Hugh Macdonald alias Captain Macdonald or Captain M'Donald

[caledon]

Hi Annie,

No, I don't have that particular reference. Where did you find it? My surprise was to find him referred to as Captain in the Cambrian newspaper in Swansea in several advertisements for home effects auctions and birth announcements. They date from 1836 (when they first arrived in Swansea) to 1843 (when they left for Liverpool). I know it refers to "my" Hugh Macdonald of Boisdale because the addresses match up to addresses on his children's birth certificates (one of which is the exact birth date/address of my husband's gg grandmother born in 1842)

Sandra

[caledon]

Annie I just found that reference and that's way before my Hugh Macdonald's time. That story refers to when Bonnie Prince Charlie was escaping.

[Rosinish]

Ah, I see Sandra!

I didn't have time to read through it but thought I'd post it.

When I found the name on the net, when I downloaded it, I just did a quick search using Ctrl + f & typed in Hugh which brought my quote up.

At least you now have a window with dates & I think all those places mentioned had 'Ports' i.e. it may be possible he was in shipping in some way?

Do you have names on the baptisms for sponsors who may be a route to follow (their trade), maybe through the 1841 census...just another avenue?

Annie

 

[caledon]

Interesting but there are very few sponsors on any of their children's baptismal records (I have all the birth certificates but not all the baptismal records) This couple were not "officially" married until 1843 at Gretna Green after they already had 9 children! He also had a son born in Scotland and 2 daughters born in England, I believe who were not from this woman. He was something that's for sure! The daughters emigrated to Tasmania in 1832 and married there. They refer to him as being daughters of Hugh Macdonald, Esq., of Boisdale...not captain.

I'll keep hunting!

[Rosinish]

Sandra,

I had a quick look on;

https://westernisles.wordpress.com/genealogy/

Using Ctrl + f & type in Guernsey

This will take you back to your discussion & a reference by Angus (sadly now deceased & missed too)! which mentions the husbands of Hugh's sisters being on Guernsey etc. as you will recall but...

Is it possible your Hugh was also involved in the Channel Islands affairs even at later dates in some way like the brothers-in-law?

Have you found references to the brothers-in-law & their connection with Guernsey (other than what Angus wrote) as you may find ref. to Hugh there or elsewhere on the Channel Islands etc?

Your MacDonalds are so complex for me to follow (harder when it's not your own ancestors to relate to the same) but I'm wondering if using the 2 daughters forenames Charlotte & Amelia (not Uist names) without surnames may bring up anything on the Channel Islands?

It may be worth looking into where the names Charlotte & Amelia may have originated from another of your enquiries;

https://westernisles.wordpress.com/uist/

Use the Ctrl + f & Amelia

Please note (in case you forgot) the links are under different headings.


Annie

[caledon]

Hi Annie,

I'm so sad to hear Angus has passed away!!  He was so incredibly helpful to me in so many ways. I know that Charlotte and Amelia both left for Tasmania from Leith, Scotland in 1832 so they were never on Guernsey. They were nieces of Hugh's sisters who married soldiers in Guernsey. Hugh's sisters and mother all went to Guernsey between 1826 and 1828 because they were still in Scotland before 1826. One sister married in 1829, the mother died in March 1830, and the other sister married in 1830 as well. Hugh is not anywhere in the picture. His 2 daughters Charlotte & Amelia would have been in Scotland or England. I know the exact date they left Leith and arrived in Tasmania too. Hugh was such a strange man. Disappearing for years without a trace and then reappearing in a completely different place.

[caledon]

Just read something today, (which I should have thought of before) that said the "chief" or head of the clan was also called Captain (in Clanranald). Now I know he wasn't considered the Chief of Clanranald but he was the heir to the Macdonalds of Boisdale so maybe that's how he referred to himself...at least while he was in Swansea lol...

[Rosinish]

Seems like you've answered your own question Sandra.

He didn't seem to use the term 'Captain' overly then, i.e. only on baptisms or similar is this correct & would make sense as to why you can't find much in relation to the term on him?

Annie

[caledon]

He didn't refer to himself as Captain anywhere else except for the 4/5 mentions in the Cambrian Newspaper that I found. None of his many children have him listed as Captain on their birth/marriage certificates....only Hugh Macdonald, gentleman (or esquire).

I can only assume that the Cambrian newspaper would put a birth/death/auction notice in that he or someone representing him (for the auction) would pay for. So he must have referred to himself that way, at that time.

In never failed to put a b/m/d notice in local papers but he's only referred to Captain while he lived in Swansea from 1836-1843.

Oh well.