Hello Josh, This all sounds Amazing, i can't wait to see the photographs and read the Articles, do you think it would be possible in the future to get copies of the photographs with my MacMaster Family, My Great Great Grandfather Ronald MacMaster, i have another here which was taken later in his life, i visited Arnisdale a number of years ago to visit Iain MacKenzie, i think he still has a brother Willie, they were related to my Grandfather also Ronald MacMaster, a little about my MacMaster Family from Barrisfdale and surrounding area here, there is also a fantastic book by Professor Peter R English 'Arnisdale and Loch Hourn'
I hope you find this of interest,Alan :-
Alexander MacMaster (23/10/1877 - 21/11/1951)
(My Great Grandfather)
Alexander was the youngest of nine; six boys and three girls.
Their parents were Ronald MacMaster and Mary Ann Cameron who married in 1858 they lived on the Knoydart peninsula where Ronald worked as a Gamekeeper. The three youngest boys; Archibald, Angus and Alexander all emigrated to the USA at some point and lived the rest of their lives there, in Montana, Wyoming, New York and California.
Angus Married a Swedish woman named Hanna and they lived in New York for a long time, they had a daughter called Mary . I believe Angus and Hanna moved to Los Angeles in later life, i think they both died there also but i am insure of the dates.
Archibald never married, but died in 1941 in Billings, Montana, aged 67, Alexander also died in Billings, Montana.
Mr. MacMaster had made his home at the Caledonian rooms when he wasn't working on sheep ranches around Billings for the last 20 years.
He was born in Scotland and came to Canada about 30 years ago. He was married in Canada and moved to Casper, Wyo., a short time later. His wife and one son, who was a twin, died in Casper. His other son, Ronald, was taken back to Scotland when he was about three years old.
In addition to his son, Ronald MacMaster, he is survived by a brother, Angus MacMaster of New York City, N.Y.
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Margaret Gillies MacMaster and Ronalds's twin "son", This appears to be a mistake in the Obituary as we now know that he had a twin sister,as opposed to a brother, who died at birth or shortly afterwards.
According to information , after Maggie and one of the twin babies died, Ronald was cared for by a local in Casper, Wyoming. It seems however, that Alexander was afraid he might be going to lose Ronald so decided then that he would return to Scotland. The pair returned to Scotland on 4th December 1911, arriving in Glasgow on the Ship 'California'. He was brought up by Mary and Ewan, his Aunt and Uncle who were brother and sister.
John Cameron MacMaster, an older brother of the three mentioned above, moved from Knoydart down to Stirling and then on to Fife in the late 1890s. He was also a Gamekeeper (something thats a common theme running throughout many of the MacMaster's) who worked in Leslie, Fife. Ronald MacMaster (Father of Nine siblings) was a Gamekeeper in Barisdale, and his Father was a Fox-Hunter in Mallaig in the early 1800s.
The Remaining Siblings were Duncan, Jessie, Mary, Ewen and Ann.
Duncan married a Lily McDonald from Knoydart and they lived there for a good portion of their lives. They had a big family and Duncan was also a Gamekeeper. They moved to Lanarkshire and then on to Harris. Duncan Died in Inverness in 1944 aged 84.
Jessie married a man called Philip Markey in London, Jessie has been a bit of a mystery to me and i have been unable to locate her Marriage Certificate, which has led me to wonder if she was really married in th true sense of the word. She had two daughters and the family lived in Glasgow for a spell before moving to the Spean Bridge area, Jessie's daughter Mary married a MacLennan. Jessie herself died in 1926 at Achindaul, she was only 66
Mary lived in Knoydart with her parents for a long time, she never married although she did have an illegitimate son; Angus MacKenzie. He to went on to become a gamekeeper and worked in the Kintail area, living at Doris-duan specifically . I don't know much about Mary, other than she died in 1944 aged 81, also at Achindaul.
Ewan was also a Gamekeeper . He to lived and worked in Barisdale, Knoydart- presumably employed on the estate alongside-his Father. He never Married, Ewan was a talented musician who was skilled at both the fiddle and the bagpipes. He was apparently very knowledgeable about nature and the countryside and trained terrier dogs' i believe he worked on the Kintail Estate in later life. My Grandad used to say thet he he could remember going to visit a relative on Loch Duich when he was younger who had a house where you were able to fish out of one of the windows ! I think it may ahve been Ewan's house he was referring to . Ewan died in 1946 aged 78 in Petty, Inverness
Ann was the youngest of the girls and she sadly died, aged only 18 in Glasgow. According to her Death Certificate it seems she died of some sort of blood poisoning. At the time, she was staying with her elder sister Jessie.
I AM INDEBTED AND WOULD LIKE TO GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE MONICAL OF ROOTCHAT AND CEITIDH MACMASTER FOR THERE PATIENCE, ASSISTANCE AND POSITIVE SUPPORT FOR HELPING ME RESEARCH MY FAMILY HISTORY. THANK YOU MONICA AND CEITEIDH