Capt. William (Robert) Chivas & Christian (John) Mitchell

Family Group Sheet

NameCapt. William (Robert) Chivas

Birth29 Sep 1805, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Death21 Mar 1886, Inver, Monymusk, Scotland

Baptism2 Nov 1805

OccupationShip master. Captain (merchant service) and master mariner.

Note 1Captain in American Civil War. Also appears to have served in Bengal till around 1852.

Note 2A master mariner primarily engaged in sailing ships carrying immigrants to New Zealand, e.g The Mooltan which sailed from Greenock on 11 Sep 1849 arriving at Port Chalmers, New Zealand on 26 Dec 1849.

Note 3According to Mike Ritchie, in 2008, Capt. Chivas is recorded in the diary of a Mrs Purdie, wife of the ship's surgeon.

Note 4He had children James Mitchell (20 Apr 1847 - 18 Nov 1902), Robert John (17 Mar 1842-25 Nov 1863) and William Lendrum (17 Sep 1839-15 Feb 1899).

Note 5His son James appears to have married Ann Rose McKay, proprietor of Rose’s Hotel, Bamff, Scotland (the address given by both at their wedding). Was her surname Rose or McKay? Did she inherit it from a Rose? Was she the widow of a Rose?

FlagsShives/Chivas

FatherRobert (William) Chivas (?-?)

MotherChristian Murdoch (?-?)

Marriage3 Dec 1838, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

SpouseChristian (John) Mitchell, G Granddaughter

Birth12 Jun 1812

MemoAccording to a tombstone in Ellon churchyard. Another source said 16 Jun 1812.

Death24 Oct 1880

OriginOf Mill of Fortrie, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.

Note 1Presumably born at Mill of Fortie, Ellon, Aberdeenshire though by 1870 there was “scarcely one stone left upon another to mark the place where the old houses stood”.

Note 1In 1853/53 she appears to be returning with her husband from Bengal/Madras (military service?).

Note 2See her letter to her brother John dated Oct 19th 1852.

Flags***, Dickson, Mitchell

FatherJohn (Alexander) Mitchell (1763-1847)

MotherMargaret (John) Lendrum (1778-1827)

Children