Burrows Harbour

Alexander McDonald. Origin: Loyalist.

Alexander McDonald was most likely from New York, a member of the British Army. He is listed in Homeward Bound as a “Proven Loyalist,” though we aren’t certain that all the individuals so listed were, in fact, Loyalists. McDonald received land on Abaco, as well as on Long Island. His grant on Long Island was for 100 acres in the Burrows Harbour area, granted 30 March 1790. This land was apparently later sold in an indenture between Alexander Brennen and John McDonald (likely Alexander’s son), both of Long Island, on 17 March 1795.

An Alexander McDonald is listed as a Second Lieutenant in the roll of the officers of the Corps of Guides and Pioneers commanded by Colonel Beverly Robinson, but as the name is extremely common, we were not certain it was the Long Island grantee—until we discovered that also serving in that Corps was another Long Island grantee, Captain William McAlpine.

Reference: HB App. E, Online Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies