John MacDonald of Glenaladale (September 29, 1742 – December 28, 1810) was a Scottish-born soldier, land owner and colonizer. He played an important role in bringing Scottish settlers to

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

, Canada. The son of Alexander M’Donald of Glenaladale (often spelt Glenalladale), the head of the Glenaladale branch of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, and Margaret MacDonell of Scotus, he was born at Glenaladale and studied at the Catholic seminary at Regensburg. After his return to Scotland in 1761, he became the 8th laird of Glenaladale. Dissatisfied with his situation in Scotland, in 1771 he mortgaged his lands in Scotland to his cousin and purchased Lot 36 on St. John's Island (later Prince Edward Island) from the

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Sir James Montgomery. In 1770, Colin MacDonald of Boisdale had begun to pressure his Catholic tenants on the island of

South Uist South Uist ( gd, Uibhist a Deas, ; sco, Sooth Uist) is the second-largest island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. At the 2011 census, it had a usually resident population of 1,754: a decrease of 64 since 2001. The island, in common with the ...

to either convert to the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

or vacate his property. So, with the support of the

Roman Catholic Church in Scotland The Catholic Church in Scotland overseen by the Scottish Bishops' Conference, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church headed by the Pope. After being firmly established in Scotland for nearly a millennium, the Catholic Church was outlawed f ...

, MacDonald gathered a group of 210 settlers, including 110 from the mainland, who departed for St. John's Island in May 1772. Prince Edward Island map 1775

MacDonald came to the settlement himself the following year by way of

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. In 1775, at the start of the

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, he was made a company commander in the 2nd battalion of the

Royal Highland Emigrants The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutiona ...

. His sister

Helen Helen may refer to: People * Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world * Helen (actress) (born 1938), Indian actress * Helen (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places * Helen, ...

took over management of the property on St. John's Island during his absence. In 1781, while MacDonald was still absent, Governor Walter Patterson confiscated some lots which had been in arrears for non-payment of

quit-rent Quit rent, quit-rent, or quitrent is a tax or land tax imposed on occupants of freehold or leased land in lieu of services to a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns. Under feudal law, the payment of quit rent (Latin ...

s. Unaware that the lot which he owned was not affected, MacDonald went to London to protest; he was also upset because he had been interested in purchasing Lot 35. In the end, the Quit Rent Act of 1774 was repealed, the governor was recalled and the lands were returned to their former owners. MacDonald was also able to purchase Lot 35 from General Alexander Maitland. He was married twice: first to Isabella Gordon of Wardhouse and then, in 1792, to Margaret MacDonald of Ghernish. His son

Donald Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...

later served in the

Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island was the upper house of the Legislature of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It existed from 1773 to 1893. Members were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island on ...

. MacDonald died on his estate at Tracadie in 1810. In 2012, MacDonald was named a Person of National Historic Significance by the Canadian government.

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Further reading