Hi folks, I'm working on the much needed update to the Orkney GenWeb site today, I'd like to compile a list of known Orkney place names around the world, if you know of any, please let me know - including places with Orcadian surnames - someone told me there's a Rendall Road some place, (though I forget where) I'd like to know about those places as well. Thanks Regards, Anne Rendall Volunteer list owner Orkney-L and host of Orkney Gen Web http://www.rendall.net/orkney/ Surname interests include: Westray Rendalls, Stevensons, Seatters, Coopers, Reids, and others.

At 03:39 PM 8/7/99 +1200, you wrote: >Hi, I am seeking information on Mary MAINLAND born about 1845. She was the >daughter of James MAINLAND and Ann RENDALL. There were two brothers, James >(b.1837), and John Yorston Rendall (b1840). >Mary Married Hugh TRAINOR of Fifeshire (his parents were Owen and Margaret). >Mary and Hugh emigrated from (?) to New Zealand..Dunedin I think as their 4 >children were all born there. >I would be grateful for any further information. >Regards >Phillip Linklater >Auckland, New Zealand. Phillip, Somebody was asking me about a James Yorston Rendall not too long ago, I believe he lived in Vermont. I archived the first half of the year's mail, if you're interested let me know and I'll dig it up. Anne Rendall

Hi, I am seeking information on Mary MAINLAND born about 1845. She was the daughter of James MAINLAND and Ann RENDALL. There were two brothers, James (b.1837), and John Yorston Rendall (b1840). Mary Married Hugh TRAINOR of Fifeshire (his parents were Owen and Margaret). Mary and Hugh emigrated from (?) to New Zealand..Dunedin I think as their 4 children were all born there. I would be grateful for any further information. Regards Phillip Linklater Auckland, New Zealand.

Hi all, I'm going to be updating the Orkney Gen Web page at http://www.rendall.net/orkney/ if you have any suggestions for links please let me know, I'd be happy to ad them, especially if you have a homepage with your genealogy research you'd like included at the site. Regards, Anne Rendall Volunteer list owner Orkney-L and host of Orkney Gen Web http://www.rendall.net/orkney/ Surname interests include: Westray Rendalls, Stevensons, Seatters, Coopers, Reids, and others.

I came across this on the net.... it also has links to some US metis census Red River Settlement Census Source: Hudson Bay Company Archives, 1827 Red River Settlement Census, E.5/1. Copyright 1998 Gail Morin http://www.televar.com/~gmorin/27rrs.htm m corrigall

Hi Everyone, I am looking for any information on the family of William POTTINGER or POTTINTGAR and Margaret RENDALL. They lived in Tirlot, Westray, Orkney Scotland. William POTTINGER b. abt 1816 Married 20 Dec 1837 Margaret RENDALL b. abt 1851 d/o William RENDALL and Margaret DRAVER William Rendall was the owner of Tirlot and lived there with several of his children and their families Children: Mary b. 03 Oct 1838 George b. 07 Feb 1841 Jean or Jane b. 22 Mar 1843 William b. 11 Sep 1848 John b. 12 Jun 1855 William b. 23 Nov 1845 James Drever Pottinger b. 7 Jul 1853 Robert Rendall Pottinger b. 24 Oct 1857 The family disappears after the 1871 Census. My great-great grandfather came to the United States in 1873 or early 1874. I think that William could possibly be my great-great grandfather. I will be happy to share whatever information I have on this family. Thank you, Teresa Pottinger Geiger

Hi, I am looking for any information on the family of James POTTINGER and Mary DREVER. I think their son William may be my great-great grandfather. James POTTINGER c. 27 Sep 1825 Westray, Orkney d. ? Son of James and Isabella Cormick Pottinger Married 17 Aug 1846 Westray, Orkney, Scotland Mary DREVER b. abt. 1830 d. between 1898 and 1871 Children (all born on Westray) William b. 28 May 1848 James b. 28 Dec 1849 Thomas b. 25 May 1851 Mary b. 28 May 1853 George b. 12 Aug 1855 Elisa b. 25 May 1858 John b. 1861 Samuel b. 24 Apr 1865 Tomima b. 11 Apr 1863 Catherine Drever Pottinger b. 09 Jun 1868 Most of the boys were not with the family by the 1871 census, my great-great grandfather left Westray after 1874. Any little clue to this family will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Teresa Pottinger Geiger

