Alexander, Which Brought 214 Highland Scottish Roman Catholics, Whose Reli- Perthshire, Estates Were Being Annexed Catholics to St

Home , Angus MacDonald (bishop), Barra, Eigg, South Uist

erhaps because passenger lists are about by the Agricultural Revolution, The Laird of Glenaladale so rare, the search for them contin- which began in Britain about the same Pues to tantalize genealogists. The pain- time. The large-scale displacement of The year 1770 was a bad year to be a ful truth is that no lists were ever created population caused by the new practices MacDonald, a Highlander, a Roman for most shipments of emigrants from in agriculture and the concurrent rises Catholic, a tacksman or a known Jacobite Britain to Canada.* Even where lists do in rent did not reach the Highlands until sympathizer; John MacDonald had the exist, they tend to be uninformative, of- the late 1760s. There the whole situation misfortune of being all five. Widowed fering scant help for the researcher try- was compounded by the failed rebellion and childless, still only in his 28th year, ing to match names from the list with of 1745 and the resultant disarming of Glenaladale found himself in a precari- ancestors. the clans; the banning of Highland cus- ous position. Once held at bay by the Passenger lists, then, should not be toms and garb; the confiscation of es- Highlands' inaccessibility, British power taken as an end in themselves, but there tates and the replacement of existing was reaching out towards the Glenaladale is often a fascinating story wrapped lairds with people sympathetic to the lands, where the standard of rebellion around each extant list. In the case of the British cause; and a general suspicion of had been raised in 1745. Beginning in Alexander, which brought 214 Highland Scottish Roman Catholics, whose reli- Perthshire, estates were being annexed Catholics to St. John's Island in 1772, the gion was only tolerated, though not northwestward by the Crown. The re- story behind the emigration is well banned outright. port of the Commissioners for Manag- known; it is the passenger list that is In British North America, the peace ing the Annexed Estates in Scotland for missing. Believing that there are other of 1763 opened up vast new territories 4 August 1774 reveals this trend. ways of obtaining the information on a that the British were anxious to people Borrisdale was annexed in 1771; Locheil, passenger list without finding the docu- with loyal subjects. When St. John's Is- Lochgarry, and Kinlochmoidartin 1772. ment itself, I have set about the task of land (Prince Edward Island), was par- Inroads were being made as far away as reconstructing such a list. The results celled off in lots in 1767 to friends of the South Uist where the estate of Boysdale follow. Crown, many of them Scots, settlement had been assumed by a cousin of requirements were built into the terms Glenaladale's, one Colin MacDonald. A of the grants. Thus, by the late 1760s, all zealous Protestant who enjoyed the sup- Push and Pull the "push-pull" factors of emigration from port of the British, Boysdale began an the Highlands to St. John's Island were active persecution of his Catholic ten- Itmightbe argued thatthe circumstances in place. ants in 1769 with the help of an equally conspiring towards the emigration of Nevertheless, any such migration zealous schoolmaster, who was on the the "Glenaladale Settlers" in 1772 had scheme would take a lot of capital and payroll of the same Commission. their roots in the 1707 Union of the decisive leadership if it was to have any Boysdale's persecutions on Uist coin- Scottish and English parliaments and chance of success. Those factors came cided with massive increases in rent on the socio-economic changes brought together between the years 1770 and 1772 in the person of young John MacDonald, eighth Laird of *The truth about passenger lists — as well as the Glenaladale and chief tacksman text of all the extant lists for emigration to Prince of the Clanranald MacDonalds. Edward Island — can be found in Numbers 1-3 of The Island Magazine.

