Martin (Skye)

For family tree see Martin (of Marishadder) on Ancestry (subcription required)

John Martin, of Marishadder (Skye) and his wife, Mary Nicolson, had nine sons and three daughters [The Clan Donald, Vol 3]. Six of the nine sons went to the West Indies, at least four of them as doctors in Demerara.

Of the nine sons:

1. Martin Martin died on 16 March 1874 at Tote, Snizort, Isle of Skye, the age of 92 (Inverness Courier - Thursday 26 March 1874).

2. John and 3. Peter Martin died in the West Indies, unspecified location

4. Donald Martin MD [1791/92-1864] was in Demerara but returned to Skye where he farmed Monkstadt, near Portree. That he had been in Demerara is confirmed by Land Bonds: 1859 (11/4): Donald Martin (from colony of Demerara) and now in Monkstadt Skye. I think it likely that he is the doctor, Donald Martin, who gave evidence in 1824 at the trial of John Smith [Joshua Bryant, Account of an Insurrection of the Negro Slaves in the Colony of Demerara, p69]

Monkstadt House, near Portree, Skye.

5. Alexander [c1796-1841], ‘sometime of Demerara, West Indies, and latterly Tacksman of Inversanda’ - parish of Kilmallie [marriage of daughter Marjory, Inverness Courier - Thursday 07 April 1870]. A Court of Session case in 1842 refers to him as Dr Martin but there is no other evidence of a medical qualification.

6. Nicol Martin MD [1799-1885] ‘who was for many years in Demerara, and was a member of the College of Electors of British Guiana. On his return home he bought the estates of North Glendale and Husabost’ [The Argosy, 12 Oct 1885]. In 1839 he was an executor, in British Guiana, for the estate of Benjamin James Hopkinson [Edinburgh Gazette of April 3, no 1640]

7. Samuel Martin MD [d1848]. He went to New Zealand, travelled and ‘wrote an excellent history of the Island. He was also for some time editor of a newspaper.’ He died a few weeks after arriving in Berbice to take up the position of stipendiary magistrate. [see Biography]

8. Lachlan Martin, who died as a young man in a snowstorm. For an account of his death see this link.

9. Rev Angus Martin [1805-87] who became minister of Snizort, Skye.

Thanks to Steve Martin for assistance with the history of the Martin family.