James and Anne (McLean) McKenzie: before New Zealand - Cawdor Part 2

I am deeply grateful for the ancestral details, dates and data made available online by distant-McKenzie-cousin Daryl Coup. 

Please feel free to contact me if you can add any further details, or if you think there are errors in any of my details. Note: I have used "James Mann"  to distinguish  between our founding ancestor James Mann McKenzie and any other of his James McKenzie relatives or descendants. 

The Mckenzie clan was traditionally associated with the Scottish Highlands: Kintail in the northwest Highlands and Ross-shire (the historic county abolished in 1890)  which included Inverness-shire and Nairnshire. It seems our McKenzies were Cawdor  (Nairnshire) residents for some generations, although how strong their clan connections were is unknown. 

For further background information on Cawdor in the times of our McKenzies, read this blog post. 

A brief synopsis of our known Cawdor McKenzies:
1768  August 10, Duncan McKenzie, labourer, married Anne Macarthur  at Cawdor Parish Church.  (Either Duncan or Anne was born at Ardclach, Nairnshire.)  They had 5 known children:
- Duncan McKenzie baptised 24 April, 1769 at Andrain. 
- Peter McKenzie, born 1773
- Jean McKenzie, born 3 September 1775, at Andrain
- James McKenzie, born 9 June 1780, at Andrain
- John McKenzie, born 3 February 1787,  at Andrain (See this post for more about him.)

1801 February 17 Duncan McKenzie married Elizabeth Mann at Cawdor. They had 3 known children
- Duncan McKenzie, born 27 November 1801 at Achindown, Cawdor
- James Mann McKenzie, born 14 December 1803 at Cawdor, baptised 7 January 1804 at Cawdor. 
- Hugh Rose McKenzie, born 10 November 1808 at Andrain

James Mann McKenzie is our New Zealand connection. He was the second son of Duncan McKenzie and Elizabeth Mann, and through James Mann and several of his descendants, Elizabeth's maiden name of Mann has been perpetuated.  James Mann was a joiner (as noted in 1841 census) and could have been employed on various famsteads doing building /maintenance work - which could account for the changes of location in their children's  baptism records. 

James Mann McKenzie married Ann McLean (aka Julia Ann/e). Little is know of her background and,  when discovered, will be included in a later post.  

James and Ann had the following children in Scotland, according to parish records : 

Elizabeth (1828 - 1907) born 16th October 1828 at Drum of Clunas, Cawdor

Duncan (1830 - 1896) born 1st March 1830 at Newton of Cawdor  (a farmstead) 

Julia (1832 - 1912) born 8 April 1832 at Piper Hill, Cawdor. 

Hugh Rose (1834 - 1912) born 2nd June, 1834 in Drum of Clunas, Cawdor

James (1836 - ?) born 14 June 1836, at Little Urchany (most likely a farmstead)

Mary Ann (1840 - 1842) born c. September 1840 in Renfrewshire

So, where are these places? Note that some of them could well be the name of farmsteads or villages which have long since disappeared. In Scotland's Places  "Drum of Clunas" (in ruins) is the name applied to the ruins of a farm steading on a cultivated ridge about one mile southwest of Clunas.  It is on the Cawdor estate. 

Here's a link to a more recent map of the area. It is described as "A township comprising nine unroofed buildings, one of which is a long building and another two are T-shaped, four enclosures and a sheepfold is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Nairnshire 1871-6, sheet vii). One unroofed building with an attached length of wall is shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1978)." (See detail below.) 

If I have got my geography correct, it looks as if nothing remains today. The  pointer is where I think Drum of Clunas is/was. (See below.) 

Now that you've got your bearings, see if you can locate all the places mentioned above on this map.   And have a play around with this view of Little Urchany.  I think Little Urchany was a farm. Try this link to see the approximate location of the birthplaces of James and Anne's children in Cawdor.  I've used the walking option for a more authentic appreciation of the distance between locations, though roads or paths may not be the same then as now.  

By 1840 (according to the birth records for daughter Mary Ann), James Mann and his family had moved to the (then) county of Renfrewshire. 

