GENERATION NO. 2
IN NOVA SCOTIA
The Children
of
WILLIAM MACKENZIE and FLORA MACMILLAN
(of Murlaggan and Caillich)
Branch: Cameron
THE 1801 VOYAGE TO NOVA SCOTIA
The year 1801 was critical and decisive for William MacKenzie and Flora MacMillan. On January 1, 1801, George III was proclaimed "George III, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith." In January of 1801, the Scottish, English and Northern Irish members have sat together in the same House and have made the laws for all of Great Britain. In 1801, Napoleon Bonaparte was in his second year as First Consul of France; on sea and on land, Great Britain was at war with France. In 1801, Thomas Jeffereson was sworn in as the third president of the United States of America.
March of 1801 found Hugh Denoon in the Highlands of Scotland recruiting immigrants and seeking out vessels to transport the immigrants from Scotland to Pictou. The situation in 1801 was unlike the situation in 1773. In 1773 the Philadelphia company offered free passage to Pictou, a farm lot and one year's provisions to encourage settlement. John Ross had travelled to the Highlands of Scotland, had spread the news about this offer and had encouraged emigration of the Highland Scots to Pictou; the result was that 189 Highlanders sailed onboard the ship Hector on or about June 30, 1773 from Loch Broom, Scotland to Pictou. The passengers were Gaelic speaking and 71 of the passengers were children under eight years of age. A total of 33 clans were represented by these passengers which included 24 MacKays, 21 Frasers, 19 Mackenzies, 16 MacLeods, 15 MacDonalds, 15 Rosses and 10 Murrays. Although 18 children tragically died on the voyage, one child was born during the 77 day voyage and the Hector landed at Pictou on September 17, 1773. This presented the first major landing of Scottish settlers in Nova Scotia.
HUGH DENOON
In 1801, the "middling ranks and labouring classes of people in the Highlands" were prepared to try their chances in other countries and many wanted better lives for their children; Hugh Denoon had low rates for the passage. The Highland Lairds put up some resistance as they saw the exodus of their prime and young farmers, labourers and tenants. Scotland's Lord Advocate, Charles Hope, was consulted and provided the legal opinion: "There's no law for keeping the people in the country against their will."
For this 1801 project, Hugh Denoon chartered two ships: the 350 ton Sarah of Liverpool and the 186 ton Dove of Aberdeen. For the Sarah, there were 199 passengers over 16 years of age and 151 passengers under 16 years of age. For the Dove there were 149 passengers over the age of 16 years and 70 passengers under 16 years of age. The grand total was 569 passengers. The Sarah and the Dove set sail from Fort William, Scotland in June of 1801 and what followed proved to be both tragic and disturbing:
1. The Sarah and the Dove were overcrowded by over 200 passengers by comparison to the maximum number of passengers allowed by the existing slave trade legislation.
2. There was no method put in place to ensure that all the passengers had been vaccinated for smallpox; smallpox broke out during the voyage and 39 children died. All were under 10 years of age.
The voyage of 91 days from Fort William, Scotland to Pictou, Nova Scotia, was indeed extra long.
Here is a description of the voyage of the Sarah in 1801:
In all 350, including men, women, children and infants, making the number of passengers to be 250. Calculating the age of those under 16 at 830 1/2 years, and therefore dividing by 16, making a full passenger, those above 16 years, 199; those below by the above calculation, 51. A total of 250 to go on board the ship "Sarah," burdened 350 tons.
Custom House, Fort William 8th June 1801. These certify to the Honourable Board of Customs that what is wrote on the twelve preceding pages is a true and exact duplicate and copy of the list of emigrants furnished and given in to us the 4th Currt. by Mr. Hugh Denoon, of Pictou, Nova Scotia, dated at Inverness, the 1st. inst. Intended to be shipped by him at this port on board the "Sarah" of Liverpool, Smith, master, to be furnished by themselves in provisions for the voyage; and that on examining Mr. Denoon's calculations of full passengers we find the same not exact. The numbers we find by the list to be 350 souls, of which of full passengers above 16 year, 206; and 144 children under 16, whose ages amounts to 832 years and these years divided by 16 make of full passengers 52. A total of 258.
Colin Campbell
Robt. Flyter a Comm.
This document shows that 350 passengers came to Pictou in the ship Sarah which weighed 350 tons. It took over three months for the Sarah to cross the Atlantic Ocean and some of the passengers died of whooping cough or small pox on the voyage. You can imagine the state they were in on arriving in Pictou, and the responsibility thrown on the local government. It was to help pay the expenses of such immigrants that Nova Scotia passed an act putting a tax of five shillings on every passenger to the colony.
