Skye
Ewen Lamont and Sarah Macpherson (Picture courtesy of Harold S. Macleod). Ewen Lamont was born in 1817, in Bernisdale, Isle of Skye, son of Malcolm Lamont and Isabella Macdonald of Skye, emigrants to Uigg PEI on the Mary Kennedy in 1829. Ewen was age 13 years when they emigrated to PEI. He was Head Master of the famed Uigg Grammar School circa 1860 and an Elder in the Church of Scotland. Ewen liked to write and he composed religious poems, both in English and Gaelic, some of which still exist. He married Sarah Macpherson in Belle River, Prince Edward Island, daughter of John Macpherson and Mary Currie.
Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland and in Scottish Gaelic it is commonly referred to as An t-Eilean Sgitheanach (“The Winged Isle”). It has also been referred to as ’Eilean a’Cheo’ which means ‘Isle of Mist’. The predominant clans to be found in Skye were the MacLeods, MacDonalds, MacKinnons, Nicholsons and MacAskills. Edinbane in the north was founded in 1809 by Kenneth MacLeod who at the age of 15 went to India with one golden guinea in his pocket and took the river boat down to Calcutta. He visited a place where an auction of the contents of a sugar factory was in progress, bought a copper boiler and this set him on the ladder to making a fortune in India planting indigo. Dunvegan is the seat of the Clan Macleod and the North-West’s history is as compelling as its landscape and wildlife. Legends and myth abound as well as intrigue and passion, feuds and bloody battles. Slave trading of the inhabitants around the Jacobite Rebellions found many local folk kidnapped and sold to the plantations in the Carolinas. This trade in white slaves had the full sanction of the MacDonald and MacLeod chiefs at the time and was quickly hushed up when it came to light in 1733.
Historical visitors include Boswell and Johnson, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Flora Macdonald. Dunvegan was also home to the legendary and world acclaimed MacCrimmon pipers.The MacCrimmons were the hereditary pipers to the Clan MacLeod and they changed the whole face of piping to bequeath the world over two hundred years a legacy of great music.
Pride of place in the Skye bardic tradition must surely go to Mary MacPherson, Mairi Mhor nan Oran. Even a casual glance at her work brings joyously back to life not only herself but the Skye social scene of the mid nineteenth century emigration years. The pleasure and pride that she took in her younger-generation island men and women jumps out from her song, ‘Camanachd Ghlaschu’.
‘S iad gillean mo rùin a thogadh mo shunnd,
‘S i seo a’ Bhliadhna Ùr thug sòlas duinn;
‘S iad gillean mo rùin a thogadh mo shunnd.
After the Highland Clearances life became almost totally impossible for those who remained. The collection of seaweed from the shore was forbidden and crofters were not permitted to keep dogs. Other impositions included the right of the landlord to demand free labour and crofters were not allowed to remove marauding deer from their land.
By the mid 1870′s crofters were harbouring thoughts of revolt and a new newspaper called The Highlander focused attention on their plight. Public opinion had galvanised against landlordism and crofters began to resist eviction orders. Soon there was chaos and near riot. On Lord MacDonald’s estate at Braes, an old grievance was revived when crofters demanded grazings taken over by the landlord’s sheep be handed back. They refused to pay rent until their demands were met and a Sheriff’s Officer was sent out with summonses of ejection on 7th April 1882. A band of crofters forced him to bum his papers so fifty policemen were sent from Glasgow to Skye to help settle the uprising. One hundred men, women and children with sticks or stones met the policemen and charged at them and, in the scuffle that followed, a number of crofters were taken prisoner. Small fines were imposed but it was clear that law and order had broken down.
An outburst of crofter rebellion then took place at Glendale when crofters who allowed their stock to wander over a neighbouring farm were arrested and imprisoned for two months. Scottish MPs promoted a petition to set up a Royal Commission on Highland distress and the result was a formidable indictment of the Highland land-owning class. However, the Commission did not recommend any official revision of rents and islanders were not content with proposals that did not include security of tenure and fair rents. In 1884 there was again unrest in Glendale and the Government sent in marines with gunboats to intimidate the crofters. This brought the crofters’ cause again to the forefront of public attention.
The Highland Land League nominated crofter candidates to stand as independent members of parliament and this Crofters’ Party became the first Labour Party in Britain. The four new crofter MPs succeeded in introducing the Crofters’ Holdings (Scotland) Act in 1886 which gave security of tenure to the crofter and compensation for improvement. However, landlords continued to ignore the new legislation or made attempts to evict crofters before cases could be heard. Encounters took place later in 1886 when writs were served at bayonet point and it was not until the 1920s that land tribunals were introduced.
Skye is nowadays more famous for its whisky and the Talisker distillery, built in 1830 by Hugh & Kenneth MacAskill, produces the whisky that was the favourite of writer Robert Louis Stevenson.
Willie Orr
March 11, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Can anyone give me details of Skye people sold into slavery by the MacLeods in the early 18th century?
