Ann MURRAY & Robert MACKAY

Ann MURRAY
[30/9/1858-2/3/1941]
married
Robert MACKAY
[31/5/1866-2/5/1936]

Ann (Annie) is the daughter of Walter Murray and Elspet Macintosh of Fourpenny, Dornoch. Robert was born in Loth, son of George Mackay, farm servant, and Janet Mackay. Annie and Robert married in Glasgow on 9 January 1891. Robert was said to be a police constable in Paisley at that time. In 1895 when their son Walter was born he was a railway platelayer. He was described on his death certificate as a carting contractor. Annie and Robert both died at Balloan Cottage, Dornoch, and are buried in Dornoch with Annie’s parents.
They had the following children:
Walter Murray MACKAY, born 7th January 1895 Paisley] [died 9th April 1917] – Walter fought with the 1st/5th Seaforth Highlanders in France. He died in France during World War One and is buried in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 15, Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Arras, France.
JANET MACKAY (Jessie) born circa 1893
GEORGE MACKAY born ? [died 5 January 1956 Winnipeg, Canada] (NT) – “Off to the Land of the Maple Leaf - Mr. George Mackay, Balloan, son of Mr. Robert Mackay has left for Canada” (NT 10/6/1920)

Robert MURRAY and Catherine FRASER

Robert MURRAY
[12/7/1833-21/2/1881]
married
Catherine FRASER

Robert was born at Rhemusaig, Rogart, son of James Murray and Elspat Mackay. He married Catherine Jessie McCallum Fraser. Robert was at home with his parents in 1851. He then moved to Glasgow. Robert died in Glasgow where he was a Merchantile Clerk living in Dennistoun.
He and Catherine had at least one child:

ANN MURRAY, born circa 1851 Glasgow – in 1861 Ann was living with her grandmother Elspat Mackay at Rhemusaig, Rogart

James MURRAY & 1) Janet BRUCE 2) Jane MACDONALD

James MURRAY
married
1) Janet BRUCE
[1834-5/10/1879]
2) JANE MACDONALD
[c1843-7/12/1893]

James, a shoemaker, is the son of James Murray and Elspet Mackay of Rhemusaig, Rogart. He was firstly married to Janet Bruce, daughter of John Bruce and Ann Murray. They married on 7th May 1858. James worked as an agricultural labourer at Rhemusaig according to the 1861 census. From 1865 onwards James is recorded as a shoemaker. In 1871 the family were at Rhemusaig in a two roomed house. Janet died on 5 October 1879.

James and Janet had the following children:
JAMES MURRAY, born 6 December 1858 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 15 July 1927 Rhemusaig] [married Helen Macnaughton] – 1871 census at Rhemusaig with parents, scholar
JOHN MURRAY, born 3 October 1861 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 20 June 1950 Perth] [married Margaret Mill] – 1871 census at Rhemusaig with parents, scholar
GEORGE MURRAY, born 23 August 1865 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 24 December 1867 Rhemusaig]
CATHERINE MURRAY [Kate], born 18 June 1870 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 21 September 1916 in hospital – usual residence Rhemusaig - she was a nurse] – following her mother’s death in 1879 Catherine went to her grandmother’s house at Rhemusaig with her father – they were there in the 1881 census - I believe his daughter Catherine (Kate) continued to live at home until her death in 1916 although she was not at home in 1901

2) Following his first wife’s death James returned to his widowed mother's home with his youngest daughter Catherine. They were there in the 1881 census. On 22 November 1889 James married for the second time to widow, Jane Macdonald, daughter of John Macdonald and Janet Macintosh. The 1891 census shows James, second wife Jane and daughter Catherine at Rhemusaig. His mother had died since the previous census. He was recorded as a crofter and the home had increased in size to six rooms. In 1893 Jane died leaving James a widower for the second time.

In the 1901 census he had an Effy Mackay, unmarried, aged 52, born in Rogart, as a domestic servant living with him. James died at Rhemusaig in 1918. He is buried in Rogart with his first wife, Janet, and their daughter Catherine.

Dorothy in USA plus Sheila in Edinburgh also have links to this family.

