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1871 Notes for Reiff, Camusglassellan, & Faochag

These notes use my transcriptions of the 1871 Census for Reiff, Camusglassellan, and Faochag as a structural framework, like the other files the notes that follow the transcriptions are for the period to the censuses that precede and follow. All these files start with an introduction file at; index.htm.

This census lists the people found in the homes enumerated who spent the night of 2 April, 1871.

The photocopy of the microfilm that I have worked from is pretty clear, however the handwriting is not as neat as the earlier censuses, with several smudges and other problems. I had gotten used to seeing the "long ess" in names like "Rofs" ("Ross"), and some of the other flourishes! There are tick marks beside each age listing, that sometimes make it unclear if a "1" or a "7" was written.

I might have misread, or more likely misinterpreted, some data, but as with the earlier censuses I have relied on good background from the late Barbara Kolle in Australia, Cela Beale in New Zealand, and Roderick "Roddy" Dykes MacLeod in Assynt Scotland. Those people and others who are looking into the same families and records have greatly contributed to the gathering of this data, and should be consulted by any others covering the same territory, so I have gathered their email and web addresses into a file; CONTACT INFO.

There are doubtless errors here not just in reading the data, but in interpreting it. Please, send me your data or corrections at don_niagara@yahoo.ca, and I will add it!


The enumerator numbered the households in the three communities from 56 to 80, the crofts at Camusglassellan and Faochag were not enumerated separately, they were treated as the last four households of Reiff. To make their location more clear though, I have labelled them with their hamlet names. I have identified the households by using a prefix of "71" to denote the 1871 census data, and a suffix based on the enumerators numbering.

Reiff

56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62
63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69
70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76

Camusglassellan

77 | 78

Faochag

79 | 80


Reiff 71-56


Isabella McLeod        Head         W        57   Dressmaker
Margaret   do          Daur         Unm      32   General Serv
Rory      do           Son          Unm   30      Fisherman
Murdo     do           Son          Unm   27      Labourer
Christy   do           Daur         Unm      24
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 11 of Enumeration District #2.

These people were in adjoining households in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-3, and Reiff 61-2. The 1881 census has the family at Reiff 81-1.

Isabella's husband John has died since the last census.

Isabella was a MacLennan, since the last census her parents John McLennan and Isabella McKenzie who were at Reiff 61-15 have died (she on 1 March, 1863, and he on 10 February, 1864). Her brother Kenneth is at Reiff 71-59, another brother, Alexander, is missing, but his family is at Reiff 71-67. The mother of the McLean siblings at Reiff 71-74, Mary, is a sister of Isabella.

Murdo reappears in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-12, married with two children.

Since 1861, Isabellas's daughter Ann (with husband Donald McLean and at least one child) has left left Reiff and moved to the neighboring village of Altandhu. I do not have a copy of the 1871 Altandhu census, but you can see them in the 1881 census at Altandhu 81-13 with four children. The 1881 census has a fourteen year old nephew of Roderick (Head of Household then) named "John MacLean" living with these McLeods, who I think is probably another child of Donald and Ann.


Reiff 71-57


Alexander McLeod       Head         Mar   53      Fisherman
Mary       do          Wife         Mar      52
John       do          Son          Unm   17      Labourer
Ann        do          Daur         Unm      15   General Serv
Murdo       do         Son                13      Hird
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 12 of Enumeration District #2.

These people appeared in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-1. In the 1881 census only Alexander and Mary show up, they are at Reiff 81-3.

Margaret McLeod at Reiff 71-60, and Mary McLean at Reiff 71-72 are sisters of Alexander.

Mary's maiden name was Kerr, she was christened 18 October, 1815. Her father Donald and step-mother Ann were in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-8, Donald has died since then, but Ann is an 80 year old Widow Lodger at a MacKenzie home in Achiltibuie, see Achiltibuie 71-35. Alexanderina "Lexy" McLean at Reiff 71-62, Isabella McLeod at Faochag 71-79, and Janet McKenzie at Faochag 71-80 are sisters of Mary.


Reiff 71-58


Murdo McKenzie         Head         Mar   53      Fisherman
Ann       do           Wife         Mar      56
Cathrine   do          Daur         Unm      18   General Serv
Mary      do           Daur         Unm      16   Domestic Serv
Johanna   do           Daur         Unm      14   Domestic Serv
Johanna  --do--        Lodger       Unm      44   Dressmaker
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 12 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-5. In the 1881 census they are at Reiff 81-2.

Ann's maiden name was McLean, her 1900 death regisrtration notes her parents had been John MacLean and Catherine, Maiden Surname MacLean of Altandhu, she married Murdo 25 June, 1850, Johanna the lodger was her sister.

Duncan McLean in Reiff 71-62 is a step-brother of Murdo.

By time of the next census Catherine is a widow of someone named MacGregor, with a one year old son.

