Bantjes, Rod, “MacDonald_151,” in Eigg Mountain Settlement History, last modified, 8 August 2015 (http://people.stfx.ca/rbantjes/gis/txt/eigg/introduction.html).
(Eigg Mountain Settlement History)
1. Alex (Mason) MacDonald (father Donald)
This is the first farm on Colin and Christina’s list of residents on the Brown’s Mountain Main Road going east to west. They write “James Bigly lived there before him and died young [the Church Map (1879) indicates J. Beagly at this site]. He was married to a Thompson woman. After her husband died, she and her family moved to Ottawa. James was the Brother of Ned and Pat.” The Geological Survey Map of 1893 indicates that there were some farm sites to the east.
The 1901 census for Arisaig A page 10 indicates the following. This is apparently numbering east-to-west since after the MacDonalds, on page 11 is Hassey.
|
43 |
|
Bigley Patrick |
M |
|
Head |
M |
Dec 15 |
1830 |
|
|||
|
44 |
|
95 |
Bigley Mary |
F |
|
Head |
M |
Mar 18 |
1835 |
|
||
|
45 |
|
95 |
Bigley Cathrine |
F |
|
Daughter |
S |
Jan 27 |
1881 |
|
||
|
46 |
|
95 |
Bigley James |
M |
|
Son |
S |
Aug 27 |
1881 |
|
||
|
47 |
|
McDonald Dan |
M |
|
Head |
M |
Aug 15 |
1838 |
|
|||
|
48 |
|
96 |
McDonald Margret |
F |
|
Wife |
M |
|
1842 |
|
||
|
49 |
|
96 |
McDonald Alexander |
M |
|
Son |
S |
Jul 16 |
1874 |
|
||
|
50 |
|
96 |
McDonald Hugh |
M |
|
Son |
S |
Dec 15 |
1876 |
|
||
|
|
McDonald Hugh |
M |
|
Son |
S |
Jul 14 |
1878 |
|
Since Hassey’s come next after the MacDonalds, there must be a farm missing from Colin and Christina’s list.
The Bigley’s do not appear in the 1911 census. Instead there is the following. Alex could be Alex Mason (above), but according to Colin and Christina, the father should be Donald, not John.
|
41 |
|
55 |
MacDonald John |
|
M |
Head |
W |
Aug |
1836 |
74 |
|
|
|
42 |
|
55 |
MacDonald Alex |
|
M |
Son |
S |
Jun |
1880 |
30 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
55 |
MacDonald Augustine |
|
M |
Son |
S |
Nov |
1882 |
28 |
|
|
|
44 |
|
55 |
MacDonald Hugh |
|
M |
Son |
S |
Aug |
1884 |
26 |
|
The previous MacDonalds (1911) fit no better.
|
38 |
|
54 |
MacDonald John A. |
|
M |
Head |
W |
Nov |
1836 |
74 |
|
|
|
39 |
|
54 |
MacDonald Janie |
|
F |
Daughter |
S |
Jan |
1870 |
40 |
|
|
|
40 |
|
54 |
MacDonald Alex |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The cellar is oriented 290º (west) and the house probably faced north to the Main road. The entrance to the cellar is to the south. There is some infill from the east, but the north wall probably measured 22 ft and the east and west walls 24 ft. The cellar is on the cut line for power lines. There are apples trees still growing here.
This is a photo looking across the cellar to the north.
June 5, 2015