pursued the Polsons. They had no children that I know of.
Hope this is of some help to you

Morag

DanielleInTheLandOfOz · Post by **DanielleInTheLandOfOz** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:36 am

Thanks so much for letting me know about Alexandrina Morag, I had wondered what had happened to her. Now for the other 5 Polson children?

Kind regards

Danielle