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History of Inverness County, Nova Scotia
Chapter XI - North West Arm and Sugar Camp


Descendants of John MacDonald, Sugar Refinery, Greenock, Scotland, who was twice married, first to Isabel Galloway and again to Ann MacEchen. The children by the first wife were Archibald, Hugh, John, Donald, Mary, (Mother of John MacLean, Troy.); and by the second, Angus, John, and Isabel who died young.

Archibald and Hugh remained in Scotland. The rest of the family came out in 1821 and landed at the Strait in July. The first John married Flora MacQuarrie, North Ainslie and settled at the rear there where they raised a large family, Ann, Archie, John, Isabel, Catherine, Mary, Murdock, Maggie, Sarah, Elizabeth, Flora.

Of these, Ann married Donald MacKinnon, West Lake Ainslie, and left a family: Archibald married Catherine MacLean, Cape Mabou and left a family: Isabel married Duncan MacQuarrie, Mackdale, and left children: Mary married John MacDonald, Barberton and has children; Maggie was Mrs. Dan MacVicar, Melville; Sarah married Donald Campbell, Malagawatch and has children.

Going back again to the first family of John MacDonald of Greenock, Mary married Hector MacLean, Troy, and left children, Isabel, Mary, John, Ann, Sarah and John Neil.

Of these Isabel was married to John MacQuarrie, Lexington. Her son, Hector Dan occupies and owns the home now.

Mary, Hector MacLean's daughter, married Hector MacKinnon, Blue Mts., C.B., and her sister Sarah married his brother Donald MacKinnon. Both had families.

Ann, daughter of Hector MacLean, lives in Gloucester, U.S.; John Neil was drowned. John owns and occupies half the old homestead and Neil MacSwain, married to Donald MacLean's daughter, Sarah, is in possession of the other half. John MacLean, Hector's son, was municipal councillor for the district of Port Hastings for some years. His wife was Alvina Fox. The children are named on another page.

Neil MacSwain's children: Christina Cameron, Malcolm John {deceased), Hughina M. (deceased), Donald George, John Archie, and Jessie Catherine.

Hector MacKinnon, Blue Mts., C.B., had a large family: Marion Margaret, (Mrs. Hugh MacDonald), Mary Bell (Mrs. Donald MacDonald, Crandall Road), Martha May.

Dan MacKinnon, Blue Mts., C.B., had a large family also: Christina Bell (Mrs. A. C. Wentzell, U.S.), Julia Margaret (Mrs. W. Robbins, U.S.), Neil, Dan J., Mary Ann (Mrs. H. A. Giroux, U.S.), Annie {Mrs. Walter MacLaren, U.S.).

The above Hector MacKinnon and Dan were sons of John MacKinnon and Sarah MacKinnon his wife. Their grandfather was Dan MacKinnon, Isle of Rum, Scotland.

Angus MacDonald, N. W. Arm, son of pioneer John, married Flora MacQuarrie, sister to the late Hector MacQuarrie, South Rhodena. Children: Isabel, John, Hector, Allan, Dan, Ann and Katie.

Isabel married Farquhar MacDonald, Marble Mountain and left sons and daughters.

John married Sarah MacQuarrie and had a family of three sons and four daughters at Askilton, C.B.: Lauchlin, Angus, John Dan Sarah Ann, Flora Bell (Mrs. James MacDonald, Sugar Camp), Cassie (Mrs. Campbell, Black River), Annie (Mrs. Hector MacLean, Sugar Camp).

Hector, Angus' son, married Annie MacDonald, daughter of Allan MacDonald, Crandall Road, and had one son. The whole family is dead.

Allan, Angus' son, married Kate, daughter of Allan MacDonald, Crandall Road. Children: Annie Sarah (deceased), John Angus, Hugh Allan, John Dan, Archie Neil, and Katie Flora.

Ann, Angus's daughter, married Angus MacDonald, carpenter, Sugar Camp. Children: James and George, both at home with their parents. James is married to a daughter of John MacDonald, Askilton, and has a son and daughter.

Allan MacDonald married Ann MacKinnon, West Lake Ainslie. Children: Hugh, Annie, Kate, Donald, John and Hector.

Of these, Hugh married Flora, daughter of Neil MacKinnon, West Lake Ainslie, and has one son, John L. Hugh lives with his aunt at General Line. Annie married Hector MacDonald, N. W. Arm. Kate married Allan MacDonald N. W. Arm.

