Anne Passaportis' family tree provided a wealth of information about the MacDonald side of the family.  When I eventually came to meet her, she kindly provided me with a copy of a limited edition publication 'The Alex and Ella MacDonald Memoirs', which was written by her cousin, Roddy MacDonald.

However, despite finding the grave of John MacDonald HEICS in the Clachan church yard, at the head of Loch Broom (see below) and records of a John MacDonald living at  Scoraig  (as described on the family tree and in Roddy MacDonald's book), we could not establish any connection between the two. We were also unable to find any mention of an Angus MacDonald, who might qualify to be John MacDonald HEIC's father.

 ‘Our’ John MacDonald HEICS’s grave indicated that he had lived from 1737-1810 (Find My Pass has two entries suggesting that the date was incorrectly transcribed and should read 1757-1830), while John MacDonald of Scoraig was reported to have lived from 1766/76 – 1865.

A reference was found in the Celtic Magazine https://archive.org/details/celticmagazine06unkngoog/page/n343/mode/2up?q=Lerigan  stating that John MacDonald HEICS was a Lieutenant but no record of him could be found in the lists of officers in the Indian Army.  (correction Sept 2025: a John MacDonald has been found in the Bengal Army List, which shows him being enlisted as a cadet in 1772 and being promoted to Lieutenant on 26 July 1778 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/California_Digital_Library_%28IA_alphabeticallist00dodwrich%29.pdf )

The fact that his grave did not show him as having a rank, suggests that he could have been a warrant officer or a Lieutenant (Lieutenants were known as Misters, at that time). Searching records of regiments that fought at the battles of Seringapatam (1792) and Assaye  (1803) brought up mention of a Sergeant John MacDonald being lent 110 rupees by Major General Alexander MacKenzie Fraser * (1758-1809) (brother in law of Francis Humberstone MacKenzie, Lord Seaforth). See Archives & Museums Aberdeen University MS3470/6/1/209 and papers of the Fraser family of Castle Fraser & Inverlochy MS3470-209.1.

References were found  https://www.ancestry.co.uk/boards/localities.britisles.scotland.roc.general/1720.1731?viewType=FLAT_VIEW&page=2 that stated that Big William MacDonald, farmer at Letters, was John MacDonald of Scoraig’s brother and that their father was a Murdo MacDonald but this contradicts other reports. A Murdo MacDonald (d 1878 age 56), farmer of  Leckmelm’s grave was, however, found in Clachan church yard close to John MacDonald HEIC’s grave.

Contact was made with Donald MacDonald Ross, in Canada, who has produced an amazingly comprehensive website,  http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/index.htm  , which documents the former residents of the Coigaich region around Ullapool. Amonst his transcribed papers is the 1798 Loch Broom Militia List http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/militia1798.htm , which consists of a register of all male inhabitants of serviceable military age (16-60). This list mentions a John MacDonald, merchant and feuer** and  Mr Alexander MacDonald, schoolmaster (marked as not a boatman) living in Ullapool, which may correspond with our John MacDonald and his son.

Donald was also able to provide me with press cuttings from the Inverness Journal reporting the death of  Angus MacDonald, aged 26, third  son of John MacDonald, Customhouse, Ullapool by drowning in November 1825. http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/articles/18251125ij.htm . Donald also brought my attention to an entry in the 1861 Ullapool census showing children born at "St. Vincent", the Register notes 17 March, 1825 the marriage of "Murdoch MacKenzie of St. Vincent and Ann MacDonald Ullapool" and references to an early merchant at Ullapool,  Alexander Macdonald http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/ullapool.htm#41-90 :

An announcement in the 4 November, 1808 Inverness Journal regarding auction of several properties notes it will be held "within the house of Alex. McDonald, vintner in Ullapool".

An 1813 list of shareholders in the Commercial Banking Company of Scotland includes "Alexander Macdonald, Ullapool"

The Parish Register notes the marriage 19 August, 1818, of "Mr Alexr McDond Mercht Ullapool to Miss Margt McPherson"

And sadly, less than a year later, an article in the 18 June, 1819 Inverness Journal transcribes as;

"At Ullapool, on the 26th ult. in the 27th year of herage, Mrs. Margaret McPherson, spouse of Mr. Alexander MacDonald, Merchant there. Her genuine piety, amiable disposition, and unassuming manners, endeared her to a large circle of acquaintances; her premature death will long remain a source of deep sorrow to a disconsolate husband and near relations."

A reference to 'an aged retainer John MacDonald' and Roderick, MacDonald cattle dealer moving to Scoraig, in 1841, was discovered in David Iredale's book 'the MacKenzies of Dundonnell' . Donald Ross thought that this could be the John and Roderick MacDonald found at Altnaherie 41-1, opposite Ullapool http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach/genealogy/strays.htm . Not known to be connected with the earlier MacDonalds of Scoraig.

Dr Malcolm Bangor-Jones' notes on Ullapool residents were also found in Ullapool Museum. These included an 'Alexander MacDonald, fisherman, who became a partner in MacKenzie MacDonald & co. Shipowner and active as a fish curer from 1815-1824. Losses  of ships and poor fishing led to financial difficulties and by March 1826 he was a prisoner in a tolbooth in Inverness'. https://www.facebook.com/highlandarchives/photos/inverness-9-june-1832-the-sheriff-substitute-having-considered-the-foregoing-pet/597907810337128/ 

 An Alexander MacDonald, Merchant of Ullapool, was also recorded as having joined Lodge Fortrose in Stornoway in 1813 . 

