Introduction / Families / Harcus / James Harcus and Marion Allan

William Harcus and Isabella Benston

William Harcus was born on 3rd February 1810 and baptised on the following 30th March. He was the first child born to James Harcus and Marion Allan after they moved from Westray to Pharay. William married, on 4th April 1832, Isabella Benston, who was born on 10th September 1814 to Adam Benston and Mary Sandison. Isabella was the sister of John Benston who married William's sister Isabel Harcus. William and Isabella had eight children, all born probably on Eday. None of their children is recorded in the OPR; consequently, except for their youngest who was born after civil registration was in effect, exact birth dates are not known.

• Mary Harcus, b. about 1833 and married John Shearer

• Isabella Harcus, b. about 1836 who married James Gullion, her cousin

• Jean (Jane) Harcus, b. about 1840. Jane was with the family in the 1851 census, age 11, but has not been found thereafter.

• Johanna Harcus, b. about 1843 who married James Reid of Staequoy, Shapinsay, on 22nd Nov 1866. James, son of Robert Reid and Christina Irvine, was born on 28th Oct 1829. It appears James and Johanna had no family. They lived at Staequoy, initially with James' widowed mother and often with one or more of his sisters, where James was a farmer. By 1901 they had moved to Viewforth, also on Shapinsay. A grave stone on Shapinsay has the following inscription: "In loving memory of James Reid, the beloved husband of Johann Harcus, who died 1st Sept 1909 aged 78 years. The above Johann Harcus who died 22nd Sept 1916 aged 72 years."

• William Harcus, b. about 1846, who married Elizabeth Brown Work

• Elizabeth Harcus, b. about 1849 who married James Laughton in Kirkwall on 14th Jan 1881. James was a retired farmer about 30 years her senior, the son of James Laughton and Barbara Mason. In 1881, they were living on Bridge Street in Kirkwall. In 1891, they were on Main Street near Elizabeth's mother. By 1901, Elizabeth had been widowed, but she was still living on Main Street. She died on 3rd Mar 1932, at age 83, on Old Scapa Road, Kirkwall.

• Adam Benston Harcus, b. about 1853 who married Jane Brown.

• Barbara Harcus, b. 12th June 1855. Barbara gave birth to a daughter, Isabella Harcus, on 29th July 1874. Barbara was a servant on Shapinsay, at Hannatoft in 1871 and at Elwickbank Bothy in 1881. Isabella was living with her maternal grandmother. No records of Barbara or Isabella after 1881 have been located with certainty, although Isabella may have been a servant at the manse on Eday in 1891.

William and Isabella were living at Allans Hall, Eday in 1841 and 1851 where William was an agricultural labourer and fisherman. In the late 1850s the family moved to Shapinsay where they lived at Roadside and where William farmed. William died there, on 10th December 1878, at age 63. In 1881, Isabella was still at Roadside with her 6-year old granddaughter, Isabella, but by 1891 she had moved to Main Street, Kirkwall, where she was described as a retired laundress. Her death in Kirkwall in 1894 was reported by a neighbour. A grave stone on Shapinsay has the following inscription: "Erected by Isabella Benston in memory of her beloved husband William Harcus who died 6th Dec 1878, age 63 years. The above Isabella Benston died 18th May 1894, aged 79 years."