"The Glenaladale Settlers 1772 - 1997"
In May of 1772, under Captain John MacDonald, the Brig "Alexander" departed Greenock, Scotland bound for Prince Edward Island, carrying 210 passengers. The 225th Anniversary of their landing was celebrated July 17-19th, 1997. An event celebrating the landing of the "Alexander" passengers, known as the Glenaladale Settlers, included genealogy sessions, lectures, a ceildh, garden party, and a dinner/dance.
For additional information about the Glenaladale Settlers contact:
PEISSHS
81 Prince St
Charlottetown
PEI
C1A 4R3
email: [email protected]
telephone: 902-569-2333In honour of their landing, we have obtained permission to put the Passenger List re-construction by Rev. James Lawson on the page for your use!
"The Passengers on the "Alexander"
Arisaig to St. John's Island, April/May/June 1772.
by Rev. James Lawson, Dec 10 1990. I. The ship is identified in three sources:
1) "Itemized Account:; 'John MacDonald for Glenalladale for Emmigrants from Uist to Donald MacDonald 1772 [28 March]" (S.C.A., Edinburgh SM 4/14/2)
"Alex'r, John Buchanan & Co., Greenock." also:
2) "Tack betwixt Messr's MacDonalds & Sundrys on Boysdale's grounds"
(24 June 1772, P.A.P.E.I. 2664 - # 151) and:
3) Agreement about Land with Allan McKinon, Carpenter and other Barra people"
(24 June 1772, P.A.P.E.I. 2664 # 148)
II. Chartered 6 March 1772 by John MacDonald of Glenalladale at Greenock
(Glenalladale to Alexander MacDonald 7 March 1772, transcribed by Iain R. MacKey, "Glenalladale's Settlement, Prince Edward Island"'Scottish Gaelic Studies X (1963), pp. (16-24)
Sailed mid-April to Arisaig area, put to sea after 23 April to Loch Boysdale, S. Uist & possible Barra, to St. John's mid-May 1772. Arrives in St. John's end - June 1772.
III. An original passenger list was created, but is not extant:
See: 1) Glenalladale to George Hay, 27 Feb 1772 (S.C.A., Edin.),
"... I have inserted his name in the Lists [i.e. MacInnes the Mason, below]..." 2) "Itemized Account, etc. (S.C.A., Edin.)
...Donald McKee and his wife & McInnes, the mason who were forgot in the General List...."
IV. Surnames of Passengers
(as suggested by Ada MacLeod, "The Glenaladale Pioneers"; Dalhousie Review, Vol. II, no. 3, pp. 311 - 324) MacDonalds
MacEacherns
MacKenzies
MacPhees
Campbells
Beatons
Gillises
MacRaes
MacIntosh
MacKinnons
Known Passengers:
(from primary source Documentation, noted) #1) Donald MacDonald (younger Glenalladale) aged 28 [Glenalladale to Alex. MacDonald, noted above]
#2) Father James MacDonald - Moidart aged 36 [George Hay to John Geddes, 20 April 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/244/2]
#3) Br. Roderick (Rory) MacDomald and Family - Eigg - physician [Scheme of Division of Quitrent, etc., noted and transcribed in appendix; also Ada MacLeod, noted, also Iain R. MacKay, noted, both secondary.]
#4) Donald McKee and wife - Moidart? [Itemized account, S.C.A., noted above.]
