61012: 60 North Tolsta

60 North Tolsta was lotted in 1857. Prior to this it was used as a cottars lot by Alexander Maclennan, Effie Campbell and Effie’s widowed mother, Mary Macdonald. Alexander and Effie had their first two children, Mary and Ann, there prior to it being lotted. After it was lotted Mary continued living there as a cottar and Alexander’s sisters, Campbell and Jessie, later settled there as cottars. Alexander and Effie had a further five children: Christina, Isabella, John , Donald and Alexander. Their daughter, Isabella, and son, Donald, settled there as a cottars, but in due course 60 North Tolsta passed to their son, John.

John Maclennan married Mary Smith, of 24 North Tolsta, and the couple had five children: Effie, Catherine, Dolina, Alexander, and John. 60 North Tolsta passed to their youngest son John.

John Maclennan never married and passed 60 North Tolsta to his sister, Catherine.
 
Catherine Maclennan never married, and her uncle, Alexander Maclennan and his wife, Catherine Macmillan settled at 60 North Tolsta with her. Catherine’s widowed aunt, Margaret Smith, also settled with her and Catherine looked after her in her old age. 60 North Tolsta passed to Angus Macleod.

Angus Macleod, of 59 North Tolsta, married Jessie Macdonald, of 28 North Tolsta, and the couple had four children: three boys and a girl. 60 North Tolsta passed to their eldest son.

The eldest son built a new house on the croft.

Cottars:
Mary Macdonald settled on the cottars lot that would become 60 North Tolsta in 1853, shortly after losing 40 North Tolsta.

Camilla Maclennan married Murdo Macleod, of 20 North Tolsta, and the couple settled as cottars on, her brother, Alexander’s croft. They had seven children there: Margaret, Margaret, Ann, John, Gormelia, Ann, and Catherine. In 1874 the family obtained 75 North Tolsta.

Jessie Maclennan married Roderick Macritchie, of 1 Gravir, and the couple settled as cottars on her brother Alexander’s croft. Jessie and Roderick had five children, but it is not clear where they were born as the family moved to Crossbost and then Stornoway.

Isabella Maclennan married James Maciver, of 34 Coll, and the couple had three children: Mary, Marion and Jamesina. After Isabella was widowed she married Angus Macleod and the family moved to 23 Vatisker.

Donald Maclennan married Ann Thomson, of 52 Coll, and the couple settled as cottars at 60 North Tolsta and had a son, John. The family moved to Pairc Dhannaidh. After Donald’s death Ann married John Graham, of 41 Back, and Donald Kennedy, of 23 Cromore.