View Full Version : Mirren/Marion McCallum
Mirren/Marrion McCallum was born in the parish of Killean, Argyll, Scotland.
Her son, John McLean, married Catherine Carnegie in 1855. The record states that John McLean's parents were John McLean, coachman, and Mirren McLean, maiden name McCallum, Neither are recorded as deceased. Another entry on the same page records whether people are deceased.
John McLean died in 1873. The record names his parents as John McLean, country workman (deceased) and Marion McLean nee McCallum (deceased).
This implies that they died between 1855 and 1873, but I can't find them in the records. This makes me wonder if the marriage record is correct.
Marion appears on the 1841 census living with her daughter-in-law, Isabella McLean (nee McIntyre - John McLean's first wife) and grandchildren. John was in prison.
Bolgam Street, Campbeltown
Isabella MacLean, 30
Neil MacLean, 13
Janet MacLean, 12
John MacLean, 8
Alexander MacLean, 6
Malcolm MacLean, 4
Mirren McLean, 65
David Loynachan, 6 months
I think this is her in 1851. Living with her grandson Neil and his family.
Bolgam Street, Campbeltown
Neil McLean, head, 23, fisherman, born Killean parish
Elizabeth Morrison, wife, 25, born Kilchenzie parish
Isabella McLean, daughter, 3, born Campbeltown
Neil McLean, son, 2, born Campbeltown
Marrion McCallum, visitor, unmarried, 85, fit for nothing, born Killean
However, the 20-year age difference from 1841 to 1851 worries me. If it's her, why not state she is Neil's grandmother? And why is she unmarried?
Can anyone help me when and where Mirren/Marion died, please.
kiterunner
11-04-13, 15:23
There's a Mary McCallum baptised at Killean and Kilchenzie, Argyll, 23 Jun 1768, father Niel McCallum (on FamilySearch.) She would be about 72-3 at the time of the 1841 census and 82 at the time of the 1851, and since 65 on the 1841 means 65-69, not too far out on either one.
I've seen lots of census entries that don't give the relationship even though there is one, but say "visitor" instead. I think it's because they put visitor to show the person didn't actually live there and then they couldn't also put the relationship in. Unmarried could be a mistake or maybe they weren't legally married?
Olde Crone
11-04-13, 15:30
I have several instances of Scottish censuses not showing the relationship of visitors or boarders. In one such case, a grandmother described her two orphaned grandchildren as "boarders" and because there had been several surname changes through the years by marriage, it took me ages to work out the relationship.
Incidentally, poor soul - fit for nothing! I know how she felt.
OC
kiterunner
11-04-13, 15:48
Not had any luck looking for her death yet.
I had her parents as Gilbert McCallum and Cathrine McFatter - but I can't now find out where I got this info! Grrrr. There is a Jealy McCallum born on 24 January 1787 in Killean and Kilchenzie parish to Gilbert and Catherine.
Not had any luck looking for her death yet.
*furrows brow*
There is a death of a Mary McCallum, travelling merchant, single, 5 September 1857, 86 years old. Residence: Wide Close, Campbeltown. Father is named as Hugh McCallum, smith, deceased. Mother is listed as .............. McCallum............maiden name. She was buried in Kilkerran Cemetery. The informant was James McCallum, relative.
Some of this fits. At the 1832 trial of my great-great grandfather, John McLean, his first wife Isabella McIntyre, stated that her mother-in-law 'dealt in tea and sugar, tobacco and snuff which she hawks around the country'.
But if she popped her travelling clogs in 1857, who is the 'fit for nothing' Marion McCallum on the 1861 census? Wouldn't put it past them keeping her 'alive' to squeeze more out of the parish.
If this family were around today, they'd be featured on '16 kids and counting'. John McLean was in and out of prison for various offences and had 17 children (identified - there could easily be more).
Even when I was young, my great-grandmother's people were referred to as 'a thoroughly bad lot - in with the Irish and the tinkers' (apols for un-pc language from the upright kirk-going branch of the family).
kiterunner
11-04-13, 16:12
I thought Marion McCallum "fit for nothing" was on the 1851 census, Shona?
Incidentally, poor soul - fit for nothing! I know how she felt.
OC
:d:d:d
I thought Marion McCallum "fit for nothing" was on the 1851 census, Shona?
You're right - I glanced at the wrong notes! Phew.
kiterunner
11-04-13, 16:20
Is there any more information about the informant other than just James McCallum, relative?
She would live in Wide Close!
The Wide Close
It was the sink of every vice,
Hotbed of drink and breeding lice,
And slovenly crones from windowsills,
Dumped fishes bones and other swills.