 How did they get there? Did they walk? Did they have a horse and cart? 

Railways were being constructed about this time, but there appear to be none from  the Highlands this early in rail history - and could the family have afforded to travel by rail anyway? Whatever form of transport they took, it would have been a long and difficult journey. 

The distance between Cawdor and Greenock, measured in walking hours -  a huge distance in the 1840s. Note that this may not be the route they took. 

According to the 1841 Scotland Census, James McKenzie, aged 35, was living in Market Street in the County of Renfrewshire in the Civil Parish of Greenock West (564). It confirms he was born in Scotland, estimated year 1803 - 1806, and was listed as a joiner.  Further family details confirms that this is our James Mann: 
Ann McKenzie, age 30,  estimated birth year about 1810, born Scotland;  same address as James.
Elizabeth McKenzie aged 13
Duncan McKenzie aged 12, estimated born 1830
Julia McKenzie, age 10,  born 1832
Hugh McKenzie, age 8

Mary Anne  aged 9 months

It seems baby James (born 1836) must have died before 1841- either in Cawdor or Greenock - or quite possibly somewhere along the way where he may have been buried - as he does not appear with the family in the census or on the passenger list of the Jane Gifford, and I can find no evidence of his death or burial in any available records. 

 
Market Street has since been demolished and King Street was built in its place.

Interestingly, in the Greenock Register of 1841-42,  there is a James McKenzie listed at 27 Market Street, whose profession is given as spirit-dealer.   I wonder if this is our James Mann? It seems outside his previous employment qulaifications, yet an association with spirits appears likely to have been within the McKenzie skill set. It could well be a totally different James McKenzie, but worth a thought. 

Why did James Mann move his family from the country highlands to the city of Greenock?

James Mann and his family could have been affected by, or moved out of their Cawdor location through, the Highland Clearances (between 1750 and 1860)  - although research suggests that the Jane Gifford and Duchess of Argyle migrants were not from the clearances. More on this in next post.   Throughout many areas of Scotland, landlords were having to make drastic changes to maintain or improve their income in a time of significant decline in their revenue. One way was to instigate agricultural improvements, and this ultimately involved moving tenants off their land. Displaced tenants were either relocated into crofting communities where they were offered employment of lesser value  and status, or  they chose to migrate to cities or emigrate - initially to North America but eventually Australia, New Zealand and other colonies. A rise in population numbers created overcrowded and uneconomic crofting communities, and further changes in agriculture prompted many landlords to pay for selected tenants to emigrate to help provide an alternative opportunity. Crop failures during this time further exacerbated the misery and desperation of many Highlanders. 

It is probable that James Mann moved his family to Greenock to look for a better opportunity, either in anticipation of emigrating or to find work in the city - and once there, found information on emigration. Whatever the reason, he was in the right place at the right time with the right qualifications to board the Jane Gifford with Ann and his children to relocate to the other end of the world to a country in its absolute colonial infancy.  And to add to their own family and found a family of descendants which must surely number into four figures by now. 

The Murder of John Mackenzie, 1821

Who was John MacKenzie, farmer of Drum of Clunes,  and is he related to us? 

I found an interesting paragraph in an online extract of a book called Whisky, Wars, Riots and Murder: Crime in the 19th Century Highlands and Islands by Malcolm Archibald  while searching for information about our McKenzie ancestors in Cawdor. I have no proof that it is our John MacKenzie who is mentioned, but there is some reasonably credible evidence that he could be the uncle of our James Mann McKenzie. If he isn't a close relative, he - and the circumstances of his death - would certainly have been known to our ancestors who were living in the area at the time. 

If he is 'our' John McKenzie, this is how he fits in: (See previous post for same information.)

Duncan Mackenzie, labourer, married Anne Macarthur (born in Ardclach, Nairnshire) on 10 August 1768 at Cawdor Parish Church, Cawdor, Nairnshire. They had 5 known children - all born at Andrain (a small farmstead very near to Drum of Clunas and Mains of Clunas farmsteads): Duncan, Peter, Jean, James, and John, born 3 February, 1787.   Our family line is descended from oldest son, Duncan - who is the father of James Mann McKenzie, who brought his family to New Zealand in 1842. 

