Catherine Gray1,2

(circa September 1785 - 8 January 1865)
FatherDonald Gray3,2 (cir. May 1754 - bet. 1800 - 1841)
MotherJanet Sutherland3,2 (say 1755 - bet. 1800 - 1841)
Relationship4th great-grandmother of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     Catherine Gray was born cir. Sep 1785 Toftingall, Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT.2 She was baptized on 11 Sep 1785 Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT; entry reads: 11 Sep 1785 Donald Gray in Toftingall and Janet Sutherland his spouse had a child baptized named Kathrine wit: David Gray and John Smith both in Toftingall (David is possibly the s/o John Gray and Margaret Fowler, which could point towards a relationship between the two GRAY families.)4,5,2,6,7 Some sources believe Catherine Gray was born cir. 1791 Watten, Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT, Catherine seems to have decided to get younger between the 1851 and 1861 censuses, and stuck to that thereafter, and certainly her h/stone implies a birth year of 1791.8,9,7,10
     Catherine Gray married John Bain (R-BY2937), son of male Bain ?Donald, on 3 Oct 1806 Watten, Caithness, Halkirk OPR entry reads: John Bain in Westerdale and Catharine Gray there married 12 December (1806 Halkirk, this being the day before the baptism of son Donald). However, the Watten OPR entry reads: 14 Sep 1806 John Bain in Acavrole of this parish and Katherine Gray in Westerdale of the Parish of Halkirk were contracted in order to marriage and after the usual proclamations and no objections offered, their marriage was solemnized 3 Oct 1806. (I assume the minister got the places the wrong way round.)11,7,12,10,13,14
     Catherine Gray died on 8 Jan 1865 South Dun(n), Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT; Dist of Wattin (sic) cert #1 reads: Catherine Gray, Widow of John Bain, pensioner, died 3am, 74 yrs. Father Donald Grey (sic), farmer, dec., mother Janet, m.s. Sutherland, of natural decay, no medical attendant, informant James Bain, son, present, X his mark. Registered Watten, 13th January.3,7,15,10 She was buried with John Bain (R-BY2937) Ballachly Cem., Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, H/stone reads: Erected by Alexr Bain, Melbourne in memory of his beloved parents John Bain, Clashcriby Forse who died 17th Jun 1853 Aged 72 years. Catherine Gray who died 8th Jan 1865 aged 74 Years Also his brother James Bain who died 1st Mar 1879 Aged 54 years. Also his sister Jane Bain who died 10th Mar 1845 aged 15 years. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. In 1994 the cemetery was particularly overgrown. It is a remote location, a stone walled enclosure in the middle of a farm. My friend managed to get my wheelchair up to the gate from where I could see the grave directly inside. It is next door to a grave that is noted in the MI booklet as "This grave never to be opened".10,15,7

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Catherine appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1841 Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, with John Bain (R-BY2937), as John, head 55 farmer, wife Catherine, 55; Elizabeth 20; Alexander 13; Jane 9 (NB instructions to the enumerators for this census were to round ages to the nearest multiple of 5, children tended to have their ages accurately recorded - or at least as accurate as such things can be. These instructions were not always followed.)4,5
     The census of 30 Mar 1851 showed Catherine with her husband John, their dtr Jane Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, household enumerated as Bain: John 67 b Latheron, farmer & pensioner; wife Catherine, 60 b Watten; dtr Jane, 20, hse servant b Latheron. The next schedule was for son James and family, and the one after that for son Donald and family.8,16
     The census of 7 Apr 1861 showed Catherine in the household of her son James and his wife Helen Bain, and their daughters Catherine, Johanna, Hannah, Alexandrina and Betsy Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, enumerated as James BAIN, farmer, 41 b Latheron Par., Helen, 40 b Bower Par. Children: Catherine, 15, b Wick Par, Johan 9, Hannah 6, Alexandrina 4, Betsy 1 all b Latheron Par. Also John 10mths, and sister Jean 30, both b Latheron Par. Mother: Catherine GRAY, 73 widow b Watten Parish.
(it is assumed that John is the son of Jean).17
     Catherine Gray and John Bain (R-BY2937) lived Clashscrebie Mor, Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, rather than Clashscrebie beg which was 1/2 mile away based on Stemster hill and very small with room for just one family. The family living there were MacLeods. Mor was on the right side of Rangag where Helen (grddtr) was when christened and Brae Rangag just over the top. The croft was relatively large due to alterations - there was an extension built on to it, and it could hold at least three families if pushed.18

Names

           Catherine Gray also went by the name of Kate according to dtr Jean's dth cert.19

All the other info

     Catherine Gray and Donald Gray Westerdale, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, in Dec 1806 were possibly related, as Donald Gray was a witness to the baptism of Catherine's eldest son Donald Bain.20
     A group photo of 15 women, taken Wick, is believed to be a group of descendants of John and Catherine. Does anyone recognise any of the faces?21

External links

     Click here to see Catherine's page on WikiTree, a (free) collaborative on-line tree.22

