McKechnie or MacEachan of Refrewshire

[john2204]

I am trying to trace the sibilngs and ancestors of my Great Grandfather, Alexander McKechnie b 20/08/1820 Johnstone (Abbey District) of Paisley Renfrewshire .I cannot trace any brothers, sisters or Parents I know his Father was also called Alexander, and on marriage certificate was shown as a Farmer. Mother may have been called Elizabeth and was said to have lived to be 100 and nine months of age The family are said to have fled from the Highlands in 1746 to Ireland and returned to the Lowlands later An earlier relative Neill MacEachan, b 1719, in Howbeg South Uist fled to France and brought up a family there having changed his name to MacDonald

[Lesley Robertson]

I am trying to trace the sibilngs and ancestors of my Great Grandfather, Alexander McKechnie b 20/08/1820 Johnstone (Abbey District) of Paisley Renfrewshire .I cannot trace any brothers, sisters or Parents I know his Father was also called Alexander, and on marriage certificate was shown as a Farmer. Mother may have been called Elizabeth and was said to have lived to be 100 and nine months of age The family are said to have fled from the Highlands in 1746 to Ireland and returned to the Lowlands later An earlier relative Neill MacEachan, b 1719, in Howbeg South Uist fled to France and brought up a family there having changed his name to MacDonald


Where have you looked?
Depending on when he married, I would start by looking for his marriage (if after 1855) or death certificates, both of which will give his parents (unless, of course, his death was registered by someone who didn't know him well). Have you tried the 1841 and 1851 census?
remember also, that people would give their name and the Minister/Clerk would write what they thought they heard, and this is how they'd be indexed.
If your spelling doesn't turn up results try variations - McKechnie, Mackechny, Mackechie come to mind, but there will be more.

Lesley

[john2204]

Thanks for all the ideas Lesley, I agree with all you suggest, there is no record of his birth, the marriage certificate just gives Father as Alexander and his occupation as Farmer, the death cert provides no clues to his parents or siblings. Scotlands People website has given me many blind alleys to follow without success.
I just hope someone else on the forum is searching the same ancestors but if not I guess my next step will have to be a physical inspection of the OPR's of the area but living 400 miles from the records is a problem for me.
John

[Lesley Robertson]

Thanks for all the ideas Lesley, I agree with all you suggest, there is no record of his birth, the marriage certificate just gives Father as Alexander and his occupation as Farmer, the death cert provides no clues to his parents or siblings. Scotlands People website has given me many blind alleys to follow without success.
I just hope someone else on the forum is searching the same ancestors but if not I guess my next step will have to be a physical inspection of the OPR's of the area but living 400 miles from the records is a problem for me.
John


Is there a LDS family history library near you? I have an idea that they can get films of OPRs for people. I suppose he'd moved away from home by the 1841 census?

The only other thing I can think of at the moment (I assume you've looked for testaments) is memorial inscriptions. The Scottish Genealogy Society sells booklets with pre-1855 inscriptions, and as it's not one of the commonest surnames, there mightbe something. I don't have the Renfrew ones, unfortunately.
Lesley

[john2204]

He left Johnstone when he joined the Primitive Methodist Movement at age about 20 so missed the 1841 census I can find no testaments on the Scotlands People website that relate to his father.
I had not thought of Memorial inscriptions/gravstones and I will follow that one up, Thanks Leslie

[Lesley Robertson]

He left Johnstone when he joined the Primitive Methodist Movement at age about 20 so missed the 1841 census I can find no testaments on the Scotlands People website that relate to his father.
I had not thought of Memorial inscriptions/gravstones and I will follow that one up, Thanks Leslie


There's quite a few AMs in Renfrew on the 1841, including 2 old enough to be his father (remembering that in the 1841 ages were generally rounded down to the nearest 5 years). If either of them had a wide called Elizabeth, they'd be worth checking on.....

Do note that I prefer the female version of my name. Trust me, I'm a biologist - I understand these things.....
|biggrin|
Lesley

[john2204]

Thanks for the information and sorry Lesley about the "Y" factor! John