Don MacFarlane
March 12, 2012 at 12:12 pm
There is a peculiar dearth of information on Skye folk being transported as slaves to Carolina. Even Celeste Ray’s excellent book, ‘Transatlantic Scots’, makes no reference to it. It looks like a bit of digging is required but an initial source on this topic comes from Patricia Lelievre from Prince Edward Island:
DONALD MACLEOD, a.k.a: ‘The Old Trojan’, was born ca. 1693 in Bernera, Outer Hebrides and died in 1783 aged 90. He was buried in Rodel, Harris, and had 9 children by his third wife, Margaret. It was Donald’s son, Captain Norman MacLeod from Bernera, who was accused of kidnapping over 100 men, women and children one evening from their homes in Skye in 1739 to sell as slaves in USA. Sir Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baronet of Sleat, was also implicated in the slavery and fled to live in Northern Ireland before he returned in 1745 to Skye where he aided the government.
As one of the victims later recounted, they were ‘all guarded and delivered… and a good deal of them were at the same time bound and tied.’ The plan was to ship the prisoners to either New England or Pennsylvania, where they would be sold as servants, but when the vessel stopped to take on supplies at Donaghadie, in Northern Ireland, they escaped across the surrounding countryside… neither MacDonald or MacLeod was ever prosecuted.” (Ekirch)
Angus Macmillan
March 23, 2012 at 9:53 pm
The Old Trojan was called on, as part of his tack, to supply Militia for the MacLeods/Government in 1745. He replied by sending a force under Norman above and sent a message to the effect that this was in accord with his duty and he would have led it himself had he not had a more pressing engagement. He then went off to join the Jacobite forces. Norman and his troop formed one of the groups guarding the Skye coast proximate to Sir Aleander MacDonald’s home at Monksradt when Royal Charlie and Flora MacDonald etc. landed there after escaping from Benbecula.
auldacquaintance
December 12, 2011 at 4:45 pm
That Old-Style Religion
It would be safe to say that the Haldanes’ Mission was very successful indeed, and it established worship-communities all over the North of Scotland, including a very successful mission to the Northern Isles. The Haldanes laid the foundations for further missions to build upon.
Columba is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland but the major work was built upon by others. Likewise, the Haldanes performed that role in their Evangelical mission; others followed suit. Some were persuaded and continued in small numbers in their communities before others came to help ‘spread the Word’. Like introducing new music into an area, some took to, many did not. At later stages, ‘concerts’ were advertised, friends went to see a ‘star’ performing, and more were taken in.
Evangelical Missionaries were the pop stars of their day, odd as that might seem now. But in a time and in a world where nothing out of the ordinary happened, they seemed very glamorous. Part of religion’s attraction has always been about entertainment. I should know, I was such an entertainer.
auldacquaintance
December 11, 2011 at 6:35 pm
I have just had another look at the timeline. The Haldanes would have been leading the initial Missions in late 1700s, so this period of Evangelical Mission in the 1800s would be a later one than the original missions to the Highlands and Islands. Most likely by the 1800s this would be part of the continuing Mission run by the Scottish Missionary Society. There were various of these Missionary Societies on the go, including the most famous one, The London Missionary Society. This was the Society that David Livingston worked for, and it did most of its mission in Africa and the Far East. The Society which would most probably be responsible for the Canadian Mission would have been The Commonwealth Missionary Society. Nearly all of these Missions were run by Congregationalists and eventually would merge together as one Society. In fact it is still around today and is called the Council for World Mission.
Don MacFarlane
December 12, 2011 at 10:57 am
Judging by that, then, the Haldane mission could not have been that successful. The accounts given of the Skye people prior to the so-called Renewal of the 1840s were that they were a right heathen bunch! Hence, all the more credit goes to the likes of the Apostle of the North?
Don MacFarlane
December 9, 2011 at 8:32 pm
The Skye Evangelical Revival 1842-69
In an account attributed to a “native of Skye”, the author of a document published in 1827, records: -
“When a relation of mine died in 1799, I knew he lived without worshipping God, either privately or publicly. He was an utter stranger to Jesus Christ, yet he was reckoned among the best in the parish and one deserving of heaven and eternal happiness, merely for his good doings. The parish minister said of him and another, “If as many shall go to hell as the bible declares, we cannot get room there.”
Some of the Evangelists
James Haldane
Rev John MacLeod
Rev Norman MacLeod
Dr Robert Candlish
Major Neil MacLeod
Rev Roderick MacLeod
Dr Begg
Rev John Swanson
Dr John MacDonald, ‘Apostle of the North’
Duncan Campbell
Rev John MacRae
Hugh Miller
Rev John Kennedy
Editorial Comment
Despite the efforts of these evangelical stalwarts, there appears to have been left some work to do as my GG-grand-uncle, Rev Donald MacFarlane of Raasay, brought about the split of the Free Presbyterian Church from the Free Church in the latter days of the nineteenth century.
auldacquaintance
December 10, 2011 at 6:29 pm
The Skye Revival was led by the Haldane Brothers, a missionary work to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. These ministers were not static in one place but rather travelled from one community to another spreading the Gospel. The Haldanes went on from this point in history to be the founders of both the Baptist and Congregational churches in Scotland. Our GG-grand uncle, Rev Donald MacFarlane was from North Uist and was in charge of Raasay church at the time of the walk out from the Free Church, in the argument over its changes in regard to the Westminster Confession of faith.
