111605: Roderick Maciver

Roderick (1690-1757) was a son of Alexander Maciver of Old North Tolsta Tack. His parents were married but his mother’s name is not known.

Roderick married but his wife’s name is not known. The couple settled at Old North Tolsta Tack. The couple had three sons.

The Forfeited Estate Papers of 1715 show “Rory” as tenanting Old South Tolsta Tack and his father tenanting Old North Tolsta Tack. The 1726 records show the same arrangement, but by 1740 “Roderick McEiver” is listed as the tenant of both tacks.

In 1754 Lord Seaforth required a Judicial Rental to be complied to show the rent the sub-tenants were paying to the tacksmen. Roderick apparently could not write so one of his Old South Tolsta Tack sub-tenants: Donald Macneil prepared the record for him. The record shows that there were 16 sub-tenants at Old South Tolsta Tack, but goes on the state that Old North Tolsta Tack was abused by sand drift and Roderick had settled there himself.

Roderick succeeded Colin Mackenzie as Sheriff-Substitute of Lewis.

After Roderick’s death the tenancy of the Tolsta Tacks appears to have reverted to his brother Donald and to his father’s widow; this change is recorded in the Forfeited Estate Papers of 1768.