When the surviving passengers arrived at Pictou, they were placed in immediate quarantine until the local residents were vaccinated for smallpox. The local residents were very supportive and raised £1,000 for the newcomers. After the quarantine was set aside, the newcomers spent the winter in the homes of local residents as well as in the homes of relatives who were also Urquhart people living along the East Branch of the East River.
Effective July 1, 1803, the British House of Commons enacted the Ships Passenger Act which was an Act limiting the emigration of Highlanders. Positive aspects of the legislation were that it improved the conditions onboard the vessels, reduced overcrowding and ensured that provisions were adequate for the voyage. Any ship carrying over 50 passengers was required to have a certified surgeon onboard. As well, the ship's contractors had to post a performance bond of £20 per passenger which restricted emigrant contracting to those with ready access to large amounts of money. The negative aspect of the legislation was that it greatly increased the cost of immigrating and greatly reduced what the newcomers would have in their sporrans when they landed in the colonies.
There is no evidence that Hugh Denoon, as the emigrant contractor, ever again made a foray into the Highlands of Scotland after 1801. After July 1, 1803, to duplicate his feat of transporting 559 passengers across the Atlantic Ocean, Hugh Denoon would have to have ready access to £ I 1,380 just for the performance bond. It appears that the survivors of the Sarah and Dove did not make a public outcry against Hugh Denoon for his deficiencies; however, it is safe to assume that the experience of seeing a dead child placed in a small coffin, a bag of sand tied to it and then solemnly put into the ocean, would be indelible in the memory of the survivors.
The passengers of the Sarah and the Dove settled on lands in various places where they formed new settlements or were added to older settlements. Many of these passengers consisted of families and various family groups that formed the first settlements at Sunny Brae, on Mount Thom and McLennan's Mountain. Some passengers who were Catholics, removed to Antigonish and to areas further east.
William McKenzie and his wife Flora McMillan and five of their children came to Nova Scotia from Scotland on the ship, Sarah in 1801. The passenger list of the Sarah names them as Wm. McKenzie, farmer and Flory McKenzie, spinster from Urquhart. The Sarah began her journey in Liverpool, England. The McKenzie family boarded the ship Sarah at Fort William, Scotland. Family lore says three of the children died from small pox aboard ship. Two survived: Isobel, christened October 22, 1795 in Killearnan, October, Scotland and John, born in 1799 in Inverness-shire, Scotland. The birth/baptismal records of the children born in Nova Scotia are located at St. Columba Church (United Church of Canada) in Hopewell, Nova Scotia.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s immigrants were swarming to Nova Scotia from the British Isles. Most of them were penniless, and the shipmasters used to pack them into the holds of the old sailing ships which were poorly ventilated and infested with vermin. Here the passengers might be penned in for ten or eleven weeks while their ships crossed the Atlantic, so it is no wonder that disease spread like wild-fire and the ships were sometimes called immigrant "coffins". Most of the passengers on the Sarah and her sister ship, the Dove seem to have been farmers, labourers, tenants, and spinsters. Incidentally the term "spinster" at that time simply meant a woman who could spin, and many of the so-called "spinsters" on these lists were the wives of the men listed immediately before. The agent who persuaded the Highlanders to emigrate was Hugh Denoon. One thing he told the Highlanders was that in Nova Scotia the same tree would produce soap, sugar and fuel! He didn't tell them how hard it was to do this!
Most of these immigrants made fine settlers in Nova Scotia. The Weekly Chronicle of February 23, 1805 observed that about 1300 hardy emigrants who arrived at Pictou in the year 1802 had already so far improved the different spots of uncultivated land on which they were placed that most of them had wheat, potatoes and other crops to sell. There was scarcely a family but possessed a cow or two, sheep and poultry, sufficient to assist others who might become their neighbours on the vast tracts of fertile land which remained uncultivated.
On a personal note: I think that the death of his mother in 1783 (when WIlliam was 13) and the death of his father in March 1800 (when William was 30) allowed WILLIAM MACKENZIE a year later in 1801 to seek his fortune in Nova Scotia. His brother Donald would have inherited "whatever was inheritable" from his father since he was the oldest. William, hearing about Nova Scotia from the privateer, Mr. Hugh Denoon (brother of Mr. David Denoon, the minister at Killearnan parish) decided to leave ... and the rest, as they say, is history.
