Thursday 23 August 2012

Kilmuir Easter

The Gaelic name for Kilmuir Easter is "Cill Mhoir" meaning the Church of Mary. This name possibly stems from an ancient chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In pre- Reformation times this chapel stood on the banks of the nearby Delny Burn, now the site of the Delny farm steading. Kilmuir Easter lies in a corner of Easter Ross ( see map below). Today the parish consists of neat cottages and comfortable farmhouses. Every so often you will find an imposing mansion. The cottages are surrounded by fertile fields, clustering woods, low hedges and gurgling burns. It is indeed a very pleasant area. However, a little over 100 years ago there were many areas of waste. The land was untrenched, undrained and unfenced, and the only roads were rough tracks. Today there are well-constructed roads running in every direction. Every corner of the parish is easily accessible by any sort of vehicle. Kilmuir slopes from the hills in the north to the shores of Cromarty Firth in the south. To the north-east is the Balnagown River, and to the west is the parish of Rosskeen. John Munro and Barbara Ross, and several of my ancestors, were born in Kilmuir Easter. I have written these lines to give you an idea of the area they came from. Below is a map of the area. Source: <

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Introduction

I have been researching my Munro Family History since approximately 2000.  I had some information when I began, but I became really interested when I found that the Internet could provide more detailed information.  I have decided to write this blog to help me to set my findings in writing.  I will write individual information about my ancestors and branches of their families.  I will also include local history, vignettes and sources.  I hope that you will find this interesting and informative.

I will begin with my gr gr gr grandfather, John Munro from Kilmuir Easter, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.  He was born in approximately 1759, and he married Barbara Ross on 27 December 1783 in Kilmuir Easter.  At that time he was known as John Bain.  The name "Bain" was used because "John Munro" was a common name.  It denotes that John Munro had a fair complexion.  John Munro and Barbara  Ross had eight children - Donald Munro, George Munro, Barnet Munro (my gr gr grandfather), Andrew Munro, Elizabeth Munro, John Munro, Edward Munro, and David Munro.

In the coming days I will set out some of the history of Kilmuir Easter and some individual stories and vignettes.  I'm really excited about at last making the actual decision and effort into putting my Munro Family History into writing.