John ‘Cape’ MacIsaac (Eigg Mountain Settlement History)

 

John MacIsaac bought this property from Sandy Gillis around 1873 or 1875 (Kenton Teasdale, Eigg Mountain, November 2, 2005).  He was known as John the ‘Bodach’ (Gaelic for “old man,” “old stick,” “old fella”).  However, since he came here from Cape George, he and his descendents were known on Eigg Mountain as “the Capes.”  This is probably the J. MacIsaac of the Church Map (1879).

 

The basements were used for vegetables during winter, milk and cream during the summer. (Kenton and Charlie showed us the hearth stones.)

 

The weather conditions may have affected the settlers: Wet wind from shore drops lots of precipitation in the form of rain and snow on the Mountain. Late spring was discouraging to settlers. The temperatures were not as cold as the valley - just a lot of precipitation. There was thin soil on the mountain and there was little replenishment with fertilizer.

 

Source: Interview, Kenton and Charlie Teasdale, Eigg Mountain, October 16, 2004.