Allan MacKinnon (1786 - 1856)

Born 1786 in Isle of Muck, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Mary MacLean — married 30 Nov 1813 in Isle of Coll, Scotland

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1856 at about age 70 in East Lake Ainslie, Inv. Co., NS

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Biography

Allan MacKinnon migrated from Scotland to Canada.

Allan "Ban", according to Dr. Hugh N. MacDonald, was a sea captain before immigrating to Nova Scotia. He sailed a vessel owned by MacKinnon of Corry (Corriechatachan) and another ,"The Breadalbane" owned by John Campbell of Inverary. Allan and his bride on Coll. When they arrived in Nova Scotia they made their way from Pictou to the western coast of Cape Breton where they spent the first winter at Chimney Corner with John MacKay.

Lachlan MacKinnon, (old Corry), died in 1789, and was succeeded by his grandson, Lachlan MacKinnon (son of Charles).

The late Barrie Fraser recorded the following story as told to him by another Allan MacKinnon. 'Allan came by himself to Lake Ainslie in 1820. He left his wife and children behind with relatives at Chimney Corner. His first job was to build a log cabin down by the lake and clear some land in preparation for his families coming the following year. Allan Ban, who got his name from his light-colored hair, thought he was the only person at East Lake Ainslie.

During the winter Allan Ban needed supplies. One day he walked to the nearest store, at that time in Mabou Harbour. The clerk asked him where he was from and when he told him, the clerk asked, "You have a neighbor over there, don't you?" Allan answered, "No, I'm the only one living there." But the clerk insisted that there was another settler near Allan Ban.

On a crisp February morning Allan started walking up the ice on the lake in search of this unknown neighbor. He went as far as the point below the place now known as Allan Jack MacLean's. Since it was getting late and seeing no signs of life he returned to his cabin.

He set out on another day later on and went beyond Allan Jack's point, and saw smoke rising out of the forest. He came into the shore and saw a cabin through the trees. He tramped through the crisp snow up to the cabin, knocked on the door, and met his neighbor, Duncan Robertson, another Scottish immigrant. That was the first Lake Ainslie "visit"!'

Today the farm is occupied by Archibald Collins, a great-great grandson of Allan Ban's. The Robertson property is owned by the family of the late Edward Campbell.

Mary's father, Charles MacLean, also came to Nova Scotia and settled at Malagawatch.

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #177815570 Allan "Ban" MacKinnon

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Eugene Quigley for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Eugene and others.