39324: Edward Colby

Edward, born in Gravesend c1814, was a son of John and Catherine nee Macleod (a native of Tobson). He moved to Lewis and resided in Stornoway with his first wife, Margaret Richmond (or Mary Richards) and their three children; Mary, John and Catherine b 1849.

In the 1851 census he is recorded living in Bosta, as a widower. His second marriage was to Catherine Mackenzie from Aird Uig.

A person called Tormod Sassunach was associated with this family – indeed the croft in Tobson was offered to him in exchange for looking after the Colby grandparents. There is no record of a Norman Colby in Stornoway and it is likely that ‘Tormod’ was the nearest to Edward the Gaelic could accommodate. Tormod Sassunach was called locally a lay preacher, but Edward is listed as a Tract Seller in the Stornoway Censuses.