The Macphersons of Three Rivers

Who was John Macpherson of Three Rivers? One popular genealogy site has him listed in nearly 200 hundred family trees.  Each tree owner has theorized parents for him or some simply list none. Is it possible we will NEVER know who his parents were? After all, Hanoverian soldiers tyrannically marched through the highlands pillaging and burning homes of Jacobite supporters in 1746.  Scottish people traditionally  memorized and recited  their lines of descent. Furthermore, a patronymic, matronymic, or name patterning system was used. Records were necessary, but after the destruction of baptismal or marriage records, the other systems proved invaluable. Thanks, in part, to such Scottish traditions, many have been able to write down their memorized lines of descent. An example of one Scottish historian who did just so was Sir Aeneas Macpherson of Invernesshire. Others after him were:  Allan Macpherson of Blairgowie , his son Charles, Alexander and his brother James Macpherson. Therefore, we

What is a merchant? The Merriam online Webster dictionary   reflects the definition found in   The Uniform Commercial Code Section 2 ss.104 , and is as follows: a buyer and seller of commodities for profit: trader the operator of a retail business one that is noted for a particular quality or activity: specialist.  We learn a merchant can be either a buyer, seller, operator or specialist. The online dictionary defines a commodity as a good or service. What was a colonial-era merchant? One online source wrote, "Historically, a  merchant  is anyone who is involved in business or trade". What business or trade was offered in colonial times? The answer is farmers,  artisans , fur traders, canoe makers,  fishermen ,  tavern owners ,  shopkeepers  etc. Therefore, a merchant, buyer, seller, or specialist is offering a good or service in exchange for money.  Contract law defines this as "an offer and an acceptance". In the case of a merchant - for example, he is offering a

In a previous post, we learned the parents of James Lemoine were Benjamin Lemoine and Julia Ann McPherson. Who was Julia-Ann? She was born on October 16, 1789, in Gaspe Bay, Quebec to Daniel Macpherson and Mary Kelly. On September 10, 1810, Julia Ann married merchant Benjamin Lemonie of Quebec City. They were married on Crane Island by John Jackson, "lecturer of the English Church at Quebec".  Present for the ceremony was her parents Daniel and Mary McPherson, John her brother, and L. Duniere, uncle of Benjamin. The couple moved to Quebec City, the residence of Benjamin. Julia-Ann's life 1 was short, ending on May 16, 1828. She had produced ten children.  Her father, Daniel Macpherson was born in 1753 at Laggan, Badenoch, Scotland to Lachlan Macpherson of Shirobeg and Mary Mackenzie. The couple emigrated in 1774 with "Alexander, Donald (interchangeable with Daniel), Margaret, and Ann". Lachlan was a tacksman or a tenant in Laggan, Badenoch and was induced to im

  Elizabeth Naud, nee Macpherson Elizabeth Macpherson was born in or around 1816/1817. The year is deduced from her baptismal/marriage record which recorded her age as 21 years. 1  Elizabeth's  birthplace was Grand Lac. Whereas, the obituary of her brother George listed his birthplace 2 as Ottawa River, Ontario. This is in agreement with  an 1891 Census for Canada which also listed George's birthplace  as Ontario. 3   Additionally, an apprenticeship contract signed on May 4, 1803, between Andrew Macpherson and  McTavish and Frobisher , part-owners of the North West Company, stated he was to be sent to the interiors or inland.  Andrew met Ikwesens after 1803, likely in Temiscamingue District, Ontario near the Ottawa Falls.  Elizabeth and Francois  Elizabeth Macpherson was a young girl when she became acquainted with Francois Naud, a thirty-something widower and guide for the Hudson's Bay Company. The two lived together in a common-in-law relationship referred to as a maria

  What's In a Name? Is it really important that we know each other's names? Of course , you answer. How about when we are researching our ancestors? Is it important we use the correct name to search for them? Again, the answer is yes . However, we may at times need to use a variation of the name, until we find who we are looking for. After we find our ancestors, do we continue to use incorrect spellings or variations? No. In unravelling the Macphersons of Three Rivers, often-times, the names of the aboriginal women were not English. At times, exact names were not transcribed, but replaced with infidel savage. One key example we will examine, is of a woman named Ikwesens Pinesi Kijikokwe. Popular genealogy sites feature Ikwesens in over 201 family trees.  For example, she is listed under the following names: Marie-Binisi Okipikokivi Ikwesens Marie Binissi Obijikokwe Marie Binissi Obijikokwe Marie Pines Binissi Ikwesens Sauvagesse Obijikokwe Objiway Pinesi Okijikokwe (Ikwensens)

  What happened to James Cameron and Mary Peattie  It is highly likely we will never know what happened between James Cameron and Mary Peattie. There is much speculation about the couple but no source information. One popular genealogy website 1 has countless family trees featuring the couple. Here is what we learn: Mary Peattie Date of Birth: April 26, 1723 Birth Place: Fife, Scotland Parents: James Peattie and Elizabeth Nicholson Spouse: James Cameron Marriage Date: Aug 14, 1747 Marriage Date: 1750, Kingussie, Insh, Inverness, Scotland Death Place: Dysart, Cambria, Pennsylvania, USA James Cameron Date of Birth: 1720 Birth Place: Fife, Scotland Parents: Alexander MacSorlie Cameron of Glen Nevis and Katherine Gray The Family Search 2 records tell a different story regarding Mary Peattie which can be verified by searching for her on Scotlands People. It is possible we can weave a story from the historical records. The records are as follows: Mary Peattie Christening Date: Apri