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Welcome! This website was created on 09 Jul 2005 and last updated on 15 Jan 2024. The family trees on this site contain 2392 relatives and 80 photos. If you have any questions or comments you may send a message to the Administrator of this site.
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About MacDonald Skye
Skye is the largest Inner Hebridean Island of the Hebrides of which is 1365 square Kms. The main village being named Kiltaroglan. After a visit by King James during May 1540 the village was  re-named Portree (Gaelic)- Port an Righ means Port of the King. John MacDonald was in the rent books of the crofting village of Heaste in 1788, this is the  earliest name and records of the family. His son, Jonathan MacDonald b. 1671, stayed on the Croft  as a tenant farmer(crofter) at Heaste (Skye) until his death some time before May 1843, after that  his wife was listed as tenant. 
 His son Roderick stayed on at No5 Croft until 1891. Roderick married Margaret MacKinnon.  It was in 1750 that Sir James MacDonald of Sleate bought the Mackinnon district (including Heaste).  It is known that Donald was sent to a new croft during 1829.  Between 1843 and 1853 Lord MacDonald cleared the old MacKinnon estates and crofts. 
 The emigration loan organized by the Highland and Island Society in the 1850's was the last substantial chapter in the story of the Clearances. Between the years 1849-1856, 2500 people were exported to Australia, N.Z. & Canada from Skye. Donald and his family was cleared from Skye. A loan of 29 pounds 5 shillings & 1 penny enabled Donald & his family to emigrate.  The family sailed from Liverpool aboard the sailing ship "EDWARD JOHNSON" ON 17TH JUNE 1854  arriving Portland Victoria, 03 September 1854. The Edward Johnstone was 998 tons. Conditions on  the early emigrant ships were often appalling, overcrowded, poorly provisioned and a breeding ground for disease. 
 The ship carried 356 Immigrants consisting of 55 married couples, 73 single men, 96 single females & the remainder being children. 
 The 78 days taken for the journey was considered a record trip. With the establishment of a Colonial whaling station in 1835,the township name of "Belfast" was  settled on. The Belfast Post Office opened on 1 July 1843. 
 On 20 July 1887, the town became known as it is to-day, Port Fairy. The MacDonald family spent the  first 6 months of their new life in Australia at Belfast. 
 Donald MacDonald then seeing an opportunity in the big smoke, set up house Footscray, and started a  carrying business by horse & cart between Footscray (Melbourne) and Geelong.  From there the families concerned selected land.
 The first land the Mac Donald's selected was on Phillip Island. The land was near the township of Ventor.
 Alexander bought 80 acres at Burrumbeet, near Ballarat.
 Late 1873 the family moved to North to Banyena and selected land there. After that, Clan Donald expanded and bought land in various places in Victoria.

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Getting Around
There are several ways to browse the family tree. The Tree View graphically shows the relationship of selected person to their kin. The Family View shows the person you have selected in the center, with his/her photo on the left and notes on the right. Above are the father and mother and below are the children. The Ancestor Chart shows the person you have selected in the left, with the photograph above and children below. On the right are the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. The Descendant Chart shows the person you have selected in the left, with the photograph and parents below. On the right are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Do you know who your second cousins are? Try the Kinship Relationships Tool. Your site can generate various Reports for each name in your family tree. You can select a name from the list on the top-right menu bar.

In addition to the charts and reports you have Photo Albums, the Events list and the Relationships tool. Family photographs are organized in the Photo Index. Each Album's photographs are accompanied by a caption. To enlarge a photograph just click on it. Keep up with the family birthdays and anniversaries in the Events list. Birthdays and Anniversaries of living persons are listed by month. Want to know how you are related to anybody ? Check out the Relationships tool.

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