Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Macdonald, Alexander (1736-1791)
MACDONALD, ALEXANDER (1736–1791), Scottish catholic prelate, born in the island of Uist in 1736, was son of the laird of Bornish. He entered the Scots College at Rome 20 Jan. 1754, was ordained priest in 1764, and left the college 27 April 1765 for the mission in Scotland. He was stationed in the island of Barra, where he remained till 1760. On the death of Bishop John Macdonald (1727-1779) [q. v.] he was appointed to succeed him as vicar-apostolic of the highland district. The briefs were dated 1779, and he was consecrated by Bishop Hay at Scalan, 12 March 1780, with the title of Bishop of Polemunium. near Trebizond, in partibus. He died at Samalaman on 9 Sept. 1791, and was succeeded in the vicariate-apostolic by John Chisholm [q. v.]
[Brady's Episcopal Succession, iii. 466; London and Dublin Orthodox Journal, iv. 130; Catholic Directory, 1892, p. 61; Stothert's Catholic Mission in Scotland, p. 454.]