Roderick, Colin & Donald Young

The brothers Roderick, Colin and Donald [1786–1854] Young, from Kiltearn (Ross-shire) [see 1851 census fron Donald], all went to Demerara. Roderick and Colin ran a timber and carpentry business in Cumingsburg, Demerara, using a gang of slave carpenters. Roderick was in the colony from at least 1807 and Colin from before 1810. Donald went to Demerara in 1808 and remained there until 1830, with the exception of  some time during 1819–20 when he was in Scotland [Scottish Law Magazine, and Sheriff Court Reporter, Volume 2 (Glasgow” Thomas Murray & Son, 1860)]. Donald died in Glasgow in November 1854, described as 'sometime house contractor residing in Demerara'.

In 1810 Roderick returned briefly to Scotland where he married, in Inverness, Jessie Mackay, the daughter William and Elizabeth Mackay of Skaill, in the parish of Farr (Sutherland) [GROS 098/00 0080 0263: 20 June 1811]. A son was born the next year (1812), while Mrs Mackay was with her relatives in Skerray, in the parish of Tongue (Sutherland). Roderick had returned to Demerara where he and Colin continued their business until 1812/13, when they sold the property in Cumingsburg.

Donald made his will in Demerara in 1829, by which date Roderick had died leaving a son, John Roderick Young, and a daughter, Ann. Donald left £2000 each to his brother Colin, his nephew John Roderick and his niece Ann. [SC36/51/34]

At emancipation Colin received c£1300 for 26 enslaved people [T71/433 p. 1658].

A John Young died in Demerara in 1803 and it is possible that this was a relation.