Passengers on the ALEXANDER

By James P. Lawson

GENEALOGY

34 the mainland Clanranald estates, espe- protect Scots Catholics from economic The Emigrants cially those under the leadership of new ruin and religious persecution at the lairds. Confronted with the advent of a hands of lairds like Boysdale on South Virtually none of the people enlisted for money economy and a more professional Uist. Both parties invested heavily in the the voyage had the money to pay their approach to estate management, the venture, MacDonald selling his passage, nor is it apparent that they were ancient clan system was breaking down. Glenaladale estate for the purpose. expected to. By and large, the religious The traditional bond between clan chief In 1771, events came to a boil. Bishop refugees on Uist were to have their pas- and clansmen was giving way before the Hay published his "Memorial concern- sage paid by the Church. Glenaladale's chiefs' determination to extract as much ing the Persecution raised against the mainland recruits (mainly from Arisaig rent a s possible from their lands. Caught and Moydart) were being financed by in the middle were tacksmen such as the MacDonald brothers in return for a Glenaladale, who had traditionally served fixed term of indentured service. They as middlemen between the chiefs and were also promised a parcel of land on the people on the land. As a class, they long lease upon arrival on the Island. It were fast becoming extinct. was the MacDonald brothers' scheme to The Sheriff of Argyll described the lure their followers with deals signed situation in March of 1774: "Another before the sailing to St. John's, guaran- reason that contributed much to the teeing 3000-year leases — a measure of Emigration of the people is. That some security unheard of in the Highlands. Gentlemen had large tracks [sic] of land With all the components for the emi- in Tack from the proprietors, when their gration falling into place on the main- Leases were near out, and that the Pro- land, the colonizers turned their atten- prietors insisted for higher Rents, these tion to the Uist people. In company with Gentlemen, finding that they could not Bishop MacDonald, Glenaladale made a live in such affluence as formerly, de- trip to South Uist in January of 1772 to clined to give the augmentation de- offer similar promises of land in return manded; published their intention of for the islanders' subscriptions to the going to America, expecting thereby, to venture. Word of the scheme had al- bring the Proprietors to their own terms, ready reached Boysdale, who tried to and when disappointed, used all the al- outmanoeuvre his cousin by signing the lurements in their power to move the Uist tenants to new leases before the poor people that lived under them, and arrival of the mainland entourage. others, to follow their fortune, and (Leases were typically signed at haunted all publick occasions with Drink, Martinmas or Whitsuntide.) Aware of Pipes and Fiddles, to rouse their Spirits JohnMacDonald (1742-1810), 8thLaird the indentures signed by the mainland- to the Expedition." of Glenaladale, from an illustration in A ers, he gleefully told his tenants that Glenaladale appears genuinely t o have Knight of the 18th Century, by Anna they were signing themselves into sla- felt responsible to the Higlanders who MacDonald, a pamphlet re-printed from very by subscribing to the voyage. The depended on Clanranald for protection The Messenger (1903). potential emigrants wavered. Being illit- and sustenance. He could see that there erate, they had no way of judging the was little future for them where they matter for themselves and in the end, were; he could say the same about him- Roman Catholicks in the Western Is- only 11 Uist families — about 55 people self. Emigration would be the ticket out lands," which exposed the situation on — made the journey.* for them all, and inspired by similar South Uist and broke precedent by The balance of the Hebrideans, an- emigrations of Highlanders at the time, openly advocating emigration as the only other eight families, were actually from he began devising a scheme to establish means of relief for these people, as "has Barra, well outside Boysdale's jurisdic- a new estate on St. John's Island. It would actually been done by many in the tion, in the ancestral home of Clan provide a safe haven for those being neighbouring Protestant Countrys." MacNeil. Presumably, the Barra people oppressed by their landlords; atthe same Meanwhile, Glenaladale sent his younger time, he would secure lairdship of a sort brother Donald, his chief factor at for himself. Glenfinnan, Sandy Macoiloig His partner in the enterprise was the [MacKellaig], and a small party of men *Bishop Hay's often-quoted assessment of the Scottish Catholic Church, notably Bish- to St. John's Island, to scout for a suitable number of people on the voyage, "210 in all, 100 ops John MacDonald and George Hay. lot and to test the soil with small grain from Uist and the rest from the mainland," has been taken too literally b y scholars oitheAlexander They had their own motives for pro- crops. Late in 1771, Glenaladale pur- migration. A letter from Bishop MacDonald to moting such an expedition. They sought chased (upon generous terms) Lot 36, a Bishop Hay, dated 14 February 1772, refers to 9 to use the threat of mass emigration to well- situated township straddling the families, "amounting in all to twenty-five grown upper reaches of the Hillsborough River, persons, and eighteen children of different ages from James Montgomery, Lord Chief from one monthe [sic] to twelve years." The estimate of 55 Uist emigrants simply extrapolates Advocate of Scotland, who, in turn, had that known total for nine families to eleven. The <4 A modern reconstruction by David Webbertake n the property over for taxes from final total of 214 passengers is confirmed by of the brig that Glenaladale chartered to the original grantees, fishing entrepre- Glenaladale himself. take his emigrants to St. John's Island. neurs George Spence and Jonathan Mills.

