Hello everyone. I'm new on this list and am looking to correspond with anyone who may be able to help me establish a link to other ancestors or descendants of one William MacKay born circa 1790 married to Catherine Bethune, born circa 1795. I believe from family history that has been passed down thru the generations that these individuals may have been from or lived in the Rogart/ Lairg area. Catherine Bethune's parents may have been John Bethune and Flora Baton. Johm and Flora immigrated to Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada about 1816. John and Flora's daughter remained in Scotland when they immigrated and married William MacKay. William and Catherine had the following family: Alexander (1830), William (1832), John (1835), Donald (1837), Robert (1839), Philip (1842), Margaret (1846), William (1849). Alexander was the first to leave Scotland ( about 1858 ) for Nova Scotia. He stayed in Shelburne with his grandparents for a time and then went to visit some relatives by the name of ROSS in Pictou, later settleing in the Stewiacke Valley area of Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Alexander married Eleanor Brown and it is from these individuals from whom I descend. Alex's brothers, William, John, Donald and Robert also immigrated to Canada. William and John settled in Manitoba in the Canadian west. William was married to Catherine and John to Christina Murray. Donald was also married and died in Canada. Philip died in Oregon, U.S.A. The dates connected to the above individuals may or may not be correct so please consider errors if you think you may be able to help with this family. I would also be interested in pursuing the Bethune surname. To date I've drawn a blank in locating the death place or dates of John and Flora Bethune in Nova Scotia or connecting them with other Bethune's. Thanks in advance for your consideration in assisting with connecting this family to our ancestors in Scotland. Regards, Richard Graham Nova Scotia, Canada

Hi everybody I found the following in a book entitled "Invercargill's Pioneers". Invercargill is the southernmost city in New Zealand and was settled predominantly by scottish settlers. My own ancestors settled there having first emigrated to Canada, then onto Victoria, Australia then onto Invercargill, New Zealand, probably following the gold rushes. Anyway there was an Alexander Bethune mentioned in this book as follows: Rev. Alexander Bethune 1812 to 20-1-1893 Alexander Bethune was born at Kinghorn, Fifeshire and became a parish teacher. Joining the Free Kirk he studied under Chalmers and in 1848 became a licensed probationer. Four years later he brought his wife to Otago (NZ) and for a year was a teacher at Green Island (a suburb of Dunedin). He was 44 years of age when he came south in the "Star". On 2 March 1856 at Bluff he preached his first sermon in Southland with three ships lying in the harbour, the Provincial officials and intending settlers gathered round, and the seamen-settlers remembering, perhaps the visits of Selwyn and Watkins some 12 years earlier. He did not immediately settle in the South, but brought his wife and child down in the Star in November. On 10 November 1856 he preached the first sermon in Invercargill by the banks of the Puni and near the present Bank of New South Wales. Among those present would be Ligar (Surveyor-General)m, Macandrew, J.P. Taylor (later Superintendent) Sherwood Roberts, J.T. Thomson and his survey party, Kelly, Lind and the other few local residents. On their sections (9, 10 and 11) beyond Racecourse Road, overlooking the Waihopai, the Bethune's built their first sod hut, in the vicinity of Mr J.S. Robbie's present residence. Here, according to an identity, he taught some of his neighbour's children - the beginning of education in the Invercargill district. Apparently he later conducted a private school in the town, and when the first Education Committee was set up, he was appointed the first teacher, opening the school in the Courthouse in 1860 and in the schoolhouse (Tay Street) in the following year. In the meantime although he was not ordained minister, he gathered together the Prebyterians in the community and held services at Lind's hotel, the Customs - Post Office, the little goal, the Courthouse and in the schoolhouse. When the Presbyterian Church was organised he held for many years the positions of clerk to the Presbytery and senior elder. He reached the age of 81. His window, Frances Bethune, lived to the age of 87 and died at the residence of her daughter Mrs J.S. Baxter on 26 March 1906. Others of the family were Mrs Schofield and Mrs F.J. Cato (both of Melbourne), Miss Bethune and A.W. Bethune (Inspector of Machinery). Mary-Ann Farr Christchurch, NZ Searching McKay, Sutherland, Rose Richard Graham wrote: > > Hello everyone. I'm new on this list and am looking to correspond with > anyone who may be able to help me establish a link to other ancestors or > descendants of one William MacKay born circa 1790 married to Catherine > Bethune, born circa 1795. I believe from family history that has been > passed down thru the generations that these individuals may have been > from or lived in the Rogart/ Lairg area. Catherine Bethune's parents may > have been John Bethune and Flora Baton. Johm and Flora immigrated to > Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada about 1816. John and Flora's daughter > remained in Scotland when they immigrated and married William MacKay. > > William and Catherine had the following family: Alexander (1830), > William (1832), John (1835), Donald (1837), Robert (1839), Philip > (1842), Margaret (1846), William (1849). Alexander was the first to > leave Scotland ( about 1858 ) for Nova Scotia. He stayed in Shelburne > with his grandparents for a time and then went to visit some relatives > by the name of ROSS in Pictou, later settleing in the Stewiacke Valley > area of Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Alexander married Eleanor Brown > and it is from these individuals from whom I descend. > > Alex's brothers, William, John, Donald and Robert also immigrated to > Canada. William and John settled in Manitoba in the Canadian west. > William was married to Catherine and John to Christina Murray. Donald > was also married and died in Canada. Philip died in Oregon, U.S.A. > > The dates connected to the above individuals may or may not be correct > so please consider errors if you think you may be able to help with this > family. I would also be interested in pursuing the Bethune surname. To > date I've drawn a blank in locating the death place or dates of John and > Flora Bethune in Nova Scotia or connecting them with other Bethune's. > > Thanks in advance for your consideration in assisting with connecting > this family to our ancestors in Scotland. > > Regards, Richard Graham > Nova Scotia, Canada > > ==== SCT-SUTHERLAND Mailing List ==== > You may, at times, wish to check out previous messages to this list. You can do this at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/SCT-SUTHERLAND-L/ > > ============================== > Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2