Hi everyone, I am new to this list and would like to post the name I am searching. Jacob WILSON born in the Orkney Islands about 1850. He came over to Canada and worked for the Hudson Bay Company as a fur trader. He married Henrietta or Henrita and I am not sure of the surname. She was a Cree Indian who was born in Canada. I have been unsuccessful at finding any information on her and very little on Jacob. They had a son, James John Wilson who was born in Manitoba in 1886. He married Margaret Laidler. I have no other information other than, Jacob was from Orkney and would like to hear from anyone searching this name. I have contacted Hudson By and did get a little information but only on his duties working for them, no personal information. Many thanks Barb Swan in BC

I have just subscribed to the Orkney list' My family research includes that of my wife's. Her GG Grandfather was James Clark who resided at "the Barnes", St Andrews from about 185? to 1877 when he and his family emigrated to New Zealand. I have a lot of details on this family plus many interesting letters including one from James Stuart, Minister, that is also signed by the deacons of the Deacons Court about his impending emigration. I am interested to find out more about "the Barnes" which I gather was a farm of about 128 acres. Regards Gerry Doyle

Hello, everybody I must express thanks to Meg and Ken for their very informative responses to my previous message. For anyone interested, Reginald George SMELLIE's published verse from 1908 has been uploaded (earlier I mistakenly said the book was copyrighted 1906). And here is where you can click a link to that selection: <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oldtimes/yesteryear> Signatures of John Brass and John Spence are online, and soon I will upload an old map of Orkney. Much obliged, Dick Taylor At 02:40 PM 8/2/99 -0400, Ken wrote: >Dick (and others interested in surname SMELLIE) > >Reginald George SMELLIE was born 1880 and died 1924, the son of Robert >Scarth SMELLIE and Mary Lucy MACRAE. Robert Scarth SMELLIE was born 1855 >in Fergus, Ontario, Canada, the 7th of the 10 children of George SMELLIE >(b. 1811 in St. Andrews, Orkney) and Margaret Lendrum LOGIE (b. 1815 in >Kirkwall). > >George was an elder brother of the Andrew Smith SMELLIE after whom Andrew >Smellie TAIT, at the bottom of this string, was named, and which started >this string) and the 5th of the 18 children of James SMELLIE (minister of >St. Andrews) and Margaret SPENCE (my GGG-Gparents). > >Margaret LOGIE was the eldest of the 11 children of Dr. William LOGIE.DD >(minister of St. Magnus Cathedral (1824-1856) and Elizabeth SCARTH, >daughter of James SCARTH of Cursiter and Margaret LENDRUM. > >I have FAR more information on all of these persons, their ancestors and >descendants, but won't bore the list with it now. > >Dick, would you please send me any more pertinent details from the humour >book you mentioned, pertaining to Reginald George SMELLIE? > >Thanks > >Message text written by INTERNET:ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com >>X-Message: #6 >Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 21:07:29 -0500 >From: Dick Taylor <husker@sky.net> >To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [ORKNEY-L] Tait Family > >Hi, Caroline & others > >Only a couple days ago I received a book copyrighted 1906: _Caricature - >the Wit & Humor of a Nation in Picture, Song & Story - Illustrated by >America's Greatest Artists_. While browsing through those old pages, I >noticed something oddly reminiscent about a byline associated with poetic >parodies. The contributor was Reginald G. Smellie, and later it came to me >that I'd seen his surname on Orkney-L. > >(snip) > >Best wishes, > >Dick Taylor >Pawnee NeGenWeb <http://www.rootsweb.com/~nepawnee>

Dear Dick, Thanks for the web address. I am a descendent of the Brass family, and was delighted to see the signature. thanks again, Cecilia Drakopoulos

