90957: Donald Macsween

Donald (born 1853) was the son of Donald Macsween and Christina Campbell. The 1861 census lists Donalds birth place as Stornoway Parish, which includes both Tong and Tolsta so does not help pinpoint the location of his birth, which could have been either location.

The family lived at 3a North Tolsta from 1851 to 1853.

It is not entirely clear what happened next some sources suggest that Donald Macsween left his family in Tolsta and emigrated, most likely to the Eastern Townships of Quebec and that the intention had been for the family to follow later, but nothing further was heard from Donald. However no further record is found for him in Quebec and some sources cite him as having died in 1853. It seems possible he could have died while travelling to Quebec but this is mere conjecture.

In 1853 the family left Tolsta. Donald’s mother settled with one of her sisters in Tong, but by the 1861 census she is listed as a head of household living with her two youngest children: Donald and his sister Ann.

By 1864 Donald’s mother had married again and had a child with Colin Campbell of 62 North Tolsta; however, there is no record of Donald or his sister as ever moving to 62 North Tolsta.