The elusive Duncan MacRae - The story so far.....

[frances]

Duncan MacRae was born C 1850 married Margaret Morrison 27th May 1870 in Rosemarkie.He died in 1936 in Tain.

According to both his BC his parents were Donald MacRae and Sarah Macpherson. His DC gives his parents as David MacRae and Sarah Macpherson.Given that Donald /David was interchangable I can accept this discrepancy.

The first time I can find him is on the 1871 census living with his Margaret and their son David in Cromarty.

Are you still with me

I can find no record of his birth anywhere despite spending many hours and lots of credits on SP.

What we have found recently is a Sarah MacRae maiden surname Ross who was married to a Donald MacRae . Sarah's mothers maiden name was McPherson. I am reluctant to believethat this is Duncan's parents without further proof but am clutching at straws.

Just to confuse things even more.On the 1871 census Duncan's place of birth is given as Invernessshire-Localsh,on the 1881 Invernessshire on the 1891 Inverness-Petty and on the 1901 Invernessshire Glenelg.


Anyone out there with any ideas of where to go from here ?.


Frances

[SarahND]

Hi Frances,
Are there any siblings who would also be in the household to help us identify the family in earlier censuses? I didn't realize just how many Duncan MacRaes there are in Scotland
All the best,
Sarah

[frances]

Hi Sarah

I had thought of that but unfortunately as I said the first census I can find him is the 1851 (aged 22) living with his wife Margaret and their son David aged 4mths.

Frances

[grannysrock]

Hi Frances

Could this be Duncan and Sarah and a new husband in 1861 ?

Registration Number: 97/2
Registration district: Knoydart
Civil parish: Glenelg
County: Inverness
Address: Skiary

ED: 2A
Page: 3 & 4
Household schedule number: 13
Line: 24
Roll: CSSCT1861_12



24 Murdock McMillan abt 1823 Glenelg, Invernessshire Head Grocer
25 Sarah McMillan abt 1825 Glenelg, Invernessshire Wife
1 Angus McMillan abt 1861 Glenelg, Invernessshire Son Grocer & Son
2 Duncan McRae abt 1846 Glenelg, Invernessshire Stepson
3 Mary McPherson abt 1842 Glenelg, Invernessshire Sister-in-law Domestic Servant


Which seems to tie in with

a marriage of Sarah McPherson to Murdock McMillan
18 DEC 1860 Glenelg, Inverness, Scotland

and the following entries also appear on the IGI.
1. ANGUS MAC MILLAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 08 MAR 1861 Glenelg, Inverness, Scotland

2. ANGUS MAC MILLAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Death: 01 AUG 1861

3. CHRISTINA MC MILLAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 09 APR 1865 Glenelg, Inverness, Scotland

4. EWEN MC MILLAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 01 AUG 1862 Glenelg, Inverness, Scotland


I'll have a look in the 1851 and see if I can spot Sarah and Duncan there.

Cheers

Sally

[grannysrock]

I think this might be the same Duncan in 1851:

Estimated birth year: abt 1846
Parish Number: 97
Civil parish: Glenelg
Town: Skiary & Barrisbale
County: Inverness
Address: Barrisdale
ED: 4
Page: 6
Household schedule number: 17
Roll: CSSCT1851_21

Sally McRae abt 1825 Glenelg, Invssshire Head Cottar
Duncan McRae abt 1846 Glenelg, Invssshire Son

The neighbouring houses are full of McPhersons.

The actual image on ScotlandsPeople would tell you whether Sally/Sarah claiemd to be married, widowed or single.

Also her marriage record to Murdock McMillan or her death record may mention herprevious husbands.

Sally

[JustJean]

Also her marriage record to Murdock McMillan or her death record may mention herprevious husbands.

Sally

You won't believe this one!! It's so priceless!! I'm sitting here reading this and thinking....nice one Sally!!!...and then I get to the end and read the sentence I just highlighted above and at first thought "herprevious husbands" was going to be a medical term for cause of death!! Well...then again maybe it'were Now I see it's a simple case of a missing space. I think I've been working too hard today...time for vacation

Best wishes
Jean

[frances]

Thank You Sally & Jean for the replies.

I will need to take time to digest the information and check the records for myself.

Will need to wait untl I get home from work today to have a look.

In the meantime thanks again.

Kind regards

Frances

[mitchell]

Frances,

I can't help you with your original post I'm afraid, but I saw the family of Murdoch McMillan and Sarah McPherson that grannysrock posted.

I have in my family, Ann McRae daughter of Ewen McRae and Jessie (nee McRae) who married Ewan McMillian of Skeary in Lochournhead, Knoydart 7th Jan 1892.

Ann was the sister of my ggrandfather, Farquhar McRae.

On the marriage certificate, Ewan's parents are Murdoch McMillan and Sarah (nee McPherson) Both are living. Ewan age 29 is a fisherman and Murdoch is an Innkeeper.

Elaine

[frances]

Thought I was onto a winner here

I was so disappointed when I found Sarah's DC to see that yes she had been previously married to a MacRae but to Christopher and not my Duncan

Thanks to everyone for their help -it's back to the drawing board I think, unless someone out there can come up with any other ideas .

Frances

[emanday]

Thought I was onto a winner here

I was so disappointed when I found Sarah's DC to see that yes she had been previously married to a MacRae but to Christopher and not my Duncan

Thanks to everyone for their help -it's back to the drawing board I think, unless someone out there can come up with any other ideas .

Frances

The thing you have to ask yourself is - did the informant on Sarah's DC get it right? Many of us on here have had DC's where the information given has been questionable. Either the informant wasn't close enough to really know, or was so close and so upset, they got mixed up.

Worth keeping in mind.