Is he military?

[FionaV]

I am trying to trace an ancestor, Murdoch McKenzie. He was born in Petty, Invernessshire, in 1798, and married in 1819 at Ardersier.

His children that I known of were as follows:

Colin, born 1823, in Ireland
Andrew, born 1827, Inverness
Jessie, born 1828, at Ardersier
Murdoch, born 1831, Aberdeen
Margaret, born 1833, Stirling.

Murdoch senior died before 1841. His widow lived on Castlehill, Edinburgh until her death in 1886. Her daughter, Jessie, married a soldier who was stationed at Edinburgh Castle at the time of their marriage.

The variety and nature of the places where the children were born seem to suggest that this was a military family, but I have no idea how to find out a regiment that followed that pattern of movement. There are several Murdoch McKenzies on this site who sort of fit but not one that I can say "That's him!".

Of course, I could be on the wrong track completely and he was actually a travelling tinker.

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed with this? (Note: I am in very rural Australia, a long way even from major cities, so research, at the moment, has to be online or by snail mail).

[gortonboy]

What was his wife's name?

[gortonboy]

There is this army birth record. Have you found any of the children's baptism or birth records?


First name(s) Margret
Last name McKenzie
Year range 1833
Place Stirling
Country Scotland
Regiment 78th Foot
Record source GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924)
Volume 201
Page 78
Record set British Nationals Armed Forces Births 1761-2005

[gortonboy]

The above birth may not be your Margaret.....I cannot see any records for a Murdoch McKenzie in the 78th born in the right year or place.....there is another Murdoch McKenzie b c1794 in the 78th....he was born in lochroomm,Ross and Cromarty....served 1809...1833. So the birth may be his daughter?

[pwholt]

If you have their first born son, then Scottish naming patterns suggest that Murdoch's father is Colin, and I think his wife's mother would be Jessie. Others more knowledgeable may correct this. Worth checking out Murdoch from the 78th Foot; at least you might eliminate him if you can't confirm him. pwholt

[Lesley Robertson]

Have you got the wife’s entry in the census or her death certificate? They sometimes said “widow of a soldier” or whatever he did.

[FionaV]

Thank you all so much for your help and time. It's much appreciated.

What was his wife's name?

His wife was Helen (or sometimes Ellen) Creighton. She outlived him by a long way.

There is this army birth record. Have you found any of the children's baptism or birth records?


First name(s) Margret
Last name McKenzie
Year range 1833
Place Stirling
Country Scotland
Regiment 78th Foot
Record source GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924)
Volume 201
Page 78
Record set British Nationals Armed Forces Births 1761-2005

Only on indices or from the census, unfortunately. This Margaret does look very possible, but they're all such common names.

If you have their first born son, then Scottish naming patterns suggest that Murdoch's father is Colin, and I think his wife's mother would be Jessie. Others more knowledgeable may correct this. Worth checking out Murdoch from the 78th Foot; at least you might eliminate him if you can't confirm him. pwholt

On what I have, Murdoch was the son of Andrew McKenzie and Henrietta Shaw, and Helen/Ellen was the daughter of Robert Creighton and Margaret Davidson. However, it's my mother's research from the 1980s, and unsourced, so who knows where she got it. I have found that my family, in all its branches, happily ignored the traditional naming pattern nearly all the time. It's like they were deliberately unhelpful.

However, I have just made the connection that their great grandson (my grandfather) was Colin McKenzie Strathearn. Means nothing in answer to this question, though.

Have you got the wife’s entry in the census or her death certificate? They sometimes said “widow of a soldier” or whatever he did.

She's always just described as a widow, or by her occupation at the time.

Again, thank you all for your help. I think I need to verify some information as best I can, and look at the Murdoch in the 78th Foot, if I can find some more information.

[Lesley Robertson]

When did Jessie marry and was it in Scotland? What was her husband's name? If it was 1855 or after in Scotland, the marriage certificate should show her father's occupation, even if he's deceased.

[FionaV]

Jessie married a civilian, James Johnston, in 1849 or 1850 in Edinburgh. But that's an idea - maybe check the other siblings' marriages out and see if they were late enough and say anything (if I can find them, of course). Thankyou again.

[elsinore]

Murdoch M(A)CKENZIE's marriage to Helen CREIGHTON can be viewed on Scotlands People.

For a small sum you can view the original parish register entry, which might well state Murdoch's occupation.

Peter