Surnames of Interest:Polson, Ross, Morrison, Matheson & McKay

[DanielleFromDownUnder]

Hi All

I began researching my husbands Sutherland/Caithness ancestors about 4 years ago, and feel I have exhausted everything that the IGI and census can offer and now am not sure where to go from here. I would appreciate any guidance on how best to tackle this very stubborn brick wall.

My husbands direct ancestors are:

Hugh ROSS born 1833 Scoury Village (merchant seaman, may have died at sea between 1865-1871 as I cannot find a death record) m. Margaret POLSON in 1862 in Manse of Sandwick. children from this union are: Nathaniel, Lachlan, Johanna and Janet Hughina

Hugh is the son of:

Lachlin ROSS (Crofter Farmer) b.c1806 Scourie, d.1853-1861 (parents ?) and Janet MATHESON b. 1810 in Lairg (year of marriage unknown).

Janet MATHESON is the daughter of Donald MATHESON and Margaret McKAY.

Donald MATHESON was born 1774 in Lairg, the son of William MATHESON and Isabella MUNRO.

Margaret POLSON (wife of Hugh ROSS above) was born 1840 in Durness, the daughter of Nathaniel POLSON and Johanna MORRISON who were married in 1837 in Durness (Johanna would have only been about 15 I think)

Nathaniel POLSON was born 1796 in Kildonan the son of Alexander POLSON and Margaret ROSS (Nathaniel was a Stone Mason of Helmsdale).

I have no further information on Alexander or Margaret POLSON, besides their other childrens names being Luis, Ann and James all born Kildonan.

Johanna MORRISON was born c1823 in Eddrachillis, on her death cert her parents names are given as William MORRISON (shoemaker) and Louisa MORRISON nee MORRISON. I have no further informatoin on this Morrison line.

Street names that these ancestors have lived are: Argyll Square Pultneytown, Wellington Street Pultneytown, Vansittart Street and Knockbreak Durness.

Well that just about covers it. If you have stayed with me this far - THANK YOU!

Kind regards

Danielle

[WOLVESMAN]

[quote=DanielleFromDownUnder;101429]Hi All



Nathaniel POLSON was born 1796 in Kildonan the son of Alexander POLSON and Margaret ROSS (Nathaniel was a Stone Mason of Helmsdale).

I have no further information on Alexander or Margaret POLSON, besides their other children's names being Luis, Ann and James all born Kildonan.

Danielle,

Luis (later listed as Lewis) Polson left the Kildonan area in about 1808. He joined the 42nd (Black Watch) about this time and served with the regiment in Spain, France and at Waterloo. He was discharged without pension around 1817. He married a Catherine Marshall in Glasgow in 1819.
He died in Edinburgh age 61 in 1855 and was described as a Marble Cutter (same occupation as brother Nathaniel). He had a grandson born in 1855 who later served in the Royal Navy, and later settled in Plymouth.
A direct descendant of Lewis Polson is still living in the West Country.

Regards
Keith

[DanielleFromDownUnder]

Many thanks Keith, are you also researching the Polson's? I did have that Louis married Catherine Marshall but had no further information so your help is greatly appreciated, do you know the names of their children? My husband is a direct descendent of Nathaniel (Marble Cutter?? can I ask how you learnt this was his occupation) and his wife Johanna Morrison they married in 1835.

Thanks again

Danielle

[marionq]

Danielle, you will have seen the family of Lachlan Ross on the 1841 Eddrachillis census I take it? They are living in Fanadale More (today Foindle) and are listed next to my great, great grandparents Alexander and Margaret Fleming and their family.

I have Lachlan and his wife Janet with son Hugh aged 7, Donald aged 4 and Alexandrina aged 1

Marion

[WOLVESMAN]

Many thanks Keith, are you also researching the Polson's? I did have that Louis married Catherine Marshall but had no further information so your help is greatly appreciated, do you know the names of their children? My husband is a direct descendant of Nathaniel (Marble Cutter?? can I ask how you learnt this was his occupation) and his wife Johanna Morrison they married in 1835.

Thanks again

Danielle

Danielle,
My interest in the Polson connection only started (would you believe) last week, when I unitentionally met a descendant of Lewis Polson in connection with his two campaign medals of the Napoleonic era.
The present Mr Polson was unaware of his family background beyond about 1900. I offered to do some research for him and thus onto the contact to this site.
The statutory death certificate for Lewis Polson I found on Scottish Government site I found most interesting and gave far more information than similar English records of the same time. (No records of anyone of this name found in the 1841 or '51 censuses)
It describes him as a Marble Cutter, aged 61 years, Born at Kildonan and lived there for 15 years, confirmed his parents were Alexander(a farmer) and Margaret, maiden name Ross. He was married to Catherine Marshall deceased, he had two children..William deceased 7 years (not clear if this means died age 7 years or died 7 years before) and Alexander age 21.
(Lewis) died 19 April 1855 at 8.30 am at West Norton Place Edinburgh of disease of the lungs, not certified(could be a problem associated with stone cutting) . He was buried at Rose Bank Cemetery.
I am not sure about your question on the occupation of Lewis and I was basically saying that he was in a very similar job (Marble Cutter) as Nathaniel(as you list as a Stone Mason)
Moving on to his only known surviving child Alexander born in Edinburgh (from 1861 census) about 1834. He was an engineer and in 1861 was living in Brand Place in that city. In 1871 he was living in the Canongate area. He married Margaret Hutton (of South Leith) on 18 Feb 1859 although their first child another Alexander appears to have been born in 1855.
In 1871 Alexander is aged 15 and described as a glassblower, other children now listed are: Lewis age 10, William age 7, David age 3 and James aged 2.
By 1881 Alexander (born 1855) is in the navy aged 25, married and an artificer on HMS Monarch. In 1901 he is living in Devonport his wife is stated to be Isabella (also born in Scotland) they have two children: another Alexander aged 6 and Margaret aged 8 years. I know nothing as yet of the rest of the Polsons left in Edinburgh after 1871.

I have only just forwarded the above information to the present Mr Polson and await his thoughts on the discoveries.

Regards
Keith