Walter MURRAY & Elspet MACINTOSH

Walter MURRAY
[3/2/1818-24/12/1890]
married
Elspet MACINTOSH
[28/4/1821-1/8/1896]

Walter was born at Rhemusaig, Rogart, the eldest child of William Murray and Catherine Grant. Walter and Elspet married on 1 December 1843 at Dornoch.
Elspet was born in Rogart daughter of Kenneth Macintosh and Catherine Douglas. Walter and Elspet lived at Culdrain, Rogart, for a time and it was there that their first child was born. Their second daughter, Isabella, was born in England in 1848 suggesting that they spent some time there. On their return to Sutherland they lived with Elspet's widowed mother, Catherine Douglas, in Rogart. The 1851 census shows them there. Walter worked as a railway labourer at this time. Sometime in the 1850s the family moved to a 24 acre farm at Fourpenny, Dornoch - the 1861 census shows them settled there. In 1871 Walter and Elspet's farm had reduced to 18 acres and they had a two-roomed croft house. In 1881 they gained another two acres and the house grew to seven rooms. Walter died in 1890 and is buried in Dornoch. In 1891 Elspet, a widow, continued to farm at Fourpenny until her death there in 1896.
Walter and Elspet had the following children:
CATHERINE MURRAY born circa 1846 Dornoch [died 11 March 1938, Dornoch [married George Grant] - in the 1861 census Catherine, was at Strahan, Dornoch, living with her aunt, Jane Macintosh
ISABELLA MURRAY born circa 1848 Hertfordshire, England [died 9 February 1925, Dornoch] [married George Matheson]
ROBINA MURRAY born 6 August 1852 Culdrain, Rogart [died after 1929 in Canada] [married Neil Macaulay] – 1871 census at home with parents
MARGARET MURRAY born 22 January 1853 Culdrain, Rogart [died 20 April 1885 Dornoch] - Margaret remained a spinster living at home. She is buried with her parents in Dornoch.
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 7 March 1855 Rogart [died 18th August 1927 Vancouver, Canada] [married Isabella Leslie] - 1871, 81 & 91 census at home - following his father's death in 1890 William took over the croft at Fourpenny and was there or a considerable time until he left for Canada where he died in 1927 - "The sad intelligence recently notified in the 'Northern Times' concerning the death of a highly respected son of Sutherland - Mr William Murray, late of Fourpenny - was a severe blow to many of his near relatives and friends. Mr Murray in his very early days, with his father, and a family of young girls, left Rogart and settled in Fourpenny, Dornoch. Subsequent to his father's death he occupied the Fourpenny Farm for a considerable time, but the call from the Golden West attracted him across the seas to Canada where he remained to the end. Many of us can still recall the fine qualities which constantly characterized the behaviour of William Murray - his transparent honesty, his touch of nobility in assisting his less fortunate fellows, and his big affection, made him a man of a genial personality and a lasting friend. Our deep sympathy is extended to his sorrowing family abroad and to his relatives at home" (NT 12/1/1928).
ALEXANDERINA MURRAY born 21 October 1856 Fourpenny Farm, Dornoch [died 6 March 1944 Dornoch] [married John Ross] – 1871 census at home with parents
ANN MURRAY (Annie) born 30 September 1858 Fourpenny Farm [died 2 March 1941 Dornoch] [married Robert Mackay] – 1871 & 81 census at home with parents
ELSPET MURRAY born 5 May 1860 Fourpenny Farm [died 11 September 1930 Hillside, Dornoch] [married George Macaulay] – 1871 & 81 census at home with parents

William MURRAY & Catherine GRANT

William MURRAY
[18/12/1792-14/6/1858]
married
Catherine GRANT
[1800-21/2/1894]

William was born in Golspie parish in 1792, the year of the sheep - Bliadhna nan Caorach - son of Donald Murray, a miller, and Margaret Mackay.

The 1813 Muster List of the Sutherland Local Militia shows a William Murray of Speelte, Golspie. A member of the Grenadier Company he is recorded as being 5'9½" tall. A later Militia List - 1824 reports "William Murray, miller, aged above 30. Grounds for exemption from militia force - poor and has children .........."

