Janet McLeod 1838 – 1917 Part C

History of Ancestors

There is an old document that various family in New Zealand have copies of. It was written by Mr & Mrs G Bruce in 1938 and dictated by old John Sutherland in Lybster. It comments that Mr T D Burnett M P of Canterbury, New Zealand, was a brother of Mrs Faulkner. This is clearly incorrect. 

The way I see the connection is as follows:

To start with the birth record of William Burnett, he was born, (with a twin sister Jane) in 1828 in Kilmonivaig. His parents were Andrew Burnet shepherd and Mary MacDonald.

William married Jessie McLeod as shown in previous blog.

Scotland’s People shows in 1838 the birth of Andrew Burnet son of Andrew Burnet and Mary McDonald in Farr Parish.

BURNET

ANDREW

ANDREW BURNET/MARY MC DONALD FR 222 (FR222)

M

06/04/1838

050/

20 47

Farr

So, Andrew is a brother to William Burnet. 

Scotland’s People shows Andrew marrying Catherine Mackay in Clyne in 1861.

BURNETT

ANDREW

MACKAY

CATHERINE

1861

045/ 4

Clyn

According to Wikipedia the parents of Thomas David Burnett M. P. were Andrew and Catherine Burnett from Strathnaver, in the Scottish Highlands who arrived in Canterbury New Zealand in 1861. They developed the Mount Cook Sheep Station and had 8 children.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Burnett_(New_Zealand_politician)

The 1901 Census in Shinval shows Mary Burnett (daughter of William and Jessie) now married to James Falconer (not spelled Faulkner as the Bruce doc shows).

So, I reckon Andrew Burnett was a brother to William Burnett and therefore a brother-in-law to Jessie McLeod. Andrew’s son Thomas David Burnett was therefore a cousin to Mary Falconer not a brother as old John Sutherland claims.

Jim Falconer of the next generation and his wife have lived for many years at Tacher near Shinval and Rangag. I enjoyed their warm hospitality when I stayed in their B & B. Jim showed me round the old family haunts for which I am very grateful.