Ancestral Search Techniques/ Questions for Chris D

[Alans]

Chris,
Thanks again for the information on my ancestor Cosmo and for the effort that must have taken.
I could have sent another private email but my next question is probably of interest to many people besides myself. I have looked up the marriage records of Church of Scotland for all John Camerons who married women called Mary and have probably found a record for Cosmo's parents on the Kilmaillie Parish register for 1823; although there is a John and Mary Cameron also married at Kilmonavaig in 1823.
I know for a fact that John Cameron's tenancy was on the shores of or close to Loch Arkaig.
Is there a source or sources for looking up birth records around 1823/24 that are not listed on Parish registers or official sources eg. Estate documents connected with Clunes tenants before 1850 when the lease was resumed by Lochiel?
Some may see this as a geneaological enquiry but I am not so concerned about direct familly relationships more about wjere familt members may have been located and how many siblings etc. my ancestor may have had.
Please do not feel any need to do more than point me in the right direction especially if the web has data on it or there is an"expert" - apart from your very generous self whom I may correspond with or email.

Dias Mhuire duit a Seannachie mhor na Camshronaich!

Alan.

[ChrisDoak]

Hi Alan,

For anybody trying to find the birth of an ancestor in Lochaber in the early 19th century,they are likely to fall into five categories:
1.Those who were baptized in the Established Church of Scotland.
2.Those who were baptized in the Episcopal Church.
3.Those who were baptized in the Roman Catholic Church.
4.Those who weren't baptized as a point of principal(i.e.the parent's strong aversion to organised religion).
5.Those who weren't baptized because they were illegitimate,and the father couldn't be identified.

Regarding (1)the Established Church of Scotland records for the Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig Parishes,these are pretty comprehensive,and widely available on Microfilm.
(2).I haven't been able to track down the records of the Episcopal Church in Fort William,assuming they still exist.The Church was established just before 1820,and had a congregation of approx.120 - a quarter of whom,I believe,would have gone by the name of Cameron.
(3).Photocopies of the parish records of the Roman Catholic Churches in Fort William and Brae Lochaber(Bun Roy) are kept at the National Archives of Scotland.They only exist pre 1855 as follows:
-Fort William Baptisms 1820-1854 (58 Camerons recorded).
-Fort William Marriages 1833-1854 (7 Camerons recorded).
-Brae Lochaber Baptisms 1830 - 1854 (52 Camerons recorded).
-Brae Lochaber Marriages 1833-1854 (3 Camerons recorded).

Previous to the Census of 1841,there are no obvious sources for identifying family groups in Lochaber - it is really just a case of trawling through the Parish Registers and noting where the fathers and mothers were living at the time,and piecing it all together.Estate documents for the Lochiel Estate (and the Duke of Gordon's Estate,the Inverlochy Estate,Letterfinlay Estate etc.on the east of the Lochy) are pretty sparse for this period,the only ones I have seen just recording the name of the householder.There would have been a vast amount of documentation made at the time,but whether they were ever retained by the Estate(and stuffed in a box in an Attic),or destroyed,it is difficult to determine.Your only other hope is that your ancestor was a criminal,and that judiciary records might reveal details of their background.

I think I am right in saying,that the Clunes Farm was just rented out in the name of one person,and that the head of the Cameron of Clunes family would have sub-let it to others through a private arrangement.There is a possibility,however,that the documents of this family could be of use to you in your search,as I believe many still exist in "The Clunes Chest".

The excellent wee history book "Camerons of Clunes" by Frank and Muriel Cameron,mentions lots of the documents held in the chest,from the 1600s right up to the mid 1800s.These include household accounts,and various estate papers relating to Clunes.I believe the Chest is somewhere in Australia,but I remember a large hunt for it a few years back,and I am not too sure if it was ever re-located.Anyone out there know?

Incidentally,I think I am right in saying that the John and Mary Camerons married in 1823 in Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig,are the couple who are listed as living at Gairlochy(adjacent to Muccomir) in the 1841 Census for Kilmonivaig.His occupation was Lock Keeper on the Caledonian Canal.

Regards,Chris.

[Alans]

Chris although I have no doubt at all that the Cosmo you found is my ancestor, as simply age, point of departure, and the fact that William Campbell was a business partner of Donald Cameron of Clunes Victoria, all make it almost certain that you got the right man.
With his parents having extremely common names I'm not so sure about the Lock keeper at gairlochy. Cosmo was clear that his parents were farmers, and he had sufficient farming knowledge to succeed where 60% of small selectors did not- in fact he founded a dynasty of farmers; and that he was born about 1823 ( there is no record of his birth ); but the date they actually married is pure supposition.
I may follow up the catholic and epicopalian registers as you suggest. He was particularly friendly with Catholic neighbours who were Irish, and many of his grandchildren ( my own family amongst them ) married Irish catholics and in one case catholic Macleans from Mull. He married a presbyterian lady in 1854 ( his employers daughter ).
A reunion of his many descendents at Charlton ,Victoria in 1996, yielded a very polyglot lot but with an unusual number of farmers and schoolteachers amongst them.
This reunion is really what got me going on Scottish heritage
( particularly Cameron).
Thanks again for all the direction you give to us- I threaten to look you up when I take my long service leave about 2009; as I certainly intend to do some sleuthing and spend at least a month in Lochaber and the ISLANDS. Who better to consult than yourself.

Regards Alan.