35 were signed up after a disappointed voyage. Well into the second week of ematics add up roughly, but since one Glenaladale left Uistwithouthisfull quota April, theAlexanderset sailforthe Arisaig cannot know the size and composition of of religious refugees, as there is no record area where it spent the ten days before each family, one cannot be sure how of any similar persecution on Barra at 23 April loading passengers and cargo many families there actually were. Unfor- the time. It would appear that the Barra from various and sundry ports. tunately, the Glenaladale migration does families were included in the Church- The permutations followed in the load- not appear in a record of emigrations sponsored wing of the migration, but ing of the human cargo might look exces- during 1769-1772, noted in the Lord Jus- because they were not religious refu- sive at first but were in fact no different tice Clerk's Report to the Earl of Suffolk gees of the sort on Uist, the official from loading any other cargo at the time. (dated 25 April 1774) but the total figure Church record is silent about their part The idea of a vessel finding all its cargo of 210-214 souls seems reliable. in the migration. neatly stacked at the side of a single wharf, I am quite convinced, through cor- Somewhere on this voyage a stop ready for loading, is anachronistic. The roborating evidence in the Scottish may also have been made at Eigg, where time it took to load the vessel suggests Catholic Archives, thatall the Hebridean another five families were enlisted, that the mainlanders did not muster en families have been accounted for. How- among them another cousin of masse at Arisaig to board the Alexander, ever, not all the mainlanders signed in- Glenaladale's, Dr. Roderick (Rory) their indentures stipulated merely that dentures, letters of intent, or tack and MacDonald, a physician. The Eigg emi- they avail themselves of a convenient port assedation agreements.* Some appear grants were apparently under the same in time for the sailing. From Arisaig the only in the correspondence. At least one, terms as the mainlanders and may be ship probably went to Eigg, from Eigg to the mason replaced by Maclnnes but separated from the outer Hebrideans. It Loch Boysdale and possibly Barra, from who went to the Island anyway, is anony- is quite possible that Dr. Rory's partici- whence it was off into the North Atlantic mous. Regrettably, all of the women and pation in the voyage was enlisted early around the middle of May 1772. About six most of the children on the voyage are and that he himself was responsible for weeks later, around 25 June 1772, the also unnamed, a serious handicap in attracting the others from Eigg. Alexander reached Charlottetown identifying family units. Addresses are Harbour and the Glenaladale Settlers available for many, but not all, of the sailed into Island history. families. Those referring to the main- The Emigration landers are more specific, while the Hebrideans are identified only by their Returning from Uist early in March, The List Islands. Glenaladale's own name does Glenaladale went directly to the not appear on the list. He stayed behind Glasgow/Greenock area t o charter a ship In two places in his correspondence, in Scotland to put his affairs in order, for his operations. On 6 March 1772 he Glenaladale makes reference to a list of following in the spring of 1773. engaged the brig Alexander from John emigrants, but this compilation is no It appears that only a very few of the Buchanan & Co. of Greenock, sched- longer extant. Cautious researchers will men were single. Some documents make uled to sail on 20 March to pick up his note the obvious deficiencies in the re- specific reference to wives. A case in emigrants. Among other things, he be- constructed version, to which the author point is that identifying the Eigg fami- gan gathering supplies for the Uist people freely admits. First, there is no way of lies, which notes "and wife" for two in- and adding up the bill for their part in the telling if the list is complete. The math- dividuals, but not a third, lending the assumption that the third man was single. Where there is evidence for such, I have tried to indicate who was single and who was married; where there was no evidence either way I left it alone. I have included biographical details as found, such as that for John McLeod of Harris or the MacEachern families of Kinlochmoidart. The surfeit of MacDonalds is a predict- able problem in this type of migration. For example, there appear to have been no less than four Donald MacDonalds. One is Glenaladale's brother, who had charge of the expedition. The others are identified by their addresses (for example, "Donald MacDonald Borrodale"). I have identified other "Mac"s where I am confi- dent I have not made two references to the same person. For instance, the Duncan

A Highland cottage on the island of May, from an engraving in Pennant's Voyage to the *Briefly stated, a "tack" is a lease with a license to sublet; "assedation" is a legal term for a lease. Hebrides (1774).

36 Maclnnis of Uist is not the same "Maclnnes the mason" referred to else- where. Although there appear to be deliber- ate variant spellings of "MacDonald" in Glenaladale's documentation in an at- tempt t o differentiate families, most "surname" spellings — including the use of "Mc" and "Mac" — appear to be com- pletely arbitrary. The problem was that virtually all of the settlers were illiterate, marking their names with an "X". For the most part, what we are left with is Glenalladale's rendering of their names; and while quite literate himself, he was fully capable of using two or even three different spellings for the same person's surname out of sheer haste. In any case, this exercise should have merit for ambitious family historians, and I hope it can provide a vital link across the water to those Island families descended from the Glenaladale pioneers.