I have found no further details of John McKenzie/MacKenzie  but have strong suspicions that he could be the same person mentioned in the article below. At the time of his death, he would have been 34 years old -  old enough to have a son capable of accompanying him walking a reasonable distance. The article says he was a farmer at Drum of Clunas, which is the neighbouring farmstead of Andrain, where he was born.  James Mann McKenzie  and his wife Ann (born McLean)  were living at Drum of Clunas by 1828, when their first child, daughter Elizabeth McKenzie was born.  There were also other members of the extended Mackenzie family living in other neighbouring farmsteads.  If John was obviously very involved in the illicit distilling and/or smuggling of whisky, it can be reasonably assumed that other members of the extended family would also have been involved. Somewhere, I found (but cannot locate at the moment) a reference to our James McKenzie in Greenock in 1841 (the census?) with his occupation listed as a spirits merchant - which would seem to fit the extended family's possible connection with whisky (even though he was a carpenter as his 'day job'). 

But first, some background context: 

In 1707, the unpopular English system of customs duties and excise was introduced to Scotland.  Poverty, and a high tax on the essential ingredient of malt, helped spur the proliferation of illegal distilleries - without a licence - and the transport and  distribution of their product. Smuggling (tobacco, wine, spirits - but mostly whisky) boomed as a consequence and was barely regarded as a crime locally, with corrupt officials just as likely to be involved in, partaking of, or benefitting from, the illicit activities to some degree. 

Landseer's painting "The Highland Whisky Still" about 1820 - the time of the murder of John MacKenzie. The painting portrays the illicit Highland distilleries, often hidden away in caves in difficult-to-access areas. Note the entire family involvement.

Government officials tried to suppress the illegal trade, and excise men - or gaugers- were constantly on the lookout for, or following information on, the illegal trade. Excise men received bonuses for the amount of seizures they made; however, it was in their best interests of long-term job security to avoid the complete removal of the whisky trade. It was a dangerous job in an area that was rugged, remote, poorly roaded and sparsely populated, and they were constantly under threat of being attacked. 

Whisky production and smuggling was  usually an entire family or community enterprise, and the women were certainly capable of actively supporting and protecting the industry. It was known that the wives of smugglers sometimes exchanged whisky or farm produce with the wives of excisemen for information on future operations, and some excise men could be bribed.  By early 1800s, illegal whisky distilling was accepted as the only means of paying rent for a farm and was a way of life for many Highland families and communities.  There as a unique code of loyalty in the Highlands - once a man had drunk whisky with smugglers, he would never betray them. 

The illegal production and distribution of whisky had virtually died out by the mid-1800s. The excise men had become more efficient, the cost of licences to distill whisky legally were lowered, and pressure was put on landowners to evict tenants illegally distilling whisky. 

(Note: Peat reek is whisky distilled over a peat fire.) 

Extract from Whisky, Wars, Riots and Murder: Crime in the 19th Century Highlands and Islands by Malcolm Archibald 

Depending on the route taken, Nairn to Drum of Clunas/Clunes is a 2 - 3 hour walk. Drum of Clunes/Clunas is southwest of Clunas, very near the lake (Clunas Reservoir) which was not their in the time of our ancestors (opened in 1972). 

Here's a link to a short film  called "Peat Reek"   about the illicit whisky enterprise and set in the early 1800s in the Highlands of Scotland. It gives a very real portrayal of the place whisky distilling had in the survival of Highlands communities.  It's a delightful movie (26 minutes long) and well worth a visit. 

George Cruickshank - The Highland Whisky Still 

James Mann McKenzie 14.12.1803 - 1.6.1875 Cawdor background Part 1

This post is to commemorate the death of founding-father James Mann McKenzie who died 141 years ago today, June 1, 1875. 

James Mann McKenzie was born on 14th December 1803 at Cawdor  and was baptised on 7 January, also at Cawdor, in the county of Elgin.

