The Macdonalds of A letter 1978 Dear Aloysius, Aunt Gladys showed me your letter. She does not remember much about the past. I told her I would give you some facts from Grandpa's diary that you might find of interest. Most of it has to do with later years. The information on this sheet is not from the diary but is picked up from other bits here and there. Andrew had a large family but my great grandfather Hugh and Archie (your great grandfather?) are the only ones I can place. Sincerely, Helen (Allister) (One of the other bunch) Source: Helen MacDonald , 86 McGill Avenue, Historical letters about Andrew Macdonald and Sir James Montgomery Whim 3 March 1797 Sir I received last autumn your letter of the 7 June 1796 and likewise one from your Nephew, and when I had wrote most of my letters in Edinbr. for your Island and intending to write you John Aiken arrived, but I being then hurried with business, and not having time to talk with him, I desired him to come here, to my house in the country, after he had seen McGowan, and done what business he had to do there, and accordingly he came here, but staid only two days, being anxious to go to Dumfries, where and near to which his friends, and acquaintances reside, and where he will get notices of the first ship, that he judges to be the most proper for him to sail in; and if there is no ship soon to sail, I have invited him to return here and stay in my house, where he will get notice by the newspapers of every ship that sails from the Clyde to Halifax. By your account of his conduct he has behaved very improperly with regard to his Farm and his sons; but after telling him he had acted very foolishly in coming so far to solicit a matter so inconsiderable, and that he had better apply to the expense of his voyages and journeys to the payment of the Rents of his Farm, I agreed to give him an abatement of four years rent of his Farm, which you say will be due 1st May next, upon condition that he either cultivates the Farm himself, or lets it to a proper tennant, and I gave