Missing wedding? (McLean/McLean).....

kathyc · Post by **kathyc** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:21 pm

I have a mystery on my hands with respect to one set of ggg grandparents.

Both were born in Applecross and spent their lives there, from everything I can find on birth, death, and census records. It is possible that they were out of the region when they got married, but both were living there with their families when the 1841 census was taken, and were living there together in 1851. Their eldest child Donald was born in around 1846, also apparently in Applecross although I don't have that record yet, just his reported birthplace on census records. I checked marriages up until 1854 in case they started early with babies, but can't find the relevant listing. Any thoughts?

Here's what I know:

The groom in question is Finlay McLean, son of Roderick McLean and Ann MacLenan, born in 1816 in Applecross.

The bride is Ann McLean, daughter of Roderick McLean and Catherine MacBe(a)th, born in 1817 in Applecross.

On the 1841 census, both are still living with parents.

On the 1851 census, they are married with three young children in Applecross.

The only marriages I have been able to find on SP for men named Finlay McLean (various wildcards) in Ross and Cromarty to women named Ann are not the right ones: Ann MacGregor and Ann MacLennan.

Any thoughts? I checked the IGI, but it doesn't have any matches except that same Ann MacLennan one I found on SP.

I'd appreciate any ideas!

Thanks,
Kathy

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:29 pm

Hi Kathy
They may have left the established church to join the Free Church following the "Disruption" in 1843... in which case they will not be in the OPR. In many Highland areas the majority of the ministers and people split away from the established church to form the Free Church of Scotland at this time - perhaps this is the case for your family in Applecross. If they disappear around 1843, reappear in 1855 and any subsequent SR marriages in the family state "following banns according to the forms of the Free Church of Scotland" then that may be the problem... In which case there may be records at NAS.

Best wishes
Lesley

kathyc · Post by **kathyc** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:34 pm

Lesley,

I believe that may indeed the case. There are future weddings with references to the Free Church in the family. I gather that's also why I haven't been able to find birth records for their children born before 1855, including my gg grandfather. How frustrating!

Are the NAS records availabe online?

Kathy

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:56 pm

hi Kathy

I believe that may indeed the case. There are future weddings with references to the Free Church in the family.

Ha! Well that is the reason then. I know the situation only too well because it happened to some of my lot!! Took me a wee while to work out why they seemed to disappear for a bit... but of course, they were there all along, just not in the most obvious place.

I gather that's also why I haven't been able to find birth records for their children born before 1855, including my gg grandfather. How frustrating!

That sounds highly likely. (the not finding them, I mean...OK, and the frustation!!)

Are the NAS records availabe online?

The NAS index is available online but no more detail than the index, I'm afraid. First job would be to find out if records exist at all.
I'd have to say, I've not managed to get to far with finding out yet.... but I think you might need to know where in Applecross they were. The parish of Applecross covers a very large area. Applecross village is very small. Where were they in 1841? (this is kinda famiiar - I think we have been here before - they are in the north of Applecross Parish, up Shieldaig way, if I remember correctly?)

NAS catalogue is at:
http://www.dswebhosting.info/NAS/DServe ... =Index.tcl

It may be worth contacting North Highland Archives too if stuck:
http://www.highland.gov.uk/leisure/arch ... darchives/

Best wishes
Lesley

kathyc · Post by **kathyc** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:23 pm

Thanks for your help, Lesley.

Yes, this is more of the Shieldaig bunch. Good memory!

Kathy

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:34 pm

Hi Kathy
I've just noticed that it says pretty much that in your signature but I wasn't looking it at it earlier!!

http://www.fpchurch.org.uk/Magazines/fp ... f/June.pdf
For a bit of background info - p.10, Rev Donald MacDonald
- so this states the church at Shieldaig was not built until 1877. I wonder what the implication of that is for any records having been kept??

Best wishes
Lesley

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:13 am

Hello All

I have just been researching a line of a 1st cousin once removed I just got in contact with this week

One of her fathers lang deid yins, married in 1861 but I have found wains going back at least until 1856

I realise its not exactly related to the topic, but just goes to show that some took a while to make an honest woman of their "wives" if they even bothered