Introduction / Families / Harcus / Harcus (newcomers)

David Harcus and Elizabeth Wards

David Harcus and Elizabeth Wards lived at Cott from 1916 until 1922.

David (b. 14th January 1878) was a son of John Harcus and Barbara Drever who lived at North Park, Eday but moved to Kirkwall shortly after David was born. He appeared with the family at Union St in 1881.

David’s mother died in 1884 and his father remarried in St Andrews in 1887. By 1891, David was back at North Park, Eday with his paternal grandmother, Mary Cutt, who was widowed. His elder brother and sister were also there.

1891
North Park, Eday

	Relation	Status	Age	Occupation	Born
Mary Harcus	Head	Widow	66 years	Crofter	N. Ronaldsay
James Harcus	Son	Unmarried	36 years	Fisherman	Eday
William Harcus	Son	Unmarried	33 years	Blacksmith	Eday
Mary Harcus	G.Dau	Unmarried	17 years	Gen. Servant	Eday
John Harcus	G.Son		15 years	Scholar	Eday
David Harcus	G.Son		13 years	Scholar	Eday

He married Elizabeth Wards on 1st December 1903 in Bridge St, Kirkwall. Their usual addresses were North Park and Castles in Calfsound, Eday, the home of Elizabeth and her parents. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Wards and Stewart Gullion. Both David and Elizabeth had Pharay ancestry and were related being descendents of the Drevers, David’s mother being from Windywa and a second cousin of Elizabeth.

David’s occupation was merchant seaman when they married. He and Elizabeth had seven children including:

• James Harcus, born. 3rd September 1904 who married Barbara Drever in St Andrews in 1928 and later lived at the Ness in Tankerness. They had five children. Barbara was a daughter of John Drever and Ann Harcus. James died on 17th September 1984.

The family lived at Cott, Pharay from 1916 until 1922 with some of the children attending the school.

Elizabeth died at the Ness, Tankerness on 6th December 1942 where David was farming. David died there on 11th May 1964