Biographies of Pupils of The Ladies’ School (Sgoil Na Leadais) & Carnan Public School 1890 – 1899

ContentsJohn MacLellan (Seonaidh Shomairle).........................................................................................................4

Angus John MacEachen (Aonghas Iain mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Oig)............................................................5

Angus Ewen MacLean..................................................................................................................................7

Mary Ann MacFarlane.................................................................................................................................8

Ann MacEachen (Anna Alasdair ‘ic Thearlich).............................................................................................8

Donald MacLeod..........................................................................................................................................8

Donald John MacDonald (Domhnall Iain mac Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir)........................................8

Ann MacDermaid (Anna nic Iarmaid)..........................................................................................................8

John MacEachen (Iain mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Og).......................................................................................8

Ewen MacInnes (Eobhann mac Aonghais ‘ic Iain ‘in Iain Bhain)..................................................................9

Angus Johnston (Aonghas Alasdair).............................................................................................................9

Effie MacInnes...........................................................................................................................................10

James Johnston (Seumas Beag Iain Hastin)...............................................................................................10

James John MacLellan (Seumas Iain Shomhairle)......................................................................................10

Ann Johston (Anna Chailein Johnstone)....................................................................................................10

Marion MacEachen (Mor Iain ‘ic Iain Oig).................................................................................................10

Angus John MacDonald (Aonghas Iain Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir).................................................11

Margaret MacKillop (Maggie Uilleam).......................................................................................................14

Mary MacInnes (Mairi Aonghais ‘ic Iain)...................................................................................................17

Catherine MacInnes (Ceit Seonaid)...........................................................................................................18

John Campbell (Seonaidh mac Iain Chlachair)...........................................................................................18

Marion MacDonald....................................................................................................................................19

John MacInnes (Iain mac Mhairi)...............................................................................................................19

Dolina MacInnes (Dolina Aonghais ‘ic Iain)................................................................................................19

Lilly MacLellan (Lilidh Shomhairle)............................................................................................................20

Roderick Johnston(Ruairidh Chailein)........................................................................................................21

Angus MacEachen (Aonghas Mor mac lain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Oig)..................................................................22

Donald Campbell (Domhnall mac Iain Chlachair)......................................................................................22

Hector MacEachen (Eachann mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic lain Oig).........................................................................22

Catherine MacEachen (Catriona lain ‘ic lain ‘ic lain Oig)............................................................................23

Joseph Heffans..........................................................................................................................................24

Hector MacDonald (Eachann mac Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir)........................................................24

Donald MacLellan (Dhomhnall Shomhairle)..............................................................................................24

John Maclnnes (Seonaidh Ruadh Aonghais 'ic lain as Calternish)..............................................................25

Angus John Campbell (Aonghas lain lain Chlachair)..................................................................................26

Jessie MacEachen (Jessie Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic lain Oig)......................................................................................26

John MacLellan (Seonaidh Shomairle)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327434446

John MacLellan was born at Sandivaig, Lochcarnan on 1 March 1890, the second son of Samuel MacLellan and Johanna Nicholson.

John served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. At the end of hostilities he returned home and settled in Sandivaig, working on the croft and fishing. He married Margaret MacDonald from Ardmore, who still lives in the family home, and they raised a family of two boys and three girls. John died suddenly in 1949 when the four oldest children were very young and the youngest, Iain, was unborn.

John MacLellan (in the dark jumper) with visitors, off the Calternish cliffs

Angus John MacEachen (Aonghas Iain mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Oig)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25326083275

Angus John MacEachen was born on 8 March 1890. His parents were John MacEachen and Ann MacLeod of Rhudhgashernish.

Angus John joined the Navy at the beginning of the First World War. His boat was tied up alongside at Buenos Aries harbor one day being painted when his brother Sandy Mor sailed in. Sandy immediately recognized Angus John’s boat and the two met up for a drink together. Sandy’s boat sailed again after a short while and Angus John was put back to work painting his vessel from a plank slung over the side. Sadly he slipped and fell from the plank and drowned in Buenos Aries harbor. Meanwhile Sandy sailed on, unaware of his brother’s death ….

Shortly afterwards the people of Rhudhgashernish started seeing a man in a sailor’s uniform walking the moors there. Nobody knew who he was and nobody spoke to him, nobody dared to speak to him because they didn’t know who he was. For seven years the sailor was seen walking the moors, the wind making his trousers flap against his legs.