Don MacFarlane
December 11, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Transatlantic Spread of Gaelic Gospel
This Highland and Gaelic evangelical movement seems to have carried across the water to the maritime provinces of Canada? Other ministers, this time active in Canada in the 1800s, were:
Rev Peter MacLean
Samuel MacLeod
Ewen Lamont
Norman MacPherson
Rev PR Foster
Don MacFarlane
December 11, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Contemporary Account of the 1842 Skye Revival from Rev James MacQueen (An t-Urramach Seumas MacCuidhein), Broadford Baptist Church
“I never saw the church so lively and zealous as at present. I never saw such a general desire to hear [the Gospel] in every part of the station, and through the whole Island. Four persons were baptised since I last wrote to you and I cannot visit one half of the places to which I am invited. This awakening commenced in the north of Skye, by means of a Gaelic schoolmaster, and it has extended to all the parishes of the Island. Some who are affected prove by their conduct that they have not known the evils of sin, notwithstanding their agitation. There is, however, a wonderful change in the conduct of the people, and much attention is paid to the word of God.”
Kerstina MacKenzie MacAskill
September 16, 2011 at 2:06 am
I’m related to Hugh MacLeod of Macleod (Chief of Dunvegan Castle right now) through my father, Kenneth MacAskill. I was wondering if there is an updated family tree? Or any family tree that could get at least to my father and his 2 brothers and sister. I took history as a subject, so this would be perfect for me and also I love to find out about my family history. It’s awesome to know you have such a wonderful family history, so could someone or anyone – if you know about a family tree – please tell me about it, that would be fantastic, thank-you
Don MacFarlane
February 14, 2012 at 11:09 am
My initial thoughts were that this shouldn’t be too difficult to do through Burke’s Peerage as I tracked a forgotten or overlooked member of the Clanranald MacDonald line that way recently (see Uist page). A quick look, however, would seem to show that the more recent Burke records for the MacLeods are very patchy indeed.
It appears the MacLeod male line ran out with Hugh MacLeod (present chief)’s grandfather who was in fact a Woolridge Gordon who took on the MacLeod mantle through marriage to Joan MacLeod, daughter of John Macleod of Dunvegan. Details for other Gordons, siblings of Macleod of MacLeod, are not recorded and the only other line is a generation back who became MacNabs.
In other words, there are no DNA-haplotype MacLeods left in the present chiefly line which is in fact now morganatic. It might be useful with regards this particular query to know the maiden name of the mother of the MacAskill mentioned? In the meantime, there is a very useful Macleod Chiefs website which does a Cooks Tour on them from their very beginning. I also aim to get Seoras, the website administrator for that particular site, on board for your query.
donfad
August 25, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Beaton (Bethune) Physicians of the Isle of Skye
Beatons (Bethunes or MacBeths) were hereditary physicians to the Chiefs of the MacLeods and the MacDonalds.
From Historical Account by A. Bethune-Baker (ex-1778)
Dr Peter Bethune (Beaton) circa 1729
“being a famous physician, was called to Argyleshire to practise his skill and from thence received an invitation to the Isle of Sky from the lairds of M’Donald and M’Leod. The Doctor, upon condition to settle in the country, was promised as much land as he inclined to possess, on the promise on the Doctor’s side, that one of his posterity, particularly the eldest son of the family, if he had a turn for it, should be educated as a physician,without any expence to him or his successors, whilst any of them continued in that country and inclined to the study of physic or medicine”.
Dr Farquhar Bethune (son of Peter)
“having been sent for by the Earl of Sutherland, to attend his Countess in a dangerous illness, he was returning home in a ten oared boat and happened to land in an island which was not inhabited. Here the Doctor and his crew, proposed to stay a little and refresh themselves ; but alas ! the boat being not well fastened to the shore, went off with their provisions aboard, and twenty days thereafter came into Dunrobin the Earl’s seat, whole and entire. The Earl immediately sent out some able hands in quest of them; but before they could possibly reach the island, all of them had died for want of food”.
Dr Angus Bethune (son of Farquhar)
“Angus wrote a system of physic, entitled ‘The Lilly of Medicine’, which he finished at the foot of Montpelier, after he had studied twenty eight years. The system contains many curious discoveries concerning the nature of diseases and their cures but none is able to read it now as it is in the Irish character and in contractions belonging to it”.
Dr Farquhar Beaton (son of the second Dr. Angus) circa 1774
Farquhar did not at first study physic (medicine) but he eventually settled in ‘such a remote corner as Sky’ where ‘he would not find encouragement proportionable to his pains and improvement’.
Dr Neil Beaton (son of Dr Farquhar)
“Neil was a man of great skill in physic,which seemed more natural than acquired. He got little or no education, and yet had singular success in curing several dangerous distemper^. He did not appear in the quality of a physician, until he arrived at the age of 40. He pretended to judge of the various properties of plants and roots by their different tastes. He nicely observed the colours of their flowers, from whence he learned their astringent and loosening loosening qualities. He extracted the juice of plants and roots after a chymical way, peculiar to himself, and with little or no charge. He considered the constitutions of his patients before he administered any medicines to them. And he formed such a system for curing diseases, as served for a rule and directory to him on all occasions. He treated
Riverius’s ‘Lilium Medicinic’, and some other practical pieces,that he heard of, with contempt and disdain, since, in several instances, their methods of curing had failed when his had been successful. Some of the diseases cured by him were running sores in the legs and arms, and grievious headaches. He had the boldness and resolution to cut a piece out of a woman’s skull broader than halfacrown, and by this operation restored her to perfect health”.
