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Margaret Fraser
Isabella McDonell
I have recently been contacted by Rebecca,
who lives in Northumberland, just south of the Scottish borders. Her 2nd
Great Grandmother, Isabella McDonell came from an area near Fort Augustus in
Bunoich. Isabella's mother was Margaret Fraser, who marriage record says
she was born in Stratherrick.
In Rebecca's own word, here is the story.
she would appreciate anyone with connections contacting here
here!
Ok, here's the story. I've used the name McDonell here, but it may have
been McDonald. Both have been used in the records, but the one that came
down through the family was McDonell. The living descendants of the male
line use this version and it was my great-aunt's middle name.
Archibald McDonell was mason and carpenter at Balfrishal, or Bunoich. In
1805, he married Isabella Baillie. Family tradition has it that she was
connected to the Baillies of Dochfour and that the couple eloped, but I have
found nothing to prove or disprove this. She seems to have been the
daughter of James Baillie and Katherine Ross and, if this is correct, was
baptized 27th Sep 1771. She and Archibald had four sons, all born in the
parish of Boleskine between 1805 and 1813. John, the eldest, had at least
two children, Archibald and Jane. Donald, the second child, presumably died
young, as the fourth son was also called Donald. The third son, William,
married Margaret Fraser of Stratherrick on 13 Oct 1841. William was, like
his father, mason at Bunoich. They had five children, also born in the
parish of Boleskine: Ann, b 1842; Isabella, b 1845; Jean, b. c. 1848;
Margaret, b. c. 1854 and Archibald, b. c. 1855. Margaret (the mother, not
the daughter), died some time between the birth of Archibald and the 1861
census.
Her daughter, Isabella, left the highlands some time during the 1860s and
found work as a maid in Edinburgh. In 1870, she married John Fraser, a
fellow highlander from Kiltarlity, Invernessshire, whom she had met through
the Gaelic speaking church. John and Isabella were my
great-great-grandparents. Isabella's brother, Archibald, remained in the
area and his descendants still have a house there.