Clanranald
Thank you for the reading list. D U S does not say he has produced the last word in Clanranald History - wisely - and neither does he say John MacDonald inherited at six months old. His brief history in French MacDonald has a surprising number of factual mistakes in it and is very coloured by his interests - as all versions of history are. There is lots about kelp and nothing about cattle for instance.
Posted by C White on 10 March 2013
Very true. Always good to question other perceptions of historical facts.
Posted by admin on 11 March 2013
Ranald MacDonald ygr of Clanranald
Clanranald's Estate in a mess in 1765 is rather vague. I have seen no evidence that Ranald ygr did not run his estate up until his death in 1776 when the Tutors and Curators took over for the eleven year old John. No one seems to know definitely but I think Ranald must have converted to protestant as did Colin of Boisdale, as being a Catholic was the problem when it came to inheriting property at this time. Alexander of Boisdale died in 1768. Ranald made Colin his factor in 1773 [or so]. John was definitely brought up a Protestant and I am not sure what you are implying by saying John married Jean daughter of Colin as she was his second wife and he expired a year later with no issue. Mainly it meant yet another dependent being maintained for decades by the estate.
Posted by C White on 28 February 2013
Thanks for your comments. For accuracy on the Clanranald Estate post 1745,give the following a read; The French MacDonald page 103. Historical Background to Marshall MacDonalds visit to South Uist and Benbecula. by Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart. Or James A Stewart's Clan Ranald a History of a Highland Kindred University of Edinburgh PHD 1982
Posted by admin on 05 March 2013
Neil MacNeil's Canna Census West End
Hello Catriona.
Thanks for your comment. I think you will find that by 1764/65 the Clanranald Estate was a mess. We know that much of it by 1765 including Canna had been signed over by Ranald younger to Edinburgh lawyer William MacDonald as a factory with the future secured by the appointment of a board of tutors appointed to administer on behalf of the new born John. With the death of Alexander of Boisdale in the late 1760's his son Colin stamped his authority on the estate, his major problem was that he was a protestant. John would go on to marry Jean the daughter of the said Colin of Boisdale. Would we be right in saying that the trustees of Clanranald disposed of Muck by 1811?
Thanks for your comment. I think you will find that by 1764/65 the Clanranald Estate was a mess. We know that much of it by 1765 including Canna had been signed over by Ranald younger to Edinburgh lawyer William MacDonald as a factory with the future secured by the appointment of a board of tutors appointed to administer on behalf of the new born John. With the death of Alexander of Boisdale in the late 1760's his son Colin stamped his authority on the estate, his major problem was that he was a protestant. John would go on to marry Jean the daughter of the said Colin of Boisdale. Would we be right in saying that the trustees of Clanranald disposed of Muck by 1811?
Posted by Admin on 25 February 2013
Neil MacNeil's Canna Census West End
The note added at the end of the list is incorrect. John MacDonald of Clanranald was born in late March 1765 and his grandfather Ranald did not die till 1766. Ranald his son was running the estate by 1764/5 for his father.
Posted by C White on 24 February 2013
MacNeills of Canna
I realised after I had sent Jane/Jean MacNeill's death notice that she would have been alive in Oban in the 1851 Census.
In 1841 Census
Canna
Donald MacNeill 70
Jane MacNeill 75
Oban Shore Street
Mary MacNeill 54
Ann MacNeill 53
Donald MacNeill 7
Therefore brother three sisters and illeg. son
1851 Census
Oban George Street
Jean MacNeill 84 born South Assist,Inverness shire
Mary MacNeil 14 sister born Campbeltown
Ann MacNeill 13 sister born ditto
All Annuitants
1861 Census
Edinburgh East Maitland Street
Mary MacNeill 82 lodger born Campbeltown
Ann MacNeill 81 ditto
Both Independent Means
If Jane was born in South Uist then either the parents were living there or the mother went home for the first birth which was common. In neither case would Hector have abducted his wife.
I have not looked at any originals of the Censi and the transcriptions on- line are often poor. You could find the deaths of Mary and Ann and check their parents. The ages raise lots of questions but who knew their age when there were no forms to fill in. All this suggests sister Janet married a MacNeill
In 1841 Census
Canna
Donald MacNeill 70
Jane MacNeill 75
Oban Shore Street
Mary MacNeill 54
Ann MacNeill 53
Donald MacNeill 7
Therefore brother three sisters and illeg. son
1851 Census
Oban George Street
Jean MacNeill 84 born South Assist,Inverness shire
Mary MacNeil 14 sister born Campbeltown
Ann MacNeill 13 sister born ditto
All Annuitants
1861 Census
Edinburgh East Maitland Street
Mary MacNeill 82 lodger born Campbeltown
Ann MacNeill 81 ditto
Both Independent Means
If Jane was born in South Uist then either the parents were living there or the mother went home for the first birth which was common. In neither case would Hector have abducted his wife.
I have not looked at any originals of the Censi and the transcriptions on- line are often poor. You could find the deaths of Mary and Ann and check their parents. The ages raise lots of questions but who knew their age when there were no forms to fill in. All this suggests sister Janet married a MacNeill
Posted by C White on 18 November 2012
Thanks for these Catriona. We are fairly certain that Hector MacNeill's wife Janet's dowry was the tack of Tarbert which gave him his first foothold on Canna.
Posted by administrator on 19 November 2012
