MORE  Family  

Within the village of Hopeman there are various families with the surname of More and I am sure that if you could delve deeper into the 1600s and 1700s there would be a link between them all.  During these early years some records were recorded in Old Parish Records (OPR) which were maintained by the Church and where details of some marriages and baptisms were recorded. These are relatively easy to search but it can be difficult to establish ‘who married who’ during this period as there were lots of families using the same christian names.  With the MORE family this is further compounded by the fact that the Old Parish Records also use the names MOIR and MOORE and these three names Moore, Moir and More are recorded for the same family up to the early 1900’s on cemetery headstones, census records, plans and other records.  Of course at this time most of our community was illiterate and the stone mason or person compiling these records would have written their name as they spoke it.  Another example in Hopeman is Raff for Ralph.

Prior to 1805-1806 and their arrival in Hopeman the MORE family lived for a few generations in the Ardersier / Petty register areas to the east of Inverness along with other old Hopeman families such as the Davidsons, Mains, McPhersons, Ralphs(Raff), and Tolmies (Ptolmy). They were all very close knit at that time living in close proximity to each other and marrying between families as they continued to do after moving to Hopeman.  An example of this relationship between families is when Thomas Charles More b.1758 (who is mentioned on the family tree below) married Isobella Ralph b.1756 during 1779.   Isobel’s parents were William Ralph & Anna Main who were married in 1752 at Fishertown, a farm in the Petty area and now part of the Castle Stuart golf course.  William Ralph along with William Tolmie were the witnesses at the birth of William McPherson(jnr) on Dec 10th 1768  at Fishertown and this William McPherson (jnr) along with his wife Isobel Moir (More) were one of the first settlers of Hopeman in 1805.  See McPherson family for more information.  The Tolmie’s also settled in Hopeman.  All very confusing !!

So when did they arrive in Hopeman and where did they live? — We are fortunate to have a copy of the ‘Estates Register No 1’ for Hopeman which covers the period 1806 to 1820 and this gives information on the allocation of land for houses and in which street they were built. The register starts at 1806 and although there were three or four houses built by the owner William Young, for the first arrivals prior to that date, 1806 was when leasing from the landowner commenced.  The register indicates that Thomas Moir and Donald Moir both leased a plot of land on Petrie Street (McPherson St) during 1806 and they would have certainly been amongst the first inhabitants of the village.  Later during 1810 Charles More leased a plot on Shore Street.  (Peepy Street)

1       William More (Moore) (1690-   )  + Jannett Barron  (1692-   )   Ardersier    Married  at Nairn 1711. William noted as being a seaman on the marriage certificate

2       Donald More  (1720-   ) +  Christian Tolmie (c1722-   )  married 1743 Ardersier Registry

3       Thomas Charles (Cherluck) More (1757-   )A  + Isobella Ralph (1756-   ) married 1779 Ardersier.   (See note above on Isobel’s parents).   Children all born in Ardersier
3.1          Christian                            (1780-     )
3.2          Donald (Daniel)                 (1784-1856)        + Janet McKenzie
3.3          Thomas More (Moir)         (1786-1867)        + Margaret Maine (1785-1857)
3.4          Charles More                   (1788-     )            +  Mary McPherson (1789-1873)

3.5           Margaret                           (1789-     )            + William Davidson    lived at 17 Dunbar Street

3.4       Charles More (1788-  )  +  Mary McPherson (1789-1873)    Charles & Mary married in Ardersier during 1813. Charles came to Hopeman during 1810 and leased a plot of land for a house on Shore Street. (Number 9 Seatown or Peepy Street see also Land Register.).   Mary’s parents were James McPherson (1765c-   ) and Margaret Main who were married c1786 – Ardersier registry.


3.4.1       Daniel(Donald) More(Moir)
(1819-1898)  +  Margaret Sutherland (1820-1893) known as ‘Mag Bon’, born in Hopeman and married 1841. Apparently she was an ‘afa bonny quine’ and this is where it is believed the name BON came from, Margaret Sutherland being BONNIE. They lived at 47 Harbour Street. Their family was –
3.4.1.1          Mary (Mary Bon)              (1837-    )             never married
3.4.1.2          Isabella (Bella Bon)          (1844-    )             got married
3.4.1.3          Charles (Charlie Bon)       (1846-   )              He was deaf and dumb
3.4.1.4          James (Jeemuck Bon)    (1848-1855)        Drowned at the beach when he was 7 yrs old
3.4.1.5          Margaret (Mag Bon)        (1851-   )               + Daniel Walker and lived in Inverness.
3.4.1.6         Ann (Annuck Bon)             (1852-    )             + Married Alexander McPherson (San McPherson) b.1852 and they stayed at 21 Dunbar Street.   They had one daughter, Isabella McPherson (Belleckie Bon) b.1883 who married Alexander Main (Alex Blude)
3.4.1.7           Daniel (Danuck Bon)       (1854- 1930)       +
Margaret Slater b.1861.
3.4.1.8           Jane                                  (1856-    )
3.4.1.9           Thomas                             (1858-   )
3.4.1.10         Jessie     (Jess Bon)          (1863-   )              + Otto Warrender and they lived in Aberdeen. Otto had a very strong accent which sounded Eastern European.

3.4.1.11     Daniel More (Danuck Bon)  (1856 -1930) + Margaret Slater (Queen)  (1861-1943) Married 1880.  Margaret Slater (Queen) was the daughter of James Slater & Margaret More (see Slater/Bruce tree).  Their children were all born in Hopeman
3.4.1.11.1       Margaret                          (1881-     )            + Joe Ralph
3.4.1.11.2       Daniel (Boy)                     (1882- 1959)       +  Maggie George(Cowdenbeith) (1895-1959)
3.4.1.11.3       James (Jeemak Bon)       (1884-        )         + Lena Jack
3.4.1.11.4       Charlie (Charlie bon)       (1886-1959)        + Helen (Nellie) Young (Jondie)(1885-1979)
3.4.1.11.5       Isabella                            (1888-        )         emigrated to America and married an Orcadian
3.4.1.11.6      Thomas (Thom Bon)        (1890- 1967)       + Williamina (Mina) Young (Jondie) (1893-1980)
3.4.1.11.7      Jessie (Jess Bon) (1893-1968)        + William Sutherland (Wullicky Bettie)(1885-1950)
3.4.1.11.8      George                             (1894- 1905)       died aged 10
3.4.1.11.9      David                                (1896-1929)        died in cliff fall when being chased by the gamekeeper between Cove bay and Primrose bay.
3.4.1.11.10     Mary                                (1898- 1898)       died at 3 months
3.4.1.11.11     Ann (Annie Bon)             (1899- 1973)       + Alex John Smith (1899-1972)
3.4.1.11.12     William (Wullie)               (1904- 1983)       aged 78 and unmarried
3.4.1.11.13     Alexander (Sandy)          (1905- 1989)       + Jessie Sutherland (Cormack) (1912-1972)
3.4.1.11.14     Robert More (Sheddon)  (1912- 2000)        adopted  + Christabel Sutherland (1918-1986)

 

The above family information runs down the family ‘bye’ name and line of the (Bon’s) however there are other lines with the ‘bye’ names of  Tamak and Keys.  Not too many compared with other Hopeman fisher families.

Gallery of the MORE family