2119: Duncan Smith

Duncan Smith (1731-1819) married Catherine Maclennan at Drovinish; the couple had three children.

Duncan was a witness for the defender in the Lewis-Harris. The following is an extract from the Boundary Dispute:

p42, Wit. 15
Sept 21, 1805

Duncan Smith, joint tacksman of Earsheadir and Dravernish, aged 74 years, a widower, depones, That he was born in the parish of Lochs at Balailen in Lewis: That he resided in the parish of Lochs till he was thirty-eight years of age. Depones, That while he was in the parish of Lochs, he had access to know, both from report and personal knowledge, the line of march claimed by the people of Lewis on the eastern extremity. Depones, That it ran from the mouth of Avonveckadale up the water of that name, through Lochrory to Tomruish, from thence by Gillarighaulay to Braidhanfhiachlachan, but that he is not acquainted with the line of march farther. Depones, That he had no shealling near this line of march, but that he sent his yield cattle and horses to this neighbourhood while he resided in the parish of Lochs. Depones, That since he went to the parish of Uig, he occupied the shealling of Arighnalubaig for fifteen years successively: That he entered into the possession of this shealling the first year he came to Dravrernish, thirty years ago, by permission of the commissioners of the estate of Lewis. Depones, That he never occupied any other shealling in the neighbourhood of the line of march. Depones, That none of the Harris people ever disturbed him while he occupied that shealling. Depones, That while he shealled as before deponed to, he did not send his yield cattle, horses or sheep to pasture in Glenlangadale, but they sometimes strayed there on their own accord, and no person gave himself the trouble of turning them back. Depones, That he was not employed, or heard that any other person was employed, to break down the sheallings occupied by the Harris people, except Arigh Uliscuir, which the Lewis people broke down as they considered it to be their own property.

All other information is from oral tradition.