THE CROWN LAND GRANT OF 1806-07
“Wm. McKenzie”, West Branch, East River, was granted 2.25 acres of land by the legislature during the 1806-1807 Land Clearances.
William and Flora are buried in the Elgin Cemetery. William was 98 when he died; Flora was 85 when she died.
THE CROWN LAND GRANT OF 1844
William MacKenzie received a Crown Grant in 1844. His son John MacKenzie inherited this land in 1844 and built the first home there c. 1850. Another home was built by Wallace MacKenzie in 1915. Here are the owners of this property since 1844 as recorded at the Registry of Deeds (Lib 10 fol 15 for 272a), Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada:
William MacKenzie: 1844
John MacKenzie: 1844-? (Book 28, Page 497)
William MacKenzie: ?-1894
Wallace MacKenzie: 1894-1933 (Book 106- Page 621)
William H. MacKenzie: 1933-1940 (Book 6645 Will)
Margaret MacKenzie: 1940-1951 (Book 7566 Will)
Margaret Bamford: 1951- 1996 (Book 9111 Will)
THE MACKENZIE HOMESTEAD. SECOND HOUSE BUILT 1915
MACKENZIE LAND GRANT 1844
THE HEADSTONE OF WILLIAM MACKENZIE AND FLORA MACMILLAN
ELGIN CEMETERY
PICTOU COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
THE TEN CHILDREN OF WILLIAM MACKENZIE AND FLORA MACMILLAN
1.1 ISOBEL MACKENZIE
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Birth: 22 OCT 1795, Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland
OPR #118850 (Old Parish Register) states that "on 22 October 1795, Mr. David Denoon, baptized Isobel, daughter to William McKenzie, servant in Parktown, and his spouse Flora McMillan, in presence of Jn. Mc Kenzie, Butcher in Kilcoy and the Kirk Officers". I have a certified copy of the baptism record of Isobel MacKenzie.
The exact burial place of Isobel and Alexander remains unknown.
Spouse: Alexander MACDONALD
Father: Ewen MACDONALD (1764-1857)
Mother: Jane GRANT (-1863)
Marr: 25 OCT 1821, East Branch, East River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Children:
Flora (1823-1867)
Jane Anne (1829-1911)
Barbara (1831-1928)
Margaret (1833-)
John George
Duncan
William
1.2 John MACKENZIE
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Birth: 22 OCT 1797, Killearnan Parish, Ross-Shire, Scotland
Death: 1898, Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Burial: Elgin Cemetery, Elgin, Nova Scotia
OPR #118767 (Old Parish Register) states: "Killearnan 23 October 1797 That day, the Rev. Mr. David Denoon baptised John, son to William McKenzie, Servant to Walter Ross, Tenant in Kilcoy and his spouse, Florence Cameron, in Presence of John McKenzie, his father and the Kirk Officers. The child was born on the 22nd of October". I have a certified copy of the baptism record of John MacKenzie.
Notice that the spouse was Florence Cameron and not McMillan! This was most likely a mistake recorded by the Session Clerk, an error repeated quite often in the records of the time, but more than likely it was an example of using the Clan's name rather than the Surname. In this case, the Clan's name was Cameron.
Spouse: Catherine FRASER
Birth: 1814, McLellan’s Brook, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Death: 26 FEB 1891
Marr: 14 JUL 1831, McLellan’s Mountain, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Children:
William (1832-1916)
Christine (1835-1877)
Margaret (1836-1858)
John (1838-1910)
Flora (1839-1917)
Daniel (1840-1927)
Barbara (1841-1917)
Hugh (1843-1915)
Jessie (1847-1930)
Alexander (1849-1927)
Catherine (1851-1923)
Mary (1853-1916)
1.3 James MACKENZIE
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Birth: BEF 1800, Scotland
Death: 1801, the north Atlantic Ocean
Although unsubstantiated, family lore says that "James" was one of the "three" children who died crossing the Atlantic onboard the Sarah in 1801.
1.4 Donald MACKENZIE
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Birth: BEF 1800, Scotland
Death: 1801, the ship, Sarah of smallpox
Although unsubstantiated, family lore says that "Donald" was one of the "three" children who died crossing the Atlantic onboard the Sarah in 1801. If William MacKenzie had a son, Donald, the first-born male in Nova Scotia, he may have been named for his brother Donald who remained in Scotland. There is also the possibility that Donald may have been named after his own brother who perished onboard the Sarah. Sadly, there is nothing known about this "Nova Scotia Donald". And to complicate matters, Daniel and Donald were used interchangeably in Scotland as the same forenames. Maybe this "Nova Scotia Donald" is confused with his other brother, Daniel who married Ida Hudson.