One evening Alec Johnson, after spending some time in Creagorry Hotel, called for a ceilldh at the house of Mor and John MacInnes on his way home. By the time he left it was late, the night was dark, it was raining and windy but he took a glowing peat from the fire to light his way home. At the causeway at Strom nam Fiachan he thought he saw Anthony Currie ahead of him and called out to ask him what was he doing out at this time on a night like this. The man who turned to face him was Angus John MacEachen. He said “You’re the first person to speak to me for seven years” Angus John went on to ask Alec to take a message to his mother. There were three parts to the message and one of them was to ask for a mass to be said for him at Ardkenneth Church. We do not know what the other two parts of the message were. Alec immediately went to MacEachen’s house to tell Ann MacEachen what had happened. He spent the rest of the night there and first thing the next morning he and Ann went to see the priest at Ardkenneth. Mass was said for Angus John and his ghost was never seen in Rhudhgashernish again.

Angus John MacEachen – postcard announcing death

Angus John MacEachen

Angus Ewen MacLeanAngus was born on 13 April 1890, his mother was Euphemia MacLean, daughter of Mary MacLean of Fiacail.

Mary Ann MacFarlanehttp://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25326509861

Mary Ann’s parents were James MacFarlane and Lilly Nicholson of Rhudhgashernish. Mary was born on 25 May 1890.

Ann MacEachen (Anna Alasdair ‘ic Thearlich)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25325402073

Ann MacEachen was a daughter of Alexander MacEachen and Catherine Wilson of Lochcarnan and she was born on 2 October 1890.

Ann left South Uist as a young woman, she married in Oban and died in the late fifties.

Donald MacLeodDonald was born in 1890. His parents were John MacLeod and Ann MacKay of Lochcarnan. John died shortly after his son was born.

Donald John MacDonald (Domhnall Iain mac Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir)Donald John was born on 10 January 1891, his parents were Mary MacPherson and Donald MacDonald of Lochcarnan.

Donald John left South Uist when he was young to go to the mainland.

Ann MacDermaid (Anna nic Iarmaid)Ann MacDermaid was born at Sandivaig, Lochcarnan on 11 September 1891, a daughter of John MacDermaid and Catherine Douglas.

Ann left South Uist soon after leaving school and was employed in domestic service on the mainland. She married and settled in Glasgow and had one son and one daughter. Anna came back to Uist every

[PAGE MISSING]

John MacEachen (Iain mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Og)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25326095413

Iain was the third son of John MacEachen and Anne MacLeod, Rhudhgashernish. He was born on 30 September 1891.

Like his older brothers Sandy and Angus John, Iain joined the Royal Navy at the outbreak of the First World War. In 1915 he was stationed in Chatham when he caught measles and died at the age of 24.

John MacEachen

Ewen MacInnes (Eobhann mac Aonghais ‘ic Iain ‘in Iain Bhain)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327445707

Ewen MacInnes was born on 9 October 1891 to Margaret MacLean and Angus MacInnes of Calternish, on the north shore of Loch Sheilavaig.

As a young man Ewen helped his older brother, Donald, to build the house at Rubha Caolas Luirsay. Later he left Uist and went to live in Glasgow where he spent a number of years working on the Clyde as a rigger. He married Mary Ann Johnston from Peninerine, South Uist and they had two sons. Ewen died in 1964 at the age of 74.

Angus Johnston (Aonghas Alasdair)Angus Johnston was born on 3 December 1891, his parents were Margaret MacInnes and Alexander Johnston of Calternish.

Angus served in the Royal Navy during the First World War then spent the remainder of his life in Calternish. He worked as a crofter fisherman and was also employed by the Northern Lighthouse Board as Boatman for Usinish Lighthouse for a number of years. He married but they did not have any children of their own but they boarded out children, George and Mary Craney. Angus died in Calternish when he was 73 in July 1965.

Effie MacInneshttp://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327445786

Effie MacInnes’ parents were Angus MacInnes and Margaret MacLean of Calternish and she was born on 12 May 1892.

