Direct Descendants in Glengairn

  Gregor McGregor, wife Margaret Cattanach, and family came from the Glengairn area around West Morven, Dalfad, Inverenzie (pronounced as "Innerenghee" and sometimes referred to as Inneregny in the written word) and Ardoch which seem to have been haunts of the Glengairn McGregors. It is presumed that Gregor is somehow connected to the "McGregor Lairds of Inverenzie", notably Alexander McGregor, son of Calum (Grierson) McGregor of Dalfad and Ballater, son of Gregor etc and from there back to the ancient McGregor House of Roro. 

  A precise connection has yet to be made and it may well be that this specific Gregor who is the direct ancestor comes from a junior line.

  Gregor it seems was born in 1753 (or 1754) some 7 (or 8) years after the Jacobite uprising. While the government and redcoat oppression may have been waning somewhat by then, the religious and economic persecution would still have been significant. The McGregor lands owned prior to the 1745 Jacobite uprising including Dalfad, Ardoch, Inverenzie and others had been lost. The dispossessed McGregors would have had to have taken up tenancies from new (and Protestant) landowners.

  The earliest reference to Gregor or to Margaret Cattanach appears in the Glenmuick parish records where the following entry appears for their marriage on 10 July 1779: 

"Gregor McGregor and Margaret Catanack both in the parish of Glengaiden were matrimonially contracted and consigned pledges".

  There is no record of where Gregor and Margaret lived at this time, however, for the birth of their children, parish records indicate either Lenmore (Loignmore) of Morven or West / Wester Morven as being their place of birth. The map below shows this area which is close to the Morven Lodge a hunting lodge owned at this time by Gordon, Marquis of Huntly.

Map of West Morven showing Morven Lodge and the adjoining property known as Loignmoor of Morven.
 At the time of this map the property was occupied by John McHardy. The McGregors had been the previous tenants

  This is seemingly consistent with the 1851 census noting their son James as living at Wester Morven and being employed as a Ground Officer and Bailiff. 

  His son, Lewis, is also noted as Gamekeeper and this would be for the Morven Estate.

  A number of references (mainly OPR references as sponsors or susceptors to new-born children) to a Margaret McGregor, Margaret Cattanach and Gregor McGregor of either Morven or Glengairn occur in the first part of the 19th century. While these references may relate to individuals other than the Gregor and Margaret (Cattanach) McGregor from this ancestral line it still seems likely that  it does involve these two as members of significance within the community. A "sponsor" is an individual other than parents of a child that undertakes responsibility for the child's religious education. Sponsors are usually present at a child's baptism and are often referred to a godparents. "Susceptor" has a similar meaning.