Catherine (Kate) Grant was born in Glasgow, daughter of Hector Grant and Janet Duff of Dornoch - I believe her father was in the army at that time. William and Kate married around 1817. They crofted three acres at Rhemusaig, Rogart. William was the miller at Rhemusaig as his grandfather and his father Donald were. The mill at Rhemusaig lay midway between the crofts at Rhemusaig and those at Kinnauld. Rhemusaig was earlier known as Reamusack. Members of this family lived at both places. There were in total approximately twelve crofts between the two places and these seem to have been inhabited mainly by members of the Murray, Mackay and Grant families - I believe Kate was related to those Grants but have yet to determine how. William's mother, Margaret Mackay, died at Rhemusaig in 1837. The family farmed at Rhemusaig for many years but for William life was short. He died, on the croft, on 14 June, 1858, aged 56 years. The cause of death was given as 'natural decay'. This is hardly surprising when we consider the life he had lived: born in the 'Year of the Sheep', mass clearances, famines, cholera and twelve children whom he had, against the most awful odds, kept alive, only to see most of them forced to leave his beloved Highlands. Following William's death in 1858, Kate continued to farm at Rhemusaig. In 1861 her grandchildren William and Margaret Murray, children of her son Donald, were with her. By 1871 the croft had grown to six acres and the house had five rooms. Her son Alexander remained at home with his mother - indeed, he never left Rhemusaig throughout his lifetime. Her grandaughter Margaret was still on the croft. Margaret's father, Donald Murray, lost his life in December 1879 when the Tay Bridge collapsed. By 1881 her son Alexander (my great grandfather) had married and his wife, Jane Mackenzie (my great grandmother), joined the household. Alexander and Jane's first child, William (my grandfather), lived with his Granny Mackenzie at Torbreck, Rogart. His younger sister, Bessie, was also sent to Granny Mackenzie's. The 1891 census shows Kate still alive, aged 90 years. She lived as a widow for over thirty-six years. She continued to croft at Rhemusaig with her son Alexander and daughter-in-law Jane, until her death, passing away on the evening of twenty-first February, 1894 aged 93 years. Her death certificate states cause of death as 'supposed chronic bronchitis and old age'. She is buried with William in St Callan's churchyard, Rogart - photograph of their gravestone above. In 1871, their son Alexander erected a stone in memory of his parents. Mr Alexander, Ground Officer of Rogart, wrote to the Sutherland Estates Office “Widow William Murray, 347 Rhimusaig died 21 February and leaves a grown up family which have all left except Alexander, a son, married and has been living in the house with his late mother and attending to the croft etc for many years.”

William and Kate had the following children:
WALTER MURRAY, born 3 February 1818 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Elspet Macintosh] – at home with parents in 1841
JANET MURRAY (Jessie), born 25 April 1820 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married James Mackay] – at home with parents in 1841
MARGARET MURRAY, born 3 October 1822 Rhemusaig, Rogart – at home with parents in 1841
HECTOR MURRAY, born 27 February 1825 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Isabella Munro) – at home with parents in 1841
DONALD MURRAY, born 17 August 1828 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Mary Bell and Elizabeth Mackay] – at home with parents in 1841 & 1851
ANN MURRAY, born 1 December 1830 Rhemusaig, Rogart – at home with parents in 1841
CHRISTINA MURRAY (Christy), born 7 June 1833 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 10 December 1908 Bonar Bridge] – at home with parents in 1841 & 1851 - when Christy died in 1908 she left the sum of £127. The probate details show that she was a “sometime” housekeeper at Braelangwell, Ardgay, lately residing at Bonar Bridge where she died. She did not leave a will but confirmation was granted to her brother Alexander Murray, crofter, Rhemusaig.
CATHERINE MURRAY, born 31 March 1836 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Hugh Sutherland] – at home with parents in 1841 & 51
ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 24 April 1838 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Jane Mackenzie] – at Rhemusaig through all census records from 1841 until his death – took over croft from mother at her death in 1894
JOHAN MURRAY, born 21 May 1840 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married John Bannerman] – at home with parents in 1841 & 51
DAVID MURRAY, born 22 June 1842 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 8 July 1893 Dalmore, Rogart] [married Julia Macintosh] – at home with parents in 1851 & 61 – witness at his brother Paul’s son, George, wedding
PAUL MURRAY, born 1845 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Jane Ross] – at home with parents in 1851 & 61

William and Kate are my two times Great Grandparents.