Macleods of Achunahanait and various spellings there after

[IanB]

djct59:

If you have all that much respect, you might choose to read my posts more carefully. I was responding to Craig's post addressed to me wondering whether the patronymic of the George Mcleod who had a son Donald christened in 1806 might indicate that Angus Bain's father was William. I mentioned the John Mcleod entry to illustrate that there were similar, but possibly unrelated, patronymics.

[CMcLeod07]

Thanks to everyone for their help in my search. I will take all of this information away and try to piece it together best I can. I will let you know how I get on and if I have any other questions.

Craig

[Joriejo]

Is there anyone still working on this thread? I’m the Gr-gr-gr granddaughter of John Mc Leod and Ann MacKenzie, 1806 immigrated to Pictou, NS  on the Elizabeth and Ann. Would like to connect . Visited Durness and tried to find Auchunahait

[djct59]

Joriejo:

There is nothing left to see of Achunahanait at ground level, but aerial photos show some of the foundations of the crofts. As you head north into the village from Rhiconich the roadway narrows and you pass some small cliffs with the Kyle on your left. Just before the road branches to the left to Keodale and the Cape Wrath Ferry there are some fields on the right a few feet above road level; that was Achunahanait.

Your ancestors were John MacLeod Macnishbain (son of fair haired Angus) and Ann MacKenzie ninHustianmacEnichicEnich (daughter of Hugh the son of Kenneth the son of Kenneth) from Dalnaheru, near Ben Hope, who married in 1779 -is that right?

[Joriejo]

Thanks for responding. When we visited in 2022, I had not only perused the aerial photos but also the old map of 1798 (from Scotland’s Places) Intended road from Kirk of Durness to Head of Loch Naver. I will include the link. https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/nrs/RHP11592/plan-of-intended-road-from-the-kirk-of-durness-to-the-head-of-loch-naver   I believe someone from this site clued me into this map years ago. It’s quite exciting! You can see Achunahanait clearly, here. I do believe my husband and I roamed the place close to where this little hamlet used to be, much of the stonework repurposed into sheep holdings, we thought. You can see the stonework on google earth maps.
And, yes, you are correct on my MacLeod and Mackenzie ancestors. That was my Dad’s side (ended up settling in Prince Edward Island, my mother was a MacLeod, as well, her mum a MacKenzie, all from the Beauly area.  So wonderful to make these connections.

[Joriejo]

Deb, I do have information on John MacLeod and Ann MacKenzie and their children emigrating to Canada if you are interested.

[djct59]

I don't think the 1780 map is terribly reliable (it has no houses at all in Durine or Sangomore which is demonstrably wrong) - as far as I know from the 1876 O.S. Maps Achunahanait is a few hundred metres east of where it's shown, but it was close to the road and south of the present village.

[Joriejo]

Well, I thought that, as well. I was thinking about how maps were made back then…it’s mostly interesting thinking about the small hamlets and imagine how they lived. I’m also curious as to how they got the family over to Thurso to make their way across the Atlantic… to a place that was fairly untamed, as well. I honor their intrepid souls.
Do you have any advice for me in finding more information? I do know a bit about where they settled, first in Pictou, Nova Scotia, then on to PEI. My grandfather, one of 12 children, made his way down to Boston in the 1920’s.
I live in rural western Massachusetts, I’m a retired primary teacher and have visited the highlands of Scotland 3 times. So lovely.

[djct59]

Many made their living as crofter/fishermen, taking to the Pentland Firth when the demands of the croft allowed. Within the parish there were smiths, millers, cobblers, weavers (My g-g-g-grandfather wove the burial cloths for those not interred in a coffin) and latterly cattleman from Skye and shepherds from Northumberland as sheep took over the harsher straths where it was difficult to grow enough to survive AND pay rent.

There were no roads. Supplies came in and left by boat, so that was how your ancestors would reach Thurso. The people werere hardy; if you survived infancy you could expect to live to eighty.

As I understand it, the land and climate of Nova Scotia and PEI, while harsh for many, differed little in the skills requred to farm it from the lands they left