William MacKenzie's brother was also called Donald. He remained in Scotland and William lost contact with him when he left for Nova Scotia on the Sarah in 1801. No letters survive. Since postage was to be paid by the recipient of the letter, maybe William did not have the money to pay for and claim the letters. The family seems to have been literate. The account of Margaret Bamford's HISTORY OF THE WILLIAM MACKENZIE FAMILY states that "the children of William MacKenzie and Flora MacMillan soon became trilingual upon their arrival in Nova Scotia in 1801. They were fluent in Gaelic, English and Micmac, the language of their indigenous neighbors".
1.5 Barbara MACKENZIE
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Birth: AFT 1801, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 28 FEB 1887
According to family lore, Barbara is often called Flora. No one knows why. This has baffled family historians: Are Barbara and Flora distinct individuals, or are they one and the same person? Further research is needed to resolve this confusion.
Spouse: Finlay MACDONALD
Birth: ABT 1800, Scotland
Death: 23 FEB 1881, Sunny Brae, Nova Scotia, Canada
Mother: Amelia MACDONALD
Children:
William (1830-)
Helen (1831-)
Flora (1833-1915)
Isabel (1837-)
Elspet (1839-)
Catherine (1841-1921)
John Finlay (1844-)
Margaret
1.6 Daniel MACKENZIE
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Birth: AFT 1801, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Spouse: Ida HUDSON
Children:
William Henry (1836-1897)
1.7 Flora MACKENZIE
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Birth: AFT 1801, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Flora may also have been known as Barbra (Barbara), or she may have been another daughter of William MacKenzie and Flora MacMillan.
According to family lore, Barbara is often called Flora. No one knows why. This has baffled family historians: Are Barbara and Flora distinct individuals, or are they one and the same person? Further research is needed to resolve this confusion.
Spouse: John MACDONALD
Children:
John
Ellen (1842-)
1.8 Alexander MACKENZIE
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Birth: JUN 1810, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 27 JUL 1900
Burial: St. Columba Cemetery
Spouse: Catherine McINTOSH
Birth: 1811
Death: 3 SEP 1885
Marr: 6 AUG 1831
Children:
Margaret E. (1835-1935)
Flora Belle (1835-1878)
Isabel (1843-1936)
Elizabeth (1844-1913)
James (1853-)
John Robert (1856-1910)
Flora (1831-1917)
Marion
Findley
Mary Helen
William
1.9 Catherine MACKENZIE
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Birth: 1813, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 23 FEB 1879
Burial: Bridgeville Cemetery, Nova Scotia, Canada
Spouse: Robert GRANT
Birth: 1813, Coromonie, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 15 APR 1880
Father: Alexander GRANT (1797-1875)
Mother: Annie McLEAN (1797-1882)
Marr: 10 FEB 1831, East Branch, East River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Children:
Isabel
Duncan (1834-)
Alexander (1835-)
William (1839-)
John G. (1840-)
Dan (1843-)
James (1844-)
Flora (1846-)
Allan F. (1851-)
Elizabeth G. (1851-1910)
Margaret Jane (1854-1932)
Robert R. (1859-1879)
These are the remembrances of Katherine MacDonald Cox as she wrote them in September 1984. They trace the descendants of Robert Grant and Catherine MacKenzie down to 1984. I have a copy of her original letter. I have transcribed her letter exactly as she wrote it in September 1984. Words in brackets ( ) are mine:
“The writing on the early settlers at the front of this book was done by Margaret MacKenzie Bamford. William MacKenzie 1770-1863 (98 years) his wife, Flora MacMillan 1769-1855 (86 years) are Margaret’s Great Great Grandparents through their son John, his son William (the Piper), his son and her father Wallace MacKenzie. They are my Great Great Grandparents too, through their daughter Catherine, her daughter Flora and her son and my father, Allan Duncan Grant MacDonald.
Daughter Catherine married Rbert Grant Feb 10th 1831. She moved from her home in Centerdale to his home in Carmony so named because Robert’s parents Alexander Grant and possibly Annie McLean on the Hope 1801 from Urquhart and named their settlement in Nova Scotia for their home in Scotland (Alexander died Jan 26, 1867. Robert also had a brother William who died Apr 19, 1885, his wife Elizabeth MacDonald 1913).
