!SOURCE: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon and Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS:
THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN, Section III, "MacLeod Cadet Families",
Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society), 1970, pp. 216, 228-230.
Alexander, the eldest son of John MacLeod 4th of Pabbay and St. Kilda,
by his first wife, was the last member of the Clann mac mhic Alasdair
Ruaidh to hold these areas in tack. In his day he was regarded as an
expert navigator and gave valuable evidence on the Sound of Harris in the
Grianam Case 1665-66 over the controverted march between Harris and
North Uist. Like the island of Berneray, Pabbay also possessed islands in
the Sound for peat, grazing, kelp, heather and shell fishing. These were
collectively known as Na h-Eileanan Papach (i.e. the Pabbay Isles) and
included Gilisay, Lingay, Groay, Scaravay, Craco and Dun Aruinn. To reach
them the people of Pabbay had to negotiate the stormy shifting sand
banks of Druim na Beisde to the north of the island of Berneray. Along
with his father-in-law, Donald Campbell of Scalpay, Alexander was a
pioneer of the fishing industry in Harris and this later bore fruit in the
fishing venture of Captain Alexander MacLeod 1st of Harris (Berneray
family), which was centered on Rodel and over a hundred years later,
that of Lord Leverhulme, based on Obbe, later renamed Leverburgh.
By 1769, documents in Dunvegan Castle make it clear that the lesser
tacksmen in Pabbay were hopelessly in arrears and hence Alexander
MacLeod of Kirktown and St. Kilda came into possession of practically
the whole land area of the island. By 1769, Norman, the Red Man, planned
to raise the rents. This was resisted by the tacksmen. Alexander
MacLeod of Luskintyre and Donald Campbell of Scalpay gave up their
tacks and even Donald MacLeod, the Old Trojan of Berneray, threatened to
do the same "were it not for my time of life". Alexander MacLeod of
Pabbay and St. Kilda also gave up his tack and emigrated to North
Carolina in 1773. He was a man of substance and could afford to buy
land there in 1774 near his father-in-law, Donald Campbell of Scalpay,
one time forester of North Harris. They shared a grist mill. It is proof
of the personal popularity of Alexander MacLeod that several of his
subtenants emigrated with him to America. In 1775 the American War
of Independence broke out and this historic event posed a very serious
problem to the Highland Colonists in Carolina. Were they to remain loyal
to George III and Britain or throw in their lot with the great vigorous
new Republic about to be born? So far as the MacLeods of St. Kilda and
Bay as well as all the Campbells of Harris were concerned, their loyalty
to the de facto Hanoverian kings in Britain was unquestioned, even during
the stirring episode of the Forty Five. It is all the more amazing
therefore that Donald Campbell actually sheltered Prince Charles Edward
Stuart in his house at Scalpay, refused to give him up and spurned the
offer of £30,000 which the Government placed on the Prince''s head. This
remarkable demonstration of humanity reflects the greatest credit on
Donald Campbell. The revolution in America must have placed the
Highlanders in a most perplexing position. They decided to remain true
to George III and Britain-- for any other course would have meant an
intolerable break from their beloved kinsfolk in the Hebrides. Alexander
MacLeod and his brothers, as well as John, son of Donald Campbell, rose
on behalf of Britain. He was promoted Captain and shared in the
disastrous Battle of Moore''s Creek in 1776, when two of his brothers and
brother-in-law were killed and Captain Alexander himself was captured.
His plantation was now ruthlessly plundered, his family were cruelly
illtreated and in danger of losing their lives. They were left almost
destitute, though no doubt Donald Campbell assisted them as much as he
could. We find that Donald Campbell actually bought land after his son
John had been killed and it does seem even then that he was determined
to remain in the U.S.A. Possibly he hoped that the revolution would fail,
but in the end, to safeguard his property and also that of his family, he
was compelled to take the Oath of Loyalty to the new Republic. In
consequence, the following notice appeared in the Minutes of the Moore
County Court in May 1785, "Cumberland County, Otober Court 1782,
ordered that Barbary (sic) MacLeod be allowed for her maintenance 200
acres of land, 16 head of cattle and the small household furniture that
she now has in her possession". Meanwhile Alexander, after suffering
dreadful hardships in prison, was released, joined Cornwallis and
suffered more hardships from which he died at Charlestown in January
1782.
Alexander MacLeod married Barbara (who died in 1785), daughter of
Donald Campbell of Scalpay, with issue.