The MacDonald Family

This page is dedicated to the memory of my Nana, 

Murdina Ann Kemp (nee MacDonald)

- 1903 to 1997 -

"...Clan Donald was a proud and contentious tribe, its Chief claiming descent from Conn of the Hundred Battles, High King of Ireland, from Colla the Prince of the Isles and from Fergus the first ruler of the Scoto-Irish Kingdom of Dalriada...Whatever compromise history forced upon them, whatever bitter defeats they suffered, they believed themselves to be the leaders and the lords of Gaeldom and as such the inevitable rivals of the Kings of Scotland, by whom they could be persuaded or bought but never successfully ruled..."

                               John Prebble, 1965

Welcome to my MacDonald Family Tree page where I will provide of list of my direct ancestors beginning with my first known grandfather.

This name is one of the most difficult of the Scottish Clans to trace. Having numerous branches and people of the name living in all parts of the world with a variety of spelling variations. Trying to find out which Clan branch of the MacDonalds one descends from is very difficult unless your MacDonalds were in a very specific area during a specific period of time. If you are unable to determine which of the branches your MacDonald ancestors may have belonged too, then your best bet is to go with Clan Donald as all branches would originally stem from this Clan. The Clan Donald is the progenitor of the all of the smaller branches through Donald "of the Isles", granson of Somerled and father of Angus Mor MacDonald.

So, enough said...on to my ancestors!

Generation One

1. Roderick MacDonald: Black Watch/Chelsea Pensioner/Crofter; b. abt 1765, Glenelg, Inverness (?), Scotland; d. Fort George (?), Scotland.

Note: Listed as being 80 years old and living at Bridge-end in the 1881 Census.

Married: abt 1793 to Anne MacLennan: b. abt 1770, Scotland; d. abt 1840, Fort George (?), Scotland.

Children: Roderick, William, Murdoch (below) and Christian "Christy".

Generation Two

2. Murdoch: Farmer/Crofter; b.1798 in Dingwall, Scotland. d. Nov. 29, 1881, Balrailan, Urquhart & Logie Wester, Black Isle, Scotland.

Married:  abt 1819, Kilmuir, Scotland to Helen "Ellie" Beaton (Bethune): (Alexander & May unknown) b. May 15, 1797, Dochcairn, Scotland; d. Apr. 6, 1886, Balrailan, Urquhart & Logie Wester, Black Isle, Scotland.

Children: Roderick (below), Alexander, Mary, Ann, William and May.

Generation Three

3. Roderick MacDonald: Plasterer/Grieve; b. abt 1820, Kilmuir, Scotland; d. Oct. 27, 1903 in Dingwall, Scotland.

Married: Feb. 9, 1844, Redcastle, Black Isle, Scotland to Janet "Jessie" Finlayson: b. abt May 7, 1818 in Balgalhan, Ferintosh, Urquhart & Logie Wester, Black Isle, Scotland; d. June 25, 1881, Dingwall, Scotland.

Children: Eunice "Uni", Helen "Ellen", Alexander (died young), Caroline, unnamed boy (died in infancy), Roderick, Robert and Murdo (below).

Generation Four

4. Murdo MacDonald: Carpenter; b. Oct. 13, 1855, Kiltearn, Scotland; d. Oct. 24, 1930, Dingwall, Scotland.

Note: According to newspaper Obituary, Murdo is buried at Fodderty Cemetery, Scotland, however, a headstone nor record of death in any of the local Parish Registers, including Fodderty, can be found.

Married: Dingwall, Scotland to Catriona "Katie" Campbell: (Donald & Catherine MacLeod) b. Oct. 29, 1874, Inverness, Scotland; d. 1952, Chadwellheath, England.

Children: Murdina Ann "Dina" (my Grandmother, below), Donald Alexander (Dr.), unnamed infant (died in infancy) and unnamed infant (died in infancy).

Generation Five

5. Murdina Ann "Dina" MacDonald: School Teacher; b. June 30, 1903, Dingwall, Scotland; d. Jan. 28, 1997, London, Ontario, Canada.

Married: July 16, 1929, Central Hotel, Inverness, Scotland to Robert Thomson Kemp: (Kenneth & Ann Thomson) Millright; b. Oct. 5, 1903, Cullicudden, Black Isle, Scotland; d. July 25, 1962, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Note: Murdina and Robert immigrated to Canada in 1929.

Children: Still living.