Jan
July 11, 2011 at 8:16 pm
I am trying to find out the destination of the ‘Frere’, a prison ship from Tilbury carrying Jacobite prisoners in March 1747. It is listed as leaving Tilbury for Jamaica/Barbados. Has anyone any idea as to the exact destination or any idea as to where I might look to find out the answer.
donfad
July 12, 2011 at 1:09 am
Your best bet may be to get onto the Rootschat Jacobites blogsite:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,282134.100.html
Once logged on, try to get into discussion with ‘Old Rowley’ who seems to be the main man and he has garnered a lot of information on the Jacobite Prisoners of ’45 who were imprisoned in Tilbury Fort in Essex. There was a mass transportationon on 31st March 1747, via ships ‘Frere’ and others, of those who survived the rigours of that dungeon and their destination is listed as Barbados.
Don MacFarlane
February 23, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Capercaillie as soundtrack.
lisa greene
October 25, 2010 at 12:30 am
Does anyone have any information on the Gilzeanes? My grandfather told me about two Scottish brothers who owned a plantation in Jamaica and called it Dunvegan. Is the Gilzeane name Scottish and do they have anything to do with the MacLeods?
Don MacFarlane
October 25, 2010 at 9:45 pm
The name Gilzean is thought to be the Lowland version of MacLean – therefore there is no connection with MacLeod. Another school of thought is that Gilzean was the original form of MacLean and it has only survived in the Lowlands. Alan Gilzean is the most famous of the name and he played soccer for Scotland.
Miguel
August 10, 2010 at 3:43 pm
I found a lot of information about my family since a Colin Elder Sr. (1740-1726) migrated to Skye abt. 1770. Two of his sons, John and Sir George had interesting lives – John, as a merchant at Oronsay and Inverness (he is mentioned in the book “Glencoe and beyond: the sheep farming years 1780-1830), and Sir George with an amazing military career.
I am a descendant of Colin Elder, oldest son of John Elder, who was merchant too at Isle of Oronsay and Skye till his death at 1851. He is mentioned in the book “The cruise of the Betsey”, by Hugh Miller. He and his brothers, Commander Benjamin Elder, and Lt. Col. Alex. Macdonald Elder, had a naval company around 1835-1850, Elder and Co, with some ships. They traded on the route India (Calcutta/Madras) and England. Records of these vessels mention the ships Mauritius and Robarts among others.
The youngest son of Colin, Rev. George Elder at Woolwich, Greenwich, Kent, was my ggg-father. One of his sons, Arthur Sidney Welsh Elder, civil engineer, was contracted by a rail company and travelled to Argentina at 1911, with my g-father, Arthur, and his brother William George. Descendants of this branch of the family have lived here since then.
Don MacFarlane
July 27, 2010 at 9:41 pm
The Sleat Local History Society (Comunn Eachdraidh) appears to have a fairly active website with forum and might be worth a visit. An extensive history on Sir George Elder is supplied by Nancy Elder-Petersen, although she implies that Sir George was an honorary Skyeman who was born in South East Ross-shire, overlooking the Beauly Firth. Miguel has also heavily researched the Elders, being one himself, and he is very knowledgeable about the General.
There was a very extensive emigration from the Highlands of Scotland to Argentina and it is a credit to Miguel that he has kept alive such a strong interest in his ancestral roots. Pending further postings from Miguel and hopefully a potted history as to how his ancestors settled there, a website on Scottish Settlers in Argentina gives a good background. An even more comprehensive website is British Settlers in Argentina, which has full BDM records from the mid 1800s.
Any information on the Reverend Donald MacDonald from Benbecula who served there would also be welcome; there are also pockets of Spoken Gaelic which have survived in Argentina.
Miguel
July 27, 2010 at 6:10 pm
As I mentioned before, the company “MacDonald and Elder” ran the stores of the Isle of Ornsay around 1790 till 1820. I believe that this MacDonald was James Macdonald of Heisker and Skeabost, merchant at Portree on those years. The company is mentioned in the book, “After the Hector: The Scottish pioneers of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton…”, Chapter 9. Any additional information would be appreciated.
Don MacFarlane
June 20, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Lyrics to the song ‘Edinbane’.
‘S an t-Aodann Bàn cha’n fhàg mi e
Gun rann chur as a dheidh
Tha ann an tàmh mo phàrantan
A thog ‘s a leig mo chèis
‘S cho fad ‘s a bhios ann àit aca
Bi àit’ agam dha’n teid
I cannot leave Edinbane
Without a verse in its honour
My parents who remain there
Have guided my life’s steps
As long as they have a place there
They will keep a place for me.
A more tangible souvenir of Edinbane can be got in the form of a piece of pattery pandcrafted in Coshletter in Edinbane Pottery.
