Marion was born on Skye in about 1837. She was the first daughter of that name born to shepherd Alexander MacMillan and Isabella MacLeod of old Borve and later Ardennish, Lochportain. During the 1850s the family returned to live in a newly built home at 'house 77' Ferry.

By 1870 Marion was working as a weaveress and married local fisherman Norman MacAskill. By the end of the 1880s they were living in a newly built home close to her parents and Norman began to work as a ferryman. Together they were to have three children. In 1900 Norman was allotted 23 Borve, to which the family moved.