Here is another group of the 1891 Census sheets I had left from research for HALCROs. Please ask any questions you wish, and there might be more of the same surname in a later sheet, as they are in no specific order. Meg Greenwood - <finn@ionet.net> STROMNESS (Enumeration Dist 7): 'Newhouse' - has 2 rooms with more than 1 window John HUNTER (born Stromness) - head - marr - 77 yrs - Farmer Isabella HUNTER (born Gramsae) - wife - mar - 63 yrs 'Newhouse' - has 3 rooms with more than 1 window Colin GAUDI (born Sandwick) - head - mar - 32 yrs - Farmer Ann GAUDI (born Birsay) - wife - mar - 37 yrs George GAUDI (born Stromness) - son - unmar - 7 yrs - Scholar Colin GAUDI (born Stromness) - son - 2yrs 'Quarrybanks' - had 2 rrooms with more than 1 window John MERRIMAN (born Harray) - head - mar - 64 yrs - Farmer Mary MERRIMAN (born Stennis) - wife - mar - 56 yrs John MERRIMAN (born Stromness) - son - unmar - 21 yrs - Farmer William MERRIMAN (born Stromness) - son - unmar - 17 yrs - Farmer 'Cot' - had 1 room with more than 1 window Ann HOURSTON (born Stromness) - head - unmar - 68 yrs - Living on private means 'School House' - unknown rooms [scratched-out the nbr 5] Isabella SIMPSON (born Midlothian, Portobello) - head - widow - 67 yrs - Living on private means Isabella SIMPSON (born Midlothian, Edinburgh) - dau - unmar - 33 yrs - Elementary School Teacher Georgina MUTCH (born Stromness) - servant - unmar - 16 yrs - Domestic "Old School House' - had 2 rooms with more than 1 window James OMAND (born Walls) - head - mar - 57 yrs - Retired Schoolmaster Jane OMAND (born Walls) - wife - mar - 54 yrs William OMAND (born Stromness) - son - 15 yrs - Telegraph M- - [man?] David M B OMAND (born Stromness) - son - 13 yrs - Scholar 'Sourpool' - had 3 rooms with more than 1 window William B BEALTON (born Stromness) - head - mar - 33 yrs - Farmer Ca[?]oline C BEALTON (born Sandwick) - wife - mar - 30 yrs 'Weardith' - had 2 rooms with more than 1 window William WILSON (born Stromness) - head - widower - 86 yrs - Farmer Catherine WILSON (born Stromness) - head - unmar - 50 yrs - Farmer Mary STOOKAN (born Sandwick) - lodger - widow - 5[3?] yrs - Living on private means STROMNESS (Enumeration dist 7) all addresses listed this sheet were on a Street I can only decipher as 'S[??]ham Place' no house numbers or names given: - from previous unlisted sheet Christina GREY (born Stromness) - servant - unmar - 16 yrs - Domestic House with 4 rooms with more than 1 window Samuel LEASK (born Stennes) - head - mar - 71 yrs - Grocer Jane LEASK (born Walls) - wife - mar - 70 yrs Jessie C SABISTON (born Stromness) - dau - mar - 35 yrs Wm L SABISTON (born Sandwick) - Son in Law - mar - 35 yrs - Clerk Annie ROSS (born England, Liverpool) - niece, unmar - 25 - Dressmaker Alex. GUNN (born Swansay) - visitor - mar - 65 yrs - Farmer House with 1 room with more than 1 window Mary FIRTH (born Sanday) - head - widow - 39 yrs - Tailoress Maggie J FIRTH (born Stromness) - dau - 12 yrs - Scholar James T FIRTH (born Stromness) - son - 10 yes - Scholar Mary A FIRTH (born Stromness) - dau - 9 yrs - Scholar House with 1 room with more than 1 window Thomas LEARMOUTH (born Walls) - lodger - unmar - 17 yrs - Apprentice Tailor Andrew THOMSON (born Rackwick) - lodger - unmar - 17 yrs - Apprentice Tailor House with 1 room with more than 1 window James SABISTON (born Sandwick) - lodger - unmar - 16 yrs - Apprentice Joiner Houry [Henry?] GREY - lodger - unmar - 17 yrs - Apprentice Joiner House with 1 room with more than 1 window Georgina McNAY (born Sutherland, Durness) - head - widow - 66 yrs - Stocking knitter - spoke Gaelic and English House with 4 rooms with more than 1 window James MOAR (born Stromness) - head - - widower - 80yrs - Retired Ship Master Catherine MOAR (born Stromness) - dau - unmar - 48 yrs - Dressmaker House with 2 rooms with more than 1 window John C WOOLRIGE (born Stromness) - head - mar - 50 yrs - Baker Annie C WOOLRIGE (born Stromness) - wife - mar - 52 yrs House with 3 rooms with more than 1 window James WILSON (born Kirkwall) - head - mar - 52 yrs - Marine Engineer Mary Jane WILSON (born Ross Shire, Stoma - - ) - wife - mar - 34 yrs - spoke Gaelic and English Andrew WILSON (born Kirkwall) - son - 6 yrs - Scholar James A WILSON (born Kirkwall) - son - 4 yrs