Don MacFarlane
June 20, 2010 at 9:29 am
Coshletter in Duirinish in Skye, not to be confused with Coshletter in Duirinish across the Kyle of Lochalsh from Skye, is in the parish of Dunvegan and Bracadale. It is listed as a Natural Heritage Zone to protect its river (Abhainn Choisleadar) for its excellent fishing. There is also a Monadh Choisleadar which is a stretch of moorland in the same area. The conclusion is that the Loch Harport connection is a red herring and that Coshletter (map attached) is in fact directly across from Edinbane on the other side of the River Coishleitir (Abhainn Choishleitir), with a nearby forest with rare birds. The ‘coastal hamlet’ tag is probably what threw the searcher off as Coshletter is really an extension or suburb of Edinbane at the point where the River Coshletter feeds into the inland sealoch of Loch Greshornish. Note the multiple spellings of Coshletter which adds to the confusion but the problem is now solved!
Don MacFarlane
June 19, 2010 at 11:29 pm
There would appear to be two Coshaletters (Coshletters) after all and the one in question here is on the other side of Loch Greshornish, looking directly across the water to Edinbane. Coshaletter was ‘cleared’ around the time the MacFarlanes left for Australia and hardship continued up until the time of the Napier Commission in 1883. Napier Minutes can be downloaded but be warned – it takes 5 minutes so go off and make some tea! – but the contents are worth it. The history of Greshornish house, which belonged to Kenneth Macleod, the landlord of Edinbane can be found at http://www.the-orde.com/PDF/History.pdf
Don MacFarlane
June 19, 2010 at 4:10 pm
English translation of picture in Am Baile website of Edinbane (Aodann Ban) from Cois Leiter (Coshaletter).
Sealladh traidiseanta air coimhearsnachd croitearachd, ‘s e an t-Aodann Bàn a tha sa chairt-phuist seo.
A traditional scene of a crofting community in Edinbane is seen in this postcard.
Tha gach croit a’ sìneadh a-mach fo gach taigh gu ruige an loch mara Loch Ghrìsinis.
Each croft stretches from a homestead down to the sea-loch of Loch Grishinish.
Tha clachan beag an Aodainn Bhàin na laighe ris an làimh dheis, a-mach às an dealbh, aig ceann an locha.
The hamlet of Edinbane is on the left hand side, out of vision, and at the head of the loch.
Chaidh am baile a stèidheachadh le Coinneach MacLeòid, fear a thàinig o theaghlach cho sean ‘s a bh’ air an Eilean.
The hamlet was founded by Kenneth MacLeod, from a long-established family on the island.
Rinn e fhortan sna liosan-planntachais teatha agus guirmein sna h-Ìnnseachan, agus thill e dhachaigh.
He made his fortune in the Indian tea and indigo plantations and he returned home.
An uair sin cheannaich e oighreachdan Orboist agus Ghrìsinis agus thog e a’ chiad ospadal san Eilean Sgitheanach, Ospadal Gheusto san Aodann Bhàn ann an 1870.
He then purchased the estates of Orbost and Grishinish and he built the first hospital in Skye, Gesto Hospital in Edinbane, in 1870.
Don MacFarlane
June 19, 2010 at 2:46 pm
For some photos of the general area of Loch Harport visit the Scotland Flavour website. The distance from Coshaletter on Loch Harport to Edinbane is 15 miles. I assume it is the same place and that there is not another Coshaletter, especially as it is referred to as a ‘coastal hamlet’.
Incidentally, I think our ancestors might have been related in the early 1800s! MacFarlane is an uncommon name and not one that is indigenous to Skye. My MacFarlane ancestors also came from Edinbane but they only left to go the short distance across the Minch to the Outer Hebrides (Uist) while yours went to the far side of the world (Australia). Your ancestral family sounds very interesting – a young widow with seven children emigrating that vast distance in those times – so please feel free to post on this page any more information you have on the circumstances. My ancestor left to become estate manager in Uist for the notorious Colonel Gordon of Cluny (least said, soonest mended)!
Roddy MacFarlane
April 17, 2012 at 10:20 am
I’m a MacFarlane from Edinbane who I believe has ancestors with Uist connections. When did yours leave Edinbane to go to Uist?
Don MacFarlane
June 19, 2010 at 10:50 am
Coshaletter probably refers to a place just outside Gesto, near Struan. I have never been there but it looks like a beautiful and remote spot across the sound from Portalong and overlooking Loch Bracadale. I didn’t have too much trouble tracking this spot down after I reverted to what I guessed might be the Gaelic derivation of the name – Cois a Leitir, translated as Foot or Lower (Cois) Slope of a Hill(Leitir).
Check out the site Am Baile for more.
Larissa
June 19, 2010 at 7:30 am
I am in Sydney, Australia and have a gggg grandfather and grandmother of the names Malcolm MacFarlane and Mary McAuley who I was told were from “the coastal hamlet of Coshaletter” on the Isle of Skye. I have never been able to find where this place existed. The story was that Mary migrated to Australia with 7 of her 8 children after Malcolm died at sea. I have no idea what happened to the other child ! Has anyone heard of this hamlet ?
