Draft notes:

Another line of research involved trying to trace where Roderick (Rorie Buidhe) MacGregor, William’s father, had lived. Census records and family lore said that William had been born in Gairloch.

Records were found of MacGregors moving from the Kinlochewe estate and settling near Gairloch in the late 1700s. See: http://www.kinlochewe.com/documents/Forpublication-SettlementsofWesterRoss-Copy.pdf

It was also found that a family of MacGregors had lived at Slaggan before moving to Londubh, near Inverewe. http://npollock.id.au/mciver/ This was potentially significant because Slaggan and Londubh were owned by the MacKenzies of Lochend, who had been previously identified as being one of the MacKenzie families from whose William’s stepbrothers could have been descended.

Mention was also found of a John MacGregor of Londubh and attempts to press gang his son into the army by the wife of the laird of Gairloch, in the History of Gairloch. A later story told of how John had died having fallen from a cliff. https://electricscotland.com/history/gairloch/g248.htm

It transpired that Kaye Dobbie had already undertaken considerable research into these MacGregors and produced another comprehensive family tree on ancestry.com . A categoric link to William MacGregor had, however, still proved allusive.

Details of our findings were sent to Gairloch Museum, whose volunteer researcher, Dorothy Smith, kindly produce ‘A Possible Timeline’ (See 19 ). Unfortunately, despite her thorough investigations and analysis, she was unable to shed any further light on the mystery of who were William’s parents.

Notes from Robert Russell:

'There is our Roderick/Rory Buy (Buidhe) MacGregor and (we believe) Margaret Mackenzie. Margaret is most likely as it explains why Roderick’s son, William named a child Margaret. We believe our Roderick was under the name of Roderick/Rory Buy in 1757 at Achtercairn as a tenant of Mackenzie of Gairloch under the name of "Rory Buy", it was during the proscription against the Macgregors when it was illegal to use the surname MacGregor. In 1781 Roderick & Margaret had a daughter, Mary, at Inverewe. He was later found at West Mellon (Mellon Charles) in 1800 as a tenant under the name of Roderick Buy MacGregor after the lifting of the proscription against the MacGregors in 1774. Later circa 1820 at Slaggan. One item that is interesting is that our Roderick supposedly lived to be 100 years old. My best guess is that he died circa 1839, if this is correct. Would it have made the newspapers ?

The other marriage is Roderick MacGregor, boat carpenter, b. between 1764 & 1778 and Christian Mackenzie who were employed on the property of Flowerdale. I believe they had 2 children that I know of, Alexander & Ann. I had ruled out this Roderick & Christian based on this Roderick of Flowerdale was in the list of men aged between 19 & 23 in Rossshire in 1797 Seaforth Muniments GD46. Our William was born circa 1786 so his father would have at the latest been born around 1766. In that list was also a Roderick MacGregor tenant’s son in Taags, so he also can be eliminated.

In the 1798 militia list there is another Roderick Buie at Inverlael, it may or may not be the same Roderick/Rory Buy MacGregor. This is interesting in that it places the Stewart and MacGregor families together.

We have been provided a tree which indicated a relationship with Robert Cameron, School teacher whose parents were Ewen Cameron and Rachel MacGregor. The tree has a pencil note that this Rachel is a sister of Roderick & Margaret’s son, William. When I traced that family down, his name was Donald MacGregor born 1739 to James Drummond alias MacGregor and Annabelle McNicol. In a book about Gairloch and it’s in habitants, it mentions a Rory Don or Don Rorie MacGregor and his son John who died. Donald MacGregor also had a son John. One problem to this is locations. We have Rorie at Actercairn in 1757. He married Katheren Mcgregor in circa 1769 at Rannoch. His children John, Duncan, Duncan, Rachel and John were born in Rannoch between 1770 and 1777, no other children. So it is possible that Katheren died circa 1777/1779 and he remarried in 1780 and moved back to Gairloch where he married Margaret. The tree states that Margaret was “a widow of the Mackenzie family of Gruinard”

My understanding is that Donald/Rory/Roderick’s father i.e. James Mhor settled in Poolewe after Culloden. Other curiosities we have found is that at least 4 of William’s sons were in the vicinity of 6’4” tall.'