Donald, son of Allan, married Isabel MacKinnon, daughter of Hector MacKinnon, Port Hawkesbury, formerly of South Rhodena. Children: Annie May, Hector Sylvester, Katie Bell, Hugh Allan, and William Donald, Donald and his family have the old homestead.

John MacDonald, son of Allan, married Mary Ann MacKinnon of South Lake Ainslie and lives at Troy, C.B. Children: John Allan, Annie Catherine, and Hattie Ann.

Hector MacDonald, Allan's son, married Emma Weldon of England, and lives at Crandall Road. Children: Annie E., Catherine J., George Allan, Margaret Hannah, John MacDonald, N. W. Arm, of the second family of pioneer. John MacDonald, married Christina MacQuarrie, daughter of Sergeant John MacQuarrie, N. W. Arm. Children: John, Rachel, Annie (died single), Mary Isabel, Allan, Mary, Archie Hugh, Sarah, Katie Ann, John Angus.

Of these, John married Ann, daughter of Charles MacDonald, N. W. Arm, Children: Charles Hector and Christina Ann (Mrs. John D. MacDonald, West Roxbury, Mass.)

Rachel married Lauchlin MacDonald, U.S.; Children: Christina, John Alex. and Archie.

Mary Bell married Neil MacDonald, Crandall Road. See another page. Allan married Mrs. Olsen, who had children: They live at N. W. Arm.

Mary married John Gray and has four children living in U. S.: Henry, Sarah, Levi, Lizzie. Her second husband was a Mr. Sanborn. Archie Hugh, John's son, married Kenina MacInnis, North Ainslie. Children living: John Allan, Chas William, Henry Angus.

Charles MacDonald, North VVest Arm, Hastings married Margaret MacLean, daughter of Neil MacLean from Sleat, Scotland, an old soldier of Napoleonic days who had been nine years in the army and participated in twelve battles. On one occasion in battle he placed his Scotch bonnet on a stump in sight of the enemy. When he went for it again it was torn by bullets.

Charles MacDonald's children were: Donald, Mary, Annie, Neil and Kenneth.

Of these Donald married Kate MacColl and lived on the old homestead. Children: Charles A. and John Hugh. Annie, Charles MacDonald's daughter, married John MacDonald, Carpenter, N. W. Arm, and has children and grandchildren. her son Charles H. lives at home. The daughter, Christina Ann, (Mrs. John D. MacDonald), and her children live in the United States.

Neil, son of Charles, married Mary Bell MacDonald, daughter of John MacDonald, elder, N. W. Arm.

Children: Benjamin, Kate Sarah, Maggie (deceased), Annie.

Their home is on the Crandall Road, but Kate Sarah recently married Dan R. MacDonald, Oban, C. B. and has her home there.

Kenneth, son of Charles, married Margaret, daughter of Donald MacKay, St. George's Channel, West Bay. Children: Margaret A., Dan Archie, John Duncan and Alexander Hector. Of these, Margaret A, is Mrs. James H. MacQuarrie, Pleasant Hill, who have three sons and one daughter. Lincoln, Walter, Isabel Margaret and Neil Kenneth.

Dan Archie, K's son, gave his life for his country in the world war. He was missed from the ranks after severe fighting April 9-11, 1917.

Margaret, daughter of Charles MacDonald married Daniel Alfred Friend in the United States. Children: Eleanor May, Jennie Bell, Daniel Sergeant, Arthur Samuel, Lester Charles and Margaret Alfreda.

Archie, son of Charles, died long ago. Sarah married Daniel D. MacLeod, Loch Lomond, C. B. Children: Catherine Bell, Kenneth Donald, Daniel J., and Margaret Ann.

CAMERONS.

In Scotland Donald Cameron married Marjory Cummings at Craigie about 130 miles from Fort William. His son Hugh (or Ewen Eobhain a Chreagan) married Christina Laidlaw in Scotland, emmigrated to the Strait on the ship, Aurora, in 1827, made his home at General Line, and had a large family; Jane, John, Allan, Tom, Alexander,, George, Kate, Christina, Alex. Cummings, Donald, Hugh, Marjory.

Of these, John died in Buctouche, N. B., leaving a large family.

Tom married Christina MacLean, daughter of Roderick MacLean Troy, and made his home at Lake Horton, now Lexington. His children were, Hugh T., Mary Ann (Mrs. Angus Young, Gloucester, Mass) Catherine (Mrs. Hugh McLean, Sugar Camp); Christina B., deceased.

Hugh T. Cameron married Sarah Macintosh of Princeville and had two sons and two daughters, Thomas Alex, Janet Flora (deceased) Christina Mary, James Neil.