It is not known whether the references apply to the same Alexander MacDonald and/or whether this was John MacDonald's son. However, the fact that Margaret MacPherson is buried besides John MacDonald, does suggest that Alexander Macdonald merchant was related.

Contact was also made with Cathy Dagg, an archaeologist living on Scoraig peninsula, who has documented the history of the residents at https://scoraig.com/tags/history/ . Her findings confirm the existence of a John MacDonald, tacksman, who was reputedly a schoolmaster from Lochcarron living in the old, white house in Carnoch and leasing Kildonan in 1815. This John MacDonald married Mary Ross MacIver from Stornoway. The family subsequently moved to Crobech (Crobeg) on Lewis, in 1829/30 (due to rent arrears), where it is known that John had contact with William MacGregor. http://www.ceuig.co.uk/letting-mealista-in-1836/ 

This John MacDonald was a noted bard, whose life details are recorded in   http://www.archive.org/stream/celticmonthlymag05mack/celticmonthlymag05mack_djvu.txt  (search 'Crobeg') . He died in Stornoway  (16 January 1865 at Point Street at the age of 99 years) but there are conflicting reports as to whether he originated from Lochcarron or Corrie on Loch Broom.

Another correspondent, John MacRae, with whom I made contact through ancestry.com, kindly supplied me with a comprehensive family tree for the family of John MacDonald, schoolmaster of Lochcarron and Tacksmen of Slaggan (See  18  ). It transpired that John and Mary Ross MacDonald’s son, Murdo John Macdonald (1819-1878), born Scoraig, married Jane MacRae, daughter of Rev William MacRae minister of Barvas (See  17 ).  Rev William MacRae’s son, John, subsequently married Helen MacGregor, William MacGregor’s daughter, while Eliza (Elizabeth) another of William Macrae’s daughters married John MacKenzie, who was Tacksman of South Galson prior to William MacGregor. 

A further correspondent, Colin Ross, 'Lagopus' from Lewis, https://www.ancestry.co.uk/boards/localities.britisles.scotland.roc.general/1720.1731  reported that 'Evander MacIver, in his 'Memoirs of a Highland Gentleman', appears to make a connection between John Macdonald and the Skaebost MacDonalds of Skye, who resided at Kingsburgh after the departure of Allan & Flora MacDonald (of Bonnie Prince Charles' fame) to America. This connection hinges on the identification of the Crobeg John Macdonald as an uncle of Evander's wife but that assumption appears to be reliably supported.'

It was also discovered  that Angus MacDonald (1836-74, born at Corry on Loch Torridon) was a shopkeeper in Stornoway https://buildingourpast.com/2017/02/24/angus-macdonalds-diary-1864-to-1873/ . Interestingly, his shop was at 7 Francis St, next door to 9 Francis St where Christian Gillanders and her daughter Margaret were living between 1841 and 61. The shop was previously owned by Angus’ uncle, Murdo John MacDonald (1819-1878), as mentioned above. Assuming that this is not just a complete coincidence, I feel that it rather adds weight to recorded family lore that Duncan Stewart MacDonald (b 1803, Ullapool - d 20/11/188), who married Margaret MacGregor (Christian Gillanders’ grand-daughter), must somehow be related to the same MacDonald family. 

It is still hoped to establish a connection between the two John MacDonalds.

There may also be a connection to the MacDonalds of Achtriachtan https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I24731&tree=CC . This is not only because a number of members of the family were HEICS but because Robert Cameron https://clan-cameron.org.au/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I57954&tree=cameron1 ,  son of Rachel MacGregor (daughter of Donald (Rorie Buidhe) MacGregor of Lerigan) was born at Rannock (close to Achtriachtan), was schoolmaster in Ullapool, married Jessie MacDonald  b 1815 (John MacDonald's daughter) and then moved back to Killin, just south of Rannock. This happens to be where Donald Drummond was christened 23/11/1739. Donald's parents were James Drummond (James Mohr MacGregor - Rob Roy's son) and Annaball McNichol. http://hal_macgregor.tripod.com/gregor/tree.html

As Ullapool was founded in 1788; Jessie MacDonald was born in 1815 and a MacKenzie (Jane Mead's (niece of McK of Dundonnel) father) was Comptroller of Customs c1831  https://tinyurl.com/y2sc49kp  p96 , it is possible that there was one John McD, who was Comptroller c 1788 and another, his son, who was Comptroller c 1815.

Also noted was the 1795-6 listing of vessels cleared out of Ullapool, which  included: Jean, 16 Tons, Captain: John MacDonald, age 37, born at Meddat (1758). Jean was the daughter of Donald MacKenzie of Meddat, who was the Grandmaster of Scotland.   

* When Alexander was a Colonel of the 78th Regiment, he was known as Alexander Mackenzie of Belmaduthy.  He adopted the additional surname of Fraser, on succeeding to the Castle Fraser estates in right of his mother.  

** 'feuer' was initially thought to be a 'fish curer' but it may be someone who holds a 'feu' - a traditional Scottish land title.

This  map shows all the sites (shown lime green) linked to the two John MacDonalds around Loch Broom.