Robert and Catherine had twelve children who were musical, some with large hands and great strength.
i. Duncan Grant did not marry. He moved to Providence where he died young leaving $26,00 to his brothers and sisters.
ii. William married to ?Fraser and had 5 children, two boys and Anna, Emma, Catherine.
iii. Alex married, had one adopted child and Bessie.
iv. Dan married (Anna Belle MacMillan) and had four children, Flora Belle, Helen, Walter, Robert. Dan had a blacksmith and carriage shop in Providence, he was the inventor of the goose neck wagon. Possibly Dan was the one who could hold the wheel of a loaded wagon from turning while going downhill.
v. James born 1844 was married (Tena) and had two children plus Hannah, Irene, Albert D., and Jim. In the 1871 Census James was still at home aged 27.
vi. Allan married, four or five children one was named Willie, (Margaret, George, Winnifred).
vii. John. Possibly John or Allan were noted as being strong. Most of the Grant men settled in Providence some in the carriage trade and some as policemen (as their MacKenzie cousins). One story told by my Father was that his Uncle could pick two grown men up by their collars and knock their heads together. (John married Margaret Nob).
viii. Robert I think was the youngest born in 1859. At 20 years old he died from a horse’s kick (1879) (on his birthday).
ix. Isabel 1840 (Belle) married a Patterson - no family. A very strong person my Father often told me how Belle could pick up a 200 lb anvil and throw it on a waist high workbench (adopted Susan).
x. Elizabeth 1851 married Alex MacIntosh and lived in Blue Mountain. They had a family of four. 1. Catherine (Cassie) married Will Stewart, lived in New Glasgow, had three sons Athal, Lloyd and Irving. 2. Findlay - died young. 3. Flora Belle - married went to live in Providence. 4. Robert MacIntosh better known as “Bobby” never married, was a plumber, lived with his sister Cassie in New Glasgow spending his off time with his cousin Allan D. Grant MacDonald helping out at Maple Shade Farm.
xi. Jane 1854 married Edward MacDonald (nickname Neddy Ogg) and raised their family in Glencoe although they got their schooling and received mail in the nearby village of Sunny Brae. Family of Jane and Ned: James, Grant, Catherine, Margaret-Florence, Edwin, Isabelle, one died young. This family moved to Winnepeg where the boys built a sheet metal works. Margaret lived in Winnepeg married Robert Nunly. Isabelle married Victor Morrison from Iceland and lived in Montreal see insert at back. (I have been unable to locate this insert).
xii. Flora Grant born April 10, 1846 married John MacDonald born ec 3, 1845, by Rev. Simon Macgregor, M.A. on April 3rd 1869. John MacDonald was a presenter and music teacher. The nickname of this family was “Blacksmith” so called because of the family trade from the blacksmith shop at the end of the Inverness bridge in Scotland. The farm where Flora and John resided (was so named because it resembled the hills of Glencoe in Scotland) was divided between John and his brother Frederick from their father Donald (Sept 12, 1816 - Jan 2, 1896) (Wife Bella MacKinnon born Nov 7, 1817) from his father Gilbert MacDonald who came to Pictou around 1800 (Gilbert’s wife was Mary MacDonald (Roy) her brother Donald came to Pictou 1803 another brother Alex (nicknamed Roy married Christie Fraser). Flora and John had a family of six and spent many musical eveninngs in the home. John: Dec 3, 1845-Dec31,1923. Flora: April 10, 1846-Dec 31, 1923. (Flora and John died on the same day and in the same year, but no one knows if their deaths were the result of an accident or natural causes).
1.10 Mary MACKENZIE
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Birth: 15 SEP 1814, Centredale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 19 MAR 1907, Springville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Burial: Springville Cemetery, Nova Scotia, Canada
Spouse: John McINTOSH
Birth: 1813, Springville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death: 26 JUN 1888, Springville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Father: James McINTOSH (1781-1853)
Mother: Elizabeth McKAY (1781-1862)
Marr: 9 FEB 1835, Grant's Lake, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Children:
Elizabeth (1836-1922)
William James (1838-1897)
Catherine (1840-1935)
James R. (1841-1893)
Margaret A. (1843-1922)
Duncan D. (1845-1930)
Donald (1846-1932)
John George (1848->1926)
Alexander A. (1850->1920)
Steptoe F. (1851-1904)
Hannah (1853-1926)
Albert S. (1855-1926)
The headstone of Mary McKenzie reads: Died March 19th 1907, Aged 94 yrs.
MACKINTOSH GRAVESTONE, SPRINGVILLE CEMETERY, PICTOU COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
Here is an interesting story about Mary MacKenzie written down from the memories of Jessie MacLean Chisholm. It appears in Frank Calder 's book, “History and Stories of Springville - Pictou County, Nova Scotia”, page 124.