Effie was always a weakly child and she died when she was twelve years old. Her death had been ‘seen’ in the second sight of Roddy Johnston (Ruaridh Chailean) of Holmar. Roddy and his sister Ann were visiting Donald and Morag MacLeod and their family at Clachan, Lochcarnan one evening. It was dark when they left and as they walked towards the bridge at Clachan Roddy heard the sound of pipes playing and then the sound of voices as well. Then, as they came in sight of the bay, Roddy saw a funeral party coming ashore from where the boats had landed; a small coffin was being carried. He recognized the people in the funeral party as they walked towards them and realized the funeral was of someone from Calternish. As the mourners came closer it was obvious that they had not seen Roddy and Ann and Roddy had to drag his sister off the track out of their way. Some tm elater Effie died, and Roddy realized whose funeral party it was that he had seen that night a Clachan.

James Johnston (Seumas Beag Iain Hastin)James Johnston was born Rhudhgashernish on 21 August 1892, a son of Christina Johnston.

Soon after leaving school James enlisted in the Cameron Highlanders. He saw action in the First World War. By the end of hostilities he had been promoted to Pipe Major and he was awarded two medals, the Military Medal and the DCM.

James remained on the mainland for the rest of his life and was well known for composing pipe tunes, including “Lochcarnan Bay”.

James John MacLellan (Seumas Iain Shomhairle)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327435252

James John MacLellan was born at Sandivaig, Lochcarnan on 11 September 1892, he was the third son of Samuel MacLellan and Johanna Nicholson.

James, like his brother John, served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. Afterwards he returned to Uist. He married Effie MacDonald form Beinnavalla, Benbecula where they made their home and had a family of one son and one daughter. James died at a fairly young age.

Ann Johnston (Anna Chailein Johnstone)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/6947600876

Ann Johnston was born on 18 March 1893, her parents were Colin Johnston and Marion MacPhee of Holmar.

After leaving school, Ann worked as a priest’s housekeeper for quite a number of years. She married Donald MacKinnon of Benbecula and had two daughters. Ann died in September 1966 at the age of 73.

Marion MacEachen (Mor Iain ‘ic Iain Oig)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25326466122

Marion MacEachen was a daughter of John MacEachen and Ann MacLeod of Rhudhgashernish, she was born on 9 June 1893.

Marion left home when she was quite young and was in domestic service in Glasgow.

Angus John MacDonald (Aonghas Iain Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir)Angus John MacDonald’s parents were Donald MacDonald and Annie MacIntyre of 1 Lochcarnan. He was born on 14 January 1894.

Angus John was a very strong and active boy. After finishing school he worked at crofting and fishing in Lochcarnan for a few years before he left South Uist in September 1912 and joined the Galsgow police. His police beat was in the vicinity of George Street and he was widely known and respected. He became the Scottish Wrestling Champion. At the outbreak of the First World War Angus John joined the Army. He became a lance corporal in the 5th Cameron Highlanders and was a regimental piper.

Angus John was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1916 when he was 22 years old. He died the death of a hero. He met his death as he was encouraging his comrades to the attack.

Angus John MacDonald – newspaper article

Angus John MacDonald

Margaret MacKillop (Maggie Uilleam)Maggie was born in Kilmacolm on 11 February 1894, the oldest child of Mary Struthers of South Uist and John MacKillop of Berneray.

Maggie’s mother died when she and her younger brother Seonaidh were very young children and they were brought up in Rhudhgashernish by their grand parents William and Margaret Struthers.

Maggie married Alexander MacDonald from West Gerinish and they made their home in Bualadubh in Iochdar where they brought up a family of four boys and three girls. Maggie died some years ago.

Maggie MacKillop

Andrew MacKillop

John MacKillop with Iain MacRae

Jessie Wilson MacKillop with baby Andrew and Donald John

Mary MacInnes (Mairi Aonghais ‘ic Iain)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327445784

Mary MacInnes was born on 6 August 1894, she was a daughter of Angus MacInnes and Margaret MacLean of Calternish.

After she left school Mary went into domestic service on the mainland. She married John MacKenzie in Glasgow in 1924. She returned to Uist and died in Uist House.

Catherine MacInnes (Ceit Seonaid)Catherine MacInnes was born on 10 February 1894, her mother was Catherine MacInnes (Catriona Seonaid) of Lochcarnan.

Catherine spent some time in domestic service. She married Fergus MacRury of Benbecula and went out to live in Nunton Hill where life was pretty hard. They eventually returned to Kilerivagh and Catherine died there in 1970 at the age of 76.

John Campbell (Seonaidh mac Iain Chlachair)John Campbell was the oldest of John Campbell (Iain Clachair who built Carnan School) and Mary Campbell of 7 Lochcarnan, he was born on 11 November 1894.

