Harcus family

A LITTLE ABOUT THE HARCUS FAMILY

I have traced my Harcus family back to a George Harcus & Margaret Harcus residing in Westray, Orkney who had a son John [born 1767 in Westray]. John married Rebecca Scott [born 1780 in Eday - daughter of William Scott & Jane Laughton] & they had 5 daughters & 4 sons of which one was William [born 1812 in Sanday while his parents were temporarily staying in Sanday]. They lived at Vinequoy, Eday. Their son William married in 1836 in Eday to Isabella Rendall [daughter of Robert Rendall & Barbara Liddle of Runtha, Eday] and they also lived in the north end of Eday. Their 9 children were as follows:-

1. James Fraser [born 1838 - died a child]

2. Barbara Rendall [born 1840 - died a child]

3. John [born 1842] married Christina Stevenson [her parents were James Stevenson & Barbara Craigie of Clayholes, Eday]. They moved to Edinburgh & had several children and further descendants.

4. Robert [born 1844] married Isabella Dunnet [born in Harray - her parents were William Dunnet of St Andrews then Eday & Isabella Gullion of Eday]. They had 3 children as follows:- [1] Annie married firstly Thomas McClachan in Canada & secondly James Heddle Taylor of South Ronaldsay. [2] Mary married George Wishart who was a watchmaker in Stromness [brother of James who married her cousin Anne Harcus--see the Harcus family] and they emigrated to Canada. When George died Mary and her daughter, Anna, returned to Orkney & Anna later married David Dearness Marwick of Kirkwall. [3] William Dunnet emigrated to Seattle where he married and had 3 sons. I have details of all these descendants.

5. William [born 1846] married 1873 in Westray to Margaret Paterson [her parents were Robert Paterson of Pow, Westray & Ann Groat of Feuld, Westray--see the Paterson family] They lived at Maltbarn in the south end of Eday and had 2 children as follows:- [1] William John married Elizabeth Helen Thomson and they had 2 sons, William who married Netta Gunn & Stanley who married and emigrated to South Africa. [2] Anne married James Wishart [master tailor in Kirkwall and brother of George who married her cousin Mary Harcus--see the Harcus family] and they had 1 daughter & 5 sons [one of whom is my father, Ernest George Wishart].

6. Jane [Jeannie] [born 1849] She had a son James who emigrated to Saskatchewan, Canada where he married Bella Rousay [from Coperha, Eday & who had emigrated previously with her family] and they had 3 sons, 2 daughters and many descendants.

7. Isabella [born 1852] married Benji Harcus [his parents were Andrew Harcus & Margaret Reid of Dogtua, Westray]. They had children Isabella, David & William and moved to Hamilton, Scotland.

8. Thomas [born 1855 died a child]

9. Mary [born 1858 died a child]

The Harcus family has spread through the UK and to Canada and South Africa.