McLeods of Rumsdale

McLeods of Rumsdale

John McLeod, shepherd of Rumsdale, and his wife Christina Sutherland. What drove their family flock to New Zealand? Scotland's diaspora - 'herd' it before, hear it again.

Taken from John and Christina's grave at Dalnawillan cemetery, looking toward the Thurso River.

Rumsdale near the source of the Thurso River

In this blog I will tell stories of the descendants of John McLeod (1795-1869) and his wife Christina Sutherland (1798-1872) who lived and worked for forty years at the sheep grazings of Rumsdale near the source of the Thurso River in the Scottish Highlands.

Eleven Bairns

John and Christina's first daughter was born in Ousdale while ten children were born in at Rumsdale. This McLeod family were deeply impacted by the clearances and the establishment of large sheep farms in Scotland. While John's skills as a shepherd were recognised by the Lairds of Langwell, James and Donald Horne, who employed him all those years, many members of this McLeod family, hoping for a better future for themselves, joined the diaspora and emigrated to New Zealand. They settled mainly in the Manawatu and kept a close family bond with each other for the rest of their lives. Alexander (aka Sandy) McLeod, the tenth child, was my great grandfather.

Grey Hen's Well

I have another blog, The Grey Hen's Well http://greyhenswell.blogspot.com where I have posted stories of the hamlet of Badbea and its inhabitants. Christina Sutherland was born there. I will link some of the stories of her early life and family here.