Military Chat

I should have mentioned that on Alexander's (stationmaster) sister Margaret's birth record in 4/6/1820, it reads her parents as married which gives weight to the fact that the marriage above in Latheron cannot be theirs (although I did download it and it gave no further information than their names, date of marriage and that was all). The link below is of Margaret's birth. I cannot read the last word in the sentence, but it may give some clue to where her parents stayed?

https://www.genesreunited.co.za/keepsafe/asset/details/68053170

I think you probably have this but found it on Findmypast so thought I would post it anyway (sorry but I think I am losing the plot a bit as there is so much information on here).

First name(s) Alexander
Last name McDonald
Gender Male
Birth year 1796
Birth place -
Baptism year 1796
Baptism date 25 Feb 1796
Baptism place KILTARLITY,INVERNESS,SCOTLAND
Father's first name(s) Alexr.
Father's last name McDonald
Mother's first name(s) -
Mother's last name -
Place Kiltarlity
County Invernessshire
Country Scotland
Record set Scotland Births & Baptisms 1564-1950

Kath. x

Thank you Kath, no I did not have this information. And it is very helpful because now I have confirmation that Alex (stationmasters) birth was indeed 1796 as I had up until now just deduced it from the 1841 census. Also, now I have the start to my next layer, the name of Alex's father, also Alex (now there's a surprise!!). It is interesting to see that the mom's name was not included in this record. It makes me wonder if she maybe died at childbirth?

From FamilySearch - apparently gives actual birth date:

Alexander Mcdonald
Scotland Births and Baptisms
Name Alexander Mcdonald
Gender Male
Christening Date 25 Feb 1796
Christening Place KILTARLITY,INVERNESS,SCOTLAND
Birth Date 23 Feb 1796
Father's Name Alexr. Mcdonald


You can view the image on SP:

MCDONALD
ALEXANDER
ALEXR. MCDONALD/
M
25/02/1796
101/
10 247
Kiltarlity


Between 1790 and 1805 (random range of years), there were four McDonald births with father Alexander, but no mms, so I don't think you can necessarily assume the mother had died - it's probably just the way it was recorded.

Names of mothers of other Kiltarlity McDonald births with father's name Alexander, in that same random period - in case it helps:

Janet Fraser; Anne Fraser; Christian McLean; Catharine McDonald; Mary Fraser; Christyan Fraser; Barbara Fraser

Thank you Argylgran, very helpful... I have downloaded the birth certificate on SP, and although the entry is very hard to decipher, I think it is the top one on the page. I can't read all of it, but I think on the last line they mention witnesses with the surname Fraser? Maybe relatives of his wife? It certainly then fits with some of those kiltarlity mothers giving birth at the time of Alex's birth. So exciting.....

https://www.genesreunited.co.za/keepsafe/asset/details/68106462

Mother's names were very often omitted from baptism records at that time. Apparently mother's were not as important as fathers!!! You only needed your father's name for inheritance reasons.

Kath. x

Eish Kath ...... the mom's did all the birthing and weren't even officially credited for the hard work!! It will be interesting to try and find out if one of the two witnesses on that birth certificate might be the mom's name?

It won't be the mother's name on the baptism record. They would be the godparents, although one of them could have the same surname as the mother if they were relatives.

Kath. x

Per the baptism record, the McDonalds lived in Caplach, a hamlet in the Kiltarlity district.

T`he witnesses/godparents were Thomas Fraser and William Fraser. I can't quite make out where they lived - looks like D. . . . garioch's hill.

Fascinating stuff about the area and lifestyle in 1794 in the Statistical Account, on pages 507 - 528 - hope this link works:

https://tinyurl.com/ybrwexkf


Looking at the 1841 census records for Kiltarlity (on Ancestry), there are pages and pages of Mcdonalds and Frasers, let alone any other surname.

Thanks for your information AG, I have loved reading through the statistical account of the area of Kiltarlity and Caplach. I have worked out that the place the witness come from is Dochgarroch near Kiltarlity (but still quite far if they were travelling by foot or horse). I could not find Caplach, it probably no longer exists. But I did find Caiplich farm just down the road from Dochgaroch, so wonder if that is a remnant from that hamlet.

I am thinking that maybe Thomas & William Fraser were the wife's brothers, which means that I should be looking at the names you gave me (Janet Fraser; Anne Fraser; Mary Fraser; Christyan Fraser and Barbara Fraser), all who gave birth between 1790 - 1805 in Kiltarlity (with a hubby called Alexander) as the possible mother .