The following is from information about the parish of Cawdor from the Statistical Account of Scotland 1834-45.   (Published December 1841 and revised March 1842) 

Cawdor is the English spelling and pronunciation of the original name Calder (Caladar in Scots Gaelic). In 1796, the "Noble family of Cawdor" were elevated to the peerage, and the then Lord changed the name of the castle, town and clan overnight so it would match Shakespeare's version of the name in MacBeth.  John Campbell was the first Baron Cawdor and seldom lived in his castle during the time of our James, residing in England instead and visiting his northern seat occasionally. Interestingly, he, too, died on June 1 - the same day as our James, but in 1821.  His son, John Frederick Campbell, was the first Earl Cawdor, and the current earl at the time of the statistics gathered for this information. 

John Campbell, first Baron Cawdor. 

Cawdor castle 

The parish of Cawdor lies south of the Nairn river, with a length of between 3 and 4 miles. Its breadth is less than a mile in some places, between 4 and 5 miles in other places, and southward across the Findhorn river it reaches a breadth of more than 16 miles.  At one end, the parish is a cultivated plain, rising towards the south into a range of hills  of considerable elevation, but still under cultivation. Above this is a large plantation of wood and above that, wide tracts of brown and barren heath. 

River Findhorn 

The climate is dry, mild and agreeable,  as it is sheltered from the sea winds. In winter, snow is seldom very deep, also because of Cawdor's sheltered position. The soil is light and summer crops often suffer from drought. 

In 1841 the population was 1150, with 270 families and 259 inhabited houses. A decrease in the population was confined to the highland part of the parish. 

Cawdor parish was the extreme limit of the Gaelic district, with nothing but English spoken beyond its eastern boundary. Both languages were in general use, although the "peasantry" showed a decided preference for Gaelic. The population was rural and engaged in agriculture. The land was not overly subdivided, nor were the farms overly large. Crop rotation was enforced and lime was starting to be used.  Improvements in cattle breeding were underway and a Nairnshire Farming Society held an annual event with prizes awarded.  

A common labourer's wage was, in winter, 1s 4d, and in summer 2s per day. Tradesmen earned  2s - 2s 6d.  This is likely in the area of what James would have been earning as a tradesman. 

They were, on the whole, "cleanly in their habits" and their dwellings had been improved in recent years.  The general character of the people was sober, regular and well-disposed, with no open vices to any extent and  over whom religion exerted a considerable influence. 

The church (must be the one in which James was baptised) was built in 1619 -  as a consequence of a vow made by the then third laird of Calder. He was in a storm at sea and promised to erect a more convenient church for the parishioners if he should return safe to shore. (Luckily for the parishioners!) It was extensively repaired and enlarged in 1830.  The people of Cawdor were all attached to the Established Church, with only one Dissenting family of the parish - who were not "natives" of it. 

Cawdor Parish Church 

The parish contributed to a Bible and a Missionary Society, and and collected other funds for religious and charitable purposes, with 50 on their poor roll.  A clothing society was supported by the Countess of Cawdor, who matched the penny a week was contribution made by each poor person on the list. An amount of 8s 8d per person per year was raised to buy necessary items of clothing at the beginning of each winter. The poor were not entrusted to buy the items themselves . . . 

There were four schools in the parish, with children of paupers taught at reduced rates. There were reading and sewing schools taught by females, and, with the exception of a very few old people, all could read and the majority could write. From this, we can assume that James, his wife Ann and their oldest children would most likely all have been literate. 

There was a postal service, one inn and two licensed spirit shops. The well-known Brackla distillery - thought to be the only one at the time using the Royal arms and supply the Royal table - has been in operation in the parish for many years. 

Two large peat mosses supplied fuel for the "people", and the "better" classes used coal from the sea port of Nairn.  (I'm thinking that James and family would have been using the peat moss. . . ) 

Cawdor - east of Inverness

 

Cawdor  (today) I'm fairly sure that Drum of Clunas was not far from the M in Mains of Clunas in the above map.