Views about the father of these Blues, please
 

Rebecca Blue was born on the island of Colonsay. She never married, but had at least six (possibly eight - see note at end) illegitimate children, all before statutory registration. None of the births appear in the baptismal register for the island. These are the children that I've identified from census and other records:

- Mary McNeill, born c1822
- Ann McNeill, born c1827
- Catherine ??????, born c1833
- Neil McPhyden, born c1835
- Iver Blue, born c1838
- Duncan McPhyden, c1841

The only reference I have for Catherine is on the 1841 census - her surname is Blue. However, all the other children have the surname Blue on that census record.

This is the information I've gathered about the fathers.

1860 Marriage of Ann McNeill to Alexander Black
Father: Alexr McNeill.

1862 Death of Iver (English = Edward) Blue
Father: Duncan Blue, labourer (dec).

1864 Death of Mary McGlary
Father: .........McNeill, farmer.

1901 Death of Neil McFadyen
'Illegitimate fisherman...Duncan McFadyen reputed father, ploughman, dec.'

1907 Death of Duncan McFadyen
Father: Duncan McFadyen, ploughman (dec).

Are there three fathers - Mr McNeill, Mr Blue and Mr McFadyen? Or could it be Duncan Blue is actually Duncan McFadyen?

I can find Duncan McFadyen, ploughman, on the 1841 and 1851 census records - with his a 'wife' (no marriage record, though) and children. No sign of a Duncan Blue of the right age.

There was large-scale emigration to Canada (forced, 'encouraged' and voluntary) in the first half of the 19th century, so the fathers may have been long gone.

NOTE
1851 Census - Greenock
Alexander McNeill, head, 28, weaver, born Colonsay
Mary McNeill, wife, 30, born ??? Argyll
Rebecca McNeill, daughter, 7 months, born Greenock
Dugald Blue, visitor, 25, cooper, born Colonsay

Wondering whether Alexander is also one of Rebecca's children, given that his daughter is named Rebecca. Also what about Dugald Blue?

The trouble is, father's name on a death registration can be completely wrong, even more than on a marriage cert. Or it can be the name of a grandfather, uncle, stepfather, etc especially for an illegitimate child.

If Rebecca McNeill is Alexander's eldest daughter then she should be named after Mary's mother, if they followed the traditional naming pattern. But of course Alexander and Dugald could be Rebecca's children. I suppose you could look for their death registrations to see who their parents are named as but of course that means using up more credits on what could be a wild goose chase!

There is this household in 1841 (from FreeCEN):
Duncan McNeil 45 Mason
Sally McNeil 30
Kate 12, Effy 7, Petter 5, Margret 2,
Dougald Blue 15.

Their address is Baleromin Du.

There is some info about them on here:
http://www.linneberg.com/skye/colon2.html

I think it is saying they were on Colonsay?

Searching this lot isn't helped by the fact they were all illiterate and spoke Gaelic. Mistakes were made by ministers when recording relationships - father is athair and grandfather is sean-athair (translates as 'old father').

Colonsay families keep vanishing from British records due to emigration to Canada. Not sure about what is available in the Canadian records.

Even if Alexander McNeill and his daughter Rebecca McNeill aren't Rebecca Blue's son and grandchild, they will end up being linked in some way. Every family on the island seem to be related to every other family on the island.

Did notice that some public trees on Ancestry have Rebecca Blue's place of birth as Colonsay, Iceland! Should I tell?

I have an Agnes Blue who was married to a William Rankin in 1833 and Daniel Shaw in 1844. She's said to have been born in Kilcalman, Argyllshire. Her father was John Blue

With William in 1841

Source Citation: Parish: Rothesay; ED: 9; Page: 15; Line: 1040; Year: 1841.

With Daniel in 1851

Parish: Rothesay; ED: 7; Page: 3; Line: 12; Roll: CSSCT1851_116; Year: 1851.

Her children have Daniel's surname only found when I couldn't find some of the children's christenings - Daniel's children from first marriage were christened in Rothesay - OPR records are a bit sparse in Argyll & Bute at times.

So could it be that Rebecca was married at some point to one, two or even three husbands and kept her maiden name as some did in those days.

Therefore, Agnes is probably part of the Blue family of North Kintyre, which includes the parish of Kilcalmonell. Some of the Kintyre Blues moved to Rothesay. In Kintyre, they were millers - and part of the illicit whisky business.

Probably as Daniel's father was a distiller at some point iirc.

Daniel's mother is a widow in 1841 and is using her maiden name.

Any info on this for on this Mary? Is she the Mary McNeill that is with Ann McNeill in the household of Margaret Ross in 1841 Colonsay? Did she marry a 'McGlary' ? Where did she die in 1864? Did she have any Issue ?

Any info would be appreciated as my search of SCOTLANDS People have not returned anything.
Kind regards
Melanie

Ok so I got a few hits today, got Mary Marriage date and issue and grandchildren. Also got hubby widower next Marriage ...just not her (Mary) death registration.
Interesting ... The 'family' grows!

Hello Annickburn,

I've posted info about my McGlary branch in the 'Take 2 grandparents' section of the forum.

Mary McNeill married Thomas McGlary.

Here is some info on Mary McNeill
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/f...hlight=mcglary

Here is some info on Thomas
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/f...hlight=mcglary

After Mary died in 1864, Thomas married Rebecca Ward.

Mary and Thomas had the following children:

1 Thomas, 1852
2 Margaret, 1854
3 Margaret, 1858
4 John, 1860
5 Rebecca, 1865

John McGlary (b1860) married Janet/Jessie Steven(son).

One of their children was my great-grandfather, another John McGlary: b1887
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/f...hlight=mcglary

McGlary is a pest of a name to search. It's rare, but frequently mistranscribed.