help!

norma · Post by **norma** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:40 pm

I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction or if I have hit the brickwall head on!

I am trying to trace the birth of my Great Grandfather Donald McKenzie

So far I have found the following:

Married Georgina Black 18/03/1892 In the parish of Newhills Aberdeenshire. Donalds age given as 36
Donalds Parents Alexander McKenzie (Quarrier) and Janet McKenzie M.S Grey

Donalds Death 21/03/1901 Parish of Newhills age shown as 51

I was told by someone that looked up a the 1861 census for me that a Janet McKenzie was on a Ross and Cromary census with a daughter Janet aged 10 and a son William aged 4 (no trace of Donald) Janet was recorded as a quarriers wife. Daughter Janet was shown as being born in Aberdeen and William as having been born in Ross and Cromarty

I then found Alexander McKenzie on the 1861 census in Newhills as a boarder so this made sense.

I then found an entry for the 1851 census in Aberdeen showing Alexander, Janet, daughter Janet(aged 4 mths) and a son Daniel aged 4 (Thought Donald/Daniel could be same person) both children born in Aberdeenshire

Try as I might I cannot find a birth record for Donald nor Janet.

Cannot anyone suggest where I should look now. Also did a birth have to be registered in the parish records pre 1855.

Any help suggestions welcome.

Post by **AnneM** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:59 pm

Hi Norma

It is possible that the births were never registered as they were pre 1855 and there was no obligation to do so. In fact the family may not have belonged to the Established Church of Scotland and that would make it even less likely.

What Church was Donald married in?

Do you have the birth certificate for William who was born after the date for statutory registration to ensure you have the correct family on the 1861 census. There are a lot of McKenzies in Ross and Cromarty.

The other suggestions I would make is that you check for varients of the forenames such as Jean/Jane or Jessie for Janet and as you have identified Daniel for Donald and also check under mother's maiden name in case the parents were not married at the time that the elder children were born.

Happy hunting

Anne

norma · Post by **norma** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:16 pm

Hi Anne

Thanks for the comments.

Donald was married in Newhills church. I have williams birth cert and Alexander and Janet were his parents.

I have searched under grey/gray and under Janet/jane and Ja* not thought of Jessie though will give that a try.

I also have part of the OPR for Janet and Alexanders marriage. This took place in Avoch, Ross and Cromarty. And I have the death certs of Alexander and Janet who both died at Dyce and the deaths were registered by their son Donald.

I think I might have to give up on finding his birth

Post by **SarahND** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:16 pm

Hi Norma,
Welcome to Talking Scot!
Glad you brought this up. Were the children born in Aberdeen city itself? If so, I can tell you that I have never found ANY of my lot, who I KNOW were born in Aberdeen between 1800 and 1854. They are not on the IGI or at SP, even though when you look at the OPR coverage, the births are supposed to be there. They are not. If anyone has a good explanation for this, I'd like to hear it too!
All the best,
Sarah

norma · Post by **norma** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:20 pm

Hi Sarah.

Not sure if they were born in Aberdeen.

The information I got from free cen was that they were born in Aberdeenshire although they were living in Woodside at the time and as far as I know this was in the Parish of Oldmachar.

Oldmachar is certainly in Aberdeen city now but unsure about back then.

Norma

Post by **SarahND** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:26 pm

Yes, my lot were living in Woodside and Old Machar also. So if you ever figure out why they're all missing, I'd be interested to hear! Maybe someone will come on the forum who knows more about this

Regards,
Sarah

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:46 am

Norma

Dont forget to also look under Jean/Jeannie I eventually found two of my long losts under different names, and that they were actually given the names of Jane and Janet at their births but used Jean/Jeannie/Jessie later in life on documents such as marriage and birth certificates.