Unfortunately,I can't see any marriages for an Alexander McDonald in Kiltarlity, 1780-96, on SP.
There are several in Inverness, but if his wife belonged to Kiltarlity, I would have thought the marriage would be there.

Unless this is another couple with the same names, I suggest you discount Christyan as your Alexander's mother:

From FamilySearch:

Scotland Births and Baptisms
Name Alexander Mcdonald
Gender Male
Christening Date 15 Oct 1803
Christening Place KILTARLITY,INVERNESS,SCOTLAND
Birth Date 12 Oct 1803
Father's Name Alexander Mcdonald
Mother's Name Christyan Fraser

Thanks for the info AG. It's a pity there are no marriages in Kiltarlity around that time which would have made things much simpler. Now I am going to spend some time going through all the fantastic leads and information shared with me. It has been particularly wonderful to read the newspaper articles that Chris sent through which added such richness to the person or event I am researching. Now I want to see if I can continue my search and find similar newspaper articles for Christy Sutherland/Alexander Macdonald in the 1840's and earlier.

Thank you all who have contributed to my research. I do so appreciate it.

Was there a Will for Alexander 1920?...(they can throw up names relating to family sometimes, Brothers, Sisters, Nieces, Nephews, etc.)

Chris :)

Alexander's Will can be viewed on SP, for a few credits:

MacDonald
Alexander
1/4/1920
retired stationmaster, Springfield Cottage, Fochabers, d. 31/01/1920 at Fochabers, testate.
Elgin Sheriff Court Wills
SC26/38/23

(lol, thankyou AG, did wonder, in case of anything (scraping the barrel, I know!)

Chris :)

(...reached his 80th year, a native of Beauly...an old Volunteer, and when the late war broke out he at once joined the National Reserve although 74yrs, he became district recruiter under the Derby scheme...a life long Freemason, one who was instrumental in inaugurating the Lodge Lennox in Fochabers...)

Chris :)

Janet, search...

(first box) a (second box) macdonald (keywords box) stationmaster


A RAILWAY VETERAN.

“... RAILWAY VETERAN. THE LATE MR A. MACDONALD, FOCHABERS. ilr Alexander MaoDcmald, retired stationmaster, Highland Railway, died residence Springfield Cottage, Foohabers, on Saturday, after a few weeks' ilLness. Mr Mac Donald, who had reached his 80th year ...”

03 February 1920 - Aberdeen Press and Journal - Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_Scheme

(other items on google search relating to scheme)

You guys are absolutely amazing.... just when I thought we had scraped the bottom of the barrel and reached a dead end, you seem to pull another rabbit out of the hat!! I so appreciate it. I am so excited to go and download Alex's will on SP - who knows, may be a castle that I could inherit :-D !! I love all things Scotland....

Janet...I have been browsing through some bits and pieces and wonder if you had been in touch with the Archivist at Dollar Academy..they may have details relating to Alex' Registration ....

Our Archives

We hold an extensive archive collection of artifacts from Dollar Academy's 200-year history and we are always delighted to hear from former pupils and relatives. Mrs Janet Carolan, the School Archivist, can be contacted during term time by email at [email protected]


The Records for the CIV (John) are held at the London Met.Archives.

A John MacDonald volunteered in the CIV and was attached to the 7th Middlesex Reg. (London Scottish)...
Headquarters was Buckingham Palace Gate SW1
The CIV was made up of non professional soldiers.

https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/542-city-imperial-volunteers?start=3

Check out Nominal Roll 2

Wow, Erin, thank you for your insight and leads. I definitely know that my grandfather Alex went to Dollar Academy from 1909. His mother's brother Charles Dougall was Rector of Dollar Academy too. His father John (Town Clerk) and siblings show that they went to a school in Inverness according to the 1881 census, but I am not sure if it was Dollar Academy. I will most definitely get hold of the school archivist and say hello.

I am most excited about your lead for John in the Military. We seem to be pretty sure that John volunteered with the CIV under the London Scottish, and you link adds weight to that. Assuming those 4 nominal rolls were the entire list of volunteers for the CIV to go to war, it seems like there was only one John Macdonald listed under the London Scottish and in fact the only Macdonald listed in the entire CIV. Hopefully this makes it easier to trace him and finally locate confirmation of his soldier number and DOB.

Thanks for taking the time to help me.