John MacQuarrie (abt. 1788 - abt. 1860)

Born about 1788 in Isle of Rum, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Husband of Rachel Campbell — married [date unknown] in Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died about 1860 at about age 72 in North West Arm, rear Port Hastings, Inverness Co., Nova Scotia

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John MacQuarrie migrated from Isle of Rum, Inverness-shire, Scotland to Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Visit the MacQuarrie families project page for the MacQuarries who arrived in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia from the Isle of Rum, Scotland.

Biography

• John was born in 1788. According to MacDougall (1922) John came from Scotland in 1826 aboard the ship, Highland Lad. He made his home at North West Arm, in the rear of Port Hastings. (A second boat used for the clearances from Rum was "Dove of Harmony.")^[1]
• While it is far from certain, it is quite likely that John MacQuarrie is the same Sergeant John MacQuarrie listed in the Muster Roll for the Rum Island Company of Inverness-Shire Volunteers (later called, after 1805) the Rum Island Company of Volunteer Infantry. ^[2] The Infantry was disbanded in 1811, but it appears that John continued to use his rank even after landing in Nova Scotia, perhaps to distinguish himself from others from the area with the same name.
• Few records exist from before the clearances (1826) however there is a surviving list of catechists recorded by the Protestant minister in 1764-1765. While it may be difficult to reconstruct the direct family lines given more than 60 years before the clearances (1826) and MacDougall's History of Inverness County, nevertheless it is an important connection between the once thriving island of Rum and the new communities founded in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.^[3]
• John married his wife Rachel Campbell in Scotland prior to emigrating to Canada. It is not know if any of their children were born in Scotland.
• The MacQuarries were part of "the Clearances" which witnessed the eviction of families from Scottish properties for relocation elsewhere. In the case of the MacQuarries, they were removed from the Isle of Rum in 1826.
• John and his family emigrated to Cape Breton Island aboard the Highland Lad. It was intended that they should arrive in the spring of that year in time to plant and harvest a crop of potatoes. However, they ship did not leave Rum until July 11, arriving 37 days later on Thursday, August 17th.^[4]

About the Isle of Rum

• Following the clearances, the Island of Rum was later purchased and converted into a sporting estate by the Bullough family of Lancaster.
• The family built Kinlock Castle on the island but abandoned it following the stock market crash in the 1930's. It was eventually sold to the Nature Conservancy Council in 1957 and is maintained as a museum today.^[5]

^[6]

• The Isle of Rum is located in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland, just north of the Isle of Mull. According to Wikipedia, "Rùm, a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum, is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland." (Rum is sometimes spelled Rhum).^[7]

John was born about 1800.

Sources

1. ↑ MacDougall, J. L., History of Inverness County, Nova Scotia,1922, published in Truro, Nova Scotia, p.160
2. ↑ Love, John A. Rum: A Landscape without Figures. (Edinburgh, Berlinn: 2001). p. 276, cf. p. 117. Available through the Internet Archive, free to borrow with a free account. See: https://archive.org/details/rumlandscapewith00love
3. ↑ Love, John A. Rum: A Landscape without Figures. (Edinburgh, Berlinn: 2001). pp. 269 ff. Available through the Internet Archive, free to borrow with a free account. See: https://archive.org/details/rumlandscapewith00love
4. ↑ Love (2001) p. 128.
5. ↑ Love, John A. Rum: A Landscape Without Figures. Edinburgh. Birlinn: 2002. ISBN 1-84158-224-7. Available through the Internet Archive, free to borrow with a free account. See: https://archive.org/details/rumlandscapewith00love
6. ↑ PDF pamphlet on Kinlock Castle published by the Nature Conservancy.
7. ↑ Rùm

See also:

• MacDougall, J. L., History of Inverness County, Nova Scotia,1922, published in Truro, Nova Scotia, p.160 https://archive.org/stream/historyofinverne00macduoft#page/160/mode/2up
• Port Hastings Museum. Located in Port Hastings, the museum and archives contains genealogical records on the MacQuarrie families who arrived in Inverness County, Cape Breton in the early 1800's. They also have maps, photos and other resources available for those researching the MacQuarries, and others. They have a Facebook page @PortHastingsMuseum.
• Cape Breton Genealogical and Historical Association. This is a membership association that contains a rich assortment of resources on families in Cape Breton.
• Love, John A. Rum: A Landscape without Figures. (Edinburgh, Berlinn: 2001). pp. 269 ff. Available through the Internet Archive, can be borrowed with a free account. See: https://archive.org/details/rumlandscapewith00love
• Love, J. A. Rhum's Human History. (Clutton-Brock and Ball: 1987). (out of print?).
• Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia
• Some sections were developed in consultation with Marilyn Ann (MacDonald) Erickson, El Sobrante, CA (Correspondence)
• "Sergeant John MacQuarrie came from Scotland in the Highland Lad; a full rigged ship in 1826, and made his home at N. W. Arm at the rear of Port Hastings. John Neil MacDonald's father and mother and grandfather, and John A. MacQuarrie's grandfather and grand- mother came out on the same ship. Lauchlin MacLean came out in the Harmony in the same year.

Sergeant John MacQuarrie was married in Scotland to Rachel Campbell, Children: Donald, Malcolm, Mary Allan, Christina, Don- ald and John"

History of Inverness County Page 160