Hi Christine, I'm not sure whether I understood your reply to Jim correctly, i.e. you were uncertain of Sir John's paternal grandfather? James Hunter in his book "A Dance Called America" has Hugh MacDonald being born in 1782 at Strathoykel to John MacDonald and Jean MacDonald. The IGI has a Hugh born 12 December 1782 to John MacDonald and Jean MacDonald at Rogart. There appear to have been several couples named John and Jean MacDonald but four possible siblings of Hugh are listed: Annie 8 Sept 1779; Isabella 1 Oct 1784; Alexander 20 Apr 1786; Jane 17 Jul 1789. Hunter also says that the family later moved to Dornoch. Hunter quotes as a source "'John A. MacDonald: The Young Politician" by D. Creighton, published in Toronto in 1952. Possibly you already knew this. Ian