McGilp/McKillop family

[Shona]

I'm helping a descendant of my great-great grandfather, John McLean, with some FH questions.

She is trying to find out what happened to her 4th great grandparents John McGilp and Cathrine McMillan who married 1811 in South Knapdale, Argyllshire.

McKillop is a variant of McGilp.

Six daughters and a possible son were baptised in Ballimenach/Ballemonoch, South Knapdale, Argyll.

John McGilp and Catherine McMillan's children:

1816 Cathrine (father, crofter)
1818 Christian (father, crofter)
1820 Betty (father, crofter)
1823 Isabella (father, weaver)
1825 Marron (father weaver)
1827 Margaret (father weaver)
1831 John (father, weaver, but mother listed as Mary McMillan - second wife or error?)

Scotland's Places state that 'Balamenach' was in ruins in 1868.

The family seem to vanish, except for Isabella who married a fisherman named Duncan Campbell in January 1851.

On census records (she is in Tarbert in 1861 and after that in Campbeltown) Isabella says she is born in Tarbert, which is split between the parish of South Knapdale and Kicalmonell.

The parents are named on Isabella's death registration in 1903 as John McGilp, fisherman (dec) and Catherine McMillan (dec).

Can anyone find out what happened to John, Catherine and Isabella's siblings, please?

I have found a John McGilp in 1861 and 1871, which I will post details of, but I don't know if it's the right one.

Many families emigrated from this part of Argyll, mainly to Canada.

[Shona]

I found this John McGilp.

1861 Goatfield

John McGilp, 75, crofter, b Cumlodden

1871 Cumlodden

John McGilp, head, 85, retired crofter, b Kilmichael parish
Ann Campbell, niece, 20, servant, born Tarbert
Mary Thomson, visitor, 8, scholar, b Glasgow

[kiterunner]

Ancestry says there is a John McKillop age 19, born South Knapl, Argyle, living at Tarbert N Street, South Knapdale, in 1851, occupation Fisherman. Possible for John jr. But there do seem to be a lot of people of the same name around.

[kiterunner]

Then in 1861 presumably the same John as in 1851 - John McGilp, age 29, born Tarbert, living Back Street, Tarbert, occupation fisherman.

[kiterunner]

Possible in 1871: John Mc Grep (ancestry's transcription) age 36, born Tarbert, living Tarbert, fisherman.

[kiterunner]

And in 1881 John McKillop age 52, born S Knapdale G, Argyleshire, fisherman, living Kilcalmonell.

[Shona]

Then in 1861 presumably the same John as in 1851 - John McGilp, age 29, born Tarbert, living Back Street, Tarbert, occupation fisherman.

Ah-ha - Isabella Campbell (nee McGilp) plus five children was in Back Street in Tarbert in 1861. She is recorded as a fisherman's wife. Husband not there - perhaps gone fishing.

[Shona]

I wonder if this is John senior?

1851 Tarbert

John McGilp, head, 69, weaver, b Tarbert
Jean McGilp, wife, 54, b Kilfinan

I'll see if I can find a marriage.

[Shona]

Found the marriage.

John McGilp married Jane Mitchel on 9 September 1848 in Kilcalmonell and Kilberry parish.

And this...

John McKillop married Jean Mitchell on 12 September 1848 in Kilfinan parish.

That fits neatly with the Jean b in Kilfinan in the 1851 census.

[kiterunner]

I was about to post that that was 1851, not 1861, when you edited your posts!

[Shona]

Therefore Catherine McMillan who m John McGilp died between 1831 and 1848. John should be somewhere in 1841.

[Shona]

Therefore Catherine McMillan who m John McGilp died between 1831 and 1848. John should be somewhere in 1841.

...can't find him though. :(

[kiterunner]

Me neither.

[kiterunner]

Ah, actually he shouldn't be somewhere in 1841, because ancestry says that Tarbert is missing!

[Shona]

Ah, actually he shouldn't be somewhere in 1841, because ancestry says that Tarbert is missing!

That explains a lot!

[Shona]

Ah-ha - Isabella Campbell (nee McGilp) plus five children was in Back Street in Tarbert in 1861. She is recorded as a fisherman's wife. Husband not there - perhaps gone fishing.


This may be Isabella's husband, Duncan Campbell, in 1851.

Tarbert

Edward Campbell, head, 30, fisherman, b Tarbert
Barbara Campbell, sister, 28, servant, b Tarbert
Duncan Campbell, brother, 26, fisherman, b Tarbert
Margaret Campbell, daughter, 1, b Tarbert

[Shona]

Not having much success trying to find the siblings of Isabella McGilp.

Two possible marriages:

Christian McGilp married Angus Mclean in Greenock on 1 Aug 1843
Betsey McGilp married Alexander Smith in Kilcalmonell and Kilberry on 28 August 1847.

[kiterunner]

There is an Angus and Christian McLean at Greenock in 1851 and Christian is age 30 born Lochgilphead. Children John 5 and Angus 3.

[Shona]

There is an Angus and Christian McLean at Greenock in 1851 and Christian is age 30 born Lochgilphead. Children John 5 and Angus 3.

She's ruled out then, as Lochgilphead isn't in South Knapdale parish.

[kiterunner]

And ancestry has an Alexr and "Belly" Smith at Tarbert N Street, South Knapdale, in 1851. "Belly" age 28, born South Knapdale, Alexr 33 born Kilcalmonell and a fisherman.

[kiterunner]

She's ruled out then, as Lochgilphead isn't in South Knapdale parish.

Well, I only took it from ancestry's transcription so it could be wrong.

[Shona]

And ancestry has an Alexr and "Belly" Smith at Tarbert N Street, South Knapdale, in 1851. "Belly" age 28, born South Knapdale, Alexr 33 born Kilcalmonell and a fisherman.


So of John and Catherine's children (assuming John is Catherine's and that the baptism saying Mary was the mother was an error), then we have a possible for Betty and a possible for John junior. Next step will be to check out their deaths on Scotland's People.

The other children may have died young...and before statutory registration.

Can't find anything obvious in Canada or other countries.

[Shona]

This Knapdale People website is a useful resource for researching family history in North and South Knapdale parishes.

The website has a huge database of people taken from a variety of sources - births and baptisms, rentals, hearth tax, letters, estate records, etc.

Link here:

http://www.knapdalepeople.com/

PS The McGilp births/baptisms which are the subject of this thread are on the database.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Have McKillops marrying McMasters in the early days of NSW, mostly around the Wellingrove/Glen Innes area. I do have quite detailed notes that a distant cousin from Canada compiled. It could take me some time to find them. Quite complicated I think Jean McMaster married a McKillop, Jean's brother Robert McMaster married Lucy Smith after Lucy (who is my greatgrandfather's sister) died in far North Qld, their children were brought up by their aunt (and so the story goes he remarried and never saw his children from his first marriage). To make things pretty complicated the McMasters then married their first cousins the McKillops .. some of the children's births weren't registered until they went of to the WWI .. and then registerd twice at the year of birth and the year of registered which confused me for some time until I saw that the reg no was the same .. yikes.. Julie

[Shona]

V interesting Julie.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Shona it could be worth looking at the transportation records to NSW. I am now recalling that a McKillop connection told me that family lore said that the name originally wasn't McKillop, so McGilip could be correct. Also that some records were to be buried with the original ancestor and it was thought he could have had some criminal history..

[Shona]

Thanks for the tip, Julie.

[JoelSmith15]

Hey Shoana I am A distant connection Of John Mcgilp and Catherine McMillan
If your still active in this thread I would love to hear from you