In previous censuses both Johannas were listed as "Hanna".

The surname of the Lodger, Johanna, was scratched out and overwritten with a ditto. Looks like it might have been "Lean" at first, which would reflect her surname spelled as "McLean" in the 1861 census she was with Murdoch's Widowed mother at Reiff 61-4. She was christened 26 December, 1829 as a daughter of John McLean at Altandow. Her death is registered as 24 February, 1877 unmarried at Laide of Reiff as "Hannah McLean", Informant was Murdo above, noted as "Occupier". The death registration agrees with Ann's naming parents as having been John McLean and Catherine, Maiden Surname McLean. She is noted with death from Consumption suffered 30 years!


Reiff 71-59


Kenneth McLennan       Head         Mar   43      Crofter
Mary        do         Wife         Mar      42
Ann         do         Daur         Unm      16   General Serv
John        do         Son          Unm   14      Hird
Kenneth      do        Son                12      Scholar
Alexander    do        Son                10        do
Neil         do        Son                 7        do
Donald       do        Son                 5
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 12 of Enumeration District #2.

In the 1861 census this family was at Reiff 61-17, in the 1881 census they are at Reiff 81-4.

Kenneths parents John McLennan and Isabella McKenzie were at Reiff 61-15 in the previous census. John died 10 February, 1864, and Isabella 1 March, 1863.

Mary's maiden name was Urquhart, her widowed mother is at Reiff 71-70, along with a 17 year old Murdo McLennan who shows up in the 1881 census as another son of Kenneth and Mary.

Mary McLean is a sister of Kenneth. She is missing from this census, but at Reiff 71-74 are three of her children. Margaret in Reiff 71-67 is married to Kenneth's brother Alexander, who is also missing from this census. Isabella McLeod at Reiff 71-56 is a sister of Kenneth.

Roderick "Roddy" Dykes McLeod in Scotland is a gt-gt-grandson of Kenneth and Mary (CONTACT INFO).


Reiff 71-60


Margaret McLeod        Head         Mar      43   Dressmaker
Murdo       do         Son                14      Hird
Henny       do         Daur                  10   Scholar
Alexander    do        Son                 8        do
Donald      do         Son                 6        do
Rory        do         Son                 4
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 12 of Enumeration District #2.

Margaret's husband William is missing from this census. You can see them together in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-25, or the 1881 census at Reiff 81-6.

William's mother Ann is in the next Household, Reiff 71-61.

Margaret's widowed mother Isabella (another McLeod!) has died since the last census, when she was in Reiff 61-24, along with another daughter named Mary, and Mary's husband Norman McLean. Norman and Mary are in this census at Reiff 71-72.

Alexander McLeod at Reiff 71-57 is a brother of Margaret.


Reiff 71-61


Ann MacLeod            Head         W.       70   Crofter
Christy  do            Daur         Unm      55   General Ser
John    do             GranSon      Unm   14      Hird
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 13 of Enumeration District #2.

This family were at Reiff 61-6 in the 1861 census, with Ann's husband Alexander, who died a few months later. Ann's own death is registered as 15 March, 1875 at Reiff, aged 88 years, her parents noted as having been Donald MacLeod and Isabella, maiden surname MacKenzie, Informant her daughter Chirsty.

In the 1881 census Christy is living with her sister Catherine (not in this census!) at Reiff 81-5.

William, missing in the previous Househld, Reiff 71-60, is a son of Ann.

Wee John above was a son of Ann's daughter Janet. His birth was registered as illegitamate, 25 October, 1855 at Riff, with the father Alexander MacLeod, a Shoemaker. I think that Alexander was at Altandhu 41-13, his father's name was John, and his brother Kenneth was listed as a Shoemaker. If so, young John above is a descendant of the Reiff and Faochag MacKenzies, and has many cousins at Reiff!

Another son of Alexander and Ann, Alexander, has not been with the family since the 1841 census, however he is noted as resident at Reiff when he marries 4 February, 1873 to Janet Ross (see Reiff 71-71), and has four children by time of the 1881 census at Reiff 81-7.


Reiff 71-62


Duncan McLean          Head         Mar   42      Fisherman
Lexy     do            Wife         Mar      36
Johanna    do          Daur         Unm      12   Scholar
Malcolm     do         Son                13      Hird
John       do          Son                10      Scholar
Cristy     do          Daur                  10(sp?)  do
Donald     do          Son                 5
Ann        do          Daur                   1
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 13 of Enumeration District #2.

In the 1861 census this family was at Altandhu 61-17. In 1851 Lexy was at Reiff 51-74 with her parents, Donald Kerr and Ann McLeod.

Duncan and Alexanderina "Lexy" show up in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-8.

Murdo McKenzie in Reiff 71-58 is a step-brother of Duncan.

