family of Ailean MacDonald

Discussion: Hi (first posting!). I'm writing from Nova Scotia, Canada, and would be interested in any information regarding the family of Alaisdair MacDonald who was born around 1780 and emigrated some time after 1821. He had a brother named Ailean 'Gardiner' who apparently worked for Clanranald in Edinburgh as a gardener. Alaisdair and his brother were said to have lived in Kilaulay before moving to Stoneybridge prior to emigrating.

My ancestor Alaisdair's father was Ailean who is said to have drowned in Loch Bì. He was Ailean mac Ailein 'ic Dhomhnuill 'ic Iain 'ic Alasdair 'ic Iain 'ic Iain 'ic Dhùghaill.

Many thanks. I've only learned of my South Uist connections within the past two years and its been wonderful learning about the place.

Best,
Mike Campbell
Dartmouth, NS
soldierscove@gmail.com

Have you come across Fr MacMillan's books on Cape Breton settlers? If not, you will find Ailean MacDonald's family, including two wives there. I suspect there is the odd hiccup in the sloinneadh, which takes off from the MacDonalds of Garryghoil in Benbecula but heads via MacDonald tacksmen of Kilaulay to the Dougall at the head, who was certainly the mad and bad Dougall MacDonald VI of Clanranald, murdered by his clansmen in 1520. By way of reparation, his sons gained lands in Morar and South Uist, becoming known in Uist as the MacDougall MacDonalds of Morar with their own burial chapel at Howmore.

Hi Michael,

MacDonald is a very prominent name in Uist and it would be helpful if you could provide the wife's name with her maiden name (assuming you know it) to narrow down a search for extra information. If you only have her forename it will still narrow things down.

Regards,

Anne Marie (MacKinnon)