Re: Clanranald connection to the MacGillivray's of Antigonish County
Hi Steve, interesting. My tree ends/starts at Hugh (Ban) MacGillivray early 1700's. I visited Invenness Scotland but had no luck finding anything out due to a short trip. I have: Hugh (Ban) Donald Alexander (Captain Alec) from Arisaig not sure Nova Scotia or Scotland Donald - Pleasant Valley- Antigonish N.S. Alexander (Squire)1826-1910 Pleasant Valley Antigonish Colin 1857?-1902 Alexander 1897-1990 Antigonish (my grandfather) died in Brookline Massachusetts USA I am in the process of reviewing some papers and letters that may contain some information. Do you think this Hugh is the one mentioned above? Any direction you could send me in would be much appreciated. Thank You, Kate MacGillivray Massachusetts USA
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Re: Clanranald connection to the MacGillivray's of Antigonish County
I'm not an expert on the family, but here's how I read the info ....
Hugh (Ban) |___________________ | | Donald Duncan | | Capt. Alexander Hugh (Dunmaglas) (Prince Edward Island) | | Donald John (bother of Mary MacEachen) (Pleasant Valley) (Maryvale) | | Alexander (Squire) Father Ronald 1826-1910 1816-1876
Rankin suggested that the above Donald and Duncan were brothers, sons of Hugh (assume he meant Hugh Ban) and Margaret MacEachern. However this could be a typo because in the following paragraph Rankin also mentioned that all the MacGillivray's of Antigonish descend from Andrew Mor (aka Andrew Ban) and Donald Speckled (aka Donald Riabhach). Both were siblings of Captain Alexander, another MacGillivray from whom Antigonish MacGillivray's descend.
It's too bad these author's have long since past away because the more I read thier work, the more questions I have on what they meant.
Steve
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Re: Clanranald connection to the MacGillivray's of Antigonish County
Steve, We made a genealogy trip to Antigonish and Cape Breton this fall. Still in search of the roots of Duncan MacDonald Donn of Springfield (1805-1868), b in Scotland, son of Donald and Mary Gillis. I know something's about Mary and nothing about Donald, One clue is the Donn reference in his name, that was also used by his children. In Rankin's book on Antigonish, he referenced two pioneer brothers; William and Alexander MacDonald Donn from St Andrews and Caledonia Mills who were born in Scotland late 1700's and immigrated in the early 19'th century. The brothers' off spring also carried this Donn name. I see that the pioneer Chisolm's of Strathglas who immigrated also were Donn's. Are you aware of anything unique in this name? I am aware that Donn means brown eye or hair and often was utilized to uniquely ID someone, but not multigenerational. Donn is sometimes written as "doun". Any suggestions?
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Re: Clanranald connection to the MacGillivray's of Antigonish County
Gary,
I'm not aware of anything significant about "Donn", however nicknames appear to have been carried down from one generation to the next (kind of like a family crest) as a way of uniquely identifying oneself amongst others in the same area with the same name.
Consider in the 1891 census for Antigonish County. Of the 16,097 people enumerated, 3,013 people (or 18.7%) had the last name "Macdonald". Of those with the last name "Macdonald":
- 43 had the first name Duncan; - 62 had the first name William; - 156 had the first name Alexander.
I suspect though, if one moved to another county where an established family of the same surname and same nickname already existed, chances are one would adopt a new nickname to uniquely identify thier immediate family and descendants within that county.
Steve
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