Murdoch MacLeod (abt. 1780 - bef. 1840)

Born about 1780 in Duirinish, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Descendants

Died before 1840 before about age 60 in Duirinish, Inverness-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Biography

"He was hereditary galley maker to MacLeod of Dunvegan.The galley makers had the land of Collbost (Collosl) rent free in virtue of their office. My grandfather ws of the Raasay Branch, and was of Clann Alasdair Ruaidh, the same branch which had the poetess Mairi Ni'n Alistair Ruaidh. - That branch was descended from William the Fifth Chief of Dunvegan (see the Macleod's of Dunvegan by Rev. R.C. Macleod). The eldest son in the galley makers family was bound to learn this craft of galley maker My grand uncle Donald Macleod learned this craft. He was the last hereditary craftsman to drive a nail officially in Dunvegan Castle. To evade the "window tax"the tradesmen were always supposed to be "building" the castle. But this Donald wished to see the world He later became a bookseller in George IV Bridge in Edinburgh, a business later owned by Henderson. He married twice, He emigrated to America. He was Chief of the Gaelic Society of  ??. He had several sons. One of them, Murdoch Macleod became a Director of the Grand Trunk Railway in ???. This Donald Macleod (Domhull Ruadh) was the author of several Gaelic songs. He added two verses to "The Black Songs of Lonmore"by Neil Macleod, father, Donald After these craftsmen the position of the worker in wood passed to another Macleod related to my father. The first of these was Kenneth Macleod, son of Black Angus Macleod who was a brother of Neil Ross's wife Christina Macleod. After the famine of 1846 the post of "galley-maker"was in abeyance. It was in the late eighteen seventies that Kenneth Macleod was appointed. His son Dugald still held this position in 1926 (when these notes were written)."*

Sources

• Family genealogy by Rev Dr Neil Ross (of Laggan)