Introduction / Barbara Allan / Westray Allans / Marion Allan and James Harcus / John Harcus and Jane Drummond

William Harcus (Hercus) and Elizabeth Allan

William Hercus was born on Pharay on 6th January 1826 and was baptised the following 12th March. His parents were John Harcus and Jane Drumond. Elizabeth Allan was born on Eday to James Allan and Elizabeth Reid on 17th November 1825 and baptised the following 8th January. William and Elizabeth were married 16th December 1847. They were second cousins; William's paternal grandmother, Marion Allan, was the sister of Elizabeth's paternal grandfather, David Allan. William and Elizabeth had nine known children, all born on Pharay:

• Jane Hercus, b. 17th Nov 1848, c. 7th Jan 1849 and married Robert Drever

• William Hercus>, b. 27th Jan 1851, c. 4th Mar 1851, and d. 2nd Sept 1868, age 17, at Cott. William was a fisherman.

• Ann Allan Hercus, b. 7th Feb 1854 who married John Drever

• David Hercus, b. 16th Feb 1856 who married, first, his cousin Margaret Groat, and second, Jessie Tait

• Peter Hercus, b. 12 Dec 1857 who married Mary Garrioch

• Elizabeth Hercus, b. 4th Dec 1859. In 1881, Elizabeth living with her sister-in-law Margaret Groat Hercus, her sister Sibella and Jane Allan, a cousin, on Shore Street, Kirkwall. Elizabeth was a domestic. She died 23rd March 1889, in Kirkwall at age 29.

• Sibella (Sebella) Allan Hercus, b. 18th January 1862. In 1881 Sibella was living with her sister Elizabeth and others in Kirkwall and working as a domestic. It is not known what became of her.

• James Hercus, b. 3rd Mar 1864 who married Jessie Lennie of Ophir

• Margaret Hercus, b. 25th Mar 1866 and d. 29th Mar 1867 at the age of 1.

No link between Robert Drever (of Westray) who married daughter Jane Hercus and John Drever who married Jane's sister Ann Hercus has been found.

William and Elizabeth lived at Cott, Pharay where William was a fisherman and crofter. William died of tuberculosis on 27th January 1869 at Cott, age 43. Elizabeth died at Windywall, Pharay, 16th October 1911, at age 84.