Murdock Macaulay Baddeck Canada
MY GREATGRANDFATHER MURDOCK MACAULAY AND GREATGRANDMOTHER ISOBELLA MACLEAN WERE BORN IN BADDECK, THEY SAILED TO NEW ZEALAND ON THE ELLEN LEWIS TO WAIPU. MURDOCKS PARENTS (I THINK) WERE JOHN AND ANNE, THEY WERE FROM DUNBARTON. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR PARENTS AND FURTHER BACK, AND ANY THING ELSE ABOUT THEM AND FAMILYS'
Hello, it seems we have a double lot of common ancestry! This is via Isabella McLean's father (Donald McLEAN) as well as via her mother, (Catherine McGREGOR). According to my research Isabella McLean was born abt 1841 at Baddeck Bay, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. She certainly was not married before leaving CB Island, as you seem to infer in your posting. She left there as an 11 year old girl, in 1852, with her parents and siblings on the ship "Highland Lassie." They sailed to Adelaide, South Australia and lived there for a few months before sailing to Auckland on the "Gazelle." I am descended from one of her older sisters - Ann McLEAN who married a first cousin Kenneth McGREGOR, (he was a nephew of Isabella's and Ann's mother, Catherine). Hence we have common ancestry on 2 lines - McLEAN and McGREGOR. Catherine (McGregor) McLEAN supposedly died during their time in South Australia but unfortunately I have not been able to find any documentary evidence of this; despite much effort and expense in trying! N McKenzie's book 'The Gael Fares Forth' is where I first read of her supposed death in SA in 1852.
Isabella had 5 older sisters and 3 older brothers. She was the 9th and last child born to Catherine and Donald McLean. She married Murdoch McAulay in Auckland, NZ, on 11th June 1871. He was her 1st cousin - she married the son of her aunt Ann McAULAY, (nee McLEAN). This Ann was a younger sister of Donald McLEAN.
Isabella McAulay (nee McLean) died 14 Aug 1909 and her husband Murdoch McAulay died 29 Aug 1882, both at Millbrook, Waipu, NZ. I have 1 son and 3 daughters recorded as their issue /offspring.
Isabella's father, Donald McLean, died 18 Mar 1872, Waipu, aged 67. He was born Lochalsh, Ross-shire, Scotland.
I suspect you may have wrong information for Murdoch's parents. He was one of 12 children born to Murdoch MacAulay (the McAulay spelling seems to have been used in NZ) and Ann 'Annie' McLean. He was born about 1839 at Baddeck Bay. At least 2 of his married sisters went to NZ. John McLean's book, "Sailors and Settlers" tells the story of Murdoch seeing his sister Catherine (MacAulay) McLEOD and her husband & children off, when they were leaving on the ship "Ellen Lewis" for NZ, when, on the spur of the moment, he decided to join them!
In August 2007 I spent a week in Baddeck and took photographs of the property that belonged to them, of the family graves and headstones. These include Murdoch MacAulay, his wife Annie McLean and her parents Catherine (nee McRAE) and John McLEAN. I have LOTS and LOTS of information. Too much to summarise here!
Are you aware of the numerous books and articles that been written about the migration from Cape Breton to Waipu? In addition to those I mentioned above, two were written by Neil Robinson - "Lion of Scotland' and 'To the Ends of the Earth.' The migration is often referred to as 'the migration led by Reverend Norman McLeod.'
Also, are you aware of the genealogical resources available at the museum in Waipu? It was originally known as the 'House of Memories' but is now just called the Waipu Museum. Here is a link to it: http://www.waipumuseum.com/html/migration.htm
Have fun! Jeannine (McGregor)
Hello! I am Nicholson Dye from Auckland, New Zealand, descended through Isabel Anne McAulay, daughter of Murdoch McAulay (1871-1938).
My maternal aunt, who did a lot of work on my father's side of the tree as a side project, worked her way back to Malcolm McAulay, born 1769 in Uig, Isle of Lewis, died 1832. He married Christine McLean (1759-1853) daughter of John McLean (b.1733) - not the same John (b. ca. 1750) who was the grandfather of Ann and Donald (fortunately for our genetic diversity!) I don't have any other information for him unfortunately.
If you could share some of the photos and information you've collected, i would be most grateful.
I'm currently reading To the Ends of the Earth and have Lion of Scotland next in line. Such fascinating stuff. I also have "Watchman against the World" by Flora McPherson about Norman McLeod in my to-read list, which could provide further info.
I really must get to the Waipu Museum one day.
Cheers,
Nicholson