Coincidentally, Robert Cameron's https://clan-cameron.org.au/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I57954&tree=cameron1 wife was Jessie MacDonald, daughter of (Angus) John MacDonald, Controller of Customs in Ullapool, whom he presumably met while he was teaching in Ullapool.

Robert Cameron’s mother, Rachel MacGregor, is shown in the Cameron tree as being ‘Dau. of ... MacGregor of Lerigan and said to be granddaughter of Alexander MacGregor of Ardlarich, 11th chief of Clan Gregor (McMillan)’. Rachel Cameron/MacGregor's death certificate shows that she died 25 October 1871, in Drymen, Stirlingshire, daughter of Donald MacGregor, farmer and Catherine MacGregor.

There is an account of the MacGregors of Rannoch 'Clan Gregor and its Settlement in Rannoch, a Review of Traditional Sources - Sheila McGregor' in the journal of the forth Naturalist and Historian volume 18 . https://fnh.stir.ac.uk/files/2021/10/FNH_V18_110307.pdf p95

Could Donald MacGregor of Lerigan been James Mohr MacGregor's (alias Drummond) son?

Katherin MacGregor is shown as living at Craiganoor on the North shore of Loch Rannoch, in the Fortingall parish register, at the time of mariage to Donald MacGrigor on 17/1/1769.

It is interesting that Donald MacDonald Ross records two MacGregor sisters, daughters of Duncan McG of Roro (1739/41 - 1818), being born in Innerhadden, a few miles to the East of Craiganoor, before moving to Ullapool http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/macgregor.htm

Ewen Cameron & Rachel MacGregor are recorded as living at Killichonan c1816-1821 This is where the MacGregors of Ardlarich were based. The last of this family was Captain Robert MacGregor who commanded the MacGregor company raised in Rannoch for Prince Charles' army 1745 http://glendiscovery.com/gregor-genealogy-6.html

Just north of Rannoch is 'the Cage' where Donald Cameron of Lochiel held up with Prince Charles after Culloden https://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/cameron.htm

Interestingly, the MacDonalds of Achtriorchan, who had several members who served with HEICS in India, lived only 26 km West of Rannoch. https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/familychart.php?familyID=F14643&tree This raises the question as to whether John MacDonald HEICS, Comptroller of Customs in Ullapool, was possibly related and whether Robert Cameron knew the family before moving to Ullapool.

Notes:

In 1766, A Roderick MacGregor obtains an 8 year tenancy at Taagan from Sir Alexander MacKenzie of Gairloch

In 1775, The same Roderick McG obtains a further 4 year tenancy from Sir Hector MacKenzie of Gairloch see http://www.kinlochewe.com/documents/Forpublication-SettlementsofWesterRoss-Copy.pdf

From Gairloch estate records at Gairloch museum:

https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/historical-tax-rolls/land-tax-rolls-1645-1831/land-tax-rolls-ross-shire-volume-02/8

Taagin Roderick 1767

Pollichlin of Smerifsary Hector

Anashealuh & Balness Hector

Anakeaun Murdoch/Murdo

Taggin of Kinlochewe Roderick 1770

Stronchile John

Torinoin Donald Torridon?

Incheril John

Polichulin Hector

Torranculin Duncan 1785

Stronteid John

Goulinour Roderick

Achnacairn Donald

Torranculan Duncan 1789

Bardcruoy ? & Hector

Public House John

Goulinour Roderick Deg

Ahanakaun Donald Officer

Smirisary John 1790

Taagan Hector

Pubilc House, Frascon John

Torranculen Roderick & John MacIver

Anacuan Donald

Smirisary John & Wid McPail 1791

Taagan Hector

Public House, Frascon John Bain

Torranculen Roderick & John MacIver

Anacuan Donald

Taagan Hector 1792

Public House, Frascon John Bain

Torranculen Roderick & John MacIver

Anacuan Donald

I thought that the Roderick & John MacIver entry was interesting, as Roderick could be Rory Buidhe and I had already seen a suggestion that the MacIvers in Lewis were descendants of Rob Roy.

