Angus "Aonghas Eoin" MacNeil

Excerpt from "History of Christmas Island Parish" - page #109:

Angus McNeil - "Aonghas Eoin’’ and his Descendants.
Angus McNeil came from Barra to Pictou on the ship, Hector, in 1802; and from there he came to Christmas Island about the year 1804. During the first years he used to work on the land at Christmas Island in summer, and spend the winter at the Gulf. He built a green-house in which his crop of potatoes was stored up for the winter. One spring the supply of provision ran short before the openíng of navigation, and some of the Grand Narrows settlers were obliged to open "Angus Eoin’s” green-house and use his potatoes to keep souI and body together.

From incidents like this we gain some insight into the hardships and privations which our forefathers suffered during the first years they were in this place. The poet McLean painted a true picture of the condition of the early settlers in his well known song, “A Choille Ghruam ach.’ Potato formed their only food for the greater part of the winter—“gun dad na’s fhearr na buntata lom.” Their clothing was scant, and so was their footwear— “a mhogais chludach.” Their wok was heavy, and their pleasures small. As the poet puts it: “Than sluagh 'nan eiginn ’sa h-uile doigh.” Truly, the lot of the early settler was a hard one.

Angus McNeil was married three times. His first wife was Catherine, daughter of John McNeil (Iain Mac Mhurchaidh). Issue:— Donald, Murdock, Catherine. His second wife was Catherine McPhee. Issue:— One daughter, Peggie “Mhor.” His third wife was Margaret, daughter of Hector McNeil, Piper. Issue:— Catherine and John

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Info on Eoin's family (#183) from "All Call Iona Home" - This son Angus Settled in Christmas Island

Angus (Eoin) MacNeil and his twelve-year-old son came from Barra and settled in Highland Hill. A half-brother of Angus (Eoin), whose name was also Angus, settled in Christmas Island, where he married three times and had a family with each wife. This half-brother Angus was accustomed to winter in the Gulf, even though he "granted' land in Christmas Island and did work the land. It seems also that Angus (Eoin) who settled in Highland Hill dis his own share of wandering about. At any rate, it is clear that by 1846 Angus (Eoin) who had first settled in Highland Hill and John, another brother of his, were permanently settled in Highland Hill. Two sisters of theirs had also come to America.