#5) Mr. McInnes (alone) 'the mason' - apparently in Edinburgh at the time - [Itemized account, S.C.A.; Glenalladale to Hay, 27 Feb 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/2; Bp. John MacDonald to Charles Cruikshank, 23 April 1772, S.C.A., BL 3/247/7; Glenalladale to Charles Cruikshank, 8 March 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/3; Glenalladale to Cruikshank, 12 Jan 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/1]
#6) Mr. Sandy McGraw - Moidart? - [Bp. John MacDonald to Chas. Cruikshank, 23 April 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/247/7; Glenalladale to Chas. Cruilshank, 8 March 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/3; Glenalladale to Chas. Cruikshank, 12 Jan 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/1]
#7) Mr. MacFie - probalby the Donald MacFie on "Scheme of Division, etc., appendix 1] - Moidart? - [Bp. J. MacDonald to Chas. Cruikshank, 23 April 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/247/7]
#8) another Mason (not identified) [Glenalladale to Chas. Cruikshank, 12 Jan 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/248/1]
Other Mainland Families
(from various indentures in Record Group 2664, Public Archives of Prince Edward Island) #9) Alexander MacDonald (apparently alone) - Morar - [2664- #71, #144, & #147]
#10) Ewan MacEachern - Kinlochmoidart - [2664- #70, & #150, dated April 1771]
#11) Donald MacEachern (son of Ewan) - Kilochmoidart - [2664- #71, & #150, dated April 1771]
#12) Donald Gilles - Brunacory (Brinacory), N. Morar [2664- #138, dated 1771]
#13) Ranald MacDonald - Alassary (Alisary)
#14) Angus MacDonald - Corinua (Coruanan) [together in 2664- #149, dated 4 Feb 1771; 2664- #139, dated 4 Nov 1772]
#15) Donald Cameron - Aharmill (prob. Acharacle in Ardnamurchan, known in 19th C. as Aharkill)
#16) Dougald Cameron - Aharmill (prob. Acharacle in Ardnamurchan, known in 19th C. as Aharkill) [together in 2664- #140, dated 16 Apr 1772; 2664- #152, 16 Apr 1772]
#17) Ronald MacDonald - Allassary (Alisary) [2664- #141, n.d.]
#18) John MacLeod apparently living near Glenfinnan [2664- #145, 13 Feb 1771]
(Identified as son of Murdoch of Harris) #19) Hugh (Ban) MacEachern - Kinlochmoidart) - [2664- #153, Scheme of Division, etc., Appendix 1; also: A. B. Warburton, A History of Prince Edward Island, 1923, p. 395]
[According to Warburton, the family of Rev. Angus B. MacEachern who would come to St. John's in 1790 with "Lucy and Jane" to replace Fr. MacDonald]
Others:
From "Scheme of Division, etc.," P.A.P.E.I. 2664- #153, otherwise not accounted for above or below. #20) Donald McDonald - Bornish, S. Uist. - living at Scotsfort
#21) Donald MacDonald - living at Scotsfort
#22) Donald McDonald - Borrodale - living at Portage
From: Ada MacLeod, "The Glenalladale Pioneers"' noted; the only emmigrant noted by name: #23) Tearlach McRaild (Charles MacLeod) - Harris? - Moved to Orwell, P.E.I. [not identified in any primary sources, otherwise unknown]
From: Bp. John Maconald to George Hay, 14 Feb 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/247/1:
"One MacDonald of Retland who posessed a small fortune here which is not sufficient to maintain his own and sons family is resolved to sell it and go to St. John's and there is no appearance of any purchaser but Boysdale..."
Identified by Iain R. MacKay, "Glenalladale's Settlement"' noted' as Alexander MacDonald of Retland, a.k.a. Sndy Retland, in letter transcribed by MacKay, Glenalladale to John MacDonald, 30 January 1806: "... Sandy Retland now keeps the school..."
#24) Alexander MacDonald - Retland - [perhaps not enough to indicate if he was part of the migration]
The Uist Settlers: George Hay to John Geddes, 20 April 1772, S.C.A. BL 3/244/2:
"There are about 210 people shipped off this Spring for America, of whom 100 are from Uist and the rest from the mainland..."
Glenalladale to Alexander MacDonald, transcibed MacKay, noted, 7 March 1772:
"A number of other people & our own friends have joined After this Manner to the number of 214 Souls, Men, Women, % Children..."
However, other documentation attests to far fewer Uist settlers than Bishop Hay's estimation of 100, viz.:
From: "Itemized Account, etc.", S.C.A. SM 4/14/2, Uist Settlers:
"8th Article: To 35 full passengers on board the Alex'r for St. John's for whom pd. Messr's John Buchanan & Co., at L3..12..6p. S 126..17..6"
p.3 "8th Article: For the Freight. The 10 familys from Uist had only one with another 35 full passengers, because, two only of the children from three years of age to seven we reckoned full Passengers, those under three compleat years paying nothing at all, of whom there were a great number. The freight was L 3..12..6 Sterl. ..."
