Re: Isabella Sinclair

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

At 15:00 08/04/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I have been searching for the parents of Isabella Sinclair, who married 
>Innes Traill Reid 5 Dec. 1807 at Olrig, Caithness, Scotland. They had at 
>least 4 children- George Traill Reid, chr. 6 Oct. 1810, Jane Traill Reid, 
>chr. 20 may 1814, James Traill Reid, chr. 12 Jan. 1817 at Dunnet, 
>Caithness, and Traill, chr. 2 Dec. 1819. They apparently lived on the 
>Orkney Islands for a time, and in Caithness. This is the only information 
>I have been able to find. Innes moved to Prince Edward Island (date 
>unknown), taught school for three years (according to a grandson) and 
>became ill. His son, James Traill Reid, came over to take him home, but he 
>died shortly thereafter. James stayed on Prince Edward Island, married and 
>raised a family there.
>I have several questions:
>Where was Isabella born and who were her parents? Did she have siblings?
>Did Isabella moved to Canada, or did she die in Scotland?
>Did Isabella and Innes Traill Reid have other children?
>Why did Isabella and Innes give all their children the name "Traill"? Was 
>Innes's mother's maiden name Traill, perhaps?
>Can anyone out there help me?


The Traill family was very important in Orkney and it was, perhaps, 
understandable that the Reids
should wish to insert Traill as a middle name for all their children just 
in the same way as Sinclair
is frequently inserted if a Sinclair lady marries outside the Clan.

It is likely to have been the grandparents influence as they may have been 
Traills.  It may also
have been connected to land ownership as 'udal' lands  or 'feu' lands could 
only be handed down
to close relatives otherwise the land would revert to the superior landlord 
i.e. the king, the church
or the Earl.

>Unfortunately, my book on Orkney families is now at Noss Head so you will 
>have to contact Ian
of Noss to obtain further information.

>Niven
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