One of the most necessary persons before and after the beginning of the century was Granny McIntosh. She lived a short distance up the Irish Mtn. road on the right hand side. The place is now so overgrown that you can't find where the house was. She is buried in the Springville Cemetery-the name; Mary, wife of John McIntosh. She raised a family of twelve children, who became prominent, well-to-do citizens of other places. After she had raised her family, she became a practical mid-wife. I'm quite sure, self trained. At first there was no doctor living nearer than New Glasgow or "the Mines" and Mrs. McIntosh with usually the help of the baby's grandmother delivered all the babies. Bridgeville was booming at that time. Many people lived there and of course, many babies were born. The mothers all liked the services of Mrs. McIntosh. She came and looked after the mother and baby for the time needed, usually a week, for $8.00. She was quite successful. I never heard of her losing a mother or a baby in nearly 300 cases. That was remarkable..
The birth and baptismal certificates of Mary McKenzie and her children are located at St. Columba Church (United Church of Canada) in Hopewell, Nova Scotia.
Here is her obituary as found in the Presbyterian Witness:
"McIntosh, MARY MACKENZIE, relict of late John McIntosh in her 94th yr. d. 19 March 1907, at Springville, N.S., her husband predeceased her by 18 yrs. She was the mother of 12 children, 8 sons, 4 daus. all of whom she saw to adulthood. 3 of them are dead William, James, and Stephen. One dau., Elizabeth, lives on the homestead, another, Catherine, in Stellarton and 2 in Providence - Margaret and Hannah, D. McIntosh, M. D. in Pugwash, N.S., Duncan and Albert S., Druggists, in Oxford, N. S. and George & Alexander in Providence, R. I. (Obit) P. W. (Presbyterian Witness), Sat 13 Apr 1907, Vol. LX, No 15, p. 113.
GENERATION NO. 2
IN SCOTLAND
The Children
of
DONALD MACKENZIE and CATHERINE MACLEAN
Until recently this line of the MacKenzies had not been researched.
Margaret Anne Dodson received an email from Margaret Brereton of Australia in July 2000. She related that Donald McKenzie lived and worked in the Ruilick area of Ross-shire in the parish of Kilmorack, Inverness, Scotland. Unlike his brother William, Donald remained in Scotland. Interestingly, Fort William is just along the road from the Ruilick, Kilmorack district, and also the Ross-shire district.
On August 17, 2006 I started a correspondence with Margaret Brereton. She confirmed her connection to Donald MacKenzie, brother of William MacKenzie. For me, this was a "eureka" genealogical thunder-clap. To my knowledge, no other family researcher has been able to establish a direct link to the Scotland MacKenzies prrior to the departure of William MacKenzie in 1801.
Margaret Brereton supplied all of the information concerning the Scotland descendants of Donald MacKenzie, brother of William MacKenzie.
1 Donald MACKENZIE
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Birth Date: 1769
Birth Place: Balnain, Rossshire, Scotland
Birth Memo: Other sources say he was born in 1772.
Father: John MACKENZIE
Mother: Isobel STEWART
Spouse: Catherine MACLEAN
Birth Date: 1773
Birth Place: Scotland
Alias: /Katherine/
Father: Hector MACLEAN (1743-)
Mother: Ann FRASER (1741-)
Children: Catherine (1796-1877)
1.1 Catherine MACKENZIE
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Birth Date: 1796
Birth Place: Scotland
Death Date: ABT 1877, age: 81
Alias: Katherine
Spouse: Andrew McKAY
Birth Date: ABT 1795
Death Date: BEF 1851, age: 56
Marr Date: FEB 1821
Children:
John (1822-)
Donald (1824-1876)
Jane (1831-)
1.1.1 John McKAY
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Birth Date: 10 JAN 1822
Birth Place: Scotland
1.1.2 Donald McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1824
Birth Place: Scotland
Death Date: ABT 1876, age: 52
Death Place: Scotland
Bapt Date: 19 APR 1824, age: <1
Donald MacKay and Margaret Ross were cousins.
