1. Islay@Scotland-Genealogy.groups.io

Re: McAulays

mearnsmg@btinternet.com
 

Hi Paul,


I have been researching my McAulay family in Islay.


My GreatGrandmother, Jean McAulay, was born on 28/11/1828, in the parish of Kilchoman at the location "Portnahaven" and died on 19/10/1891 in Greenock, Renfrewshire. She had 3 brothers, Duncan (b1821 d 1887), Donald (b 1823 d 1849), Gilbert (b 1824, d 1912) and 1 sister Janet (b 1826 d 1849). All from Portnahaven but the familymoved to Garnkirk Lanarkshire by the time of the 1841 Census. Without earlier records for Kilchoman parish, there may have been other children but who knows??


Jean's parents were Alexander McAulay (b 1782 d 1860) & Jean MacPhaiden (b 1787 d 1871), both dying in Garnkirk. I have been able to identify a sister of Alexander, Jean (b 1789 d 1869) who married a Hugh Campbell.


According to Alexander's death record his parents were Gilbert McAulay & Janet Robertson. In the 1811 Tenant's list there is a Gilbert McAulay at No.4 Portnahven.


I have been scouring the Islay records for McAulays and have listed quite a few of them for the late 1700s, but with no Parish records before the early 1820s and no death records before 1855 it is proving impossible to link any of the names to establish families. I cannot say that I have your Duncan in my sights as he left Islay quite early on and McAulay is a relatively common name in Scotland, particularly in Ross & Cromarty and around Glasgow.


Regards

Mike



Not much help so far, but we are in the same location on a similar timeline, so there might be a connection.




------ Original Message ------
From: "Paul MacAuley" <pmacauley@...>
To: Islay@Scotland-Genealogy.groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, 29 Jan, 2020 At 23:42
Subject: [Islay] McAulays

My great great grandfather Duncan McAulay was born in Kilchoman, whether the parish or the town is not clear, around 1795 according to the 1851 Scottish census. He married Rachel McLellan - this is from Scotland's people: "Duncan McAulay, joiner, in Glasgow & Rachael McLelland, residing there, married 4th June [1824] by Mr. Kenneth McKenzie, Gaelic Minister, in Gorbals."

His son Angus, my great grandfather, was born in Edinburgh in 1825. While researching, I found an old message posted on a MacAulay message board that someone owned a book about the Quakers with this inscription: "Angus MacAulay/ Plasterer/ Edinborough Scotland/ 1875" and "Duncan MacAulay/ Rachel McLearan/ Born Kilnehearn/ Island of Isla." Elsewhere is written "Angus MacAulay/ Glasgow" and "Chester" (presumably Chester, Delaware County, PA)." My great grandfather, Angus was a plasterer by trade and he emigrated to Chester. I don't know if Kilnehearn is a name Rachael had before marriage or if she might have been adopted or the name of a farm. How frustrating that I couldn't track down that book.

It seems that there are two groups of McAulays on Islay - Those from Kilchoman and those from Portnahaven, who may make their living on the water. They're not far apart (at least as the crow flies) and I've wondered about a link between the the two groups.

Through DNA testing, I see that I have a great many relatives in Ireland. I suspect that my McAulays may have come from Ireland and later emigrated to Islay. My great grandfather Angus spoke Scots Gaelic, played the bagpipe (probably much to the chagrin of his neighbors) and was married by a Free Church minister in Glasgow.

If anyone knows anything about Duncan and the children from is first marriage, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks,
Paul

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