Dear List, Thanks to everyone who has researched origins of the name "Tait" and Andrew Smellie Tait. He is a direct gggrandfather of mine. He left Orkeny (or England) on the 25 November 1865 onboard the LA Bang. He had a good and successful life here in Australia. I know of 7 brothers and sisters and possibly his father "Robert Tait" whom possibly married "Margaret Wick" if anyone can confirm this it would be greatly apprieciated. Also anyone with the 1851 census would be good as most of my Tait line must have left Orkeny Island before the 1881 Census. Caroline ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Dick (and others interested in surname SMELLIE) Reginald George SMELLIE was born 1880 and died 1924, the son of Robert Scarth SMELLIE and Mary Lucy MACRAE. Robert Scarth SMELLIE was born 1855 in Fergus, Ontario, Canada, the 7th of the 10 children of George SMELLIE (b. 1811 in St. Andrews, Orkney) and Margaret Lendrum LOGIE (b. 1815 in Kirkwall). George was an elder brother of the Andrew Smith SMELLIE after whom Andrew Smellie TAIT, at the bottom of this string, was named, and which started this string) and the 5th of the 18 children of James SMELLIE (minister of St. Andrews) and Margaret SPENCE (my GGG-Gparents). Margaret LOGIE was the eldest of the 11 children of Dr. William LOGIE.DD (minister of St. Magnus Cathedral (1824-1856) and Elizabeth SCARTH, daughter of James SCARTH of Cursiter and Margaret LENDRUM. I have FAR more information on all of these persons, their ancestors and descendants, but won't bore the list with it now. Dick, would you please send me any more pertinent details from the humour book you mentioned, pertaining to Reginald George SMELLIE? Thanks Message text written by INTERNET:ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com >X-Message: #6 Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 21:07:29 -0500 From: Dick Taylor <husker@sky.net> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ORKNEY-L] Tait Family Hi, Caroline & others Only a couple days ago I received a book copyrighted 1906: _Caricature - the Wit & Humor of a Nation in Picture, Song & Story - Illustrated by America's Greatest Artists_. While browsing through those old pages, I noticed something oddly reminiscent about a byline associated with poetic parodies. The contributor was Reginald G. Smellie, and later it came to me that I'd seen his surname on Orkney-L. (snip) Best wishes, Dick Taylor Pawnee NeGenWeb <http://www.rootsweb.com/~nepawnee> At 01:40 PM 7/30/99 PDT, Caroline wrote: >Dear Meg & List > >thanks for the tip Meg, yes I do have some details on my particular >side of the Tait family:- > >Robert Tait (born about 1810)wed Margaret Wick (they lived in "Deerness" in >the Orkney Islands). They had 7 kids that I know of: > >William Tait (born 5 May 1833) >Jane Tait (born 1836) >Robert Tait (born 21 Jan 1838) >James Tait (born 6 Dec 1841) >John Hamilton Tait (born 29 Jan 1843) >David Tait (born 1845) >Andrew Smellie Tait (14 Jan or Feb 1847) - MY Great Great Grandfather >Married Kate Ellis 24 Jan 1883 > >I would appreciate any further details on this family, in particular Robert >Tait snr and Andrew Smellie Tait. > >thanks again > >Caroline Tait

> From: Siriuspace@aol.com > Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 13:22:48 EDT > Does anyone know of any Taits or Taites who went from Orkley to the Red River > Settlement in Canada. I am looking for the father of Jane Tait who m. John > Spence at Ft. Douglas on 11/27/1820. > Gordon W. Pace Hi! The book "A Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada Before Confederation" Vol. 2, by Donald Whyte F.H.G., F.S.G. 1995 [ISBN 0-7779-0919-9] lists some Taits (etc.) but I don't know if they connect or not. Briefly: John Tait (ca1803 - 1879) from S. Ronaldshay, brother of William Tait - to Ft. Albany, James Bay 1820. Later at Moose River and ret. to Red River settlement 1829. M. Elizabeth Brown. ch: Jane bap. 1830 (as was brother Joseph) and others. William Tait (1793 - 1872) from S. Ronaldshay to Hudson Bay after 1812, and served in Rupert's Land. Later at Red River. Prob. m. Mary Auld 1823 - son William bpt. 1826. William Tait from S. Ronaldshay, brother of John Tait. To Hudson Bay 1818. James Tate (ca 1758 - ca1830) From Orphir Parish, entered H.B.Co. 1773 as Labourer and canoeman...... Returned home 1812 and resided at Stromness. He was brother of Magnus (b. ca. 1769) and possibly of Thomas (both mentioned briefly in book) and had children: Jean; Margaret; James; and William. All at Red River. [Jean and Jane are often interchangeable] Lots of other Tait / Tates in book but not all from Orkney. Book 1 also has Taits but none from Orkney. [Both books are available from the Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada] Happy Hunting! Stephen