From: Bishop Jahn MacDonald to George Hay, 14 Feb 1772, S.C.A., BL 3/247/1: "After this, about sixteen families engaged..."
"So that of the sixteen families only nine continued constant, amounting in all to twenty-five grown persons, and eighteen children of different ages from one monthe to twelve years..."
[This accounting suggests that the average was five (5) members per family. Eleven (11) families would suggest roughly fifty-five (55) persons.]
From: "Tack betwixt Messr's MacDonald [John and Donald] and Sundrys on Boysdale's grounds"' dated 24 June, 1772. P.A.P.E.I. 2664- #151.
"in Witness whereof both Partys have hereunto respectively sett their hands & seals and unto another Duplicate Hereof on Board the Brigg the Alexander the twentiforth day of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two years:
John MacDonald
Donald MacDonald#25) Duncan McInnis (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#26) Charles MacKinnen (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#27) John McIntyre (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#28) Angus McCormig (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#29) Ranald McDonald (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#30) Donald McIntosh (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#31) Angus MacKinnen (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#32) John McMillan (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#33) John Cumming (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
#34) John McDonald (his mark) - Stony Bridge, S. Uist
#35) Angus McDonald (his mark) - Boysdale, S. Uist
"The Barra People" Outwith the lairdship of Colin MacDonald of Boysdale, there is no mention of the Barra people being amongst Glenalladale's venture, either in his or the Church's correspondence. This information is from a land agreement in the Public Archives of Prince Edward Island.
"Agreement about Land with Allan McKinon, Carpenter & other Barra People" [P.A.P.E.I. 2664- #148, dated 24 June 1772]
"... both parties [MacDonald bros. and Barra people] have herunto sett their hands and seals and unto another duplicate hereof on Board the Brigg Alexander the Twentyfourth day of June One thousand seven hundred and seventy-two years John MacDonald
Donald MacDonald#36) Allan MacKinnen (his mark) - Barra
#37) John MacIntyre (his Mark) - Barra
#38) Angus McIntyre (his mark) - Barra
#39) Rory McIntyre (his mark) - Barra
#40) Neil McIntyre (his mark) - Barra
#41) John McMillan (his mark) - Barra
#42) Donald MacInnis (his mark) - Barra
From: "obligation of the Barra People", dated 21 Sept 1772, P.A.P.E.I. 2664- #156 (an agreement to quit Lot #36 subject to payment), and 2664- #72, a copy of the above agreement, signatories; Neil MacIntyre (his mark)
Rod'k McIntyre (his mark)
Angus McIntyre (his mark)
John McMillan (his mark)
and:#43) Angus McNeil (his mark) - Barra [name not on agreement - others accounted for]
N.B. The names of those who signed the above obligation enabling them to quit Lot 36 do not appear on the "Scheme of Division, etc.", Appendix 1, with the exception of John McMillan. This may suggest the presence of a second John McMillan.
The Eigg Families There is no reference of anyone from Eigg in the correspondence, although this area may be considered within Clanranald's realm, and should not be grouped with other outer Hebrideans.
"Minutes of agreements between John MacDonald his Brother and Donald and Neil Hendersons and Lachlan McKinnon in Eigg." P.A.P.E.I. 2664- #155, signed 23 January 1772 at Ardnafuorary. John McDonald witness
Hugh McDonald witness
Donald Chisholm witness
Donald MacDonald#44) Donald Henderson (his mark) & wife - Eigg
#45) Neil Henderson (his mark) apparently single - Eigg
#46) Lauch. McKinnon (his mark) & wife - Eigg
"all bound to service to the MacDonald brothers in return for their passage and land considerations, their Indenture and Tack makes up document 2664- #142, P.A.P.E.I. Another agreement identifies:
#47) Alexander MacDonald - Eigg
--end of list-- Compiled by James Lawson, Hudson, PQ., 10 December 1990. Used with permission.
Appendix 1 - Quit Rent Rolls for Lot 36.