Sources The sources for the names on the re- constructed passenger list are included in the tables. Full annotation for the introductory essay are available on re- quest. Much of the primary documentation can be found at the Scottish Catholic Archives in Edinburgh and in the the Public Archives and Records Office in Charlottetown (particularly PAPEI The Passengers John MacDonald, Glenaladale, to 2664). The "Report of the Commission- Alexander MacDonald, 7 March 1772, ers for Managing the Annexed Estates The reconstruction below contains 47 from Greenock. in Scotland" and the "Report of Emigra- names. For convenience, the following tion to America from the Shires of Argyll, abbreviations, listed alphabetically, are Glenaladale to Cruikshank: John Bute, Ross, Moray & Nairn," can be used in the "Source" columns. In the list, MacDonald (Glenaladale) to George found at the Public Record Office in "SCA" stands for Scottish Catholic Ar- Cruikshank, 12 January 1772, SCA, BL London. Glenaladale's crucial letter to chives, Edinburgh; "PAPEI," the Public 3/248/1; and 8 March 1772, SCA, BL3/ Alexander MacDonald, dated 7 March Archives and Record Office of Prince 248/3. 1772, is transcribed in Iain R. MacKay's Edward Island in Charlottetown. "Glenalladale's Settlement, Prince Ed- Glenaladale to Hay: John MacDonald ward Island," in Scottish Gaelic Studies Bp. MacDonald to Cruikshank: Bishop (Glenaladale) to George Hay, 27 Febru- 10(1963). John MacDonald to George Cruikshank, ary 1772, SCA, BL 3/248/2. J. M. Bumsted takes a fresh — and 23 April 1772, SCA, BL 3/247/7. more fully documented — look at the Glenaladale to John MacDonald, 30 emigration and its causes in "Highland Bp. MacDonald to Hay: Bishop John January 1806, transcribed by Iain R. Emigration to the Island of St. John and MacDonald to George Hay, 14 February MacKay in "Glenalladale's Settlement, the Scottish Catholic Church, 1769- 1772, SCA, BL 3/247/1. Prince Edward Island," Scottish Gaelic 1774,"DalhousieReview58(1978-79) and Studies 10(1963). "Captain John MacDonald and the Is- Division of Quitrent, Lot 36: "Scheme land," The Island Magazine 6 (Spring- of the Division of the Quitrent of Lot 36 Hay to Geddes: George Hay to John Summer 1979). F. L. Pigot authored the among different Possessors . . . ." (un- Geddes, 20 April 1772, SCA, BL3/244/2. biography of MacDonald that appears in dated, but drawn up sometime during or Volume V of the Dictionary of Canadian after 1781), PAPEI 2664/153. Itemized account Itemized account: Biography. John MacDonald to Donald MacDonald, Glenaladale to Alexander MacDonald: 28 March 1772, SCA, SM 4/14/2.

37 I. Known Passengers From various primary sources, as noted.

Name Remarks Address Source Donald MacDonald (Glenaladale's brother) Glenaladale Glenaladale to Alexander aged 28 MacDonald, 7 March 1772 Father James MacDonald aged 36 Moidart Hay to Geddes, 20 April 1772. Dr. Roderick MacDonald "Rory" (physician) Eigg Division of Quitrent, Lot 36; and family also MacKay and MacLeod (see "Sources"). Donald McKee &wife Moidart (?) Itemized account, 28 Mar. 1772. Mr. Mclnnis "the mason" (alone) apparently in Edinburgh Itemized account, 28 Mar. 1772; Glenaladale to Hay, 27 Feb. 1772; Bp. MacDonald to Cruikshank, 23 April 1772; Glenaladale to Cruikshank, 12 Jan., 8 Mar. 1772. Sandy McCraw Moidart(?) Bp. MacDonald to Cruikshank, 23 April 1772; Glenaladale to Cruikshank, 12 Jan., 8 Mar. 1772. [Donald?] Macfie Moidart(?) Bp. MacDonald to Cruikshank, 23 April 1772. another mason unidentified Glenaladale to Cruikshank, 12 Jan. 1772.