As one passed through one stopped one's nose,
Nor glimpsed the blue for half-washed clothes:
That life went on in such a place,
Cast shame upon the human race.
Is there any more information about the informant other than just James McCallum, relative?
That's all it says.
Still trying to sort this lot out!
The following are all taken from the OPRs for Killean. This is where I got the idea that the parents of Mirren/Marion were Gilbert McCallum and Catherine McFatair. These are the births/baptisms for the couple:
- Marion law dau to Gilbert McCallum and Cath McFatiar in Killean born 3 Nov 1785.
- Jealy law dau to Gilbart MacCallum and Cathrine MacFatter in Coleska born 24 Jan 1787.
- Baptised 12 May 1791 Duncan law son to Gilbart McCallum and McFatter, Coleska.
The entry for Mary McCallum, found on FS by Kite, reads:
- Baptised 23 June 1768 Mary law dau to Neill McCallum, Drumore.
The death record stated that Mary's father was Hugh McCallum (smith). However, I haven't been able to connect a Hugh McCallum to Marion/Mirren or Mary. Perhaps the informant, 'relative' James McCallum, didn't really know about her parentage. Can't pinpoint James McCallum with any degree of certainty.
Is Marion/Mirren (named as the mother of John McLean on his second marriage and on his death cert, and who appears on the 1841 and 1851 census records) the same person as Mary McCallum who died in 1857?
Supporting evidence that they are the same person:
1 In 1832, John McLean's mother Mirren/Marion was described as a hawker. Mary who died in 1857 was a travelling merchant.
2 Marion/Mirren was born in Killean parish. Mary was born in Killean parish.
3 John McLean named his first son, Neil and the Mary born in Drumore was the daughter of Neil.
4 John McLean doesn't name any of his sons Gilbert.
5 'Fit for nothing' Marion in the 1851 census was unmarried. Mary who died in 1857 was unmarried.
If this family were West Highland travellers, then it may be very difficult to pin them down.
A number of McCallum women appear in the records as 'tinkers' and a number of men are smiths.
[QI interlude: Tinker comes from the Gaelic 'tinceard' which means tinsmith.]
From what I can work out, the travelling families in this area tended to have homes in towns and villages and would travel as required. They pitched their domed leather tents at the edge of villages. The men would make and repair churns for milk, household and agricultural implements, while the women hawked goods. They also took on seasonal agricultural work when they could.
I've checked through the Duke of Argyll's 1792 census for Killean parish, but there are no Neil McCallums nor are there any Gilbert McCallums! But there are three families headed by Archibald McCallums aged in their 50s.
kiterunner
12-04-13, 16:19
Have you tried tracing Jealy and Duncan forwards, Shona? Just wondering whether one of them had a son James McCallum.
Looking into it.
Jeally (Gaelic for Julia) married a Thomson, so I think I can rule her out.
kiterunner
12-04-13, 18:43
There are some public trees on ancestry showing a Margaret McCallum born 1788 Argyll, daughter of Gilbert McCallum and Catherine McFeaydean, marrying Duncan Blackstock 28 Feb 1812 at Skipness, Argyll, and dying 23 Jan 1856 at Saddell, Argyll. Could possibly belong to the same family as Marion, Jealy and Duncan? There are some other trees with various other children of Gilbert McCallum and Catherine McFeaydean but I think they have the wrong Catherine in those as they are a long time after the children you list (assuming McFeaydean is a variation on McFatter.)
That rings a bell - off to check some notes (and cook!).
Found it!
A while back I took a note of a posting on Roots Web about Gilbert McCallum and Catherine McFadyean of McFattar. The children were: Gils (1792), Marrion (1785), Tealy (1787), Margaret (1789) and Duncan (1791).
McFattar (and variants) becomes Paterson. I haven't come across McFadyean as a variant of McFattar before.
I had a look at the trees on Ancestry relating to the McLeans and McCallums - some are bonkers!
A number of McCallum women appear in the records as 'tinkers' and a number of men are smiths.
[QI interlude: Tinker comes from the Gaelic 'tinceard' which means tinsmith.]
Thanks for that little detour, Shona. I love those tidbits. Wonder if you've ever read How the Irish Invented Slang: The Secret Language of the Crossroads by Daniel Cassidy? He needed a hardnosed copy editor and a better proofreader, but still I was spellbound although I don't think he had much, if any, academic or professional vetting for it so I'm never sure just how much credence to give it.
NY Times - How the Irish Invented Slang - Daniel Cassidy (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/nyregion/08irish.html)
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