70136: James MacAskill

James MacAskill, born about 1838, was the son of Taskill MacAskill and Sibla MacCusbic of Sheabie. Taskill was a farmer prior to 1854, when the crofts were cleared for the creation of Borve Farm. The family became cottars at a new home at Ferry.

James became a fisherman and in 1863 married Marjory Ferguson, with whom he was to have eight children. For several years they continued to live at Ferry, where James worked as a ferryman alongside his father. In 1873 the family moved to live on his father-in-law’s croft, 10 Ruisgarry (Gunhill), where James helped with the crofting. In 1900 he was passed 10 Ruisgarry from his brother-in-law Roderick Ferguson.

Note: Ages provided by this family for each census were extremely variable. The birthdate entered here is derived from the 1841 census, the earliest in which James appears.