Duncan's parents and other relatives are in this census at Altandhu 71-47, his brother Donald is at Altandhu 71-48. Another sister, Mary, was in the 1861 census with her husband, Murdoch MacLeod, at Altandhu 61-16. No further sign of Mary and Murdoch after the birth of their son Murdoch 5 March, 1862, probably they emigrated.

Mary Mcleod at Reiff 71-57, Isabella McLeod at Faochag 71-79, and Janet McKenzie at Faochag 71-80 are sisters of Lexy, their father Donald Kerr has died since the 1871 census, but their mother Ann (McLeod) Kerr is an 80 year old Widow Lodger at a MacKenzie home in Achiltibuie, see Achiltibuie 71-35.

Cristy is in the 1881 census as servant to a family at Achnahaird 81-8.

I have found the birth registrations of four of the children in the I.G.I. and registration of death of another;

  1. Malcolm, born 3 January, 1858,
  2. "Hannah", born 25 May, 1859,
  3. Christina, born 24 August, 1863,
  4. Donald, born 4 February, 1866,
  5. Rachel, died one month old 11 February, 1873.


Reiff 71-63


Rory McKenzie          Head         Mar   38      Crofter
Janet    do            Wife         Mar      36
Alexander  do          Son                 7      Scholar
Mary       do          Daur                   5
Henny       do         Daur                   3
Peggy       do         Daur                  3m\_ twins
Ketty       do         Daur                  3m/
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 13 of Enumeration District #2.

Roderick showed up in the 1861 census with his father Murdo McKenzie, his sister Anabella (wrongly listed as wife rather than daughter of Murdo!), and six nephews and nieces at Reiff 61-9. In 1881 this family is at Reiff 81-9.

Roderick and Janet were married 30 January, 1862, her maiden surname was also McKenzie!

A brother of Roderick's, Murdo, was married to a Catherine McLeod, and had at least one child, Alexina, who married a Murdo McLeod, and are grandparents of Alistair MacLeod, who is now the Highland Council official genealogist! (CONTACT INFO). I do not yet have the 1871 census transcribed for Tanera, however, by time of the 1881 census Murdo's widow and children are at Tanera 81-16.

Another brother of Roderick was John, who married Janet Stewart from Ullapool, and emigrated to Tasmania in 1853. John and Janet's descendants include Gwen Smith (CONTACT INFO).

Three of the children's births are in the I.G.I.;

  1. Alexander, born 18 August, 1863,
  2. Mary, born 27 September, 1865,
  3. Henny, born 27 October, 1867.


Reiff 71-64


Rory McKenzie          Head         Unm   76      Crofter
Bell    do             Sister       Unm      52   General Serv
Barbra  McLeod         Serv         Unm      19   Domestic Serv
Neil McLeod            Serv         Unm   17      Hird
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 13 of Enumeration District #2.

Rory ("Roderick"), and Bell ("Isabella"), are in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-11, along with three other siblings, two different McLeod neices, and a McLean nephew, Murdoch.

Nephew Murdoch MacLean who was with these MacKenzies from 1841 looks in this census to be visitor at an unrelated MacKenzie family at Leckmelm, beyond Ullapool. He marries in 1878 to his first cousin, Barbara MacLeod, who is above, they are in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-10. Barbara and her bother Neil are children of another sister of this family, Rachel, who married Murdoch McLeod. Cannot find that couple in this census, but in 1861 they were at Reiff 61-7. Donald and Alexander McLeod at Reiff 71-66, Betty McDonald at Reiff 71-73, and Ann Urquhart at Reiff 71-70 are uncles and aunts of these two children.


Reiff 71-65


Rory Ross              Head         Mar   62      Fisherman
Peggy   do             Wife         Mar      56
Rory    do             Son                12      Scholar
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 13 of Enumeration District #2.

This family appeared in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-12.

In the 1881 census Margaret "Peggy" is widowed, and living with her son Hugh (see Reiff 71-78) at Reiff 81-11.

Roderick "Rory" dies 27 February, 1873 at Reiff "aged 72 years", wife Margaret, Maiden Surname MacKenzie, his parents noted as having been Roderick Ross and Catherine, Maiden Surname MacLennan.

Roderick's sister Margaret was in the next household in 1861 (Reiff 61-13), cannot find her in this one.

Christy McLeod in Camusglassellan 71-78 is a sister of Roderick. The Hugh Ross listed there as their grandson is actually their nephew, as he is a son of Rory and Peggy Ross in this household. Interesting that the death registration details for Christy differ on their mother's Maiden Surname, giving "McLeod" instead of "McLennan", perhaps their father was married twice, or one of the Informants was mistaken.

Young Roderick dies with his cousin, (another Roderick Ross, see Reiff 71-71), and two of that Roderick's future brother-in-laws, Hugh and George McDonald, (who are in Reiff 71-73) when their fishing boat is swamped 24 March, 1887.


