wombatultima
17-Apr-07, 20:43
Hi everyone
Another Caithness connection.
This from my own notes.
The history of Alexander Munro and Barbara MacKay present a number of puzzles starting with their relationship with the aristocracy of Sutherland. A hint can be found in the entry in Bourke’s Colonial Gentry, which contains the Genealogy of their grandson James Munro who was Premier of Victoria in the early 1890s[i] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn1)
Alexander Munro of the family of Foulis, Ross-shire married Barbara McKay a relative of the chief of the McKay’s (Lord Reay). Alexander was a cadet[ii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn2) of the family of Foulis, and “removed from his native country, on receiving an appointment from the Earl of Caithness, about the year 1784
He settled in Armadale, in Lord Reay’s country, where he brought up seven sons and a daughter[iii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn3)
Issue
i. James
ii. Gabriel
iii. Donald b 1802
iv. George
v. Honeyman
vi. John
vii. MacKay John Scobie
i. Christina
(http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref1) The genealogy is a combination of information from Burkes Colonial Gentry by Sir Bernard Burke CB LLD Ulster King of Arms and as yet unidentified photocopy from the collection of Glenda James
[ii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref2) In an e-mail from Michael Munro – descendent of Mackay Munro - the term cadet has been explained as follows, [I]“They said that as Alexander was a 'cadet' of Foulis this would usually mean that he was a Grandson the Clan Chief. The Chiefs actual sons were commanders and, their children were the cadets.” The “they” Michael is referring to is the Clan Munro UK website.
[iii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref3) An Alexander Munro appears in the 1811 Census for Farr, which has survived. In a e-mail from Don Munro of the Clan Munro Association of Australia who inquired about Alexander Munro to the Clan MacKay Scotland
“The 1811 census has survived for Farr Parish and it records two Alexander Munros in that township. The elder had six males and three females in his household and was employed in trade. The other Alexander had two males and three females and he was enumerated as not employed in Agriculture or trade. The second may have been the son of the older one as traditionally in the Highlands at least one child is named after his father. One of these Alexander’s was evicted in 1819, but we do not know where he went. The other was described in 1811 as a boat builder and innkeeper and the Marquis of Stafford and George Gunn, his factor, evicted him from Armadale in 1829.”
Alexander was the boat builder and inn keeper - information from a latter date confirms this.
The questions are -
Who would have been the Earl of Caithness in 1784?
How complete are the parish records in Caithness, as I have been unable to find Alexander and Barbara's marriage?
What type of appointment was in the gift of the Earl?
And, has anyone come acroos Alexander and Barbara in their own research.
Bill
Brunswick Victoria
Another Caithness connection.
This from my own notes.
The history of Alexander Munro and Barbara MacKay present a number of puzzles starting with their relationship with the aristocracy of Sutherland. A hint can be found in the entry in Bourke’s Colonial Gentry, which contains the Genealogy of their grandson James Munro who was Premier of Victoria in the early 1890s[i] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn1)
Alexander Munro of the family of Foulis, Ross-shire married Barbara McKay a relative of the chief of the McKay’s (Lord Reay). Alexander was a cadet[ii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn2) of the family of Foulis, and “removed from his native country, on receiving an appointment from the Earl of Caithness, about the year 1784
He settled in Armadale, in Lord Reay’s country, where he brought up seven sons and a daughter[iii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_edn3)
Issue
i. James
ii. Gabriel
iii. Donald b 1802
iv. George
v. Honeyman
vi. John
vii. MacKay John Scobie
i. Christina
(http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref1) The genealogy is a combination of information from Burkes Colonial Gentry by Sir Bernard Burke CB LLD Ulster King of Arms and as yet unidentified photocopy from the collection of Glenda James
[ii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref2) In an e-mail from Michael Munro – descendent of Mackay Munro - the term cadet has been explained as follows, [I]“They said that as Alexander was a 'cadet' of Foulis this would usually mean that he was a Grandson the Clan Chief. The Chiefs actual sons were commanders and, their children were the cadets.” The “they” Michael is referring to is the Clan Munro UK website.
[iii] (http://forum.caithness.org/#_ednref3) An Alexander Munro appears in the 1811 Census for Farr, which has survived. In a e-mail from Don Munro of the Clan Munro Association of Australia who inquired about Alexander Munro to the Clan MacKay Scotland
“The 1811 census has survived for Farr Parish and it records two Alexander Munros in that township. The elder had six males and three females in his household and was employed in trade. The other Alexander had two males and three females and he was enumerated as not employed in Agriculture or trade. The second may have been the son of the older one as traditionally in the Highlands at least one child is named after his father. One of these Alexander’s was evicted in 1819, but we do not know where he went. The other was described in 1811 as a boat builder and innkeeper and the Marquis of Stafford and George Gunn, his factor, evicted him from Armadale in 1829.”
Alexander was the boat builder and inn keeper - information from a latter date confirms this.
The questions are -
Who would have been the Earl of Caithness in 1784?
How complete are the parish records in Caithness, as I have been unable to find Alexander and Barbara's marriage?
What type of appointment was in the gift of the Earl?
And, has anyone come acroos Alexander and Barbara in their own research.
Bill
Brunswick Victoria