Frank Wonder if any of this will help you. Firstly Christian Mackay and Alexander Matheson do not appear in the Graveyard inscription book in Dornoch. They will undoubtedly be buried in Dornoch but without a stone the chances of finding where are remote. There are more people buried without stones in Sutherland than with. I would love to be able to give you info on wealthy relatives in Sutherland but would struggle. These were crofting families who did not even own their own piece of land and in many cases survival alone was difficult. At Achavandra, Dornoch, there was a James Matheson who had a son Alexander. This Alexander Matheson married Jane Murray of Achvaich in 1793 and they had a son James, born 1807. This James Matheson married Helen Murray, daughter of Donald Murray and Elizabeth Gordon. James and Helen left Sutherland in 1858 and made their home in New Zealand. A large Matheson family in New Zealand flourishes today. As Achavandra, Achvaich, Skelbo, etc are all in the same area I would think your New Zealand cousins belong somewhere in this family. I cannot give you the name of my New Zealand contact as she has now gone into a care home and no longer wishes to deal with enquiries. Her successor as Clan Matheson Genealogist in New Zealand is a guy called Don something (Matheson?). If any of our New Zealand listers know who I mean perhaps his name will pop up and you can contact him. I have a very large amount of information with all sources etc on these families on my Murray Families CD. Christine --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.237 / Virus Database: 115 - Release Date: 3/7/01