John McIsaac - who's the daddy?

[Shona]

Thank you for the guidance on this subject - particularly a surname variant I hadn't come across.

I've put together the following and now want to try to move a generation further back.


1805
Mary McKinlay born in Killean parish.

15 Feb 1831
John McIsaac marries Mary McKinlay, farm servants, Lephinmore, Saddle and Skipness 'with consent of parties'. This isn't Mary's home parish (Killean). Would it imply it may not be John's home parish?

10 Sept 1831
Janet born Killaguer, Killean.

26 Aug 1833
Margaret born, Largiebaan, Southend.

28 August 1835
Jean born, Strone, Southend.

4 April 1838
Duncan born, Strone, Southend.

John is recorded as a shepherd in the OPRs.

1841 census

Glasgow
John McIsaac, 26, lab, not born in Glasgow
Mary McIsaac, 26, not born in Glasgow
Duncan McIsaac, 3, not born in Glasgow

Two of the girls were living with a McKinlay family in Killean parish - likely to be relatives.

c1842
Alexander born in Glasgow (he is 9 in the 1851 census). Death record confirms he is the son of John McIsaac, shepherd, and Mary McKinlay.

1844
Angus McIsaac baptised in Killean parish. Don't know place of birth, but in some records, he says he was born in Campbeltown.

July 1847
John McIsaac, death at the Fever Hospital, Clyde Street, Glasgow, age 43, address, unknown. Burial - common ground, St Mary's, Cause of death fever.
NOTE: There was a typhus epidemic in Glasgow in 1847. This is the best fit I have.

1851
Mary recorded as a widow.

Now I want to find John McIsaac's parents...and, for the umpteenth time, hitting a brick wall.

Taking the date of death as a guide to age, John was born c1804 (wife Mary born in 1805).

Searching births in Argyllshire from 1800 to 1806, I get three matches.

1802
John McIsaac, born in Campbeltown to Robert McIsaac and Mary McEacharane
But: Robert does not appear as a name in the family and none of the three daughters were named Mary.

1804
John McIsaac, born in ????? (unreadable on OPR, but likely to be a farm name) Kilcalmonell and Kilberry parish to Alexander McIsaac.
Alexander would fit with the naming traditions. But Alexander's wife was named Isabel/Bell McLellan (they married in 1800) and none of their six other children I've identified fit in with family naming traditions.

1804
John McIsaac, born in Campbeltown to Lachlin McIsaac and Catherine Black.
But yet again these names do not appear in the family.

There are a lot of McIsaacs in Southend parish, but I haven't been able to link them to this branch of the tree.

Any hints, suggestions and advice would be really welcome. Thank you.

[kiterunner]

Do you know the names of Mary McKinlay's parents, Shona? And if so, were any of John and Mary's children named after them?

[Shona]

Do you know the names of Mary McKinlay's parents, Shona? And if so, were any of John and Mary's children named after them?

Yes - Mary's parents were Angus McKinlay and Janet McStockair (Stalker), so two of the children were named after them.

A confusing issue is that around this time many if the Gaelic names were anglicised - eg Oloynachan becomes Lang; McIllmalaug becomes Milloy, etc. I've been compiling a list of the name chages. Would that be of any use to members?

[kiterunner]

Yes please, sounds useful, Shona!

[kiterunner]

I take it you've tried tracing those three Johns forward already?

[garstonite]

Yes - Mary's parents were Angus McKinlay and Janet McStockair (Stalker), so two of the children were named after them.

A confusing issue is that around this time many if the Gaelic names were anglicised - eg Oloynachan becomes Lang; McIllmalaug becomes Milloy, etc. I've been compiling a list of the name chages. Would that be of any use to members?

Thanks Shona....I will find that beneficial in regards to my wifes ancestors -re The Isle of Barra family ...I will appreciate that info ....cheers
allan

[Shona]

This may a significant.

Searching forward, the Campbeltown John McIsaacs can be ruled out. Going through the census records for Kilcalmonell, I found this:

1851 Gartnagrannach

Jean McMurphy, head, 73, wid, pauper, b S Knapdale
Betsy McIsaac, dau, 49, unmarried, pauper, b S Knapdale
Jean McIsaac, grand dau, 15, orphan, b Southend

Name, age and place of birth are a match for John And Mary McIsaac's daughter, Jean. However, while her father is dead, mum isn't - she's living with three of her children.

1851 Auchadaduie, Killean

Mary MacIsac, 44
Margret, 17,
Alexander, 9
Angus, 6

Her other son, Duncan, is working on the same farm.

Searching further in Kilcalmonell:

1851 Kilchamaig

Malcolm McIsaac, head, 43, gardiner, b N Knapdale
Jean McIsaac, wife, 43, b Kilbride Arran
John McIsaac, son, 12, scholar, b Kikcalmonell & Kilberry
Jean McIsaac, dau, 10, ditto ditto
Mary McIsaac, dau, 7, ditto ditto
Alexander McIsaac, son, 4, ditto
Malcolm McIsaac, son, 7 months, ditto

There are some good matches with family names here - John, Jean, Alexander. Additionally, John and Mary McIsaac's son, Duncan, did name one of his sons, Malcolm.

Is there sufficient evidence to link this McIsaac family to John and Mary McIsaac? have a niggling concern about Jean is listed as an orphan, when her mother is alive.

[kiterunner]

In 1841 there is a Betty McIsaac age 35 female servant in Kilberry but not with her family (according to FreeCEN). I know that doesn't really help, but just to save looking for her again!

FamilySearch has these entries from a user-submitted tree:
Betty McIsaig born 1797 christened 26 Mar 1797 South Knapdale, Argyll, parents Duncan McIsaac and Jean McMurphey.
Malcolm McIsaig christened 17 Oct 1802 same place, same parents.
John McIsaig christened 27 Jun 1808 same place, same parents.

Obviously with this coming from a user-submitted tree it would need checking but at least it has exact dates.

[kiterunner]

So, going back to the "extracted" stuff on FamilySearch (i.e. taken from the parish registers), they have more or less the same as the above:
Betty Mcisaig christened 26 Mar 1797 South Knapdale, parents Duncan Mcisaig and Jean Mcmurchay
Malcolm Mcisaig christened 17 Oct 1802 South Knapdale, parents Duncan Mcisaig and Jean Mcmurachy
John Mcisaig christened 27 Jun 1808 South Knapdale, parents Duncan Mcisaig and Jean McMurphey.

Oh, I forgot to say before, "orphan" can mean one parent is dead or both.

[Shona]

It's all becoming clearer - thank you.

I've also found on Family Search:

Margret McIsaac, daughter Malcolm McIsaac and Jean/Jane Black, born/christened 14 June 1835, Kilcalmonell and Kilberry.

Yet another name used by John and Mary McIsaac for their daughters.

[Shona]

...and John and Mary McIsaac named one of their sons, Duncan. The name Duncan is regularly used by all branches of this family down through the generations.