Spouse: Margaret ROSS
Birth Date: 1838
Birth Place: Urray, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Bapt Date: 18 JUN 1839, age: 1
Father: Alexander ROSS (~1800-)
Mother: Catherine MACKAY (~1800-)
Marr Date: FEB 1861
Children:
Andrew (~1863-)
Catherine (~1865-)
Alexander (~1868-)
John (~1868-)
Christina Jane (~1871-)
Donald (~1874-)
Isabella (~1876-1901)
1.1.2.1 Andrew McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1863
1.1.2.2 Catherine McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1865
1.1.2.3 Alexander McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1868
1.1.2.4 John McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1868
1.1.2.5 Christina Jane McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1871
1.1.2.6 Donald McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1874
1.1.2.7 Isabella McKAY
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Birth Date: ABT 1876
Death Date: 1901, age: 25
Death Place: Inverness, Scotland
Death Memo: Oral history states Isabella died shortly after giving birth to Donald Couper McKay.
Margaret Brereton of Australia made the following comments regarding Isabella McKay, her Great-Grandmother and Donald Couper McKay, her Grandfather:
“Oral history tells me that Isabella died shortly after giving birth to my grandfather.
At the time of the 1901 census Isabella was ill and a patient at the Inverness hospital - which confirms oral history. In September of that year my Grandfather was born at the Ruilick croft and named by his mother Bella as Donald Couper Mckay.
Within the first 12months of his life he was adopted by a neibouring family of Donald Couper - son of George Couper and Annie Mclean all living at BALNAIN farm workers houses at the time of the 1901 census.
His adopted parents are Jonathan Fraser and Elizabeth McPhail. My grandfather was blissfully unaware of his adoption until shortly after Elizabeth died in 1918.
It is important to explain that Jonathan and Elizabeth renamed thier son John Fraser Mckay - and then unofficially dropped the Mckay off of his name. John was blissfully unaware he was adopted until the sudden death of his mother during the influenza outbreak in 1918. John - with his father’s blessing from then on became know as John Fraser Mackay. (CONFUSED? its a much longer story- that I can varify).”
Spouse: Donald COUPER
Birth Date: 1863
Birth Place: Wick, Caithness, Scotland
Occ: Agri Lab
Father: George COUPER (1827-)
Mother: Annie ? (1836-)
Status: Unmarried
Children: Donald Couper (1901-1972)
1.1.2.7.1 Donald Couper MACKAY
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Birth Date: SEP 1901
Birth Place: The Ruilick Croft, Inverness-shire, Scotland
Death Date: 1972, age: 70
Alias: John Fraser MacKay
This is the grandfather of Margaret Brereton of Australia.
Margaret wrote on 17 August 2006:
“I was born in Scotland and now live in Australia. My Grandfather was born at Ruilick (to Isobella Mackay daughter of Donald Mackay and Margaret Ross) he lived for a short time at Balnain, was brought up as a crofter on the Black Isle before moving to Rutherglen as a young man but keeping a strong connection to the highlands.
I have family I am in contact with back home.
I have posted a note on your guestbook but was so excited about my find late last night that I nearly phoned you first thing this morning but thought better of it.
Kindest Regards
Margaret Mackay”
Shortly after the death of his mother, Donald Couper McKay was taken in by the neighboring family of Donald Couper, son of George Couper and Annie McLean who lived at the Balnain farm-workers house during the 1901 census.
Shortly afterwards, Donald Couper McKay was adopted by Jonathan Fraser and Elizabeth McPhail. He was unaware of his adoption until his adopted mother died in the influenza outbreak of 1918.
Jonathan Fraser and Elizabeth McPhail renamed their adopted son: John Fraser McKay, and then unofficially dropped the MacKay from his name. He was now known simply as John Fraser. Later, with his adopted father’s blessing, John Fraser restored McKay to his name and from then on became known as John Fraser MacKay.
Donald Couper MacKay was a Councillor for 26 years and Lord Provost of the Royal Burgh of Rutherglen (1965).
