John Alexander Macdonald

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1819
• Alternate death: 22 Feb 1899, Middlesex, Middlesex, Ontario

Notes:

"London, Feb. 22. -- John A. McDonald, a pioneer of Middlesex county, and a cousin of Hon. Jas. McDonald, chief justice of Nova Scotia, and father of Rev. J. A. McDonald, a well known Presbyterian minister and editor of the Westminster Journal, died to-day aged 81." [Winnipeg Tribune, 23 Feb 1899, p. 5]

John married Jane Grant on 28 Dec 1848 in London, Middlesex, Ontario. Jane was born on 4 May 1825 in Pictou, Pictou, Nova Scotia; died on 12 Jul 1878 in Middlesex, Ontario; was buried in Nairn Cemetery, Nairn, Middlesex, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Rev. Donald Barclay Macdonald was born on 3 Sep 1853 in London, Middlesex, Ontario; died on 16 Jul 1909 in Lincoln, Ontario; was buried in Victoria Lawn Cemetery, Saint-Catherines, Niagara, Ontario.
2. Rev. James A. Macdonald was born on 22 Jan 1862 in East Williams Township, Ontario; died on 14 May 1923 in Toronto, Ontario.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1787, Nova Scotia

Donald married Margaret. Margaret was born in 1790 in Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland; died on 7 Nov 1869 in London, Middlesex, Ontario; was buried in St. George's United Church Cemetery, London, Middlesex, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Served with his father, in North Carolina, in the 84th Royal Highland Regiment on the Loyalist side in the American Revolution. Sometimes called James "Deacon" Macdonald.

James married Mary Forbes about 1782. Mary was born in 1756; died in 1856. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Iain MacEoghainn Oig; Iain Mac Iain Bhain.

He served with three of his sons, in North Carolina, in the 84th Royal Highland Regiment on the Loyalist side in the American Revolution. Relocated to Bridgeville, Nova Scotia in 1784.

Situated on the west side of the East River at Glencoe, Pictou County, a memorial cairn bears this inscription on its north face:

JOHN A. MACDONALD
AND HIS FOUR SONS
DUNCAN JAMES ALEXANDER EWEN
ALL OF THE 84th ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT
WHO SERVED WITH THE LOYALISTS IN THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR OF 1776

DESCENDANTS OF JOHN MACDONALD OF GLEN URQUHART, SCOTLAND

A SURVIVOR OF GLENCOE 1692

From Rawdon and Douglas: Two Loyalist Townships in Nova Scotia [citation details below]:

John (or Iain) MacDonald was born in Inverness-shire, Scotland. m. (1) Jannet, m. (2) Margaret Grant.

John McDonald (Iain MacEoghainn Oig) was born at Glenurquhart (about 1720-1723) and belonged to the Glencoe McDonalds. At the time of the Glencoe Massacre, 1692, one of the McDonalds fled to Glenurquhart and settled there. John McDonald was a grandson or great grandson of that man. He was about eight years in the Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment, and three of his sons fought with him in the Revolutionary War on the Loyalists' side. He was also reported to be a veteran of Culloden in 1746.

In the History of Bridgeville NS, it is written that 'Old' John was over 60 yrs of age when he finally settled in Bridgeville in 1784. According to an article by Rev. Alexander McLean Sinclair in the Eastern Chronicle 'He (Iain) settled in Strathbeg, or the Soldier's Grant, East River. Duncan, James and Ewen Mor settled near him.'

John married Margaret Grant. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]