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Donald Taylor1,2

ID#5276, (circa August 1776 - 9 July 1861)
Donald Taylor|b. cir. Aug 1776\nd. 9 Jul 1861|p5276.htm|William Taylor|b. cir. Mar 1749\nd. aft. 1799|p4563.htm|Isabella Finlayson|b. say 1751\nd. bef. 1860|p4564.htm|William Taylor|b. say 1725\nd. aft. Dec 1771|p10979.htm|Janet Smith|b. say 1725|p26393.htm|James Finlayson|b. bef. 1731|p13782.htm||||
FatherWilliam Taylor2,1,3 b. cir. Mar 1749, d. aft. 1799
MotherIsabella Finlayson3 b. say 1751, d. bef. 1860
Relationship4th great-granduncle of Lorna Henderson.
     
     Donald Taylor was born cir. Aug 1776 at Clayock, Par. of Bower, CAI, SCT, Donald's age varies with each surviving record, baptised Aug 1776, 1841 census and Donald's age when he enlisted in the 79th at Cork, imply 1772, both 1851 and 1861 census records imply c 1774 instead, and his dth cert says 83 in 1861, implying 1778. Given William's father is highly likely to be William and Isabella's James, that positions William and James ahead of Donald, so I'm going for the baptism year.1,4,5,6,7,8,9 He was christened on 18 Aug 1776 at Bower, CAI, SCT; Entry reads: Aug 18th 1776: William Taylor in Clayock had by his wife Isobel Finlayson a child baptised, his name Donald. Wit. Donald Taylor, John Mon (?).2,1
     Donald Taylor married Christina Macleod on 28 Jul 1821 at Halkirk, CAI, SCT.10,11
     Donald Taylor died on 9 Jul 1861 at Halkirk Village, CAI, SCT; cert shows Donald as a Chelsea Pensioner, died 9pm, age 83, of natural decay, inf. Donald, nephew (assumed to be brother William's son from second marriage).3,10
     Donald Taylor was in military service fr 1795 - 1818 in both the Caithness Legion Fencible Cavalry and the 79th Foot. However, if the 1795 start date is correct, this is more likely to be the Caithness Highlanders, raised by Sir John Sinclair as a 2nd Battalian to complement the Caithness Fencibles raised in 1794. The Highlanders were immediately sent to Ireland "where they did duty, in camp and barracks, during the whole period of the Rebellion", returning to Scotland in 1802 when they were disbanded. Donald however had switched to the 79th in 1800.6,12 He enlisted in the 79th Regiment of Foot on 27 Jul 1800 in Cork, IRL, aged 27, labourer by occupation, born Bower, Caithness.6 He ended military service on 18 May 1818 discharged as a consequence of being "worn out" which isn't surprising. His discharge papers show him as born Bower, CAI, and aged 45 in 1818. He saw service in Egypt, Copenhagen, Flushing, Toulouse, France and Waterloo, so I wonder if coming home to Halkirk was a relief or a bit of a quiet come-down?6
     Donald Taylor and Christina Macleod executed a deed on 9 Jul 1825 in Wick, CAI, SCT, A mutual dispositon ...Christian MacLeod before designed who declares she cannot write as never having been taught, we.....Signed Rob Rose, Alexr Barnetson, Will Manson, Will Doull, John Murray, Will Bremner.10
     Donald Taylor appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1841 Calder, Halkirk, CAI, SCT, with Christina Taylor, enumerated as TAYLOR: Donald 68, ind., Christina ditto 48. Also Isabella Graham 13, Janet Sinclair 8.8
     Donald Taylor was shown as the head of the household in the census of 30 Mar 1851 at Calder, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, with Christina enumerated as TAYLOR: Donald pensioner, 77 b Bower; wife Christina 58 b Halkirk.4
     The census of 7 Apr 1861 showed Donald with his wife Christina in Sinclair St, Halkirk, CAI, SCT, household enumerated as TAYLOR: Donald, head, mar, 84, pensioner, b Bower; wife Christy, 67, b Halkirk.5
     Christian MacLeod or Taylor apeared, as widow of the dec. Donald Taylor, Chelsea Pensioner, sometime residing in Sth Calder thereafter in Halkirk, ..Donald d. 9 July 1861.... No mention of any children, or list of inventory.10

Family

Christina Macleod (cir. 1793 - aft. 1866)
Marriage*
     Donald Taylor married Christina Macleod on 28 Jul 1821 at Halkirk, CAI, SCT.10,11 
Last Edited22 Aug 2008

Citations

  1. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Bap. 1776 Donald to William TAYLOR & Isobel FINLAYSON, extracted c 1993.
  2. TAYLOR, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Bap. 1776 Donald to William TAYLOR & Isobel FINLAYSON, batch C110342, Bower, extracted c 1993.
  3. BDM: CAI, 1861 Film 224395, Dth 1861 Donald TAYLOR, extracted Apr 1994.
  4. 1851 Census, ENG, Via Ancestry.com, Halkirk, CAI Par. 37 ED 9 Pg 10 Sched 30, hsehold of Donald & Christina TAYLOR, extracted Apr 2007.
  5. 1861 Census, CAI, SCT, Dist 37 Enum Dist 1 Page 3 Entry #22, extracted Sep 2003.
  6. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, Email report on 1795-1818 service of Donald TAYLOR in the Caithness Highlanders (or Caithness Legion Fencibles) and the 79th Regt of Foot, rcvd Aug 2001.
  7. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, WO97 index.
  8. 1841 Census, CAI, SCT, Halkirk Dist 3 p1 #4 ex Mellor films, extracted Sep 1994.
  9. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Aug 2008.
  10. CAI: Wick, Reg. of Deeds, SC14/40/7: Index of Defuncts: CAI p584 8 May 1866 and p585 9 Jul 1825, extracted Sep 1994.
  11. TAYLOR, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Marr. 1821 Donald TAYLOR and Christian McLEOD, Batch M110375, Halkirk, extracted c 1993.
  12. James T Calder, Calder's History of Caithness, Caithness Fencible & the Caithness Highlanders, Chapter 12, pp 211-3, extracted Apr 2007.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area. Corrections welcome
 
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