Allan Cameron, son of pioneer Hugh, married Jane MacLachlan,. West Bay Road and made his home at General Line, now Lexington: and had a family: Kate (Mrs. James MacKinnon), Lexington deceased;: Mary Jane (Mrs. Duncan MacArthur, Princeville, C. B.), deceased;: Mary Ann (Mrs. Capt. Murdo A. MacInnis, Port Hastings) ; Dan George, deceased; and Hugh A., single, on the old homestead.

Alexander married Isabel Laidlaw made his home north of Hastings and had a large family: Maggie, Kate, Isabel, Donald Hugh, Margaret, Annie, George Peter, John Hugh, James Skinner.

Maggie married Nathaniel Martell, North Sydney, and left children: Charlie, Aubrey Alexander, Maggie, George, Fanny.

Alexander Cameron's second daughter, Kate, was twice married, first to Roderick Morrison, Port Hastings, and again to D. A. Campbell, Strathlorne. By the first marriage she had a son and daughter, J. Lewis Morrison lately in Japan on the Liner, Keystone State, and Flora Bell at present in the United States. By the second marriage she has one son, Cameron Campbell, Strathlorne.

Alex. Cameron's third daughter, Isabel, is Mrs. Ira Andrews, Lynn, Mass., and has one daughter Annie, and three sons, O. Alex, Sumner, Aubrey. His eldest son, Donald Hugh died suddenly in his bed a few days ago on the old homestead. He was married to Margaret Isabel, daughter of John Macintosh, Big Brook, River Denys, and left a son and daughter, Alexander John and Florence Isabella, both grown up and at home with their mother.

Alexander Cameron's fourth daughter, Margaret Annie, is Mrs. Benjamin T. Haywood, U. S.

Alex. Cameron's second son, George Peter, died young. third son, John Hugh, is a custom's officer at North Sydney.

The fourth son, James Skinner, has a son and daughter in U. S., Kenneth Alexander and Madlin Isabel.

Alexander C. Cameron, son of pioneer Hugh Cameron, married Annie Cameron of Princeville, C. B., and had a large family; Marjory (deceased); Catherine Ann (Mrs. Henry Stewart), Waltham, Mass.; Margaret (Mrs. D. W. Cameron, Princeville), deceased; John Hugh, deceased; Annie Christina; Christina Bell, died in Boston; Johanna (Mrs. Allan MacFadyen, Lexington); Marjory Maggieie (Mrs. M. M. MacQuarrie) Mackdale, C.B.; Hugh James. Hugh J. is married to Langley. Mrs. M. M. MacQuarrie has three children living,-Alexander Cameron, Donald John, Annie Margaret. Her first daughter, Margaret Catherine, died in infancy. Her husband was John C. MacQuarrie.

George Cameron, son of pioneer Hugh, born at Lochaber, Scotland in 1820 married Margaret Cameron and made his home at Broad Cove Banks about 1845 and had a large family. By trade he was a stone mason and built many of the old time chimneys. Of his children, six died in infancy. Those who grew up were Marjory Ann, Hugh G., John H., Christy Ann, Maggie J., by the first wife. His second wife was Lily Fraser of Whycocomagh. His children by her were George Fraser, Maud Cassie, Mary Sarah.

Of these Marjory Ann was Mrs. Allan R. MacKinnon, Strathlorne Christy Ann, Mrs. Alex. Dan Fraser, Inverness; Maggie J., Mrs. John G. MacKay, Inverness and later of New Waterford, C. B.; Maud Cassie, Mrs. Hugh Allan MacLeod, Mine Manager, Inverness, and later at New Waterford; Mary Sarah, Mrs. Samuel Quigley, Inverness.

John H. Cameron died in 1897, a couple of months after his father.

Hugh G. and George F. had children, and so had their married sisters.

Donald Cameron, son of pioneer Hugh, went to Australia on John MacMillan's ship built at Buctouche, N. B.

Hugh, another son of pioneer Hugh, died young.

The eldest daughter of pioneer Hugh was Jane, the eldest of the family, who married John Skinner, Port Hastings, and had three sons and two daughters. Her sister Kate married Malcolm Morrison and had a large family in Buctouche, N. B.

Christina, another daughter of pioneer Hugh, married Donald MacLean, Troy, son of Roderick and had children. Another daughter, Marjory, remained single and lived with her brother Alex. C. at General Line.
The children of Donald MacLean, Troy, and Christina Cameron, his wife, were; Catherine in U.S.; Catherine Ann; Maggie (Mrs. Lauchlin MacKinnon), Kingsville; Sarah (Mrs. Neil MacSwain) Troy.

