The Logan Family
The Logan family have been another family who have had great influence over the village, leaving their mark in many areas, not to mention the provision of employment for many throughout the Highlands and across much of Scotland.
The family first appear in the area around 1788, at Teandalloch, with the marriage of William Logan and Cathrine McGrigor, although there is evidence that the Logan family may have been in the Redcastle area of Killearnan parish, before this.
The first child to be born at Teandalloch was Alexander in 1794 who later married Catherine Cameron and first appear, on the 1841 census which indicates they had been married for around 20 years, possibly as early as 1810. The census also indicates that they have had at least seven children. Alexander’s occupation at this time was recorded as a cottage hand loom weaver.
With so many children it is impossible to write about where everyone ended up. We do know that a son, Alexander became a Tailor at Fearn and another, William was born in 1821 and remained at Teandalloch. It was William’s children who made their mark on Muir of Ord and Scotland.
William Logan - Solomon
William was also a hand loom weaver and he married Elizabeth Mackenzie in December 1849. A grandson wrote of his grandfather earning the reputation for having great wisdom and earned the name Solomon while his wife earned herself a similar reputation for being knowledgeable in all things related to the affairs women and children and their many illnesses. She became known in Gaelic as the “Wise woman”.
A new building was built for their marriage and was originally thatched, having a corrugated iron roof added at a later date. In this home, the couple raised a family of around eight children, while William worked on his loom in the lower roofed section of the property. The building eventually fell into disrepair and was demolished. There is now a steading built on the site.
Attribution: not recorded or unknown
Attribution: The Logan family, Teandalloch
Solomon & Elizabeth's children
Isabella was born around 1851 and was in domestic service at 18 Douglas Cresc, Edinburgh on the 1881 census. There are two possible dates for her death in 1914 or 1919 whilst still in Edinburgh.
John was born around 1852 and was apprenticed to a blacksmith at Windhill in 1871 and was working at Ardersier in 1881. He married Margaret MacKay of Muir of Conon in 1885, by which time he had returned to the village, working as a Blacksmith at the property that became known as Logan’s Buildings.
John was remembered by his nephew as having a mischievous sense of humour and would often play practical jokes on the unsuspecting groomsmen as he shod their Clydesdale horses.
John and Margaret had seven children; 3 sons and 4 daughters. Their son, Alexander followed his father into the forge. Alexander became known a ‘Lal’. Alexander was studying Law, when he had to return home to take over the family business, when his father died in 1918.
One of Lal’s three sisters, Catherine (Kate) married Roderick MacKay and lived at The Shielings, which was built by Duncan Logan Builders.
Catherine was born around 1854. She never married and died in 1921.
Alexander was born around 1856. He travelled to Canada; it is thought due to the reports of the then ‘Gold Rush’. He died of Tuberculosis at York, Ontario, Canada in 1890 aged 35 years.
Thomas was born in 1857 and trained as a mason. He can be found on the 1881 census, living or possibly working at Carnoch, Strathconon. On his return to the village, he built a property on Great North Road which became known as ‘Logan’s Building’. He went into business with his younger brother, forming Thomas & Duncan Builders. Thomas never married and died unexpectedly in 1917.
Eliza was born in1859. She never married and died in 1946.
Hugh Logan - Teandalloch
Hugh was born in 1862 and remained at the family farm until his death in 1927. He was married in 1901 to Eliza Isabella Mackenzie who, at that time was housekeeper to her brother, also at Teandalloch.
Hugh was a great reader of Gaelic and English books and an accomplished amateur singer and precentor in both English and Gaelic at Urray Free church for forty years. He was also known to hold weekly singing classes at the church and having never learned to ride a bicycle, he walked to the church and back again, after a days work on the croft.
Hugh and Eliza had six children, so with an growing family, Hugh subsidised his income as a joiner and carpenter. Their eldest son, Alexander remained at Teandalloch and their descendents still live there today. Most of their children remained in the area with one daughter moving to Tain and another son, moving to work at Shanghai. Alexander’s son, joined the Logan building/engineering building and moved to live in Glasgow. He has now returned to live at Teandalloch.
Anne was born in 1867 and married Andrew McDonald of Inverness in 1905. At that time Andrew was a Maltman in the whisky industry. They were still living in Inverness by the 1911 census, however by the 1921 census both Andrew & Annie were visiting Annie’s spinster sister’s, Catherine & Eliza, at Aultvaich. Andrew was now working as a ‘holderup’ or Labourer in the Boilermaking shop for the Highland Railway company.
The couple never had any children and Annie died in Muir of Ord in 1936.
Duncan Logan
Duncan was born in 1869. It is not known where he served his apprenticeship, but the 1891 census finds him as a mason in Alness with another seven masons in the team. Donald Tuach being the first named and another known builder from Muir of Ord. Amongst the names on the 1891 census are many well-known surnames associated with the village, and with Duncan being 23, although time served, it is highly unlikely he had yet set up the business that was to become well respected around the country.
By the census of 1901, Duncan was now recorded as an employer, as was his brother Thomas.
Duncan married Margaret Mackenzie in 1904. Margaret being the sister of Duncan’s sister-in-law Eliza, who had married Hugh Logan in 1901. Duncan and Margaret had five children, three of whom became involved in the family business that expanded to build many contracts across Scotland. The family lived at Heatherlea which remained in the family until 1960.