Isabel Allanach
Isabel Allanach
Isabel Allanach was born in 1785 in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, the daughter of Sophia and Duncan. She had one son with James Mackie in 1825, and possibly a further son in 1811 with John McRobbie called William. She died on 12 August 1856 in Towie, Aberdeenshire, at the age of 71.
Parents
- Father – Duncan Allanach
- Mother – Sophia Glass
Birth
Isabel Allanach was born 26th December 1785 to Sophia Glass and Duncan Allanach.
Siblings
Isabel had eleven siblings :
- James Allanach
- William Allanach
- John Allanach
- Jean Allanach
- Alexander Allanach
- Margaret Allanach
- Duncan Allanach
- Robert Allanach
- Sophia Allanach
- Jochabed Allanach
- Duncan Allanach
Marriage
There is no marriage record that I have found so far for Isabel, although on son James’s birth record, the father is listed as James Mackie, and Isabel as his wife
Children
Isabel had a son named James on 20th August 1825 in Logie Coldstone with partner James. There is possibly a further son in 1811 with John McRobbie called William.
Death
Isabel died August 12th at 5:30am in 1856. Note the age is stated as 65 years thought the actual age was 71. The Father (Duncan) and Mother (Sophia Glass) are a match. She died of Bronchitis at Roadside, Towie and is confirmed as being buried in the Churchyard of Towie. The informant was her son James Machie.
Life Story
1785
Isabel was born in Toldaquhill to Duncan Allanach and Sophia Glass.
1811
In the OPR for Strathdon under christenings, there is an entry in 1811 for October 29th, which reads ‘MCROBBIE – Octbr 29th – John McRobbie in Achnahoy had a son in Fornication with Isabel Allanach baptized called WILLIAM‘. There are no other Isabel Allanach’s in this period, and Strathdon parish is where Isabel Allanach resided.
1825
Isabel has a son called James who was baptised on the 20th August 1825. I believe this to be the birth record, having searched all other James Mackie births from 1805 – 1830 and this one being the only one with a mother Isabel and father James, and additionally the birth is recorded in Logie Coldstone which matches the birthplace stated in the 1851 census. Note Isabel is using the surname Stewart here (if the record is correct).
Whilst I have not been able to locate a ‘Parknuick’, a strong contender is ‘Parkneuk’, some 8 miles from Logie Coldstone.
1841
Isabel cannot be found (so far!) on the 1841 census though her son James is working as an agricultural Labourer at Nethertowie in Towie. Perhaps the Profeit families also residing there are related to the famous fiddling family from Glenbuchat? Also note there is another 15 year old Mackie at Nethertowie – Alexander, also working as an agricultural labourer.
1851
The 1851 census shows Isabel living as Isabella Mackie in Towie with son James, an agricultural labourer. Her occupation is stated as annuitant, inferring she is the recipient of some kind of pension, possibly implying that husband James had at one time served in the military. The address given is ‘Straths of Morlich’.
On a map of Towie in 1888, Roadside is on the map just East of Towie. This is where Isabel died. I was not able to find the Straths of Morlich, as was her residence per the 1851 census, though the house next door was called ‘Haugh of Morlic’. Haugh in Scots means a low-lying meadow by the side of a river, Strath means a wide river, so I suspect the two places are one-and-the-same.
And below is what Roadside looks today – a modern build perhaps with none of the original structure, but a stone well outside might be from Isabel’s time. The Glenkindie Arms Inn is to the left of picture.
Finally…
As if Isabel’s story was not complicated enough to research with name changes from Allanach to Mackie to Stewart and from Isabel to Isabella, there is a final sting in the tail. On her son James’s death death certificate, the name of the father is not stated as James as per the birth certificate. Perhaps a mistake by the recorder, but on death it is recorded as Alexander.
