Help needed deciding on Duncan McIsaac's father

[Shona]

I have posted previously about a Duncan McIsaac. That posting related to this Duncan's grandson.

My query is about Duncan McIsaac who married Jean McMurchy in Kilcalmonell and Kilberry parish in Argyll on 28 December 1793. No info on parents.

On the 1851 census, Jean McMurchy, pauper, age 73, therefore born c1778. Also in the household is Jean McIsaac, 15, orphan, born Southend parish. This is her grand daughter.

I have two possible births for Duncan - Jean's husband.

1 Duncan McIsaac, bapt 21 January 1774, Southend parish, Argyll. Father - Angus.
2 Duncan McIsaac, bapt 31 October 1778, Southend parish, Argyll. Father - Donald

Duncan born to Angus looks the best match - as Angus is a family name. But the Duke of Argyll's census of 1792 has the following entry at Feochaig, Southend parish, which has left me confused as to which is the correct Duncan.

Angus McIsaac, 50
Margaret McIsaac, 24
Duncan McIsaac, 14
Mary McIsaac, 12
John McIsaac, 10
Lachlan McIsaac, 8
Archibald McIsaac, 6
Catherine McIsaac, 2

Peter McIsaac, 41
Barbara McEachrane, 30
John McIsaac, 4
Barbra McIsaac, 1

Donald McIsaac, 33
Margaret Martine, 30
Mary McIsaac, 13
Duncan McIsaac, 11
Catherine McIsaac, 9
Pegg McIsaac, 7
Susanna McIsaac, 4

The records for Southend parish post 1838 were destroyed in a fire.

Can anyone help, please. My mind is swirling with all these names.

[kiterunner]

Both Duncans seem to be 3-4 years too young on that census, which makes me wonder whether the year 1792 is definitely right. Hopefully we can find baptisms for some of the other people and see if those are all 3-4 years out too.

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has Mary McIsaace 20 Jun 1776, father Donald. Also Cathrine 31 Oct 1788, father Angus, so both of those would have been older in 1792 than the ages you listed.

But the baptism dates for the John and Barbara jr in that middle family match up with the census ages.

[kiterunner]

Ah, it looks as if some of them were baptised at Campbeltown so they didn't come up in my Southend parish search! So Lachlan, son of Angus and Margaret, was baptised in Nov 1781 (if it's the same person), which would make him older than shown on the census too.

If these are the right baptisms and the census ages are from about 1789, then Duncan son of Angus would be about 19-20 on that marriage date in 1793 and Duncan son of Donald about 15 so the older one about the right age for marriage and the younger one unlikely to be getting married yet (assuming they were baptised as infants - do the baptism records give their actual dates of birth?)

[kiterunner]

Okay, looking on ancestry, they have a Duncan McIsaac on the 1851 census who is age 74, born Southend, Argyle, living Campbeltown, wife Ann age 54 born Campbeltown and son Donald age 16 also born Campbeltown. Looking at the ancestry transcription of the 1841 census, this is probably the family listed as "McJeanc" (in Campbeltown) with Duncan age 60, Agness 40, Catherine 16, Mary 14 and Donald 6. Hopefully this is the Duncan whose father was Donald (i.e. the Duncan who was baptised in 1778) but we need more info to be sure!

[kiterunner]

There is a baptism on FamilySearch for Donald at Campbeltown in 1835 with parents Duncan McIsaac and Agnes Johnston, and a marriage at Campbeltown 16 Dec 1822 between Duncan McIsaac and Ann Johnston. The image for that marriage on Scotland's People might (or might not) give more info to show which Duncan this one was.

[Shona]

The earliest McIsaac birth record in Southend is 1772. These are the 18th century births that I have noted where the father's name is Angus or Donald.

20 9 1772 Murchy - father, Angus
21 1 1774 Duncan - father, Angus

14 5 1786 Peter - father, Angus
31 10 1788 Cathrine - father, Angus

11 3 1773 Angus - father, Donald
14 11 1777 Murdoch - father, Donald
31 10 1778 Duncan - father, Donald

As regards Peter McIsaac, who also lived at Feochaig, I have the following births:
8 3 1788, John
4 4 1790, Mary
24 7 1792, Baby
22 10 1799 Angus

[kiterunner]

My best guess is that Angus and Donald's families are a few years out of date on that 1792 census, and that the Duncan who married Ann / Agness is Donald's son and that your Duncan is Angus's son. But we could do with more proof.

[Shona]

Checking my history notes, there was dispute in the parish in the late 18th century regarding appointing an English-speaking minister. The Gaelic-speakers (which the McIsaacs were) left the church. This may explain why some children were baptised in C/Town, as it has a Gaelic church.

[Shona]

Okay, looking on ancestry, they have a Duncan McIsaac on the 1851 census who is age 74, born Southend, Argyle, living Campbeltown, wife Ann age 54 born Campbeltown and son Donald age 16 also born Campbeltown. Looking at the ancestry transcription of the 1841 census, this is probably the family listed as "McJeanc" (in Campbeltown) with Duncan age 60, Agness 40, Catherine 16, Mary 14 and Donald 6. Hopefully this is the Duncan whose father was Donald (i.e. the Duncan who was baptised in 1778) but we need more info to be sure!

I have this family in my records, but hadn't worked out how they fitted in with my family:
Duncan McIsaac m Agnes Johnson
Children:
Barbra 22 5 1817 bapt Southend
Duncan 10 10 1820 ditto
Catharine 18 9 1823 bapt C/Town
Mary 18 4 1827 ditto
Donald 25 2 1829 ditto
John 10 12 1829 ditto
Lachlan 27 10 1831 ditto
John 8 6 1833 ditto

[Shona]

A huge thank you for the help. Will go through my records to follow up the leads and to get proof of the links. Thank you again. I always thought that with such an unusual name, tracing this family would be easy. No such luck! My English Nash and Taylor branches have been much simpler.