Our Bains in Ross-shire

Traditionally, the Clan McBain, or Bain, or Bean, was located along the southern shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. I have found no links, as yet, to the chiefs of Clan McBain.

Knowing that Alexander Bain and Margaret Chisholm were Margaret's grandparents, parents of the emigrants' Alexander, the first location I can find for our family is where this Alexander and Margaret were married in 1796 - in Dingwall. Their marriage record in the Dingwall Parish records [OPR Dingwall v062/p237] reads: "Married June 10th 1796 Alexander Bain Servant in Lechin of Blackwells to Margaret Chisholm daughter to the deceased Don Chisholm or Millan."  

It is well-known that Highlanders of this time could go by different surnames. "Don Chisholm or Millan." This will require research at the Highland Archives in May this year.

Dingwall is the ancient county town in Ross-shire. It sits at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth, the body of water that forms the northern edge of the Black Isle. It's name is thought to be from the Norse name "Thingvollr" meaning the field of the council and the court of justice. Some say it looks a lot like Norwegian fiords with steep mountains rising on the sides. It was created a royal burgh in 1226 by King Alexander 11. Dingwall Castle is the only castle shown on Matthew Paris' 13th century maps of Scotland, as Castrum Dinkeual. Sadly it no longer stands. Dingwall was a major crossroads for the railway, where lines going west to the Kyle of Lochalsh and north to Wick in Caithness diverged from the main lines from the south.

At the southern edge of Dingwall is Ferintosh, famous as the first legal distillery in Scotland formed in 1690. In the late 1700s the estate was selling more whisky than all of the rest of Scotland as it was not taxed [compensation for loss of Duncan Forbes' distillery during the Glorious Revolution, when he chose to fight on the side of William and Mary]. When this tax-exemption was withdrawn, Robert Burns wrote in 'Scotch Drink': "Thee Ferintosh! O sadly lost! Scotland lament frae coast to coast... ". 

Ferintosh is where Alexander and Margaret's first child was born, and where later children were born. Ferintosh Church can be seen on the northern edge of the Black Isle, and this estate was owned by the Forbes family. The distillery business brought many families into the area in the 1700s. Other commentary locates Ferintosh between Dingwall and Maryburgh, due south of Dingwall, and the very bottom of the map can be seen 'Newton of Ferintosh'. Just to the west of this place is 'Muir of Highfield,' part of the Highfield estate where a later Margaret was born.

Note also that west of Dingwall is Fodderty, where I believe Alexander Bain was probably born since his brother John was born there in 1809.

There is now a Blackwells St in Dingwall - is this where Alexander was a servant in 1796? The parish church of Dingwall, St Clements is not far away. Although not the same building, which was condemned in 1795!  The story goes that the church burnt down when Kenneth Bayne was shooting at a pidgeon on the heather thatched roof of the church. The new church was opened in 1803. Where would Alexander and Margaret have married? Perhaps informally in a tavern or 'big house'?

There is no Alexander Bain [with fuzzy matching] on ScotlandsPeople in Ross-shire between 1822 and 1855. There is one possible man in the civil records: Alexander Bain died in 1861, a married man but his wife not named, master dyer, whose parents were John Bain and Ann Mackenzie; who died of old age in West End, Dingwall. The informant was his son Alexander, not present. Could he be the man? (Neil thinks so). 

An Alexander and Margaret Bain are listed in the 1841 Census in Dingwall, living in the Alms House as pensioners with a Campbell family. Alexander is said to be 65 [rounded down], so born between 1771 and 1776. Margaret was said to be 60, so born between 1776 and 1781. 

The woman I think might be the correct Margaret Chisholm was baptised in 1781 in Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire.

There is a census for Alexander Bain in 1861, a master dyer, in Dingwall but his wife is listed as Ann with several young sons. Unless Ann is a daughter-in-law, this can not be our Alexander [who after all seems to have been a farmer/crofter].

I have not found a death/burial record for Margaret in either Ross-shire or Inverness-shire, and this is not uncommon as burial records were rarely kept before 1855.

Alexander and Margaret's children

The first of seven children I have found was Margaret born on 25 March 1797 in Dingwall. Thus far I have not found a marriage nor death record for her.

The second child was Mary born before 1809. This date is calculated from her death record. She died on 19 February 1885 at 29 Hill St, Dingwall aged 76. This method of calculating age is notoriously wrong for all her siblings where death records exist. These are often out by up to 10 years, compared to ages on census records. How far this age estimate is out is unclear since I have not found a baptism for her as yet.  Mary never married, and was living with her bachelor brother Donald. She died of senile decay. 

The third child I have found was John. A baptism exists for a son of Alexander Bain in the parish of Fodderty in 1809 It reads: "Dec 16 Alex Bain, Dunglerst[?], a son named John". Unfortunately no other child is from this place in order to clarify its spelling. 

The next was my x3 great grandfather Alexander. I have not found a baptism for him but according to his census and death records he was probably born about 1812.

The fifth child was Janet born about 1814 according to her death certificate. She died in on 7 December 1864, of smallpox of 17 days duration, apparently still working as a domestic servant at 1 Ness Bank [now this address is the Ness Bank Church]. She did not marry. 

The sixth child was William born about 1815 according to his death certificate. He married late in life, aged about 54. He died on 23 September 1895 in Dingwall at the Relief House from chronic heart disease.

The death certificates of six children, i.e. all but Margaret, confirm their parents as Alexander Bain and Margaret Chisholm.