Reiff 71-66


Donald McLeod          Head         Widr  55      Fisher man
Alexander  do          Brother      Unm   66      Pauper
Maggie     do          Daur         Unm      21   Domestic Serv
Murdo     do           Son          Unm   15      Hird
Annie     do           Daur                  12   Scholar
Donald     do          Son                10       do
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 14 of Enumeration District #2.

In the 1861 census Donald was in Reiff 61-14, with his since dead wife Christina, six children, a 68 year old sister Catherine, and Alexander who is listed above.

Alexander dies 20 July, 1874, single, aged 71 at Reiff of consumption suffered six weeks. Informant was his brother Donald above, who listed their parents as "Murdo McLeod, Tenant and Piggie McLeod m.s. McLean".

Betty (Elizabeth) McDonald at Reiff 71-73, Ann Urquhart at Reiff 71-70, Flora Campbell at Acheninver 71-99, and Christy McKenzie at Tanera 71-19 are sisters of Donald and Alexander. Their brother Murdoch has vanished since the last census when he was at Reiff 61-7, but two of that Murdo's children (Barbara and Neil) are at Reiff 71-64.

Annie was born 22 June, 1858, and young Donald was born 5 July, 1860.

Young Murdo marries 19 September, 1895 at Oban to Catherine Fraser (from her parentage not likely a Coigach Fraser), his family is at Oban in the 1901 census, and Kilmartin Village in 1911, but sometime after that they look to have moved to Balintore in Easter Ross, where he died at the Balintore Hotel, memorial stone for the family is in the Fodderty burial ground, from the stone and censuses they had at least six children. At marriage Murdo was noted as a tailor, at burial a master tailor.


Reiff 71-67


Margaret McLennan      Wife         Mar      42   Crofters Wife
Murdo       do         Son          Unm   19      Fisherman
Christy      do        Daur         Unm      16   General Serv
Alexander     do       Son                12      Scholar
John         do        Son                10       Do
Bell         do        Daur                   7    Do
Ann          do        Daur                   5
Angus        do        Son                 3
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 14 of Enumeration District #2.

This family appeared in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-16, along with Margarets now missing husband, Alexander. Both parents, with seven unmarried children are in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-13.

Alexander is a brother of Kenneth in Reiff 71-59, and of Isabella MacLeod at Reiff 71-56. Their parents John McLennan and Isabella McKenzie have died since the last census at Reiff 61-15, she on 1 March, 1863, and he on 10 February, 1864.

Margaret was a McLeod, and her next youngest sibling was called Angus. I am pretty certain young Angus above was named in honour of his uncle, who last showed up in the 1851 census at Reiff 51-84.


Reiff 71-68


Murdo McLeod           Head         Mar   80      Crofter
Annabella   do         Wife         Mar      76
Janet      do          Daur         Unm      50   General Servant
Ann        do          Daur         Unm      28   General Serv
Janet McLeay           GranDaur              12   Scholar
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 14 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-18. Annabella and probably Murdo die before the next census, as Janet and Ann appear at Reiff 81-15 with their brother Hugh as Head of Household.

Likely the death registration of Murdo is the one as 24 July, 1876, aged 92 years, at Altandhu, it notes him as married but does not identify the wife, his parents noted as having been John MacLeod, fisherman, and Mary, maiden surname MacLean, Informant his son John (last identified in the 1841 census).

Annabella dies 22 May, 1872 at Reiff aged 75 years. The registration notes her parents had been Donald McLean, Carpenter, and Chirsty McLean, Informant was her son Hugh.

Murdo and Annabella were married 9 March, 1818, he was from Reiff, and she was a McLean from Altandhu.

One of the children of this family, Rachel, who appeared in the 1841 census, became the second wife of Donald McLeay of Letters in Lochbroom Parish 25 February, 1852 (see 61rachel). Donald was a half brother of Mary McLeay, who marries a John McKenzie at Letters, and is a gt-gt-gt-grandmother of Catherine "Cela" Beale in New Zealand (CONTACT INFO). Janet McLeay, a daughter of Donald and Rachel, is listed above.

Annabella has a brother, Alexander McLean, cannot see him in this census but his 1876 death registration at Altandhu confirms they had the same parents, he was in the 1861 census at Altandhu 61-14. She also had a sister Catherine McKenzie, who died shortly after the 1861 census when she was at Reiff 61-4.


Reiff 71-69


Donald Urquhart        Head         Mar   38      Fisherman
Annabella    do        Wife         Mar      36
Murdo       do         Son                 3
Alexander   do         Son                6m
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 14 of Enumeration District #2.

Donald is unmarried and living with his parents Murdoch Urquhart and Ann McLeod in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-19. Annabella was a MacKenzie from Ullapool, and so does not appear in earlier Reiff censuses, they were married 7 February, 1867.

In the 1881 census this family is the second household of the next community, Camusglassellan, see Camusglassellan 81-2.

