Torquil McQuarie / MacQuarrie

[systerofthemoon]

Hello folks,

I'm looking for help in locating my ancestor Torquil McQuarie (MacQuarrie)'s baptism record, and / or parents. Things I know already (from research on mullfamilies.co.uk and other ancestry sites):

• He was born around 1767 in Ulva.
  He married Marion McLean in 1792 and had 10 children. He also had a natural son (Lachlan McQuarie) with a Mary Morrison, the same year he got married to Marion McLean.
  Most of his children from both partners were baptised with an address listed as Ferinadry on Ulva. This address seems to have been lost to time, as I can't find any record of it in everything I have read about Ulva. Perhaps it was a single dwelling, or a small township.

I'd imagine Torquil's parents will have been born around 1747 (-/+ 5 years). Some folks on ancestry dot com have falsely connected him as son of a Donald MacQuarrie b.1750 in Uist, d.1800, mother Marion Ferguson, but I don't think this is the right set of parents. It's more likely he was born to a McQuarrie on Ulva, and given his first son was named Lachlan, that could give some clue as to who his father was. His first daughter was named Mary, so that might also be a clue.

There is a record of one Lachlan McQuarrie born on Ulva around 1750, who first married in 1774, had 7 children with a Mary McGilvray. Then he married a second time and had a further 8 children with Flora MacDonald. So he was rather.. prolific! I'm wondering if Torquil could be an natural son of this Lachlan, born before he first got married, but only baptism records would help here. Is there any way to trace those, or are they likely lost?

Many thanks in advance for your help

[manofmull]

It's unlikely that Torquil was born as late as 1767. His wife who died 1857 Ardmore, Tobermory, was born about 1758. At a guess I'd say that Torquil was born 1750 +/- five years. If he was related to Lachlan 1750, he'd be a possible brother or cousin but not a son. For various reasons, your research cannot accurately go further back. There were so many McQuarries and the Duke did not own Ulva, so Ulva parish/island was missed for the Duke's 1779 Estates Census. Also and most importantly, the OPRs (Church Old Parish Records) did not start until 1766 for Kilninian, the parent-parish which included Ulva. While Ancestry has a lot of good points, it is full of user-nonsense such as you've described for Torquil i.e. ignore! Sometimes you have to draw a line and with Torquil I would suggest he's your end-of-line. Sorry I can't be more helpful.