Founded 1891
 Click here for Scottish Internet Radio and listen while you browse

[Home] [Edinburgh Society] [News] [Magazine] [Shop] [Bookshop] [Genealogy] [Mail] [Wiki] [Links] [Forum[Back] [Up] [Next]

[Chiefs] [Australia] [Canada] [New Zealand] [USA]

Clan Donald Magazine No 2 (1962) Online

Where Are The Lost Macdonalds? By Donald J. Macdonald.

Donald J. Macdonald, Secretary of the Clan Donald Society of Edinburgh, appeals for help in filling the gaps in the family tree.

I ended my first article by making an appeal to any who knew of "lost" families of the Clan to send me particulars for record. The appeal still stands; but I am glad to say that some details have come to hand thanks to the keenness and kindness of some of our members.

Among these are Heiskeir and Skeabost, and Rigg and Balvicquean, both branches of the Clann Domhnaill Hearaich. We are also in touch with Hugh Macdonald of the Glenmore family of Sleat. My friend A.G. MacDonald, Commissioner of Clan Donald in Queensland, has done much to find some of these, and he hopes to find still more in Australia. I would like to acknowledge here our debt to him for his kindness and the great deal of trouble he has taken, and is still taking, to find more.

I have had many visitors from overseas, and letters from others who have some idea of a connection with known families, but their opinions rest usually on family tradition. Now, although this is hard to substantiate in a documentary manner, such traditions are not to be ignored. There is usually some reason for them, and research may lead one to the truth. They are, at the least, a starting point. In one or two cases these traditions have been followed up and found to be correct. So do not be deterred. Send in any information you have and it will be treated with respect and welcomed, for it may throw light on some other case, or may itself be corroborated by some other contributor.

In order to make it easier for any interested (and I hope there will be more than a few) I give a list below of the families I still have to "find," with their connections to the cadet families of the various branches of our Clan.

Information is sought about the following families:

