If you contact me directly I can provide more information. Regarding my 4xGreatGrandfather John MacDonald (1736-1822), I do not know where you obtained your information from, but if it is from the source that I believe it to be, then the BMD records show that the Alistair (Alasdair) Norman referred to is Norman MacDonald (who married Janet Gunn 31st December 1774 at Golspie), and other sources inform that he was one of the brothers of John MacDonald (1736-1822), not his father. Also the information in Pope's biography of Sir John A MacDonald concerning John MacDonald (1736-1822), is significantly incorrect. He was not a "young man" when he went to live in Dornoch, he was aged 64 or 65 and he was never Provost of Dornoch.

When Sir John A MacDonald's father Hugh left Rogart for Glasgow c.1800, he did not go alone, he went with his brother Donald and his elder half brother James (my 3xGreatGrandfather). James and Donald were the witnesses on the Birth/Baptism record of Sir John A MacDonald, who was born 10th January 1815 and baptised at Ramshorn Kirk Glasgow.