Is anyone researching the surnames...?

[sgmcgregor]

I have been researching my family history for some time now, and thought I would post the surnames that I am interested in here.

If anyone thinks that there may be a connection, and they want to get in touch please do so.

The main surnames of interest are as follows :-

McGregor, Dallas, Bartlett, Banks, Bremner, Cameron, Grant, Green, Macaulay, Miller

All of these families are exclusively Caithness as far back as I have managed to go with the exception of Bartlett. This family moved to Wick from Aberdeen between December 1878 and January 1880.

The other surnames are mostly from the Wick side of the county, with other interest around Thrumster and Watten. There are also links to Strathy + Portskerra for the Camerons further back, and Canisbay for the Banks family.

If anyone wants to contact me direct I can be emailed at

steven_mcgregor@yahoo.com OR steven.mcgregor@carcharadon.freeserve.co.uk

Thanks,
Steven

[DAC214]

I have information on James who married Helen Miller in 1841. Several children died very young but son James became lawyer's clerk (1871) and was informant to death of his grandfather, Alexander Miller, in 1872.

[marionq]

As you will see from previous messages the best place to research the Bremner line of your family is

www.brebner.com

and you will also find that John Brebner who runs the site is very helpful with anything that you are uncertain about.

good luck, Marion

[sgmcgregor]

Thankyou for replying.

I have one main family for my Banks surname so far -

Donald Banks and Margaret Henderson, married 28 June 1828 in Bower, Caithness. They had the following children that I know of (so far) -

Margaret - born 9 Jan 1829, Bower
John - born 5 Oct 1830, Bower
William - born 8 Jan 1833, Olrig
Donald - born 22 Sept 1835, Canisbay
Elizabeth - born 24 May 1838, Canisbay (My GGGrandmother)
Alexander - 29 April 1841, Canisbay
Janet - born 14 April 1844, Canisbay
Andrew - born 27 May 1847, Canisbay

I haven't gone further back than this yet, and I haven't managed to trace Donald Banks' parents or whether he has any siblings.

Unfortunately I can't see any link to the info that you have kindly given me, but I was very vague when I simply listed the surnames.

Thanks for your response, and I'll keep plodding away and hopefully it will all become clear.

Thanks,
Steven (Thurso, Caithness)

[Tricia]

Steven
I noticed on your tree at rootsweb you have George Grant.

Marriage Info: George GRANT - Mary MORE.
Marriage Cert Scotlandspeople.gov.uk
SCT 043 8 Apr 1893 Wick 043 pg 9 17
Satus Groom: George Grant Cooper Bachelor East Banks
Status Bride: Mary More Spinster - Huddart St
Parents: Christina More Dom Servant. Single. David Grant - Gen Labourer and Isabella Young
Minister: Nigel C Robertson Free Church
Witness: James Sinclair, Diana MacKay

Birth: Mary MORE.
Cert Scotlandspeople.gov.uk
SCT 043 22 Jul 1862 Wick 043 32 94
Address Sarclet
Parents Christina More Domestic Worker - Single
Informant Christina More - mother

Mores are my line.
Have you any further info on this Grant side. Where do they link to you?

Tricia
tricia.barnett@btinternet.com

[sgmcgregor]

First of all I'd like to thank Marion for the address of the website for researching Bremner. I'll have a look at that shortly. My last reply was posted before your response was put up (even though your posting is ahead of mine in the list :-).

In answer to your query Tricia, the Grant family is my mother's side of the family. I'd forgotten about the tree I'd put up at rootsweb, so I'd better visit that soon to make sure I put up the latest info.

The Grant line is as follows :

George Grant (born unknown) married Elizabeth Forbes on 2 July 1819.

They had the following children I know of -

Helen - born 24 March 1820 ;
Alexander - born 27 October 1821 ;

David - born about 1830 (died 30 June 1898) married Elizabeth Young 3 April 1857 at Bruan Free Manse (these are my GGGrandparents)

George - born 6 December 1836 (I believe he died 21 May 1904 at East Banks, Wick - still to be confirmed this is the same person)

William Grant

I haven't done a huge amount of research on the siblings of my direct ancestors, so I can't confirm anything more about them yet. BUT

David Grant and Elizabeth Young had 11 children I know of -

Isabella, Elizabeth (died in infancy), Margaret, Elizabeth, George, Donald, Williamina, Davidina, Ellen (my GGrandmother), Alexander and William.

Now, the address of East Banks features prominently in my family tree, and I assume the parents that you gave as DAVID GRANT/ISABELLA YOUNG will be the couple I have married on 3 April 1857 at Bruan.

I have seen the names of various women in my family tree being written with many variations, so Elizabeth and Isabella may well have been interchangeable. Different records at different times record them in various ways.

If you want to check in more detail about any possible links, you can email me directly.

Kind Regards,
Steven

[marionq]

This is just a word of encouragement to anyone who is starting out in family research. My first attempt was about a decade ago but I started to get serious about it 2 or 3 years ago and spent a fortune on scotlandspeople and the National Archives. This week was like Christmas, Thanksgiving and all my birthdays rolled into one when relatives from Canada, NZ and Scourie and Warwick contacted me not only with information but with photographs which I never expected to see of direct ancestors. Why it should all have happened at once is one of those mysteries which are better left to the Almighty to figure out. The problems of teasing out history cannot be done overnight but by persevering and following up every clue you will piece together your history and since it is yours it is every bit as important to the human experience as anything you will read in a history book.

My relatives in NZ said they got goose bumps when they realised they had blood links so far away and yet I had spent my honeymoon in Dunedin in the 60's without even realising they were only a few miles away.

Best regards to all and especially those who have helped me with information on this board.

[sgmcgregor]

A final thank you, and I am very happy.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me here, and to those who got in touch directly.

People always told me I was a font of useless knowledge, but it seems I could still learn a thing or two:-).

Seriously, thanks to all again. Good luck to all who are researching their family history, and I hope you are as lucky as me in finding people willing to give their time freely to offer advice and assistance.

Steven (Thurso, Caithness)