LAIDLAW.

The Laidlaws claim a long line of George's in their family history. Anne Laidlaw, the late Mrs. Hector MacQuarrie, Port Hastings, claimed that her brother George was the twenty-first by regular descent, and that his son George was the twenty second.

This sketch begins with George, the shepherd, who planned to come to America but died in port, in Lochaber, Scotland.

His widow came out with her son George in the ship Aurora in 1826. Sophia, a sister of George, the shepherd, died young. Two brothers, William and Robert moved to Ontario. A son, John, remained in Scotland. Two daughters, Christina, (Mrs. Hugh Cameron) and Isabel, came out with their mother and their brother George to this country. This George married Margaret MacLean, daughter of Roderick MacLean, Troy, and by her had a large family, viz: Christina, Isabel, Anne, Sophia, Mary, Kate, Roderick, John and George.

Of these Christina married Hector MacFadyen, General Line, now Lexington, and by him had a family of sons and daughters, viz:

John, George, Alex. Maggie Mary, Dan, Annie and Roderick. Of these MacFadyens George died at home aged 17 years. Dan and Alex. were drowned at sea. Maggie Mary married John J. MacLean, Port Hawkesbury (deceased) and has one son, George Henry.

Annie MacFadyen married James MacKinnon of Greece's Point, Quebec, now engineer on the Inverness Railway and living at Port Hastings, N. S. Their children are Christina Margaret, Elizabeth Auburn Goodwin, Alexander Archibald, James Colvin, George Roderick.

Norman MacLeod, Ian Hector, Roy Laidlaw, and Howard Kimball. Their oldest child, Walter James died when 10 mos. old. Isabel Laidlaw was married to Alexander Cameron, a farmer on the Port Hood Road about a mile North of Port Hastings. Their children are named in the Cameron list, Anne Laidlaw married Hector MacQuarrie, tailor, Port Hastings, where he was later proprietor of the Caledonia Hotel. Both passed away some years ago, and their only son, George, a few years later. Sophie married John MacLean, "'Turner" by whom she had a family of five sons and four daughters; John James, George Laidlaw, Allan John George, George, Maggie, Mary Ann, Catherine, Sarah Ann. This "Turner" was son of John MacLean, "Turner", from Fort William, Scotland to Mabou and Rear Port Hawkesbury. Mary Laidlaw married John Cameron, Grandance, Richmond County.

Kate Laidlaw married Philip McLeod, South Side Boulardarie, Victoria County and left four daughters, Janet (Mrs. Taylor) and Minnie, (Mrs. Capt. Hickey, North Sydney); Georgina and Annie, trained nurses.
Roderick Laidlaw died some years ago. His children were George and Margaret. Margaret is dead, and George is manager of Western Union Telegraph Office, Halifax.

John Laidlaw, Troy married Jessie MacKinnon of Strathlorne and has five children living: Maud Sophia (Mrs. Alfred Morrison, Halifax), Sarah Margaret (Mrs. Howard Hart, Canso), Annie (Mrs. Albert Hall, Boston), Rodena, (a trained nurse, Boston), and John Allan at home with his parents. Mrs. Hart and Mrs. Hall are trained nurses.

George, another son, was accidentally killed operating a steam shovel near Niagara Falls in 1919. John Allan has three medals for war service at the front-one of them a Mons Medal. He came through without a scratch. George Laidlaw married Flora MacKinnon, daughter of the late Malcolm MacKinnon, West Lake Ainslie, C. B.

Children: George Roderick, Malcolm Murdock, Dan Hector, Margaret Mary, and Sarah Christina, of whom three were recently married, viz; George Rodk. to Gertrude Langley of Sunnyside, C.B. and now living at Cochrane, Ontario; Dan Hector to Mary Taylor of Baddeck, C.B. and now living in Boston: and Sarah Christina to Ernest Langley, Sunnyside, C.B. where they have made their home.

It may be added that the widow of George Laidlaw, the shepherd, after coming to Cape Breton lived for years with her son George at Troy where he had bought a farm for $500,000, - a large sum at that time. Later she lived in a house of her own and had with her one of her grand children, Thomas Cameron, who afterwards made his home at Lake Horton.

Her daughter, Isabel, married Alexander MacIntosh of South River, Antigonish County, and had a family of four sons and four daughters.


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