Can I claim Margaret Ross?

[Shona]

I'm trying to sort out the Blue, McFadyen, McNeill and associated interwoven families on the island of Colonsay (which comes under the parish of Jura). The task is frustrated by the lack of marriages, lack of baptisms, number of illegitimate children (there was no resident minister on the island at the time), emigration to Canada and the fact the Scots didn't often record deaths and burials.

Anyway...

Alexander Blue married Jenny/Jean Ross in Dec 1797 and they had a number of children baptised on the island, including Beckie/Rebecca Blue. Rebecca herself had a number of illegitimate children - surnames McNeill, Blue and McFadyen. This probably means Jean was born in the 1770s.

Both Ross and Rebecca are uncommon names on the island. The records for the island start in 1796.

1841 - Scalisaig

Margrat Ross, 70
Ann McNeill, 14
Mary McNeill, 12

Riskbuie

Rebecca Blue, 35
Kathrine Blue, 8
Neil Blue, 6
Iver Blue, 3
Duncan Blue, 2 mo

I suspect Ann and Mary McNeill with Margaret Ross are Rebecca's children. This implies that Margaret is related to Rebecca in some way - her aunt and the McNeill children's great-aunt?

Moving on...

1851 - Kilchattan

Malcolm Martin, 43, weaver, born Colonsay
Mary Martin, 40
Hugh Martin, 16, scholar
John Martin, 14, scholar
Mary Martin, 11
Donald Martin, 9, scholar
Hector Martin, 6
Malcolm Martin, 4
James Martin, 1
Margaret Ross, 80, mother, pauper, frmly cook, born Dornoch

1851 - Reskbuie

Rebecca Blue, head, unmarried, pauper, b Colonsay
Neil McPhyden, son, 16, at home
Iver Blue, son, 12, scholar
Duncan McPhyden, 10, son, scholar
Ann McNeill, dau, 24, unmarried
Ann McNeill, grandchild, 1

Margaret Ross, single, died at the age of 85 in 1858. Parents: David Ross (farmer) and Jean Ross (MS Ross). Informant: Malcolm Martin, illegitimate son. So like the Jean Ross who married Alexander Blue, Margaret was born in the 1770s.

When Malcolm died in 1889, the record states he was illegitimate and that his mother was Margaret Ross (dec) and John Martin, crofter (dec).

Unfortunately, there is a gap in the baptism records for Dornoch (1760 to 1781).

However, the following three Ross children were baptised in Dornoch with a father named David:

- Jean, 8 May 1755
- Jean, 26 June 1756
- Rebecca Ross, 27 Dec 1757

The Rebecca interests me, given the baptism of Rebecca Blue on Colonsay to Alexander Blue and Jean Ross.

What do people think? Should I claim Margaret Ross as Jean Ross's sister? Or am I clutching at straws?

[kiterunner]

There is some info about her in your old thread where you said they were likely to be sisters:
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=237841&highlight=margaret#post237841

Might just be the same info you have posted above. I would say they are almost certainly sisters.

[Shona]

*blushes very red*

Goodness - I had forgotten some of that. Still have huge memory gaps from my illness - getting better by the week, though, so hopefully the glitches will diminish.

Sorry, folks.