Donald Mackay (1753 - 1833)

Born 1753 in Gordonbush, Brora, Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland

Descendants

Died 20 Jun 1833 at about age 80 in Mount Adam, Upper Barney's River, Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Biography

"Mad" Donald McKay's origins are not shown in these sources.

• Note: The 1963 edition of the MacMillan Dictionary of Canadian Biography;; page 461 states that he was a brother of Alexander and William MacKay ^[1], but this statement may have been speculative: it is inconsistent with the dates and ages of the noted family, and is not supported in any other research.
• He is noted as a brother of John McKay, who was also in the fur trade^[2]

He served in the British army during the early campaigns of the American revolution, then entered the northwest fur trade in the spring of 1779. He was involved in the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company. He was known by the nicknames Mad Mackay and Le Malin, apparently for his abrasive personality and for his opposition to the NorthWest Company.^{[3] [4]}

According to family tradition, his country wife was the daughter of HBC officer James Sutherland.^[3]. Her name may have been Elizabeth. She was killed by in a conflict with indigenous people, leaving him with two sons^[3],

1. William ^[3]
2. Donald^[3]

In 1799 he returned to his home in Scotland and published his personal memoirs. A Scottish wife is also noted: Mary McKenzie^[3], with whom he had several children, who are not named in these sources.

In 1813 he assisted Lord Selkirk in recruiting colonists for the Red River settlement (Manitoba)^[3]

In 1822 he immigrated to Nova Scotia with his family and settled in present-day Pictou County, where he died in 1833^[3]. He was is buried at Kenzieville Cemetery at Barney's River, Nova Scotia^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ The Macmillan dictionary of Canadian biographyby Wallace, W. Stewart (William Stewart), 1884-1970, ed; Publication date 1963; Publisher London, Macmillan; New York, St. Martin's
2. ↑ T. R. McCloy, “McKAY, JOHN,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 5, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed July 5, 2022, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mckay_john_5E.html.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} John C. Jackson, “MACKAY, DONALD,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed July 5, 2022, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mackay_donald_6E.html.
4. ↑ HBCA Archives, Winnipeg Filename: M’Kay, Donald (ca. 1753-1833) (1779-1809) Jan.1988 MGM:wg (Revised: Jan. l989, JHB/ek; 1999/11) April/99/mhd
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #48697610

See also:

• Wikipedia page for Donald Mackay (fur trader)
• Title: Metis Families, A Genealogical Compendium Author: Gail Morin. Publication: Quinton Publications, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1996(fact imported into family tree by Tom Edworthy) Repository: Media: Book Page: v1-195, v2-768, v2-729
• [http://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/743791 The genealogy of the first Métis nation : the development and dispersal of the Red River Settlement, 1820-1900 by R P Frye; D N Sprague; Publisher: Winnipeg, Man. : Pemmican Public, 2000, ©1983.