Donald dies 22 August, 1893, and Annabella dies 17 November, 1922.

Murdo was born 4 July, 1868, and Alexander was born 9 October, 1870.

Young Alexander marries in 1906, and dies in 1923, he is an ancestor of the Urquhart family at Troon. Bill Hurring (CONTACT INFO) has been researching the Urquharts for Kirsteen Urquhart of Troon.

Donald's widowed mother Ann, and four of his siblings, are in the next household (Reiff 71-70).


Reiff 71-70


John Urquhart          Head         Unm   40      Fisherman
Ann     do             Mother       W        78   Fisherman's Widow
                     -- page break --
Ann Urquhart           Sister       Unm      48   General Serv
Margaret   do          Sister       Unm      38   General Serv
Henny      do          Sister       Unm      34   General Serv
Murdo McLennan         Servant      Unm   17      Herd
Mgie Ross              GranDau                6   Scholar
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on pages 14 and 15 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-19. In 1881 they are at Reiff 81-14.

Ann's husband, Murdoch, died 9 June, 1867. She is marked as blind in this and the next census, she herself dies 13 October, 1884.

Ann has siblings in this census, Donald and Alexander MacLeod at Reiff 71-66, Elizabeth "Betty" MacDonald at Reiff 71-73, Flora Campbell at Acheninver 71-99, and Christy McKenzie at Tanera 71-19. Their brother Murdoch has vanished since the last census when he was at Reiff 61-7, but two of that Murdo's children (Barbara and Neil) are at Reiff 71-64.

Donald in the previous household (Reiff 71-69) is a son of Ann's.

Another sibling of this family, Mary, is wife in the McLennan family at Reiff 71-59, Murdo McLennan above is her son.

John led an interesting life! He was christened in 1827, and died unmarried in 1913. Between the 1861 census and the end of the U.S. Civil War he was a "runner". See shok.htm

Margaret above was christened 9 February, 1829, she dies unmarried 1 June, 1902.

Henny ("Henrietta" or "Euphemia" in other records) was christened 14 July, 1833. She dies unmarried 16 November, 1922. Bill Hurring (CONTACT INFO) has found the marriage registration of Maggie Ross to Simon McLeod 8 March, 1894 lists her mother as Henny Urquhart, but does not include a fathers name. The I.G.I. has registry of the birth 8 April, 1865 of "Margaret Urquhart", with again only the mother, Henny, listed.


Reiff 71-71


Rory Ross              Head         Unm   28      Fisherman
Janet do               Mother       W        54   General Serv
Janet do               Daur         Unm      26   General Serv
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 15 of Enumeration District #2.

Janet and Roderick, with three of his siblings, were in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-20.

Janet (the mother) was maiden named MacKenzie, she has two brothers in this census; Duncan in Reiff 71-76, and Hugh in Faochag 71-80, and a sister, and Isabella McKenzie, at Polbain 71-21. A brother of hers, John, emigrated to Australia in 1848, and is an ancestor of the late Barbara Kolle of Melbourne.

Since the last census Rory's sister Ann has moved to Culnacraig, where she is servant to McLeod family, see Culnacraig 71-109. Ann marries Duncan Stewart, and is living with him at Badenscallie 81-13 in the 1881 census. Rory's sister Eliza is missing in this census, but reappears and remains unmarried through to the 1891 census.

Young Janet marries 4 February, 1873 to Alexander McLeod, a son of the family at Reiff 71-61. In the 1861 census she was a servant to a McLeod family in the neighboring community of Camusglasellan, see Camusglassellan 61-27. Alexander and Janet have four children by time of the 1881 census at Reiff 81-7.

Young Rory ("Roderick") marries Maggie MacDonald from Reiff 71-73 and has five children. He dies with his cousin, (another Roderick Ross, see Reiff 71-65), and two of his future brother-in-laws, Hugh and George McDonald, when their fishing boat is swamped 24 March, 1887.


Reiff 71-72


Norman McLean          Head         Mar   46      Fisherman
Mary    do             Wife         Mar      36
Mary    do             Daur                   9   Scholar
Lexy    do             Daur                   7    Do
Donald  do             Son                 3
Bell    do             Daur                   1
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 15 of Enumeration District #2.

In the 1861 census Norman and Mary, with Mary's widowed mother Isabella, were at Reiff 61-24. By time of the 1881 census, Norman is a widower, living with two of his daughters at Reiff 81-19.

The death of Mary is registered as 12 March, 1877 at Reiff aged 48 years, Informant her husband Norman, her parents noted as having been Donald MacLeod and Bella, Maiden Surname MacLeod.

Norman McLean married Mary McLeod 21 March, 1861 in the neighbouring Parish of Assynt, Sutherland. The births of three of their children are registered in Lochbroom Parish;

  1. Mary, born 10 March, 1862,
  2. Alexanderina ("Lexy" above), born 6 January, 1864,
  3. unnamed female, born 4 October, 1866 (died young?).