Roddy MacFarlane
April 17, 2012 at 10:14 am
Any idea when your ancestors emigrated to Oz. I am one of two remaining MacFarlanes still living in Edinbane
Roddy MacFarlane
April 17, 2012 at 2:29 pm
There was a ship the Ontario which sailed for Sydney on 3rd Aug 1852 on which Malcolm and Mary MacFarlane and their family sailed.
Don MacFarlane
July 30, 2009 at 9:28 am
From Noni Brown
I have read “Prince Charlie’s Pilot” and enjoyed it very much – also “The Lion in Mourning” – very comprehensive and informative.
We didn’t know Catherine was 20+ years younger than Donald, giving her a birth date of c1700. We had her birth date to be around Donald’s in about 1682 , based on that he died on 10 Oct 1749 age 67. Perhaps Donald was married previously? Where did you find information on Catherine’s birth date?
According to family tradition, it was the Prince who gave his scarf pin to Donald or Murdoch as a little token to remember him. Another family tradition has been to pass this Pin down from youngest son to eldest son to youngest son and so on. Norma Beard now 82 yr, another descendent, told me recently the “Pin” was an ordinary scarf pin that was on some clothing given to the Prince by a lady Jacobite supporter, from her household, to replace his torn and worn clothing, during the 60 days he spent in hiding with Donald and Murdoch. This “Pin” is still displayed by the current family, “keepers of the Pin”, at New South Wales Macleod Clan gatherings.
According to the article, “The Glenaladale Pioneers”, Donald and Catherine lived next to the “Manners Stone” at Galtrigal. A story about the “Manners Stone”, apparently told by a Galtrigal man, went – “Now, the man on whose land it was thrown had six strong sons, and when his crops were trampled down and ruined by people visiting and circling the stone he grew angry and told his sons to remove it. They did, and they threw it into the ravine [there is a deep ravine close by] and it broke. …. Sheriff Nicholson came from Husabost and was angry and said, “Replace the stone as it was or on rent day you’ll lose your croft”. This may of course have had nothing to do with this Donald.
Another article in the “Celtic Magazine” says Donald was a well-to-do farmer and tenant of Norman Macleod, 22nd Chief of Dunvegan. We know Donald was also a well known Trader and as well as a Pilot and Helmsman – who sent his son Murdoch to the Grammer School in Inverness. There is a possibility that young Murdoch was the 18 yr old Murdoch Macleod, one of hundreds of Jacobite Prisoners “Banished to Jamaica or Barbados” in 1747 as an indentured servant under Samuel Smith.
Various members of the family have just about exhausted all avenues, including trips to Skye to research Donald, Murdoch and link to our Malcolm Macleod. Norma Macleod from Skye-Roots could not find any records for any of our family prior to 1820. Perhaps the only way to find out now is to pay for professional research of the library archivists at Dunvegan Castle (Macleod’s Galtrigal Estate records) and Armadale Castle (MacDonald’s Monkstadt Estate Records). Estate records could contain old records and names of household servants, tenants, crofters and families. I recently emailed requests to both for professional research – no response as yet.
Mary MacLeod
November 26, 2010 at 7:50 am
Don’t waste your money on a professional research. Instead, look into genealogy fraud. Germans seized MacLeod Castle (Dunvegan) during the “Norman” invasion (Norman means Saxon). I’m a MacLeod, and I discovered that the MacLeod genealogy was altered by Germans using the alias MacLeod.
Ethically,
Mary
Gordon Macleod
January 7, 2012 at 9:05 pm
If Catherine’s son Murdoch, who was born c. 1730, was her last child, she could quite easily have been in her early forties when he was born. This would give her a birth date of c. 1688.
MIGUEL
June 16, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I am particularly interested in knowing some additional information about my family. Till now, I know that my ggggg-father, John Elder lived in Skye, and had a company there, as an emigration agent, “MacDonald and Elder”, with some ships (“The Rifleman”), 1790 approx. His son, Colin Elder, had a shop at Isle of Ornsay. A brother of John, Major General Sir George Elder, was born at Kilcoy, and joined the army at Sleat as a rifleman. He fought with Wellington against Napoleon. A reference about a father of John and George is another Colin (1740-1826), who died at Ornsay. I believe they came from Aberdeen, but some relation with John Elder is possible. A large number of them were clergymen.
Angus Macmillan
July 6, 2008 at 8:35 am
This is very much the tradition of the main group of Buchanans in the Lennox on mainland Scotland. The tradition does have a major contradiction though. It is of descent from Cain, a son of MacBeth i.e. after 1050 a.d. but that the O’Cahan or O’Kane who came from Ireland and obtained the clan lands to the east of Loch Lomond, was escaping after participating in a massacre of King Canute’s forces; that would have required him to be born a hundred years earlier.
It is quite useful to have the entry under Skye as it seems unlikely that the Buchanan group in the islands had any connection with the Cannanaich, sons of the Canon, Lennox clan. The tradition in the Western Isles case is that the Buchanans there were of the distinct Clan Mhannain named after the Celtic hero Manannan mac Lir, later absorbed into Christianity as St Mannan. The MacVannin name became Anglicised as Buchanan in the Uig area of Lewis.
Angus Macmillan
June 17, 2008 at 11:36 pm
I have three additions to make to the Hector story. Two of them are comments and the last a question.