Hi, Caroline & others Only a couple days ago I received a book copyrighted 1906: _Caricature - the Wit & Humor of a Nation in Picture, Song & Story - Illustrated by America's Greatest Artists_. While browsing through those old pages, I noticed something oddly reminiscent about a byline associated with poetic parodies. The contributor was Reginald G. Smellie, and later it came to me that I'd seen his surname on Orkney-L. William Taylor was my great-grandfather's younger brother, and he was included in my own writing about Orphir ancestors coming to the USA. Caroline, perhaps the William Tait also mentioned is your 19th-century relative: "Concluding their short stay in America sometime during 1853, William Tait and his family resolved to return home to Orkney. Joseph Halcro also aimed for those familiar shores. Some months earlier, all had left Scotland on the same boat which had transported William Taylor to the New World; but now they were expecting to be back in Orkney for the New Year." Best wishes, Dick Taylor Pawnee NeGenWeb <http://www.rootsweb.com/~nepawnee> At 01:40 PM 7/30/99 PDT, Caroline wrote: >Dear Meg & List > >thanks for the tip Meg, yes I do have some details on my particular >side of the Tait family:- > >Robert Tait (born about 1810)wed Margaret Wick (they lived in "Deerness" in >the Orkney Islands). They had 7 kids that I know of: > >William Tait (born 5 May 1833) >Jane Tait (born 1836) >Robert Tait (born 21 Jan 1838) >James Tait (born 6 Dec 1841) >John Hamilton Tait (born 29 Jan 1843) >David Tait (born 1845) >Andrew Smellie Tait (14 Jan or Feb 1847) - MY Great Great Grandfather >Married Kate Ellis 24 Jan 1883 > >I would appreciate any further details on this family, in particular Robert >Tait snr and Andrew Smellie Tait. > >thanks again > >Caroline Tait

At 06:38 PM 8/1/99 -0400, you wrote: >> As a new subscriber to the group, does the Orkney >> also cover the Shetland Islands. >> Derek Sharpe > Derek, This list is dedicated to Orkney, that doesn't mean Shetland is a forbidden topic it just means that people who signed up for this list did so because Orkney is their area of interest, some may have ancestors that came to Orkney from Shetland, I understand it was uncommon for Orcadians to emigrate to Shetland, but it has happened. There doesn't appear to be a Shetland list but there is a Shetland query board at http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/Scotland/Shetland Regards, Anne Rendall Volunteer list owner Orkney-L and host of Orkney Gen Web http://www.rendall.net/orkney/ Surname interests include: Westray Rendalls, Stevensons, Seatters, Coopers, Reids, and others.

In a message dated 8/1/99 11:00:13 AM CST, sharpe@ebtech.net writes: > Subj: [ORKNEY-L] Shetland Islands > Date: 8/1/99 11:00:13 AM CST > From: sharpe@ebtech.net (Derek Sharpe) > Reply-to: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com > To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com > > As a new subscriber to the group, does the Orkney > also cover the Shetland Islands. > Derek Sharpe > For some of us with Shetland connections it definitely does. My Orcadian relatives -- Williamsons, Irvines, Leslies and Eunsons -- all connect with Fair Isle via the Dispersia of 1832-33. They all ended up in Stronsay and definitely kept up the connections with their fellow Shetlanders via trips back, marriages, etc. Looks like being fishermen for once had some advantages! Anyone else with any other observations? Phil Pursley -- great-grandson of Margaret Williamson of Whitehall, Stronsay.

As a new subscriber to the group, does the Orkney also cover the Shetland Islands. Derek Sharpe

Caroline Your Andrew Smellie Tait was almost certainly named after the brother of my gggfather. Andrew Smellie (the son of Rev. James Smellie of St. Andrews parish, Orkney) was born at St. Andrews in 1820. He was ordained as the first Free Church minister of Deerness Parish in 1847, and died there in 1851. There is a large memorial to him in the Skaill church burial yard in Deerness. I can provide more details, if you are interested. I also know that there are Taits still very active in the church in Deerness. Ken Harrison Vancouver, Canada mcharrison@compuserve.com Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 13:40:53 PDT From: "Caroline Tait" <charliegh@hotmail.com> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ORKNEY-L] Tait Family Robert Tait (born about 1810)wed Margaret Wick (they lived in "Deerness" in the Orkney Islands). They had 7 kids that I know of: William Tait (born 5 May 1833) Jane Tait (born 1836) Robert Tait (born 21 Jan 1838) James Tait (born 6 Dec 1841) John Hamilton Tait (born 29 Jan 1843) David Tait (born 1845) Andrew Smellie Tait (14 Jan or Feb 1847) - MY Great Great Grandfather Married Kate Ellis 24 Jan 1883 I would appreciate any further details on this family, in particular Robert Tait snr and Andrew Smellie Tait. thanks again Caroline Tait