Alvie parish in Badenoch

[Spacot]

For the last 10 years I have been researching the parish of Alvie in the 18th century, I now have as complete a database of birth, marriage etc as is possible from the limited information available, would be hapy to answer any questions posted.

[Currie]

Thanks for the very kind offer Spacot.

Just for a moment I thought that I may have had one for you but when I checked I found that it was for Abdie.

All the best,
Alan

[Montrose Budie]

Thanks for the very kind offer Spacot.

Just for a moment I thought that I may have had one for you but when I checked I found that it was for Abdie.

All the best,
Alan

As "Currie" discovered, note that there are many instances of parishes and census/registration districts with very similar names.


My all time favourite is Kilmarnock, a few miles from where I live; and Kilmaranock a good way off in Co. Dumbarton.

Many are the on-line queries that I've seen over the last 3 decades that have confused the two !


If you are nor familiar with a place name you need to check it in a good gazeteer, such as Groome's Ordnance Survey Gazetteer of Scotland, available on line at http://www.gazetteerofscotland.org.uk/, or another good online gazetteer, such as that at http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/ .

mb

[lyn]

I am searching for my 3x great grandmother Mary Ann Grant, born about 1795. In the 1851 and 1861 censuses she said she was born in "Alva, Inverness". I thought this might be Alvie.
Around 1816 she married James Maxwell, who died in 1835 at Durisdeer, Dumfriesshire. They had 5 children, all born at Durisdeer. Mary Ann was there in 1841, 51 and 61, and died in Wales in 1879 at the home of one of her daughters.
Can you help me? I have no other information about her parents or her birth.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Lyn

[Russell]

Hi Lyn and a warm TalkingScot .
Spacot hasn't visited the site for over a year but if they still have the same e-mail address they should get notification of your post.
Recently lots of folk have joined because everybodies friend Google has picked up names and dates which have been posted. So you might find a distant cousin Who knows

Russell

[Spacot]

Hi Lyn.
I have done some research into your problem and I am afraid I am not much help. Their were no Mary Anne/Maryann/Marion Grants baptised in the whole of Invernessshire in the time period you gave.
Unfortunately not all babies were baptised at that time. The government brought in a tax on regestration of events in the Parish Register [or something similar] to pay for the French Wars, the babes wer baptised but only entere if it could be afforded.
Just incase she was bor out of the parish but brought up in Alvie I looked at the parishes both sides Kingussie and Inch parish is only a few miles away, I found a Mary Grant baptised Feb 1791 [middle names were often omitted] to a Donald Grant and Mary McPherson. On the other side of Alvie is Duthil and Rothiemurhes and found a Mary Grant baptised Mar 1799 to Donald and Mary Grant.
If you could get hold of her death certificate it would probably give you her parents names which would help.
Of course she may have been born in Avla Clackmannanshire or Alvah in Banffand Buchan. Hope this helps.
Lynn

[geniedh]

Hi Spacot,
I am researching [my 3G] William Cameron (1790-1850?) and Margaret Robertson (1797-1869) who married 1820 and on 1841 census were living at Lynchat Village, Alvie.

William Cameron baptised 26 Apr 1792 at Alvie to John Cameron and Margaret McBean. By 1851 William Cameron may have died as Margaret was on the 1851 census as widow but I've not yet found a death for William.

I am seeking a burial for William Cameron and any BDMs for John Cameron and Margaret McBean (McBane/McBain?) and any other children they may have had.

Can you help me please? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Donna

[SarahND]

Hello Donna and a warm

Spacot has not signed in on the site since April of 2017. If s/he still has the same email address, however, s/he may get an email about your post. Fingers crossed!

Sarah

[Spacot]

Hi Donna,

I have been looking at your problem, So far I have found
John Cameron = Margaret McBain/Bean living Dunachton estate Alvie, children:-
William born 26 Apr 1792,
Ann 17 Nov 1799
Elspeth 27 Jan 1802.
Donald Robertson = Margaret McBain/Bean living Claunch [part of Dunachton estate] Children:-
Margaret 8 Jan 1797
William Cameron married Margaret Robertson in Kingussie 19 Dec 1820, William a tailor living Kingussie Margaret living parish of Alvie.
Children:- I have put in the place of birth where I have already looked at another baptism on same page, have not bought the other records.
Christine 7 Jul 1823 Kerrow Dow [Between Kingussie and Lynchat]
Isabel 3 May 1825 Raits
James 12 Sep 1828
Margaret 22 Nov 1830 Kerrow Dow
Anne 7 May 1833
John Robertson 1 Dec 1835
Christine and Sarah 8 Oct 1838.

I have not found any marriages or deaths for the parents, nor can I find any deaths for William and Margaret, you say Margaret died in 1869, where did you find this date. The only death for a Margaret Cameron dying around this date I can find in Scotland is too young and has different parents. I have found a death for a Margaret on Ancestry in Australia but she has a husband also dying in Victoria in 1862!

I have searched the MI's for Alvie, Inch, Kingussie, etc The only vague gravestone I have found is for a Donald Robertson in Dunachton, but he is married to a different McBain, Christina McBain, I did wonder if the parish clerk could have got Margaret's mother's name wrong [not unusual] in those days. If it is the same Robertson family then Margaret had siblings:- Donald & Duncan 9 May 1794, William 14 Oct 1798 and James 30 Mar 1800. As both families have twins I think it highly possible they are connected, if so the grave stone records.
Dond Robertson farmer Dunachton, 6.1. 1828 age 72. W Christina McBain 16.12. 1812 age 40. Duncan Robertson, Druminshink w Margaret McLeod 26.1.1846 age 50, also Wm Robertson 22.6.1776 age 60 'done by Duncan Robertson'.

My Feelings are William father of Donald and brother Duncan, Donald married to Christina/Margaret McBain confusion with daughters name also being attached to mother.

I hope all of this is of some help, my family were the McBain's so far I have 12 different spellings of their surname.

Get in touch if I can be of any more help.

Lynn

Just a late addition, I have a book 'Every-day life on an old highland farm' by I. F. Grant.

It is a book based on the account book kept by William McIntosh of Balnespick who was tacks-man of Dunachton estate 1769 until 1782, As your families were all on the various farms of Dunachton the book might mention them. Even if it doesn't it gives a very good picture of the life they would have led.

lynn

[geniedh]

Hi Lynn,

Thank you for your message and wonderful information.

I have written up the information I have so far collated on William Cameron and Margaret Robertson on my blog at http://geniedonna.blogspot.com/2019/10/ ... rtson.html

Margaret Cameron nee Robertson (1792-1862) did emigrate to Australia with her children but on the 1851 Census, Margaret Cameron, 54, widow, and children, at Lynchag, Alire, Badenoch, Inverness-shire. It would seem that William Cameron (b. 1792, F: John Cameron M: Margaret McBean) had died by 1851.

As you mentioned John Cameron and Margaret McBain/Bean living Dunachton estate Alvie in your message I wondered if you have any further information about them?

Kind regards,
Donna