Iain Clachair had built a new house on the croft after he finished building the school. Iain Clachair and Mary and their children, Mary’s mother, Ann, and Mary’s brother and his wife, Angus and Mary Ann, and their children all lived together in the house.

John lived in Lochcarnan until he was 13 years of age when, following the death of his grandmother, Ann Campbell, the family moved to South Lochboisdale, to Iain Clachair’s family croft. John emigrated to New Zealand and married there. He died in New Zealand in 1987 at the age of 93.

John Campbell’s family at South Lochboisdale : Iain Clachair, Mary Campbell & children

Marion MacDonaldMarion was born on 30 November 1894. Her father was Donald MacDonald of Lochcarnan and her mother was Donald’s second wife, Anne MacIntyre.

Marion left South Uist when she was young to work on the mainland.

John MacInnes (Iain mac Mhairi)John MacInnes was born at Ardmore on 22 January 1895, his mother was Mary MacAulay. Mary later married widower Farquhar macMillan from Outer Sandivaig and John and his mother moved there when John was a young boy.

John served in the Merchant Navy during the First World War and again during the Second World War. He was lost as sea, along with all the rest of the crew, when their ship was torpedoed in 1940. Thue ruins of his house are still to be seen on the croft at 3 Sandivaig which today belongs to Iain MacLellan.

Dolina MacInnes (Dolina Aonghais ‘ic Iain)Dolly was a daughter of Angus MacInnes and Margaret MacLean of Calternish. She was born on 19 February 1895.

Shortly after finishing at Carnan School Dolly left to work in domestic service. She married Angus MacMillan from Eriskay on 29 April 1920 in Kinning Park, Glasgow. Dolly live in Glasgow for the rest of her life. She had a family of three girls and died in the early sixties.

Dolina MacInnes MacMillan, Rachael MacLean Currie, Peggy MacLean MacDonald, Dolina’s daughter

Lilly MacLellan (Lilidh Shomhairle)http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327435253

Lilly was born at 1 Sandivaig on 1 March 1895, a daughter of Samuel MacLellan and Joanna Nicholson.

Lilly went to Harris to learn to weave, she also spent some time weaving at Muir of Aird. She became very skilled in wool dyeing, carding, tweed making and waulking. People came from all corners of the island with their wool for Lilly to weave for them, she also wove special tweeds for particular people, for example President Eisenhower. Her loom is still to be found in good working order at Kildonan Museum.

Lilly never married and, as well as weaving, spent her entire life looking after her parents and family. She had a son, Donny MacInnes, and also fostered three children, James Chalmers, Joseph Quinn and Sadie McCoy.

Lilly died in 1963, shortly after Donny drowned in a tragic incident at Lochcarnan pier.

Lilly MacLellan working on her loom

Roderick Johnston(Ruairidh Chailein) http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/6946131551

Roderick Johnston was a son of Colin Johnston and Marion MacPhee of Holmar, he was born on 4 March 1895.

Roddy served in the Royal Navy in the First World War and then spent the remainder of his life in Holmar. He worked at Usinish Lighthouse as an Assistant Keeper for quite a number of years. His first wife was Mary MacPhee from Liniclate, Benbecula. At the time that they met Mary was staying at Carnan Public School with her sister Kirsty who was the school teacher there. They were married on 27 May 1929 in Bornish Church by Rev Duncan Campbell and had three children, Hector. Chrissie and Colin Archie.

But shortly after their marriage, Kirsty had the second sight and realised that her sister would die and that Roddy would remarry. She went to visit her sister and brother in law at Holmar and, as they were sitting together on the sofa, Kirsty ‘saw’ another woman sitting between them. Kirsty knew instantly that her sister would die and that Roddy would marry this other woman. She had never seen the woman before, but she got a good look at her face and blonde hair and remembered her.

Mary never fully recovered from Colin Archie's birth and she died of TB in 1932 when Colin Archie was nine months old.

Shortly afterwards Kirsty was at Lochboisdale ready to board the ferry to Mallaig when she actually saw the woman that she had seen in her vision coming off the ferry, it was lsa Johnston (lsa lain Saoir) from Frobost.

Roddy and Isa married in July 1933 and had nine children, the oldest of whom is Mary MacRury, a collaborator in this Lochcarnan Schoois History Project.

Ruaridh Chailean died at Holmar in November 1959 aged 63 years.

