This is a very longshot, but I am at a complete dead-end with my ancester Thomas MacDonald and am clutching at straws that someone may be able to help on your excellent list. I have a great deal of info on my ancestor's life but have not be able to pin down his birthplace, which is what most of the family would like to know. Family legend says he came down from Scotland (the Orkneys was mentioned) seeking work and my research to date tends to back some of this legend up. He was a mariner and married in Watchet, Somerset in 1842, but his parents were not named on the marriage cert. I have found a reference to a Thomas Donald at the PRO, Kew, in 1836 working as a mariner on the Maria Elizabeth of Lundy (in the Bristol Channel). It seems names beginning with Mac are filed at the PRO under the last part of the name. He was stated to have ben born in Sutherland and was aged 16, so this means he was born 1820 or thereabouts. I have no more family info, except that by 1851 he was using the name of Bale/Bail as well as MacDonald and seems to have used both names after that - which makes my task a bit more difficult! However, I see that this was fairly common in Scotland at that time. Please can anyone help in any way (i.e. by having a Thomas who left home in 1845 or thereabouts. Incidentally, he was drowned off the IOM in 1886 at the age of 68 together with his 11 year old grandson whilst mate on the Lloyd. Ann, Torquay, Devon

Hi Ann Sometimes a long shot can pay off but I doubt it in this case. I looked at the IGI for you and there are only two Thomas Macdonald's born around that time. One, born 10 April 1822 at Farr to John McDonald and Janet Sinclair. Plus this one: Ann Gordon and William Macdonald married in Lairg on 9 December 1821 (SCR). They had the following children born in Lairg (SCR); Thomas, born 10 December 1821; Elizabeth (Betty), born 29 October 1823; Isabell, born 6 November 1825 and Alexanderina (Lexy), born 11 October 1830. Your best hope is that your Thomas named some children after any of the names above. I did wonder if his parents could be Macdonald and Bale but there is no couple of those names giving birth to a Thomas at that time in Scotland. Sorry I cannot help any further. Christine Highland Hearts http://www.highlandhearts.com/ -----Original Message----- From: PAUL WHITEHEAD [mailto:paul@underwood27.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2001 10:05 AM To: SCT-SUTHERLAND-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Thomas MacDonald This is a very longshot, but I am at a complete dead-end with my ancester Thomas MacDonald and am clutching at straws that someone may be able to help on your excellent list. I have a great deal of info on my ancestor's life but have not be able to pin down his birthplace, which is what most of the family would like to know. Family legend says he came down from Scotland (the Orkneys was mentioned) seeking work and my research to date tends to back some of this legend up. He was a mariner and married in Watchet, Somerset in 1842, but his parents were not named on the marriage cert. I have found a reference to a Thomas Donald at the PRO, Kew, in 1836 working as a mariner on the Maria Elizabeth of Lundy (in the Bristol Channel). It seems names beginning with Mac are filed at the PRO under the last part of the name. He was stated to have ben born in Sutherland and was aged 16, so this means he was born 1820 or thereabouts. I have no more family info, except that by 1851 he was using the name of Bale/Bail as well as MacDonald and seems to have used both names after that - which makes my task a bit more difficult! However, I see that this was fairly common in Scotland at that time. Please can anyone help in any way (i.e. by having a Thomas who left home in 1845 or thereabouts. Incidentally, he was drowned off the IOM in 1886 at the age of 68 together with his 11 year old grandson whilst mate on the Lloyd. Ann, Torquay, Devon ==== 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/ ============================== Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate your heritage! http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.250 / Virus Database: 123 - Release Date: 4/18/01 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.250 / Virus Database: 123 - Release Date: 4/18/01