Dunbar Sutherland Family - Latheron & South Africa

[RONI]

Hello from South Africa. This is a magic website! Happy 2006 to everyone. I have been researching the family history of my paternal great grandfather, JOHN SUTHERLAND (yes, one of hundreds of John Sutherlands from the Wick/Latheron area) for a number of years. I have the following information so far: Great grandfather JOHN SUTHERLAND, I'm assuming at this stage that his father was ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND and his mother was JANE ROBERTSON, was married to (1) MARJORY DUNBAR of Latheron on 9 March 1874. They had a son. MARJORY DUNBAR SUTHERLAND died at WATTEN STATION, now known as WATTEN HOUSE, where they lived and he worked for the Railways, on 29 October 1877 aged 31 years. She is buried at the Old Latheron Cemetary in the DUNBAR family grave no.188. http;//www.graven-images.org.uk (a great source of information - thank you). A while afterwards, JOHN SUTHERLAND married Marjory's sister WILLIAMINA DUNBAR at Wick. (2) WILLIAMINA SUTHERLAND is not mentioned on the gravestone as she died at Pretoria, South Africa, and is buried there. Their first child, ALEXANDRINA SUTHERLAND, was born at Wick around 1879. JOHN & WILLIAMINA SUTHERLAND left Scotland around 1880 and emigrated to Cape Town, South Africa, where he worked for the South African Railways. My grandfather, JOHN DAVID DUNBAR SUTHERLAND, their second child, was born in Colesburg, Northern Cape, South Africa in 1881. I would like to have information on ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND and JANE ROBERTSON as well as JOHN DUNBAR's parents.

[fred]

I would like to have information on ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND and JANE ROBERTSON as well as JOHN DUNBAR's parents.

John Dunbar was the son of George Dunbar and Isabella Sutherland. Here is the 1841 census returns for three consecutive houses at Forse, John, his brother James and father George. I don't know if the Isabella listed is George's wife and the age is a mistake or if she is his daughter. The IGI have a listing for John born 30th Mar 1802 and James born 24th Aug 1805 but they are submitted entries not from the parish records so I don't know how accurate they are.

District: 1 Folio: 0 Page: 16
Address: Forse

DUNBAR George M 65 Farmer Caithness
DUNBAR Isabella F 45 Caithness

District: 1 Folio: 0 Page: 17
Address: Forse

DUNBAR James M 30 Shoemaker Caithness
DUNBAR Margaret F 30 Caithness
DUNBAR Cathrine F 8 Caithness
DUNBAR George M 7 Caithness
DUNBAR James M 4 Caithness
DUNBAR William M 4m Caithness
FORBAS Heneritta F 15 Female Servant Caithness

District: 1 Folio: 0 Page: 17
Address: Forse

DUNBAR John M 35 Farmer Caithness
DUNBAR Hellen F 30 Caithness
DUNBAR Elizabeth F 5 Caithness
DUNBAR Isabella F 1 Caithness
SUTHERLAND Margaret F 15 Female Servant Caithness

Here is John's house on the 1861 census, he had another son, George who is in the next grave to him at Latheron.

District: 14 House: 104
Dunbar John 60 Latheron
Dunbar Helen 44 Latheron
Dunbar Elizabeth 25 Latheron
Dunbar Robert 17 Latheron
Dunbar Marjory 14 Latheron
Dunbar David S. 12 Latheron
Dunbar Williamina 9 Latheron
Dunbar Helen 7 Latheron
Dunbar John 5 Latheron
Dunbar Mary A. 1 Latheron

I think Alexander Sutherland and Jane Robertson may have been from Golspie but I'm not sure.

[RONI]

Fred, thank you so very much for your prompt reply and the information with regard to the DUNBARS. According to the information supplied on "graven-images", JOHN DUNBAR died at Forse on 14 December 1880 aged 80 and so he was born in 1800. A search of the OPRs Banns & Marriages revealed a possibilty of the correct ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND and JANE ROBERTSON: "ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND to JANE ROBERTSON on 11 December 1846 in the Parish of Loth". An OPR Births and Baptisms search revealed: "JANE ROBERTSON was either born or baptised in the Parish of Loth on 1 July 1821.
Her father is listed as JOHN ROBERTSON. I still have to verify this information. I have just searched through the "Monumental Inscriptions for Sutherland Pre 1855", referring to the cemetaries in Golspie, but have not found reference to either ALEXANDER or JANE SUTHERLAND having been buried there.

[elizabeth forbes]

Hi, Roni
I have your family in my "Tree" and have the story of Williamina (" Grannie Suthie") and her Dau. Alexandrina who married Richard Christopher Crouch
Your Granfather John David Dunbar Sutherland married Sophia Elizabeth Gates
is that correct.
Will send a P.M. to compare notes.
Regards
Teeny

[Gleber2]

My great grandfather,James Sutherland, had a bakers shop in Latheron at the turn of the last century and my grandfather,James Sutherland married a Christina Forbes. I wonder if there is any connection?

[RONI]

Hi Teeny,

Yes, my dad JOHN (JOCK) DUNBAR SUTHERLAND was the 5th child of J.D.D. SUTHERLAND and SOPHIA ELIZA GATES and was their eldest son. I would be pleased to here from you to compare notes, though I am only able to supply the names and year of birth of their other children and not much else concerning his siblings unfortunately.

[fred]

I have just searched through the "Monumental Inscriptions for Sutherland Pre 1855", referring to the cemetaries in Golspie, but have not found reference to either ALEXANDER or JANE SUTHERLAND having been buried there.

They may have moved to lairg between 1849 and 1860, I think John was born at Golspie. A search for children of Alexander Sutherland and Jane Robertson on the IGI gives these results.

JOHN SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 29 AUG 1847 Golspie, Sutherland, Scotland

HUGH SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 14 JUL 1849 Golspie, Sutherland, Scotland

WILLIAM SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 10 AUG 1853 Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland

JANET SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 10 APR 1862 Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland

ELIZABETH SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 10 JUN 1855 Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland

JAMES SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 28 FEB 1859 Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland

MAC_KAY SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 20 OCT 1860 Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland

[RONI]

Thank you Fred! The male names listed certainly fit in with those handed down our line. I am overjoyed with this information! Thanks again Fred.

[RONI]

According to the "Sutherland Monumental Inscriptions pre 1855":
Buried in LAIRG OLD CHURCHYARD: GRAVE NO. 12

ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND Builder 23.1.1877 68

wife JANE ROBERTSON 27.4.1862 39

[fred]

According to the "Sutherland Monumental Inscriptions pre 1855":
Buried in LAIRG OLD CHURCHYARD: GRAVE NO. 12

ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND Builder 23.1.1877 68

wife JANE ROBERTSON 27.4.1862 39

I can't find anything in the IGI for Alexander Sutherland born in the area in 1808 however there was one christened at Dornoch 30th Dec 1807 son of John Sutherland and Margaret Macrae which might be a possibility. A search for all their children gives:

1. MAY KENNEDY SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 27 JUL 1816
2. MAY KENNEDY SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 29 JUL 1816 Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland
3. ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 30 DEC 1807 Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland
4. SARAH SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 22 AUG 1818
5. SARAH SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 24 AUG 1818 Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland
6. WILLIAM SUTHERLAND - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 04 FEB 1813 Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland

[RONI]

Thanks Fred. Will try and check this information.