62598: Catherine Macleod

Catherine was born c1802 in Assynt, sister to Alexander Macleod who became a renowned minister at Uig, arriving in 1824. She was married to Angus Matheson – who was called to be a schoolteacher at Callanish by his brother-in-law the minister.

Tradition indicates that Catherine and her brother Alexander may have been cousins of Rev Norman Macleod of Assynt, who led his flock to Nova Scotia, Australia and New Zealand.

They had 10 children:

Angus, baptised 11 May 1823

Alexander, baptised 20 February 1825 (and possibly born 14 February 1825)

Donald, born 28 September 1827 and baptised 2 October 1827
(all above born in Assynt)

Norman (born Uig c1829, who emigrated to NZ in the 1860s; married 1867 to Ann Macdonald. He was a schoolteacher in Waipu and Northland NZ (where Rev Norman Macleod eventually settled) they had ten children born in NZ)Janet (Jessie), baptised 17 January 1833

Margaret, born Callanish 5 March 1835 (who, like her brother Norman, emigrated to New Zealand)

John, born Callanish 2 July 1837

Flora/Flory, born Callanish, baptised 1 December 1839

Isabella, born Uig c. 1842

Barbara, born Uig c. 1846.

The story of this family, their forebears and descendants, is contained in the book "Matheson, McDonald, McKenzie; the story of three Highland Scots families and their migration to New Zealand" – a copy is in the Stornoway public library and copies are available from andrewmatheson1@yahoo.com.