Margaret McLeod at Reiff 71-60, and Alexander McLeod at Reiff 71-57 are siblings of Mary.


Reiff 71-73


Donald McDonald        Head         Mar   65      Crofter
Betty     Do           Wife         Mar      54
Bell      do           Daur         Unm      18   Domestic Serv
John       do          Son          Unm   16      Hird
Hugh       do          Son                14      Hird
George     do          Son                12      Scholar
Alexander   do         Son                10         Do
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 15 of Enumeration District #2.

This family appeared in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-23. In 1881 they are at Reiff 81-18.

Donald's mother Catherine "Ketty" died shortly after the last census, 23 June, 1861 aged 96 years. Her death registration lists her parents as Hugh McLeod and Catherine McLeod.

Donald and Betty (born "Elizabeth McLeod") are my gt-gt-grandparents through their daughter Chirsty ("Christy" or "Christina"). Chirsty is in this census at Lower Arboll in Tarbat Parish, where she married my gt-grandfather, Andrew Ross, in December 1870.

Two other daughters of Donald from his first two wifes also went to Easter Ross (Tarbat and Tain) before this census. Catherine first who married William Corbett in 1854 (at a neighboring Arboll farm to the Tarbat Rosses!), and the first Margaret of this family, who I think I have traced to the Tain Poor House with one or two children.

Another daughter, also called Margaret or Maggie (?!), marries Roderick "Rory" Ross who is in Reiff 71-71. They have five children before his tragic death when his fishing boat is swamped 24 March, 1887, killing him, Hugh and George McDonald above, and his cousin Roderick Ross, who is at Reiff 71-65.

Two sons of this household, Donald and John, have disapeared since the 1861 census, they and young Alexander above emigrate to New Zealand (Donald and John sometime in the 1880s, and Alexander sometime after the 1891 census). Margaret Ward in New Zealand (CONTACT INFO), is a granddaughter of John, she has sent me the follwing info on the three brothers;

"Donald Brown McDonald and Alexander McDonald went with (John). Neither of the brothers married - Donald had a butcher's shop and Alec was a shepherd and met an untimely death in a dray accident. John has approx 40 living descendants - about 10 in Australia and the rest in NZ except for our son, Derek, who is presently living in Germany."

John's wife in New Zealand, Isabella MacLean, was a daughter of Coigach people as well, her father Murdo MacLean was from Altandhu, and her mother Hughina MacLeod was from Polbain. Hughina was in the 1841 census of Polbain at Polbain 41-3.

Donald and Alexander McLeod in Reiff 71-66, and Ann Urquhart in Reiff 71-70 are siblings of Betty. Barbara and Neil MacLeod at Reiff 71-64 are children of her brother Murdo.

Elizabeth "Betty" has siblings in this census, Donald and Alexander MacLeod at Reiff 71-66, Ann Urquhart at Reiff 71-70, Flora Campbell at Acheninver 71-99, and Christy McKenzie at Tanera 71-19. Their brother Murdoch has vanished since the last census when he was at Reiff 61-7, but two of that Murdo's children (Barbara and Neil) are at Reiff 71-64.


Reiff 71-74


Christy McLean         Daur         Unm      22   General Serv
Jean McLean            Serv         Unm      16   Domestic Serv
Kenneth  do            Son                14      Hird
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 15 of Enumeration District #2.

This census listing has no one listed as "Head of Household", I think half the form was lost.

These three were in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-22 with their widowed mother Mary (maiden name MacLennan), and three other siblings.

Margaret McLennan at Reiff 71-67 is wife of Alexander, a brother of the missing Mary in this family, and Kenneth in Reiff 71-59 and Isabella MacLeod at Reiff 71-56 are also siblings.

Kenneth and Christy show up in the 1881 census with their widowed mother Mary at Reiff 81-17.


Reiff 71-75


William McLeod         Head         Mar   63      Fisherman
Ann   do               Wife         Mar      50
Ketty McLeod           Daur         Unm      22   Domestic Serv
John     do            Son          Unm   16      Hird
---(scratched out household separator line!)---
Kenneth McLeod         Son          Mar   37      Fisherman
Johanna    do          Wife         Mar      30
Rory McLeod            Son                2m
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 16 of Enumeration District #2.

In 1861 this family was at Altandhu 61-1. In the 1881 census William and Ann are at Reiff 81-20 with John, John's wife Christina, and that couples eight month old daughter Mary. Also with them is a seven year old grand daughter named Elizabeth, who I assume is daughter of Kenneth and Johanna.

William McLeod married 1 March, 1832 to Ann McDonald.

William and Ann had a son Roderick with them in the 1861 census. He was a fisherman who died single 18 April, 1867 aged 27 years.