Spouse: Rebecca Gray McCRACKEN
Birth Date: 1896
Death Date: 1970, age: 74
Children:
Thomas John (1929-1994)
Elizabeth (1930-)
Robertina Abigail (1930-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a Thomas John MACKAY*
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Birth Date: 1929
Death Date: 1994, age: 65
Spouse: Christina Timlin SOUTH
Birth Date: 1932
Death Date: 1967, age: 35
Children:
Elizabeth Joan Fraser (1951-2005)
Margaret Campbell (1954-)
Christina Reid (1957-)
Other spouses: Norma Mavis CLARK
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1 Elizabeth Joan Fraser MACKAY
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Birth Date: 1951
Death Date: 2005, age: 54
Spouse: Graham LITTLER
Birth Date: 1950, age: 56
Children:
Andreanna Rebecca (1970-)
Annette Margaret (1971-)
Christina (1974-)
Thomas Eugene (1975-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.1 Andreanna Rebecca LITTLER
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Birth Date: 1970, age: 36
Spouse: Craig ERNST
Birth Date: 1969, age: 37
Children: Lenore (1993-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.1.1 Lenore ERNST
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Birth Date: 1993, age: 13
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.2 Annette Margaret LITTLER
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Birth Date: 1971, age: 35
Spouse: Shane JOHNSON
Birth Date: 1969, age: 37
Children: Stephen (1995-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.2.1 Stephen JOHNSON
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Birth Date: 1995, age: 11
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.3 Christina LITTLER
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Birth Date: 1974, age: 32
1.1.2.7.1.1a.1.4 Thomas Eugene LAZO-REITZ
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Birth Date: 1975, age: 31
1.1.2.7.1.1a.2 Margaret Campbell MACKAY
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Birth Date: 1954, age: 52
Spouse: Raymond Bruce BRERETON
Birth Date: 1951, age: 55
Children: Thomas Eugene Lazo-Reitz (1975-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a.2.1 Thomas Eugene Lazo-Reitz BRERETON
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Birth Date: 1975, age: 31
1.1.2.7.1.1a.3 Christina Reid MACKAY
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Birth Date: 1957, age: 49
Spouse: Ross McWILLIAM
Birth Date: 1955, age: 51
Children:
Mervyn Gordon (1984-)
Clinton Thomas (1984-)
1.1.2.7.1.1a.3.1 Mervyn Gordon McWILLIAM
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Birth Date: 1984, age: 22
1.1.2.7.1.1a.3.2 Clinton Thomas McWILLIAM
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Birth Date: 1984, age: 22
1.1.2.7.1.1b Thomas John MACKAY* (See above)
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Spouse: Norma Mavis CLARK
Birth Date: 1935, age: 71
Other spouses: Christina Timlin SOUTH
1.1.2.7.1.2 Elizabeth MACKAY
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Birth Date: 1930, age: 76
Birth Place: 1933
1.1.2.7.1.3 Robertina Abigail MACKAY
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Birth Date: 1930, age: 76
Spouse: Ronald BREMNER
Birth Date: 1928, age: 78
Children: Ronald John (1952-)
Gail Rebecca (1955-)
Lorraine (1957-)
1.1.2.7.1.3.1 Ronald John BREMNER
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Birth Date: 1952, age: 54
Spouse: Anna McNAMARA
Birth Date: 1951, age: 55
Children:
John (1970-)
Susan (1975-)
Richard (1978-)
Kathryn (1975-)
Julian (1978-)
1.1.2.7.1.3.1.1 John BREMNER
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Birth Date: 1970, age: 36
1.1.2.7.1.3.1.2 Susan BREMNER
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Birth Date: 1975, age: 31
Children: Heather
1.1.2.7.1.3.1.2.1 Heather BREMNER
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1.1.2.7.1.3.1.3 Richard BREMNER
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Birth Date: 1978, age: 28
1.1.2.7.1.3.1.4 Kathryn SAWKINS
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Birth Date: 1975, age: 31
1.1.2.7.1.3.1.5 Julian SAWKINS
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Birth Date: 1978, age: 28
1.1.2.7.1.3.2 Gail Rebecca BREMNER
1.1.2.7.1.3.2.1 Nicola TURNER
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Birth Date: 1979, age: 27
1.1.2.7.1.3.2.2 Colin Fraser TURNER
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Birth Date: 1983, age: 23
1.1.2.7.1.3.3 Lorraine BREMNER
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Birth Date: 1957, age: 49
Spouse: John GALLAGHER
Birth Date: 1956, age: 50
Children:
Lorna (1983-)
Fraser John (1986-)
1.1.2.7.1.3.3.1 Lorna GALLAGHER
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Birth Date: 1983, age:
1.1.2.7.1.3.3.2 Fraser John GALLAGHER
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Birth Date: 1986, age: 20
1.1.3 Jane McKAY
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Birth Date: 1831
Birth Place: Scotland
The Children
of
COLIN MACKENZIE and BARBARA MACLELLAN
Until recently this line of the MacKenzies had not been researched.
2M Colin MACKENZIE
Birth: 1769 Balnain, Ross-shire, Scotland
Spouse: Barbara McLELLAN
Colin MacKenzie worked as a farmer in Redcastle. He had two children: Kenneth, born 1797 - died 19 March 1818; and Duncan who died 10 August (year unknown) at age 36. They are both buried in Killearnan Churchyard with their grandparents John MacKenzie and Isoble Stewart.