Skye Pioneers and "The Island"
Belfast Families - The Martins of Newton, Belfast

The first member of this family to arrive on Prince Edward Island was Donald Martin, who was born at Snizort, Skye, in 1759. His wife, Marion MacLeod of Applecross, was born in 1770. She was sister of Rev. Kenneth MacLeod, and cousin of the famous Rev. Dr. Norman MacLeod. They arrived in Belfast on the "Polly" in 1803, with their family. After living for a few years in Point Prim, they moved to the Newtown River, where, by Indenture dated October 13, 1819, Donald Martin leased from Lord Selkirk the homestead which has been occupied by the family continuously from then up to the present time. Mrs. Martin died in 1845, to be followed in 1848 by her husband.

Their issue were:
I. MARY, wife of Mr. Kelly, Cow Bay, Cape Breton, with issue, among others: Margaret Ellen, wife of Mr. Morrison, and Charles;
II. KATHERINE, wife of Robert Grant, with issue, among others: Abijah, Donald, Peter, John, Martha, wife of Capt. James Richards, Murray Harbor, and Mary, wife of John Compton, Belle River;
III. KENNETH, married Alice Moore, with issue: Mary, wife of Mr. Lane, Sarah, wife of Mr. Moore, James, John, Angus, married Mary Anne Hamilton, Daniel, Montague Bridge, married Martha Atkinson;
IV. MARGARET, b. 1806, d. Nov. 5, 1892, wife of Malcolm Macqueen, Orwell, with issue;
V. PETER, b. Nov., 1809, d. April 8, 1877, married Sarah Mackinnon, March 6, 1844, b. Belfast. Sept. 8, 1821, d. Oct. 1, 1914, with issue:

Sarah Elizabeth, wife of William Mackenzie, Wood Islands, with issue, Anne, wife of Horatio Nelson, Mary Janet, wife of William McLaren, Charles Angus, married to Annie Florence Montgomery, William Alexander (M.D. McGill) married Ella, daughter of Luke Kelly. Fredericton; Sarah Peter, wife of Charles Hope Beattie, Boston, with issue: Janet, Ruth, Sarah, and Margaret, Mary Louise, wife of John Martin, Peter Kenneth, and Maud Elizabeth;

Kenneth John. K.C., Stipendiary Magistrate, Charlottetown, married Elizabeth Montgomery, with issue surviving: Kenneth, and Jean;

Donald Charles, K.C., ex-M.P.P., Jessie, Catherine, Charles William, and Margaret Ellen, died unmarried; Simon, married;

Mary Alice, John, and Hannah Louise, live on the old homestead;

VI. JOHN, b. 1811. d. 1862, married Emily Compton, with issue: Mary, wife of William Compton, Peter, married May Smith, Newtown, living in Boston, aged 83, with issue; Daniel, married Sarah Godson. William K., Alexander, married Sarah Anne MacLeod, Sarah, wife of Mr. Bagnell, Margaret Emily, wife of Mr. Betts, Louisa Jane, wife of Mr. MacDougall, Kenneth, unmarried, and James Ebenezer.

Portree, 28 June, 1803.

This do certify that the bearer hereof, Donald Martin, a married man, and his wife Marion MacLeod, have to the best of our knowledge during their residence in our parishes, the greatest part of their lives, conducted themselves in a proper, just, decent, honest and industrious manner.

They are poor and have a weakly family of children, and we think them worthy of being received and encouraged in any Christian Society in which Providence may assign their lot.

Given, place and date as above, by

(Sgd.) Alex. Campbell,
Minister of Portree.
(Sgd.) Mal. McLeod,
Minister of Snizort.

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