Family

John Bain (R-BY2937) (cir. 1784 - Jun 1853)
Children
  • Donald Bain+1 (Dec 1806 - Mar 1892)
  • John Bain+ (cir. Jul 1811 - Mar 1890); I have assumed that the John Bain, chr 1811 Latheron, son of John Bain and Catherine Gray, is the one married to Elizabeth Clyne, even though the latter John's dth cert does not give a mother's name.23
  • Elizabeth Bain24 (cir. Feb 1820 - Jul 1899)
  • James Bain7,10 (cir. 1822 - Mar 1879)
  • Janet Bain+25 (Jun 1822 - Dec 1904)
  • Margaret Bain (cir. Jan 1823 - )
  • Barbara Bain (cir. Jan 1823 - )
  • male (?James) Bain26 (Nov 1826 - )
  • Alexander Bain27,28,10,7 (cir. Jan 1828 - Aug 1900)
  • Jane Bain10,7 (Aug 1830 - Mar 1845)
  • Jean Bain19 (cir. 1831 - Apr 1912)
ChartsMy pedigree chart
Paternal ancestors of Lorna
Paternal timeline
BAIN
GRAY

My Caithness ancestors

Last Edited29 Dec 2015

Citations

  1. Donald BAIN, DC BAIN, Donald; Sibster (Halkirk, CAI) 1892, P/copy held, extracted Aug 1994.
  2. Birth baptism marriage: Watten, CAI Dist 43/2, Bap. 11 Sep 1785 Katherine d/o Donald GRAY & Janet SUTHERLAND, Toftingall, extracted Nov 2003.
  3. Catherine BAIN nee GRAY (4636), DC BAIN, Catherine nee GRAY 1865 Sth Dunn Watten, Dth 8 Jan 1865 Catherine BAIN d/o Donald GRAY & Janet SUTHERLAND, South Dunn, Watten, CAI, p/copy held, taken Sep/Oct 1994/5, scanned Feb 2012.
  4. 1841 Census, CAI, SCT, Dist 2 p6 hse 21 ex MELLOR index.
  5. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Dec 2002 ex 1841 census.
  6. GRAY, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Bap. 1785 Katharine, to Donald GRAY and Janet SUTHERLAND, patron submission, batch 7208369 sheet 82 (Watten), extracted 1993.
  7. Various, interviews / personal knowledge , Photo Ballachly h/stone John BAIN & Catherine GRAY, (and yet to be re-found), taken Aug 1994.
  8. 1851 Census, CAI, SCT, Latheron, CAI Par. 38 ED 10 Pg 1 Sched 2, hsehold of John & Catherine BAIN, extracted Aug 1994, rechecked Apr 2007.
  9. Catherine BAIN nee GRAY (4636), DC BAIN, Catherine nee GRAY 1865 Sth Dunn Watten, p/copy taken Sep/Oct 1994/5 held by L McIntosh.
  10. MIs: Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT Vol 4 , H/stone #10: John BAIN Catherine GRAY & family, Ballachly Cem. (pt 9 p101), extracted Aug 1994.
  11. Letter, Gillian G to Lorna Henderson, Mar 1994.
  12. Births christenings marriages: Halkirk, CAI, SCT, Marr. 1806 John BAIN & Catherine GRAY, extracted Aug 1994.
  13. P K Bain, "EM BAIN, Pat Dunedin," e-mail to L McIntosh, Feb 1994.
  14. Birth baptism marriage: Watten, CAI Dist 43/2, Mar 1806 John BAIN and Katherine GRAY, extracted Nov 2003.
  15. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Photos: BAIN headstone, & Ballachly Cem., rcvd Apr 2007.
  16. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, 1851 Census, extract rcvd Aug 2001.
  17. 1861 Census, CAI, SCT.
  18. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Apr 2003.
  19. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1912 Jean BAIN, trans. Stuart H Feb 2003.
  20. Births christenings marriages: Halkirk, CAI, SCT, Birth 1806 Donald BAIN, transcr. Sep 1994.
  21. Various, interviews / personal knowledge , Original photo in possession of Mavis CRAIGIE, nee WARES, great grd dtr of John BAIN and Sinclair MANSON. Copy taken 1989 and held L McIntosh.
  22. WikiTree online at http://WikiTree.com/, Jun 2013.
  23. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Jun 2004.
  24. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1899 Elizabeth SUTHERLAND nee BAIN, transcr. Stuart H. rcvd July 2001.
  25. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1904 Janet MacKENZIE nee BAIN, transcr, Robert McC, Jul 2004.
  26. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Jun 2003.
  27. Alexander BAIN, DC BAIN, Alexander, s/o John B/Cath GRAY 1900, Death cert Alexander, 1900.
  28. Certificate, Alexander BAIN (17796) & Margaret SUTHERLAND (17797) marriage of 14 Aug 1863 VIC BDM #2928 1998 p/copy held by L McIntosh.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.