Family Founder Last Known Representative
Chiefs
Keppoch Alasdair Carrach (1440) Donald (dsp 1855).
Clan Godfrey Godfrey, 4th son of John of Islay Donald of Balranald (1500).
Cadets of Glencoe
Dalness Iain Dubh, 2nd son of Iain Og, 8th of Glencoe (1610) Donald (dsp 1855).
Achtriochtan Alasdair, 2nd son of Iain Dubh (above) (1620) Colin John in Brisbane (1890)and 2 brothers.
Laroch Alan Dubh, 3rd son of Iain Dubh (above) Donald (d. 1745), Bard and Lt. to his chief.
Inverigan Iain Og, 4th son of Iain Dubh (Above) 
Achnacone Iain Mor, 5th son of Iain Dubh (above) 
Cadets of Dunnyveg and the Glens (Clan Iain Mhor)
Colonsay Coll Maol Dubh, 4th son of Alexander, 5th of Dunnyveg (1551) John, son of Robert MD, who died 1889, and 6 cousins.
Cadets of Clanranald
MacEachain Hector, 2nd son of Roderick, 3rd of Clanranald (1500) Charles, son of Alexander of Ord (1900) and 10 cousins, some with issue.
Gerifluich Alexander, 4th son of Ranald of Benbecula (1700) Ranald, alive 1822, and 3 brothers: Donald, Roderick and James.
Milton Angus Og, 9th son of Ranald of Benbecula (1690) Angus, alive 1850 and brother Colin, at Milton in 1830.
Bornish Ranald, 4th son of Dugall, 6th of Clanranald (1570) Ranald, alive and sold out in 1845.
Knockeltaig Ranald, 2nd son of Alan, 1st of Morar (1610) George (1800), nephew of Alan, who sold out in 1763.
Rhetland Angus, 3rd son of Alan, 1st of Morar (1610) Alan, alive c. 1773 and 4 brothers to America 1773.
Laig Iain, 2nd son of Alexander, 2nd of Morar (1566) Ranald, his brother Roderick and cousin John.
Glenaladale Iain Og, 2nd son of John of Moidart (1566) Col. John Andrew CB, married twice, in 1862 and 1901. Also collateral family of Archibald "Old Rhu" who dies 1828.
Cadets of Glengarry
Ardnabie Iain Mor, 4th son of Donald, 7th of Glengarry (1645) Alexander (1814) in Canada.
Shian Angus Mor, 2nd son of Alexander, 3rd of Glengarry (1490) Captain James, EICS (dsp 1800).
Lundie Alan, 2nd son of Alexander, 5th of Glengarry (1560) Donald (d. 1805) and Alan (d. 1815) at Chambly, Canada.
Barisdale Archibald, 5th son of Ranald, 9th of Glengarry (1670) Archibald, last male dsp 1862.
Crowlin John, 2nd son of Angus, 3rd of Scotus John Alexander, son of Donald Aeneas, Sheriff in Canada, d. 1879, grandson of "Spanish John" (1775 - 1810) who left 3 sons: Miles, Governor of Hudson Bay Co., John and William who married Lucy Walters of Boston, Mass.
Cadets of Keppoch
Insch Ranald, 2nd son of Ranald Og, 9th of Keppoch (1600) Alexander, married 1709.
Fersit Donald, 3rd son of Ranald Og, 9th of Keppoch (1620) Duncan or his brother Andrew, married in NZ with issue (1904).
Achnancoichean Angus, 5th son of Alasdair nan Cleas,10th of Keppoch (1600) Angus (issue) and several brothers to America (c. 1770).
Inveroy and Murlagan Donald Gorm, 6th son of Alasdair nan Cleas,10th of Keppoch (1600) George, in Canada with issue (1770).
Bohuntin Iain Dubh, 3rd son of Ranald Mor, 7th of Keppoch Alexander of Antigonish (c. 1904) and several cousins.
Clianaig Donald Gorm, 4th son of Alasdair Buidhe, 14th of Keppoch (1691) Donald or his cousins Angus Roy (1770) and Donald Ban Og.
Tulloch Angus, 2nd son of Iain Dubh of Bohuntin (above) Ranald to America.
Gellovie Alan, 3rd son of Iain Dubh of Bohuntin (above) Ranald of Strathmashie, family to Australia (c. 1830) and many cousins, incl. Major Dugan (d. 1893) and Sir Claude Maxwell KCB, (alive 1900). Sons of Maj. Gen. James Dawson, (d. 1879). Also Alan, son of Alasdair Ban.
Aberarder Donald, 2nd son of Angus, 1st of Tulloch Ranald (c. 1870) to Australia.
Cranachan Angus, 3rd son of Donald of Aberarder Alexander, son of Alexander said to have been Governor of Auckland, NZ, 1870, and several cousins.
Tulloch-Chrom Alasdair Ban, 2nd son of John, 3rd of Aberarder, d. 1800 Archibald to America or his brothers, all in Army or abroad (c. 1830).
Dalchosnie Alan, 2nd son of Alexander, 2nd of Tulloch (above) 1680 General Alasdair McIain Macdonald (c.1900).
Cadets of Sleat
Balranald Donald Hearach (1500) James, Major, with issue c. 1800, main line having died out.
Heiskir & Skeabost Donald Hearach (above) Hector, born 1893, son of Donald by 2nd wife (other collateral now being known)
Cuidreach Hugh, 4th son of Donull MacIain 'ic Sheumais (c. 1640) Lt. Donald, son of Capt. Alexander in NC who married Frances (Surname Uknown).
Glenmore Hugh, 2nd son of Sir James Mor, 2nd Bart. (c. 1680). 2nd family descended from Rev Hugh of Portree has now been found in Australia. Henry Francis b. 1779, m. 1811, issue a son.
Totscor John, 3rd son of Sir James Mor, 2nd Bart. (d. 1710) Hugh, and Capt. Donald in 42nd Hldrs. alive 1810.
Bernisdale & Scalpay As above, through Norman of Scalpay 7 sons, all notable soldiers, issue unknown.
Sartle Somerled, 5th son of Sir James Mor, 2nd Bart. (d. 1700) James, an Army officer, son of Hugh of Armadale.
Totamurich & Knock Roderick, 6th son of Sir James Mor, 2nd Bart. (d. c. 1692) Donald, General in American war in 1776, in Carolina.
Aird & Vallay William, 3rd son of Sir Donald, 3rd Bart. Reginald Alastair, son of Capt. Reginald James RA, who was son of the Hon. Wm J. in BC. Several others to Australia.
Baleshare Ranald (1660 - 1742), son of Sir James Mor Capt. Charles, 50 years in Army, d. 1883.

 

Some of you will know that, thanks to the generosity of Mr Roy Thomson, we were presented with a large quantity of "sheets" and blocks belonging to The Northern Chronicle, which published the three volumes of Clan Donald in 1900-04. Unfortunately we have found that there are not enough, among all that we received, to complete three volumes. This has been a great disappointment to me, of course. But there it is. The printers are of the opinion that it would not be practicable to reprint the missing sheets. The suggestion was made that it might be worthwhile re-issuing the work in one volume, and adding further notes on families, bringing them up to date as far as our records go. If this were undertaken, my appeal for more information about the families is even more urgent.

Sixty years - two generations - have passed since the original volumes were published and copies of the originals are hard to get and expensive. Would there be a demand for such a revision?

Feedback.  If you have any comments, additions or corrections to this article, please post them in the forum as a new thread here. Please make the title of your post the title of the article and put a link back to the article in your post. You will have to register to join the forum.

[Home] [Edinburgh Society] [News] [Magazine] [Shop] [Bookshop] [Genealogy] [Mail] [Wiki] [Links] [Forum] [Back] [Up] [Next]
 

Google

 

web

clandonald.org.uk

[Chiefs] [Australia] [Canada] [New Zealand] [USA]

If you have found our website interesting or useful, please consider supporting the work of the Society in preserving our heritage by making a donation at our Online Shop. Site last updated 04 October 2006. All material Copyright � The Clan Donald Society of Edinburgh (1891) 1959 - 2005 unless otherwise stated. The Society does not accept liability for material published on advertisers' and other external sites. Click here to advertise on www.clandonald.org.uk. Hosted by Heart Internet.