John, born 1824, was the first son of that name born to Donald MacCusbic and his first wife, Mary MacLeod. The family lived in Ruisgarry until the 1840s when, with the re-organisation of Ruisgarry’s many small plots into larger ones, the family emigrated to West Bay Marshes, Cape Breton.

John married three times. His first wife’s name is unknown. He married his second wife Christy MacLeod at West Bay on 3rd February 1851. Together they  had seven children, living at West Bay Marshes.

John’s third  wife was a cousin, Mary MacCusbic of North Mountain. They married at Port Hastings on 14th July 1876.