II. Other Mainland Families From various indentures in PAPEI2664.

Name Remarks Address Source Alexander MacDonald apparently alone Morar #71,144,147. Ewan MacEachern Kinlochmoidart #70,150 (dated April 1771). Donald MacEachern son of Ewan Kinlochmoidart #70,150. Donald Gilles Brunacory [Brinacory] #138 (dated 1771). North Morar Ranald Macdonald together with Angus Alassary [Allisary] #149 (dated 4 Feb. 1771), (see below) #139 (dated 4 Nov. 1771). Angus Macdonald Corinua [Coruanan] #149 (dated 4 Feb. 1771), #139 (dated 4 Nov. 1771). Donald Cameron together with Dougald AharmilU?] #140,152 (both dated 16 Apr. 1772). (see below) Dougald Cameron Aharmill[?] #140,152 (both dated 16 Apr. 1772). Ronald Macdonald Alassary [Alisary] #141. John MacLeod son of Murdoch apparently living near #145 (dated 13 Feb. 1771). MacLeod of Harris Glenfinnan Hugh (Ban) MacEachern plus wife & six children Kinlochmoidart #153; Division of Quitrent.

Ill, Others Name Remarks Address Source Donald McDonald settled at Scotchfort Bornish, South Uist Division of Quitrent, Lot 36. Donald McDonald settled at Scotchfort Division of Quitrent, Lot 36. Donald McDonald settled at Portage Borrodale Division of Quitrent, Lot 36. Tearlach McRaild [i.e. Charles MacLeod] Harris [?] Ada MacLeod, 'The Glenaladale later moved to Orwell Pioneers," Dalhousie Review 11 (1932)3. Alexander MacDonald "Sandy Retland" Retland Bp. MacDonald to Hay; Glenaladale (possibly not on voyage) to John MacDonald.

38 IV. The Uist Settlers quit Lot 36, subject to specified payments. The Barra people each signed with their mark. From 'Tack betwixt Messrs MacDonald [John and Donald] and Sundrys on Boysdale's grounds," dated 24 June 1772 and Name Address Source signed on board the Alexander (PAPEI2664/151). Each of the Uist settlers signed with his mark. Allan MacKinnen Barra PAPEI 2664/148 John Maclntyre Barra PAPEI 2664/148 Name Address Angus Mclntyre Barra PAPEI 2664/148,156 Rory [Roderick] Mclntyre Barra PAPEI 2664/148,156 Duncan Mclnnis Boysdale, South Uist Neil Mclntyre Barra PAPEI 2664/148,156 Charles Mackinnen Boysdale, South Uist John McMillan Barra PAPEI 2664/148,156* John Mclntyre Boysdale, South Uist Donald Mclnnis Barra PAPEI 2664/148 Angus McCormig Boysdale, South Uist Angus McNeil Barra PAPEI 2664/156 Ranald McDonald Boysdale, South Uist Donald Mcintosh Boysdale, South Uist Angus Mackinnen Boysdale, South Uist VI. The Eigg Families John McMillan Boysdale, South Uist John Cumming Boysdale, South Uist From "Minutes of agreements...," signed 23 January 1772 at John McDonald Stony Bridge, South Uist Ardnafuorary (PAPEI 2664/155); and indenture and tack Angus McDonald Boysdale, South Uist agreements (PAPEI 2664/142). All bound themselves to service to the MacDonald brothers in return for their passage and land considerations on Lot 36. Each signed with his mark. V. The Barra People Name Remarks Address From the MacDonald brothers' "Agreement about Land with Allan McKinon Carpenter & other Barra People," dated 24 Donald Henderson and his wife Eigg June 1772 and signed on board the Alexander (PAPEI 2664/ Neil Henderson apparently single Eigg 148); and "Obligation of the Barra People," dated 21 Septem- Lauch[lan] Mckinnon and his wife Eigg ber 1772 (PAPEI 2664/156), an agreement allowing them to Alexander Macdonald Eigg

*The names of the Barra men who signed the "Obligation" enabling them to leave Lot 36 do not appear on the Scheme of Division of Quitrent, Lot 36, with the exception of John McMillan, suggesting either that McMillan did not leave or that a second John McMillan may have sailed on the Alexander. P^-^T- Gulf Of St. Lawrence y^t^-* / V 5 ^^ l\J^^% K PRINCE A new home for the old ways. Lot 36, the arpuo Mil v COUNTY Alexander's destination. \ 12 5 West Point r^ts #K Egmont A KINGS COUNTY East Bay (V QUEENS 14 J COUNTY Point

17 19 ;45\46 15 \21 \44 25 ,33 L34> ,39^ Bedeque 67 \22\ ,56^ Bay 26 27 \53\ 28 .29 ^31 48. 49^ \51\52\ *

Hillsborough 61 Bay 63 60 64