Dear Camille,
In the Parish Church of the Small Isles is the following plaque "In memory of John MacPherson, tenant of Sandavore, a man of remarkable intelligence and Christian worth, an elder of the establised church and for 45 years Factor of Eigg, born 26th Jan. 1789 at Tocabhaig in Skye, died at Sandavore 16th Jan. 1876 buried Kilmore, Sleat.
With regards your article on Dr Hugh MacPherson this shows the Factor was a Gaelic speaking Highlander. I think Gordon was MacPherson's lawyer. How do you know Hugh MacPherson never visited Eigg after he bought it. When he died there was a £2000 bond over the island and he did not leave the island to anyone. After, I assume endless discussion the four daughters ended up owning Eigg,-Isabella, Margaret, Anna Marie and Elizabeth. Three years later in 1861 Norman bought one tenth of the island from his sisters and was regarded as the owner ever after. Elizabeth died in 1885. The Titles appear to be fairly shambolic when my great uncle bought the island.

This is my second post and is a bit of a long shot. Sometime in the latter 1700s my direct Macdonald ancestor came to Sleat to be a Ground officer. My estimate is that is was potentially the 1770s. It was common at the time to give these sorts of roles to an outsider. His name was John Macdonald. Local oral tradition says my Macdonald line were 'Macdhomnaill dugh na h-eigg' The black Macdonalds from Eigg. The name Ranald persisted in my family while it was never a common Sleat name. I have done Y-DNA test plus my DNA results are also on Ancestry, 23and me, FTDNA and Myheritage. I have never had any distant link to Sleat Macdonald families pre 1800. I have though very numerous links to descendants to the pioneers who left, Eigg, Asrisaig, Eilean Shona, and Moidart and went to PEI, and Nova Scotia. Especially Antigonish and Inverness counties. I wonder if there are any records that even hint of an Eigg Macdonald that left to become a Ground Officer in Sleat? Many thanks, Andrew

Hello. My Great x 3 Grandfather John MacPherson was born in Tokavaig Sleat in 1788. In the 1841 census he was living in Sleat as a crofter with his family. But by 1851 he and his family appear living at the Farm at Sandavore. I have always wondered how this leap in his fortunes came about? His Daughter Mary b1835-d1911 married Alexander Nicolson the Sleat School teacher and they ultimately moved to the school on Canna. They are my great great grandparents. Thier daughter my Great granny was christened Christina Edgeworth Nicolson and one of her sisters was christened Mary Charters Nicolson. I understand both these middle names are linked to Dr Hugh MacPherson's family. I would love to know any information about how the family got their position on Eigg and any info about their interactions with Dr Hugh MacPherson's family. In fact any records that there are about their stay on Eigg, many thanks best regards, Andrew

I just wanted to thank you for sharing this amazing information. This site is full of really fantastic historical and cultural material, much of which i hadn't come across in my research - it's really tremendous. My McIsaac ancestors settled at Eigg Mountain, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. I am extremely interested in figuring out more about Ruaraidh MacIsaac of Eigg who is supposed to be father to Lachlan Mor MacIsaac (m. Catriona MacDonald in 1818 on Eigg.) I own a copy of Camille's book and it has top billing on my bookshelf! It's funny to be so proud of an island I have never been to or even seen in person! All the best, A.M.B MacIsaac