Family:Murdoch McLeod and Jessie McDonald (1)

It is indicated on a McLeod Family Tree produced by Jean Gwyther, the eldest daughter of Annabella Gwyther (nee McLeod) and the granddaughter of Roderick McLeod, that there were two other older brothers, Donald who went to America and John who drowned. Nothing further is known about these two brothers; however some assumptions can be made. Murdock McLeod was a fisherman/crofter and apparently drowned sometime between 1821 and 1841. Possibly his fishing boat was lost at sea and he may have had his son John with him as he also drowned. The two elder brothers would likely have been born before 1818, maybe about 1814 and 1816.

The 1841 census indicated that Janet McLeod, 50, Crofter lived at Morefield with her children Ann, Alex and Roderick. In the 1851 census Janet McLeod, 64, Fisherman’s widow lived at Morefield with her children Ann, 32 and Rod’k, 29. But in the 1861 census, only Janet, 74, widow and her unmarried daughter Ann, 43 were living at Morefield, so it seems most likely that the 2 younger boys emigrated between 1851 & 61 leaving their unmarried sister to look after their aging mother.

Roderick McLeod seems to have emigrated to Australia in 1856, via Liverpool, on the "Morning Light" with his brother Alex McLeod, his brother's new bride Annabella McKenzie, together with Alex MacDonald and his new bride Robina Menzies (see Alex & Robina McDonald for further information). Also, there were three other single McLeod's (Donald 27, William 22 & Murdoch 24) who sailed with them but have not been fully identified - there are a number of possibilities in the Victorian Indexes if we could identify their parents.

The original shipping record for the "Morning Light", lists Rody McLeod as a female aged 32, Spinster! Perhaps this was a mistake by an English ship's clerk when there was a group of 8 Scottish highlanders with a strong brogue all trying to board together.

However, this matter is muddied by Roderick's 2nd daughter, Annabella, the informant on his 1898 death certificate, indicating that he lived in Victoria for 55 years (i.e. he emigrated in 1843). But this may have been confusion with having emigrated in “about ’55” i.e. 1855. Whereas Alexander's eldest son Murdock, the informant on his 1907 death certificate, indicated that he lived in Victoria for 53 years (i.e. he emigrated in 1854) so we cannot take either of these emigration dates as the "gospel truth".

For Alexander McLeod & Annabella McKenzie to be first cousins (cousins germane) as indicated on their marriage registration, then the most likely assumption is for Annabella’s mother, who was recorded on the marriage registration as Ann McKenzie (nee McLeod), to have been the sister of Murdoch McLeod. The death registration of Ann McLeod, aged 68, gave her parent’s as Roderick McLeod & Flora McLeod (nee McLeod), so it naturally follows these would be the names of Murdoch’s parents.

But, if Murdoch & Jessie’s children were named Donald, John, Ann, Alexander and Roderick in this order, it does seem rather unusual that the tradition of naming the first son (Donald) after the paternal grandfather was not upheld and Murdoch’s father was actually called Roderick instead. There also seems to be a tradition of naming children after deceased close relatives such as brothers and sisters, but it's still unusal to leave it to the 4th son to be named after his paternal grandfather.

The death registration of Janet (Jessie) McLeod, aged 74, gave her parent’s as Kenneth McDonald & Ann McDonald (nee McKenzie), so it would appear that the first cousins referred to above did not come from this line. However, depending on how the term ‘cousins germane’ was defined by the Registrar (maybe second cousins) it’s still possible the cousins were related through the McKenzie line.

1. ↑ This estimate is based on the eldest child, Donald estimated to have been born in 1814 but may have been a few years earlier or later.