Kenneth and Johanna are in the 1881 census with three children at Reiff 81-21.

William's mother Christina McLeod died 3 May, 1862 aged 78. Her death registration lists her parents as Roderick McLeod and Isabella McKenzie. It lists her marital status as "single (illegitamate)", and the Informant was her grandson, the Kenneth above.

The marriage register for 1870 has the wedding of Kenneth and Johanna, with some more details! Ann was maiden surname Macdonald, and Johanna was from the island of Tanera, where her parents were Duncan Macleod and Mary McKenzie. Johanna can be seen as a six month old child with her parents (and grandparents?) at Tanera 41-1.

I think Ann's age as given in this census was not accurate. Later censuses and her death registration in 1894 give her an age consistent with an Ann MacDonald registered as an illegitamate birth to William MacDonald at Dornie 29 July, 1812. Also if Ann was mother of Kenneth above with the ages in this census she was a twelve year old bride! Ann's death registration lists her mother as Mary McLeod.

This family is referred to in the book ; "Cromartie ; Highland life 1650-1914" (SOURCE) on page 308. According to that source, William Gunn, the Factor of the estate recorded in 1887 that Kenneth was the Tenant, with his wife and three children, and that his parents lived in their own house on the lot with two other sons. This is reflected in the 1881 census returns at Reiff 81-20 and Reiff 81-21. At that time Kenneth had five cattle and twelve sheep, and had a boat for the salmon fishing; he had built his house, barn, and byre about ten years before without assistance from the estate, which must mean a few years after this census.

The source also says that his father's house, presumably the home in this census, was thatched and had two chimneys. Kenneth had possessed the lot since about 1862, and was in debt for both rent and meal, and the stated presumption is the debt was a legacy of the famine several years before. The rental book quoted by the source said; "has no cattle he can sell at the moment".


Reiff 71-76


Duncan McKenzie        Head         Mar   63      Fisherman
Ann      do            Wife         Mar      59
Donald     do          Son          Unm   21      Fisherman
Duncan Morison         Visitor             5
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 16 of Enumeration District #2.

This family appeared in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-26. They are in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-22.

Hugh in Faochag 71-80, Janet Ross in Reiff 71-71, and and Isabella McKenzie at Polbain 71-21 are siblings of Duncans. A brother of Duncan's, John, emigrated to Australia in 1848, and is an ancestor of the late Barbara Kolle of Melbourne.

Ann is the only person in this census whose birthplace is not listed as "Ross Shire". She is marked as from "Sutherland Shire". From other censuses, she was from the village of Lochinver in the Parish of Assynt.

Though listed as a fisherman in this census, Duncan took to the land by time of the 1881 census. A few years after that in 1883 he testified to the Napier Commission on the plight of the crofters on behalf of the young fishermen of Reiff. His testimony was quite moving, Alan Mckenzie (CONTACT INFO) wrote an article based on, and including much of it for the Clan MacKenzie Canada newsletter "Caber Feidh". Alan has allowed me to make a file of it, see; duncan.htm

Duncan in his testimony said his family had left him, some of them died, and the females married; "they have taken wing and flown away". One of those daughters, Mary, married 12 February, 1863 to Hugh Morrison in the Parish of Fodderty. Hugh and Mary lived in Lochbroom Parish though, as the I.G.I. shows the births of two of their children there; Jane born 26 August, 1864, and young Duncan above born 15 February, 1866. Duncan is in the 1881 census at Achiltibuie 81-23 with his parents, and six siblings.

Another daughter, Margaret has death registered as 1 March, 1876 at Reiff of consumption, aged 32 years, married to John MacLean, shoemaker, they are in this census at Altandhu 71-51.

Donald dies unmarried 13 September, 1878 at Dornie, likely at the home of his sister Hettie, age noted as 29 years. Interesting that at time of death his occupation was noted as "Asylum Attendant".


Camusglassellan 71-77


Ann McLeod             Wife         Mar      53   Crofters Wife
Murdo   do             Son          Unm   12      Scholar
Ketty    do            Daur                  10     do
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 16 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was at Camusglassellan 61-28 in the previous census, and in 1881 they are at Camusglassellan 81-1.

Ann's missing husband in this census is Norman, he is a brother of Murdo in the next household (Camusglassellan 71-78).

Ann was a MacLeod from Culnacraig (I think one of the "Bain" MacLeods there).


Camusglassellan 71-78


Murdo McLeod           Head         Mar   47      Crofter
Christy  do            Wife         Mar      54
Hugh Ross              GranSon            10      Scholar
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 16 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was in the 1861 census at Camusglassellan 61-27. In the 1881 census with both Murdo and Christy being dead Donald and Annabella Urquhart who are now at Reiff 71-69 have moved into this croft, See Camusglassellan 81-2.

I think Murdo was a son of the McLeod family who were in the 1861 census at Reiff 61-18.

