We know Donald McCuaig (4) father's name was also Donald McCuaig (8) from the aforementioned fragment recording the birth of the son in 1762. From that small written shard, we deduce that the father was a blacksmith in Kildalton on Islay. Based on available records, it seems likely that Donald (8) was born on 6 Dec, 1725 in Kildalton the son of John McCuaig (16) as recorded by the following terse register entry:
"Dec 26th (1725). John McCuag (sic), a child called Donald"
We can further deduce Donald's (8) mother was Margaret McArthur (17) from the birth record of a younger brother of Donald's (8).
"John McCuag and Margaret McArthor in Glenastin had a child baptized called John"
This record also gives us a clue to the exact whereabouts of the family. "Glenastin" may be a variant of the present day Glenegedale, one of the principle villages of Kildalton. We can presume that the family lived in the village where the father operated his blacksmith business.
Donald McCuaig's (8) wife was certainly Katherine Hunter (9) based on the following marriage record:
"June 27th (1750) Donald McCuag and Katherine Hunter of this parish gave their names for proclamation in (order) marriage."
Katherine probably was the daughter of Archibald Hunter (18). She was born August 6, 1725 in Kildalton. We have no record of her mother's name. Her birth was recorded in the registers as:
"August 6th 1725. Archibald Hunter had a child baptized called Katherine".
We have no record of any other children of Donald (8) and Katherine (9) other than Donald (4) and his unnamed brother.
Neil Macmallan (10), father of Margaret Macmallan (5), was born between 1740 and 1752 in Campbeltown. There are, in fact, three Neil Macmillans born in Campbeltown parish that were about the right age. Their birth years were 1741, 1750, and 1752.
Neill, 9 May 1750, John Macmallan/Mary Bleu
Neill, 1 July 1752, Alexander Macmallan/ Mary McIsack
Any one of these three could be the right age to father the first child, born 1772, of the union with Isobel McConochy. Since Isobel McConochy was probably born in 1750, it does not seem likely that husband would be younger than she, tending to disqualify the youngest choice. Likewise, the nine year difference in ages would tend to disqualify the oldest choice whose name is spelled differently from our Neill. Therefore, while awaiting further evidence, I have assumed that the parents of Neill (10) are John Macmallan (20) and Mary Bleu (21) and that Neill was born on 9 May 1750. It is possible that John Macmallan (20) was born 11 February 1725 in Campbeltown the son of More Macmallan (40).
There are two Isabel McConochy's in the register who could qualify as the mother of Margaret (5). One was born in 1746 and the other in 1750, both in Kilfinan, twenty miles up the Kyntire peninsula from Campbeltown.
Isabel, 25 May 1746, Donald McConochie/[mother unknown]
Isabella, 18 Nov 1750, John McConachie/Sara McNeil
The different spelling of the last name is not significant. I selected the latter choice of the two girls since she would have been twenty two at the birth of her first child whereas the latter would have been 26 (which seems a little old). Therefore, while awaiting further evidence, I have assumed that the parents of Isabell (11) are John McConochy (22) and Sarah McNeil (23) and that Isobell was born on 18 November, 1750.
There is no record in Argyll of the marriage between Neill and Isabel. We can presume that the marriage took place around 1770 or 1771 (before the birth of their first child in 1772). There are no records for the baptism of any of Isabel's siblings (if there were any). We therefore have little knowledge of the migration of the McConochy family. We have no way of knowing whether the marriage took place near Campbeltown where Neil lived or in Kilfinan parish where Isabel was born.
According to the Parochial Registers, Neill Macmallan and Isobel had six daughters (and no sons) who were baptized, all in Campbeltown:
Isabell 11 May 1772
Margaret 21 Nov 1776 (mother of Neill McCuaig)
Ann 1 Oct 1778
Jean 1 Nov 1784
Charlotte 30 Nov 1786
Ann 9 May 1792
It can be surmised that Ann, born 1778, must have died in childhood, probably after age eight (when Charlotte was born) , since the last daughter, born 1792, was also name Ann. It is noteworthy that all these names (save Jean) appear later in the McCuaig family. This would seem to confirm that of the eight Margaret Macmillans born between 1770 and 1780, this is the one most likely to be the Margaret Macmallan who married Donald McCuaig and who was the mother of Neill.
We have every reason to believe that Neill Macmallan was a farmer based on the listing of a farm name, Auchahine (or Auchenhoad) in the register when each of his daughters was born. I await further information from the estate records concerning the leasing of this farm to determine something more about the Neill Macmallan family. The farm was located about three miles south east of Campbeltown.
We know little for sure about Archibald Johnson (12) and Isobell Dallas (13) other than that they are the parents of Archibald Johnson (6) as listed in the Parochial Register of Killarrow (Town of Bowman) at the birth of their son. There is no record of their births. There is no record of their marriage. There are no other children of the marriage in the registers. Nothing is known of Archibald's (12) profession although we are likely to be correct if we assume that he was a farmer.
Unlike Archibald, Isobel had a somewhat uncommon surname name for the region. She may have been married earlier to Archibald's brother Alexander since in 1773 there is recorded the birth of Morilla, daughter of Alexander Johnson and Isobell Dalles. This is either 1) a mistake of the father's name and Morilla is also the daughter of Archibald and Isobel, 2) there are several Isobell Dallas' in Killarrow, or 3) Alexander died and his brother married the widow.
Donald MacGibbon (14), father of Elizabeth (Betty) MacGibbon (7), may have been born 13 July 1741 near or in Inveraray the son of William MacGibbon (28) and Davida Campbell (29). We can surmise that Mary Adams was born around 1768 in the parish of Inverchallern-Gorvelychan based on the notation in her marriage record. Little is know of Donald MacGibbon and Mary Adams other than they married on April 29 1788 in a third nearby parish, Kilmodan.
"Donald McGibbon in this parish and Mary Adams of Inverchallern Gorvelychan name in courte marriage on 28 April and Married on 29th April".
We can presume that before 1804 the family moved from Kilmoden to Kildalton on Islay based on the marriage in 1804 of their daughter (age 14) at that place. There are no records for any siblings of Betty MacGibbon so she may have been an only child.