At Slaggan:

Alexander MacGregor m Isobel MacKenzie, daughter C MacGregor m D MacIver, son Alexander MacIver b 1824 m Mary McK bc 1826. See Findon Table.

Roderick MacGregor (Rob Roy's grandson - William McG's b 1786 father? ) lived here with wife Margaret (nee MacKenzie) according to daughter Mary MacLeod's (b 1781) 1855 death certificate. Son (?) Roderick MacGregor born here 1821.

The 1871 Census details are:

Roderick McGregor, aged 50, crofter, born Slaggan, Ross-shire [which was about 10 miles north of Bualnaluib, on the coast]

Johanna McGregor, aged 30, crofter’s wife, born Bualnaluib

James McGregor, aged 6, crofter’s son, scholar, born Bualnaluib

Alexander McGregor, aged 3 1/2, crofters son, born Bualnaluib

Isabella McGregor, aged 1, crofter’s daughter, born Bualnaluib

John McIver, aged 80, crofter’s wife’s father, born Bualnaluib

Catherine McDonald, aged 12, cousin, born Bualnaluib

See http://npollock.id.au/mciver/ and Bualnaliub 1871 census.

Alexander (Grant) the Great Bard of Slaggan b Mellon Charles 1742. https://goo.gl/hyk2RW. Alex Grant evicted by Sir GS McK of Coul 1838. See 'Lairds & the Clearances' p55

At Ormiscaig:

John MacGregor had croft here in 1843. See http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/Books/NWRoss_1994/07_Caird_NWRoss_1994_pp_136-158.pdf

4 houses of MacGegors in 1841 census. See http://npollock.id.au/mciver/ & https://goo.gl/FxnLfE

Janet McG (60) and Hector McG (55) in 1841 census https://goo.gl/Zaa7RA

At Tournaig:

Tenants including MacGregors evicted in 1838 by Sir GS McK of Coul See https://goo.gl/1vGXd4

At Inverewe:

Roderick MacGregor (son Murdoch) is cited as living in Inverewe House in 1838. See 'Gruinard & Letterewe the Lairds & the Clearances' p55 Extract Decreet Removal Summons for Arrears Sir G.S, McK v Alex Grant etc. Lochend House, which was sited at Inverewe. Roderick Mcg of Slaggan's daughter, Mary (MacLeod/Fraser) death certificate shows born here in 1781. John McG reported as being buried in Inverewe churchyard. He had two daughters, one who married to Murdo Crobach Fraser in Inverkerry. See https://goo.gl/XPxWSw ch XXV See also Lochend House.

See https://librarylink.highland.gov.uk/LLFiles/9522/full_9522.PDF for historical overview of the area.

Strath of Gairloch:

Murdo McG and late Roderick McG cited in Sir GS McK eviction papers 1838. See 'Lairds & the Clearances' p55

There was also a Roderick McGregor who married Hannah/Joanna McIver (born c1839 – aged 25) on 25 February 1864 at the Free Church of Scotland Aultbea after banns. Both signed with an x. His declared age was 40 but was probably closer to 50, a general labourer of Mellon Charles and she aged 26 a domestic servant. His parents where crofter Alexander McGregor and Isabella McGregor (nee Mackenzie). They had the following children (unverified Ancestry tree): James Noble McGregor 1865, Alexander McGregor 1867, Isabella McGregor 1869, John McGregor 1872; Kenneth McGregor 1874 and possibly Peggy 1883. One tree gives Roderick’s death at Ormiscaig 30 January 1895 and she 30 October 1929 at Ormiscaig aged 86. See http://npollock.id.au/mciver/

Lochend, Iverewe, Londubh, Kernsary & Kirton House

Kinlochewe, Taagan, Londubh & Slaagan. Sites linked to Roderick MacGregors.