Christy "Christina" dies 21 October, 1876 aged "70 years" as a Widow at the home of Bella MacLeod at Faochag 71-79. The registration notes her parents had been Roderick Ross and Catherine, Maiden Surname MacLeod.

Roderick "Rory" Ross in Camusglassellan 71-65 is a brother of Christy. The Hugh Ross listed above as grandson is actually a nephew, son of Rory. Interesting that the death registration details for Rory differ on their mother's Maiden Surname, giving "McLennan" instead of "McLeod", perhaps their father was married twice, or one of the Informants was mistaken.

Hugh Ross shows up with his widowed mother Margaret in the 1881 census at Reiff 81-11.

Murdo's brother Norman is husband of Ann McLeod in the previous household, Camusglassellan 71-77.


Faochag 71-79


Bell McLeod            Wife         Mar      52   Shepherd Wife
Maggie    do           Daur         Unm      20   Domestic Serv
Donald    do           Son          Unm   18      Shephard
Ann      do            Daur         Unm      14   General Serv
Christy   do           Daur                  12   Scholar
Murdo     do           Son                 7       do
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on page 16 of Enumeration District #2.

In the 1861 census Isabella was at Faochag 61-31, with only a 29 year old servant, named John McLeod.

In 1881 Isabella is at Faochag 81-1 with three children (her son Donald listed as Head of Household). In that census Isabella is again listed as married rather than as widowed, but again her husband was not home.

Isabella was maiden surnamed Kerr. The Parish Register lists her marriage 31 January, 1850 to John McLeod, a Shepherd at Altandhu. That registration shows she was a daughter of Donald Kerr and Ann McLeod who were in the last census at Reiff 61-8.

The I.G.I. has the births of four children to John McLeod and Isabella Kerr in Lochbroom Parish between 1856 and 1863. From the I.G.I. and census data their children were (with some possibly missing);

  1. Maggie, born about 1853,
  2. Donald, born about 1855,
  3. Mary, born 15 February, 1856,
  4. Ann, born 6 September, 1857,
  5. Christina, born 25 April, 1859,
  6. Murdoch, born 17 December, 1863.

Janet McKenzie in the next croft, Faochag 71-80, Mary McLeod at Reiff 71-57, and Alexanderina "Lexy" McLean at Reiff 71-62 are sisters of Isabella, their father Donald Kerr has died since the 1861 census, but their mother Ann (McLeod) Kerr is an 80 year old Widow Lodger at a MacKenzie home in Achiltibuie, see Achiltibuie 71-35.

Donald MacLeod (CONTACT INFO), says a McLennan family history written by Neil McLennan in 1939, and annotated by Kenneth MacLeod in 1965, states the missing John McLeod was known as "Iain Ban" or "an Baiggar Buie". One of the two MacLeod families at Culnacraig was known as the "Bain" MacLeods, and possibly John was related to them.


Faochag 71-80


Hugh McKenzie          Head         Mar   53      Fisherman
Janet   do             Wife         Mar      50
                     -- page break --
Henny McKenzie         Daur         Unm      23   General Serv
Murdo    do            Son          Unm   20      Fisherman
Christy  do            Daur         Unm      17   General Servant
Maggy    do            Daur         Unm      13   Domestic Serv
Notes on this Household:

This Household is on pages 16 and 17 of Enumeration District #2.

This family was in the 1861 census at Faochag 61-30. In 1881 they are at Faochag 81-2.

Hugh has at least three siblings in this census; Duncan in Reiff 71-76, Janet Ross in Reiff 71-71 and Isabella McKenzie at Polbain 71-21. A brother of Hugh's, John, emigrated to Australia in 1848, and is an ancestor of the late Barbara Kolle of Melbourne.

There is an 1862 registration of the death of a six year old son, Donald, to Hugh and Janet, their location given as "Fuchag(sp?), Riff". The registration gives Janet's maiden surname as "Kerr". She was a daughter of Donald and Ann Kerr (see Reiff 61-8).

Isabella McLeod in the previous croft, Faochag 71-79, Lexy McLean at Reiff 71-62, and Mary McLeod at Reiff 71-57 are sisters of Janet, their father Donald Kerr has died since the 1871 census, but their mother Ann (McLeod) Kerr is an 80 year old Widow Lodger at a MacKenzie home in Achiltibuie, see Achiltibuie 71-35..

Before the 1881 census, Murdo above leaves Reiff, and goes to Inverness, where he becomes Attendant at the asylum. He marries 27 May, 1881 to one of the other workers there, Annie Munro. Murdo and Annie have ten children at Inverness, including two sons who go to Canada, and one who goes to New Zealand. One of the sons who went to Canada had a son, Ronald Hugh MacKenzie, Ron has lots more info on this family : CONTACT INFO


             End of the township of Riff


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http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach

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