George McKay (1792 - 1872)

Born 1 Jan 1792 in Sutherlandshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 26 Mar 1872 at age 80 in Loch Broom, Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada

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George McKay was born in Scotland.

Biography

George McKay was born in the Parish of Durness, Sutherlandshire, Scotland, about 1794. His death certificate lists his parents as Donald and Christina McKay.^[1]

It seems that George and his parents came from Scotland about 1816 and settled on a 150 acre farm in Loch Broom, Pictou County. The 1818 census of Pictou County shows a Donald McKay with a family of 1 man over 50, 1 man age 15 to 50 and 1 woman. This was probably George with his father and mother.

He married Elizabeth McKay. She was born about 1810 in Scotland, the daughter of Robert and Mary McKay. Robert McKay was born circa 1780 in Durness, Sutherlandshire, Scotland and died 10 Jun 1848 in Loch Broom. In his will, dated Apr 1848, Robert McKay left all of his farm except “two cows, one horse and eight sheep” to his son-in-law George McKay. She died in 18 Oct 1888 in Loch Broom, Pictou County, NS and is buried in the Durham Cemetery. Her tombstone states that she was a native of Sutherlandshire. Her parents Robert and Mary are also buried in Durham Cemetery.

The 1838 census lists 4 George McKay’s living in Pictou County. George McKay, farmer is listed with 1 female above 14 [Elizabeth], 2 male children under 6 [Daniel, Christina ] and 1 female child under 6 [Mary].

The 1851 census lists George [male over 50], living in the Pictou County, Book 5, with a female 40-50 [Elizabeth], children: 1 male under 10 [William], 2 females under 10 [Catherine & Barbara], 1 male 10-20 [Robert], 3 females 10-20 [Christina, Mary, Jessie Ann] and 1 female[sic] 20-30 [Daniel].

The 1861 census lists George [male 60-70], living in the West River & Green Hill area, with a female 50-60 [Elizabeth], children: 1 male 10-15 [William], 1 female 10-15 [Catherine], 1 female 15-20 [Barbara], 1 male 15-20 [Robert], 2 females 20-30 [Mary, Jessie Ann] and 1 male 30-40 [Daniel].

The 1871 census lists George as a farmer, age 71, living in the West River & Green Hill area, with his wife Elizabeth, age 60, and four children: Robert, age 30, farmer; William, age 24, farmer; Jesse Ann, age 32 and Catherine, age 22.

The family religion was Church of Scotland (ie. Presbyterian).

George died 26 March 1872 in Loch Broom at the age of 77, leaving a widow and eight children. ^[1] His obituary in the 9 April edition of the Colonial Standard states that he had been a native of Nova Scotia for 56 years. In his will, he left his farm to his sons Robert and William. He made his wife, Elizabeth and son, Daniel, executrix and executor, and made provisions for his two unmarried daughters, Jesse Ann and Catherine. He is buried in the Durham Cemetery, Nova Scotia.

The 1881 census of West River, Green Hill, Pictou Co. lists Elizabeth, widow, age 71 residing with Robert, farmer, 40, William, farmer, 35 and Jessie Ann, 43.

Children (All born in Loch Broom, NS):

1. Daniel, b. 10 Sep 1830.
2. Christina, b. 1834, m. 8 Jun 1855 in Boston, Alexander Duncan Ross of Dingwall, Scotland, d. 1914 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bur. Oakwood Cemetery, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
3. Mary, b. 8 Sep 1835; mar. 2 Apr 1864 in Halifax, James Lean. He was the son of John and Jane (Richards) Lean, b. 18 Aug 1833 in Crofthole, Sheviock parish, Cornwall, England, d. 3 Jan 1921 in Cohasset, Norfork Co., Massachusetts. James and Mary moved to North Cohasset and had issue (surname Lean): Elizabeth, Annie, George, Frank, Katherine. Mary d. 22 Dec 1917. Elizabeth Jane Lean was born 12 Dec 1869 in Halifax.
4. Jessie Ann, b. 27 Mar 1838, unm., lived on the homestead, beloved by the community for her good deeds, d. 1905 and is buried in the Durham Cemetery.
5. Robert, b. 27 Dec 1840.
6. Barbara, b. 12 Aug 1843, mar. in Halifax, 10 Dec 1867, Thomas Robinson, d. 5 Feb 1922, bur. St. John's Cemetery, Halifax.
7. William Alexander, b. 10 Jun 1846.
8. Catherine (Kate), b. 10 Jun 1850; mar. in Loch Broom, 14 Dec 1876, Robert Robinson, d. 1905, bur. Durham Cemetery, Pictou Co.

Sources

• 1818 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• 1838 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• 1851 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• 1861 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• 1871 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• 1881 census of Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• Durham Cemetery, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
• will, George McKay, 1 Dec 1870

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Canada Deaths and Burials, 1664-1955," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F2PP-34W : 11 February 2018), George Mackay, 26 Mar 1872; citing Cemetery, Lockbroom, Pictou, Nova Scotia, reference cn 72 p 111; FHL microfilm 1,298,861.

Research

See Also Message Board Post 1998 re The Descendants of George McKay of Sutherlandshire, Scotland and Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Message Post 2002 Children of George McKay and Elizabeth Findlayson

Digital Copy History of Pictou Nova Scotia By George Patterson