Hi, and thank you so much for your post. Alexander M. is one of my true "brick walls", even after exhausting the records that are available and consulting a research specialist at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

I came across the family of Alexander and Isabella while searching for a young Alexander M. in the Scottish census records. Alexander Dallas, born 1817 married an Isabella McKenzie, born 1819, and they had at least five children: Alexander, born 1844; James McKenzie, born 1847; John Robertson, born 1841; Robert, born 1849; and Charles William, born 1851.

The most glaring reasons to rule out this family as Alexander M.’s are that the given names of the mother and father do not coincide with what I know from the US records.

According to Alexander M.'s death record (in Boston), his father was named William and his mother was Catherine McKenzie. We know, though, that information on a death record is second hand and is often inaccurate.

Another, slightly obscure reason is that Alexander M. stated in his immigration records that his birth date was June 26; this Alexander was born in August of 1844.

But, there are other reasons that this family could be the right one.

Alexander M. was born between 1844 and 1847 according to various US records, and this Alexander was born in 1844.

Isabella is a McKenzie, and Alexander M.'s mother was reported to be a Catherine McKenzie. The name McKenzie seems to figure prominently in the naming traditions of all of these families.

James McKenzie Dallas was born in 1847. And, both James and Charles continue the tradition by naming their children McKenzie, either as a primary given name or a middle name.

Alexander M. and his wife Mary E. Canty had eleven children, all born in the Boston area. One daughter was named Marie Isabel (eighth child), and a son (fourth child) was named Joseph McKenzie. However, their first child, a girl, was named Wilhelmina (in honor of William?); their third child, a son, was named Herbert Alexander; their seventh child, a girl, was named Catherine.

Alexander M. posed for a portrait wearing what appears to be the McKenzie tartan, and was a pallbearer representing Clan McKenzie.

So, that is what I have so far. Certainly, it is possible that both William and Catherine had more than one name, and that those who knew them referred to them using these more familiar names.

A few other comments: the Dallas family here in the United States seems to have followed the teachings of the Catholic church...Alexander M. was a house painter...and at least one record suggests that Alexander started out from Edinburgh.

So, there is certainly still room for more research.

Again, thank you for sharing your research; let's hope that I can find even more supporting evidence to connect to your family.

Warm regards,

Carol Dallas