The Buchanans, like a number of others including the MacPhersons and MacAulays, consisted of at least two entirely separate clans. The one that Hector ‘joined’ had nothing to do with the Skye family. He married an heiress of the Drimikill and Ross Priory, Dumbartonshire line.
The diary of Napoleon’s Marshal MacDonald, Duke of Tarentum, when he visited his father, Neil MacEachen’s home at Howbeg in South Uist in 1825, records his having stopped off for dinner with the MacDonald Buchanans at ross Priory and it seems that Hector was one of the men who smoothed the Marshal’s path on the visit. The wife and daughters also met up with him as he made his way back to the mainland.
The question is whether anyone knows whether the MacDonald Buchanan whisky family that regularly figures in the Sunday Times Rich List and has estates in Scotland and Northamptonshire, is descended from Hector?
Angus Macmillan
May 1, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hector MacDonald Buchanan was a son of MacDonald of Boisdale, [Alexander MacDonald of Boisale in South Uist, Alasdair nam Mart, was brother of the 'Old Clan' of the '45 and himself the 'able bouleman' who outdrank Prince Charles and his companions when the latter was lurking in South Uist in 1746] and was thus not a Skye MacDonald but of Clanranald as he was neither from Skye nor a member of the Sleat family.
The references to him as an over-Factor relate to his role in respect over many years when his prime factorship overlapped with a succession of sub-factors in Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay. The details of his appointment are in the Clanranald chests. It is not surprising that, as an Edinburgh WS who happened also to be an island MacDonald [and no doubt given his birthplace, Gaelic speaking] he should pick up other land agent roles along the way, including, it would appear, acting against an estate in Skye. Robert Brown who held the Clanranald factorship in 1798-1811 had at least a half dozen such factorships for major estates and similarly will have needed day to day help on the ground.
donfad
May 1, 2008 at 8:32 am
From Alastair Gunn
I am currently researching Hector Macdonald Buchanan and any new info would be greatly appreciated. I think it worth noting that ‘Edinburgh lawyer’ is somewhat misleading as he is a Skye Macdonald and, more than a lawyer, a very important lawyer. His connections with the islands remained important to him, not least as his sister was married to the previous Factor of Vallay who was sacked in 1802/1.
I have some trouble with him as some sort of ‘Over-factor’, he was law-agent for the Macleod Dunvegan estate in 1799 and so may have dealt with some Factorial issues. Given his other duties I do not see him having any meaningful Factor role, not least appearing against the Estate in a major law case.
francis norrie
June 26, 2010 at 6:17 pm
hi I have access to 70 letters written to hector between 1800 and 1828-some of the info may be of interest to you
donfad
March 29, 2008 at 5:16 pm
The Shaws in Skye, Harris, Jura and Mull, are descendants or otherwise related to MacIntosh exiles in the 1700s from the Scottish mainland. Shaws have also gone by other aliases like Farquharson in Skye or MacIver in Lewis and Harris. Mainland and lowland clans or septs (Gaelic equivalents appended) that found their way into the Hebrides include:
Anderson (Islay) – MacIlleAindrais R1b1b2
Bannerman (Uist)
Beaton (Skye, Uist) – Mac Beatha, Patanach
Black (Uist) – Mac Ille Dhuibh
Boyd (Jura, Islay)- Mac Ille Bhuidhe
Buchanan(Skye, Uist) – Buthchanain, Bochanan
Carmichael (Skye) – Mac Ille Mhicheil
Darroch (Jura, Islay) – Mac Ille Riabhaich
(Skye, Lewis, North Uist)
Fraser (Skye, Lewis) – Friseal
Ferguson
Grant (Skye) – Granndach
Gunn (Lewis)
Jamieson (Islay, Lewis) – MacSheamuis
Johnstone (Skye, Barra, Benbecula) – MacIain
Kennedy (Lewis) – Cinneadach
Laing (Uist)
Lamont (Skye, Uist) – Mac Laomain, Lamonach
Livingstone (Skye, Mull) – Mac DhunnShleibhe
MacFarlane (Skye, Uist, Lewis) – Mac Pharlain
MacPherson (Skye, Uist) – Mac a Phearsain
Montgomery (Skye) – Mac Iomaire R1b1b2/J2
Munro (Skye, Uist) – Rothach
Murray (Lewis) – Moireach
Robertson (Skye, Mull) – Robasdan
Salmean (Uist) – actually of Finnish origin
Shaw (Skye, Colonsay) – Sitheach, Mac Ille Channaich
Smith (Lewis) – Gobha, really MacIntosh or MacPherson
Steele (Uist)
Walker (Islay, Mull, Uist) – MacNucator
Posts from visitors with any of these connections are particularly welcome.
Jill C.
May 17, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I am descended from Lamont/Lamond, Ferguson, MacRae, MacDonald (MacQuien), Dingwall, MacDiarmid, MacAskill, Campbell, and more, all found in the parishes of Duirinish and Bracadale in the 1800s. However, I’d like to take them further back, specifically the Lamont family.
There is a fairly decent lineage of Lamonts who were primarily in the east of Skye who migrated to Canada (Prince Edward Island), however my Skye Lamonts stayed in the Dunvegan area until one John Lamont who married a Catherine Ferguson in 1864 came south to Lanarkshire with his young family and then ended up in East Lothian. One of their sons, Alexander Lamond, came to the USA in 1902. He was my great grandfather.
