!SOURCE: Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS -- THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN,
Section V, "Appendix: The MacLeods of Trumpan and Millivaig",
Edinburgh, The Associated Clan MacLeod Societies, 1976, pp. 9, 17, 18.
Millivaig is in the Glendale section of Skye, and lies in the middle
prominence of the Duirinish Peninsula, pointing towards America. Lying
between Dunvegan Head and Idrigill Point, it is near to Neist Point and
overlooks Loch Pooltiel. Although the area has been long associated with
the MacLeods of Glendale, at some point, probably during the 18th
Century, a family from Waternish moved to Millivaig for reasons
unknown. From this family developed a line of famous bards, the best
known of whom was "Donald of the Poems", whose work was published in
1811. The discoveries leading to the delineation of the previously
presented MacLeods of Trumpan have also indicated that this family was
a branch of the MacLeods of Trumpan, and they are here presentin in that
light.
In his pedigree, Roderick MacLeod of Edinburgh states "My mother''s
family were a branch of the same family as my father''s family, natives
of Waternish, Skye". His mother was Marion MacLeod, daughter of Neil
MacLeod, farmer in Upper Millivaig. Her brother was "Donald of the
Poems", and in one of his earliest recorded poems, Donald refers to the
new house of his relative, Roderick, in Stein in Waternish. This gives
further evidence concerning the connection of the Millivaig and
Waternish families. Her father was known for his bardic tendencies and
several of her own children and the children of her brother Donald were
bards. Among the papers of Roderick''s son, the late A. M. MacLeod, who
was Vice-President of the Clan MacLeod Society, is found the following
statement: "Marion, grandfather''s wife, daughter of Neil MacLeod, son of
Angus MacLeod, son of Alexander, related to Gesto Family." Roderick
MacLeod''s statement clearly indicates that his mother''s family were the
MacLeods of Trumpan. The relationship to the Gesto family noted by A. M.
MacLeod would indicate a distaff connection to that family, rather than a
direct male line.
We have seen, in the presentation of the MacLeods of Trumpan, that
there were several MacLeods in the Trumpan section of Waternish, both
at the time of the Judicial Enquiry of 1724 and in the 1684 Rentals.
There was an Angus MacLeod, son of John, the Shoemaker. This, then,
would not be the same Angus MacLeod, named as the father of Neil.
There was an Alexander MacLeod listed in the 1724 Records. This most
likely is the grandfather of Neil MacLeod. In the 1684 Rentals, we have
seen that there was a Norman MacLeod, son of William. It is likely that
the Alexander MacLeod of the 1724 Record is the son of this Norman
having succeeded his father to the Rental in the 40 year extension. It is
also quite likely that the John MacLeod also listed in the 1724 Record is
the son of Norman. This William MacLeod, father of Norman, was
probably the younger brother of Donald, son of Alasdair Ban, from whom
descended the MacLeods of Trumpan.
There has been a tradition in the family of a Murdoch MacLeod who
emigrated in 1802 to North Carolina, that the father of Murdoch was
William and that he was Clan bard. There is on record as tacksman of
Millivaig in 1800, a William MacLeod. It is likely that he is the older
brother of Neil, father of Donald of the Poems. In 1774, Alexander
MacLeod of Glendale, illegitimate son of Norman XXII of Dunvegan,
emigrated to North Carolina and settled in Moore County. After the War
of Independence, he returned to Skye. He undoubtedly know his
neighbours, the MacLeods of Millivaig, well, and communicated with
them upon his return to North Carolina. It is quite likely that it was
through this communication that the interest in emigration was sparked
which led to the removal of William''s son, Murdoch, and his family to
North Carolina, subsequently. In 1829, Donald of the Poems emigrated
briefly to America. It is quite likely that he visited his ocusin, Murdoch,
at that time. It is likely that this visit provided the stimulus for the
tradition among descendants of Murdoch concerning the bardic strain.
Further, Mrs. Flora MacPhee, a descendant of Donald of the Poems, who
lives in Harlosh, Skye, has verbally confirmed the connection between
these families and Kenneth Macleod of Harlosh.
There is a traditional saying in Gaelic, which translated reads "There is
a straight step between Mary MacLeod and Neil MacLeod the Bard". This
refers to Mary, the Bardess of the St. Kilda Family and Neil, the son of
Donald, the famous bard. This saying is confirmed by the fact that the
connections now demonstrated indicate that she was the niece of the
great-great-great-great-great-grandfather of Neil MacLeod. Both were
direct descentants of William V Chief, through the younger son, Alasdair
Ruadh, of his second son, Norman.
The first of this family was William, younger son of Alasdair Ban I of
Trumpan.