Thread: The McKAY family saga

Love this feature!! Have had a great time trawling through to see if I can answer or help anyone and have now decided to put my sticky question up!

My 2x great grandfather Daniel McKAY was born (according to his marriage certs) in Co Antrim, Ireland in @ 1818.
I would like to prove his parents - all we know is that his father was also Daniel McKAY (farmer) as per one of his marriage certificates.
There is a family story that Daniel snr moved to Ireland from Scotland (if this is true then I may never be able to find where the McKay family came from originally).

I have been unable to find any census or parish records for Daniel junior and know the following about his movements:
In @ 1846 he travelled to India (again we have not been able to ascertain how or on what ship) but in 1856 he was the Quartermaster Sergeant of the Ramghur Light Infantry Battalion that mutinied against the British - the family story for this event was that he was warned and was able to get out of the area before any fighting commenced.
In 1857 he is listed in Bengal Directoy as the Officiating Sub-conductor of Ordnance at Arsenal, Fort William (part of the Indian Army - not part of the East India Army).
Does anyone know why he would have become part of the Indian Army and/or how and why he would go to India in the first place??

In @1863 (after 4 marriages in India) he left India and emigrated to New Zealand (we still haven't been able to find the shipping documents for this trip either) and brought his last wife Rebecca and their 2 children born at that time with him.

Of his previous marriages (all in Bengal presidency), we have also been unable to trace parents/ backgrounds and would love to know more about the girls he married:
1) Maria BARKS - married 23 Feb 1847 - no parents listed on marriage register (she was of full age) - they had 2 children - Daniel McKAY (born 1848, died 1849) and Henry McKAY (born 1850, no death record found).
2) Jessie Janet MILLER - married 28 FEB 1853 - her address is listed on the marriage register as Orphan House, Kidderpore, Calcutta (born @ 1834)
3) Henrietta Priscilla MILLS - married 13 JUN 1858 (born 1844, died 1859 in childbirth - no records to say if child survived and have assumed not) - Father's name Thomas
4) Rebecca KNIGHT - married 04 APR 1861 (born 1843 in Meerut) - father Thomas KNIGHT - soldier.

Any assistance at all greatly appreciated!

Hi just found this posting. Daniel McKay was my G Grand Father. He and his wife Henrietta Priscilla Mills had a daughter Rose who did survive and was married in New Zealand in 1879, she was my G Grand Mother. He died in England in 1895 registered as a Pensioner Conductor. My research indicated he was born in Glasgow.

Hi Wayneh
Click on Becca 321 and send her a private message. She may not come back to the thread.
Good luck
Jan

p.s. Welcome to Ancestry Aid.

Hi there

Have sent 2 private messages. have not had a reply so wonder if you got them. Would like to take up your offer re family records. Plse send a private message with some cotact ifo.

Wayne H