Anyone else have Lamont ancestors on Skye?
Don MacFarlane
May 18, 2010 at 12:08 am
I take it that the decent lineage you refer to for Lamonts in the Isle of Skye, and from there to PEI, is along the lines of what is set out in the link?: http://www.linneberg.com/skye/lamonts2.html
The official site which gives access to OPR and other census records is to be found at http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=554&409. The cost of searching is listed as £6 for 90 days access.
Elizabeth Michos
November 15, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I am interested in your reference to the “MacIntosh exiles in the 1700s from the Scottish mainland”. Can you tell me why they were exiled and if many of those exiled went to the Isle of Skye.I am researching my MacIntosh ancestry on the Isle of Skye going back to 1800 and beyond and would like to find out more about their origins. I also wonder if there were ever many MacIntosh families on the island and if many of those families migrated to other countries. I have never found many MacIntoshes on the island when carrying out my research. My MacIntosh ancestors were crofters in Mugeary, Portree.
Thank you in advance.
Don MacFarlane
November 18, 2010 at 1:03 pm
The most extensive account I have come across is a website post about the History of the Mackintoshes. It is almost a book chapter in itself and the main thrust is that, despite their many battles, with their fair share of wins and defeats, the clan has managed to retain its base in Rothiemurchus outside Inverness.
The dispersals have more to do with septs of the clan, Shaw in particular, which has become scattered across the Western Isles. It is not at all clear why they held on to the ancient name of Shaw which had became Mackintosh centuries before, nor why they left in droves from their ancestral homeland on the east coast. One version is that in 1645, a Mackintosh chief who had resurrected the name Shaw as a family name, Alan Shaw, was outlawed for the slaughter of his stepfather, Dallas of Cantray. Having been seized and imprisoned in Castle Grant, Alan died there soon afterwards and his brother and associates were “exiled into the Western Isles and Ireland”. To the present day there are many Shaws in Skye and Jura, who may be descendants of these “exiles.” That is a piece of research which is still to be done? In short, the Mackintoshes did not become dispersed but their offshoot, the Shaws, did.
Another, and more widely accepted version, is that the Shaw/MacIver/Farquharson offshoot of the Clan Chattan Federation (of which Mackintoshes were the senior partner) was not in exile at all, but arose from the Wars of Independence as one branch of a bundle of the clans which had by now split into two confederations. One based in Lochaber and Lorn was effectively absorbed into the Lordship of the Isles.
Yet another, and credible explanation, is that the dispersals arose from the Band of 1609. The Crown had been backing the Earls of Huntly and Moray as the keepers of rule and order in the area around the Moray Firth and nearly all the members of the Clan Chattan were vassals to one or other of them. Acts of Parliament had made clan chiefs personally responsible for their clansfolk and required chiefs to produce legal evidence of their right to their lands. The Mackintoshes forfeited some of their lands for which they could not find title and some of them, such as Shaws and Farquharsons who had split off from the Mackintoshes, were displaced. A colourful website, well worth a visit, has pictures of castles and ancestral sites, including that of Clan Chattan.
Elizabeth Michos
November 22, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Thank you for your reply and for giving me a better understanding of the Macintoshes and Clan Chattan. I appreciate the time you have taken and the efforts you have made in answering my queries. I found the websites you referred to in your reply to be very interesting. I’m sure I shall return to them again and again in my MacIntosh research. I still don’t know how the MacIntoshes I am researching came to be on Sky but perhaps all shall be revealed in the fullness of time.
Don MacFarlane
November 22, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Hi Elizabeth
One more snippet:
Moira Macdonald, the daughter of Allan Macdonald, 2nd of Clanranald and Moidart, married Malcolm Mackintosh, 10th of Mackintosh, son of William Mackintosh, 7th of Mackintosh and Margaret Macleod.
Her married name became Mackintosh and her children were Muriel Mackintosh, who married John Grant, son of Sir Duncan Grant, 1st of Freuchie; Duncan Mackintosh, 11th of Mackintosh, d. 1496, who married Florence Macdonald, daughter of Alexander Macdonald, 10th Earl of Ross. He disposed of the lands of Rothiemurchus to his cousin, Alastair Mackintosh of Shaw, and held the position of 12th Chief of Clan Chattan. In 1466 he had a charter of Moymore and other lands from the Lord of the Isles; Lachlan Mackintosh, d. Sep 1493, who married Catherine Grant of Freuchie; Alan Mackintosh, d. 20 Feb 1476; Malcolm Mackintosh d. 1441; Moira Mackintosh, who married Hugh Rose, 7th of Kilravock.
The relevance of all of this is that there were strong family connections through marriage between the Mackintoshes, the Grants and the Clanranalds. In other words, they lived at opposite ends of a route which goes via the Great Glen to run from Glenmoriston to Kyleakin, just across the Sound of Sleat from Skye.
Elizabeth Michos
November 24, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Hi Don,
Thank you again. I will file away for future reference. I note in particular the significance of your last paragraph.
If you have any more snippets, I certainly would be interested in reading them.
Kind regards.
Elizabeth