Angus MacEachen (Aonghas Mor mac lain ‘ic Iain ‘ic Iain Oig)Angus MacEachen's parents were John MacEachen and Ann MacLeod of Rhudhgashernish, he was born on 29 May 1895, the fifth child in the family.

Angus stayed in Rhudhgashernish working the family croft until his death in 1970 aged 75 years. He did not marry.

Donald Campbell (Domhnall mac Iain Chlachair) Donald was the second son of John Campbell (lain Clachair) and Mary Campbell, he was born in Lochcarnan on 25 September 1896.

Donald and his family moved to South Lochboisdale whilst he was still a school child. Donald spent his life at sea, he never married and he died at the age of 62 years.

Hector MacEachen (Eachann mac Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic lain Oig) http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25326095385

Hector was the sixth child of John MacEachen and Ann MacLeod of Rhudhgashernish. He was born on 7 November 1896.

Hector served during the First World War and afterwards went out to Sydney, Australia where he married. He had two children. He returned to visit his birthplace in 1960, his first time back home for over forty years, but he died shortly after going back to Australia.

Hector MacEachen

Catherine MacEachen (Catriona lain ‘ic lain ‘ic lain Oig) Catherine was the seventh child of Ann MacLeod and John MacEachen Rhudhgashernish, she was born on 7 November 1896.

Like her older sister, Marion, Catriona went into domestic service and spent the rest of her life in Glasgow. She was known locally as ‘The Actress’ because she was always smart and well dressed. She died when she was fairly young.

Joseph Heffans Joseph was probably born in Ireland in 1896, his mother was Elizabeth Conlan who was the second teacher at Carnan Public School. Joseph and his mother came to live in Lochcarnan in 1897 but she always maintained that Joseph was her sister's son.

Joseph's uncle was a priest in Ireland and he came to visit them every year.

Joseph was always a weakly child. His best friend was Angus Maclnnes who lived on the opposite side of the bay from the school They used to go out fishing together.

When Joseph was fourteen years old he left school and his mother sent him to America to learn to become a cooper, but tragically he on the voyage. When Miss Conlan learned of his death she became demented with grief and confessed that Joseph was her own son; she left Lochcarnan shortly afterwards.

Hector MacDonald (Eachann mac Dhomhnaill ‘ic Sheonaidh Mhoir) Hector‘s parents were Donald MacDonald and Anne Maclntyre of 1 Lochcarnan, he was born on 2 February 1897.

Hector left South Uist to go to the mainland when he was young He married Marion Morrison on 19 April 1921 in Kinning Park in Glasgow.

Donald MacLellan (Dhomhnall Shomhairle) http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/46598725/person/25327435254

Donald MacLellan was a son of Samuel MacLellan and Joanna Nicholson of Sandivaig, he was born on 13 February 1897.

Donald spent his life in Uist, he got a croft in Loch Skipport and was the post master for Usinish Lighthouse for nineteen years. He married Cathie MacRae (Cathie Rhuadh) from Boisdale and they had one son. The family lived in Loch Skipport until Donald retired and then they moved back to the family croft at Sandivaig where the son, Donald John, still lives. Donald died in March 1969 at the age of 72.

Donald MacLellan

John Maclnnes (Seonaidh Ruadh Aonghais 'ic lain as Calternish)John Maclnnes was known locally as Seonaidh Ruadh Aonghais 'ic lain as Calternish. He was born in Calternish on 10 July 1898, a son of Angus MacInnes and Margaret MacLeod. During the First World War John served in the Merchant Navy and afterwards he emigrated to Ontario, Canada where he married a girl with South Uist connections. They had six children. John died in Canada in 1970.

Angus John Campbell (Aonghas lain lain Chlachair) Angus John was the third son of lain Clachair and Mary Campbell. He was born at 7 Lochcarnan on 8 September 1898.

When Angus John was 9 years old the family moved to South Lochboisdale. He did a lot of fishing and was known as an excellent boatman, especially in the days of sailing boats. He ran a ferry service across Loch Boisdale between South Lochboisdale and the township of Lochboisdale. He married Bella Buchanan from Lochboisdale where they set up home and brought up a family.

Angus John Campbell and James Campbell

Jessie MacEachen (Jessie Iain ‘ic Iain ‘ic lain Oig)Jessie MacEachen was born on 7 December 1898, a daughter of Ann MacLeod and John MacEachen of Rhudhgashernish.

Jessie MacEachen planting potatoes at East Gerinish