Marion Sinclair Gunn 1787 - 1837 Part A

 

Inscription on the Badbea memorial monument.

Marion Sinclair, also known as Mary, or Mary Ann, was born in Clyth, Latheron, Caithness, early in 1787 to John Sinclair and Katherine Sutherland.

Golsary

Marion’s mother, Katherine Sutherland, was born in Golsary, Caithness in 1761 and kept in touch with her roots and family there. 

The entrance to the steading at Golsary where Katherine was born.

 

Farmer

Little is known of John Sinclair’s origins. It has been stated that he came from Strathnaver but I have no confirmation of this. His occupation was given as a farmer on Marion’s marriage record.

Marriage

John Sinclair and Katherine Sutherland were married in Latheron on 1 April 1784. At the time of the marriage John was living in Reisgill and Katherine was living in Munsary.

 

Marion Baptised

On 11 February,1787, their baby daughter Marion Sinclair was baptised in Clyth, Latheron, along with three other babies. Marion may have been a few weeks old at the time of the baptism.  

Death of John Sinclair

Sadly, John Sinclair died during the next decade. Katherine and young Marion moved to live in Forse.

Marriage of Katherine Sutherland and William Sutherland

On 9 November 1797 the widowed Katherine married widower William Sutherland of Badbhae and moved with Marion who was ten years old, to the cold, windswept hamlet on the edge of the Moray Firth. In 1797 the Badbea hamlet had not yet been affected by the clearances, but that was soon to change and life to become more difficult. It is not clear how many of William Sutherland’s sons by his first marriage were still alive and living at home. David Sutherland was there and probably Malcom.

 

 

Marion’s half brothers and sisters

Very soon there were new babies in the Sutherland Badbea house. Marion’s half siblings were: Christina b1798 abt, Malcom b1800 abt, John b1802, Esther b1803, Margaret b1804, Alexander b1807. Marion would have been kept busy with all the chores children were expected to help with – rocking cradles, getting in peat, keeping bairns away from the fire, running to the burn for water. 

Marriage to John Gunn

Despite the fact that her mother and stepfather were busy raising a bunch of young children, and she was needed at home, as a young adult woman Marion left Badbea to get married.

On Thursday October 20,1808 at age 21 Marion was in Edinburgh, and married a fine young man she had probably known for years, John Gunn of Auchencraig, Latheron, Caithness. They married in the College Church Parish. John was in the Aberdeenshire Militia at the time of the marriage – see his obituary for a lot of detail on John’s life. In John’s obituary we find the first written description of Marion:

“he got married to Marion Sinclair, a blooming modest young maiden from the neighbouring village of Badbea”.                                                                    

John Gunn’s obit. Death of John Gunn one of the “Men” of the North, Northern Ensign 13 July 1876

It was probably a lovely wedding (even if small) as John would have been wearing his militia uniform and Marion her best attire. The church was likely to be a fine old Edinburgh church. Their son Alexander later mentions the only way to get from place to place was to walk so it seems unlikely that their Badbea families walked to Edinburgh for the occasion. 

John Gunn born

On 15 October 1809 Marion and John’s first child was born in Corstorphine. They named him John. The military at that time often allowed the spouse of a military man to live nearby.

 

Note: On the marriage and birth records Marion is referred as Mary. This may have been a clerk’s error or may indicate she was also known as Mary.

Deaths of Marion’s parents

At an unknown date disaster struck back in Badbea with the deaths of Marion’s mother and stepfather, Katherine and William Sutherland.

John and Marion returned home, possibly in response to the deaths of her parents and the orphaned young family left behind.

Return to Badbea

It is not clear exactly when John and Marion returned to live at Badbea. Some records indicate that all but one of Marion’s babies were born in Badbea but John’s obituary seems to indicate that he served in the Napoleonic War and obtained his discharge after that in 1815. But since John didn’t write his own obituary that may be incorrect.

“On the defeat of the great Napoleon and his imprisonment in Elba,(1815) John Gunn obtained his discharge and returned to his native place, and settled down on a piece of ground at Badbea where he spent 27 years of a happy and contented married life; and was the father of 11 children – five sons and six daughters”. John’s Obituary.

Children

John and Marion’s children, most of whom were born in Badbea, were:

John b1809

Catherine b1811

George b1817

James b1818

Alexander b1820

Betty b1823

William b1825

Christian b1827

Margaret b1829

Plus possibly two more daughters whose names I can’t locate.

The Howdy

Alexander Gunn, who wrote so many letters to the Editor of the Northern Ensign, gives a few brief glimpses of his mother (and I wish he had written more about her).

Here we get a clue that Marion had a local ‘howdy’ to support her when she delivered her babies.

“I will close my list of notable persons in Berriedale by introducing to your readers a lady friend - and though last, not least - Widow McPherson, the "howdy," (midwife) a person much and deservedly respected in the district. There were no doctors at hand in those days, there being no medical man between Helmsdale and Lybster, a distance of upwards of 20 miles, so that Mrs McPherson's services were in request, on interesting occasions, in all that district. Well do we remember the cheery, tidy old woman, as she used to introduce "the young stranger" to the members of the family, and the answers she gave to the question "Where did the young stranger come from?" During all Mrs McPherson's practice in the district, it is said that she never had a case which ended fatally; and when from failing health, she relinquished her position she was followed to her retirement by the best wishes and sympathies of the public.

A Native of Badbea, Rambling Recollections of Berriedale, Badbea, and Neighbourhood Article XIII 4 March 1880

Sphagnum moss at Badbea. 

Apparently it was often dried and used for babies bottoms as ‘nappies’.

Remains of a house at Badbea

John and Marion’s marriage was a happy and hospitable one. 

“During the 27 years he lived in Badbea his house was a home to all who
came the way, especially to God's people, and on sacramental occasions
as many as ten or twelve people, from a distance on these occasions,
found a home and entertainment at his fireside from the Thursday to
the following Monday; and while there is no intention of introducing
his kind hearted and generous wife into this brief notice, it is but
justice to say that she most cordially and cheerfully entered into the
spirit of her husband in these matters”. John’s Obituary

Marion’s death

According to the memorial monument at Badbea, built by David Sutherland and worded by Mr George Gunn, Marion died in 1837 at age 50. No death records or cause of death have been located for Marion. She was buried in the old Berriedale cemetery.

Marion’s body in her coffin would have been carried on a bier by eight men, no doubt including her sorrowing husband and sons, across the Berriedale bridges to the old cemetery. Only men attended funerals.

 

Add caption

Many years later John’s obituary records the following:

“He was followed to the grave by a large and respectable circle of
friends and acquaintances and laid in the same grave where the wife of
his youth had been laid 39 years ago. He would allow no other
dust but his own to mingle with hers he so much loved; and when he was
at the funeral of an old acquaintance a few weeks before, he seemed to
take particular delight in the prospect of his dust soon mingling with
that of his beloved "Marion".