John, the eldest son of Murdo and Annabella, was born and brought up at 18 Tobson. His father died when he was only seven years of age and he was known as 'Seonnaidh Barabal' after that.

John's wife, Ann Maciver, inherited the family croft at 14 Hacklete and they moved there sometime before WW1. They remained there until their son-in-law, John Napier, bought them a house in Glasgow in the early 1930s.