John was born at Fernaig in 1696. His grandmother was there at the time and when she held him in her arms, she burst into tears and said that there would never be another Matheson as important or successful as he would be, or more respected.

He was a clever boy and was sent to the Academy at Fortrose on the Black Isle. It seemed a long way from home but he did really well.

One holidays, just before he left for school, he had an extraordinary dream. There were three beautiful girls up in a tree sitting on separate branches that came out of the same trunk. Then, there they all were, sitting at his father's fireside. Two of them fell over and one stood up. He went to the byre to see the old man who looked after the cattle, as he had a great reputation as a seer and could interpret dreams. The bodach told John that he would marry them all in turn. Two of them would die before him and the third would outlive him.

When he got back to school, he found three very pretty girls there, all called MacKenzie, but from different families. They were Annabella, MacKenzie of Achilty, Margaret MacKenzie of Balmaduthy and Elizabeth MacKenzie of Allangrange. He thought they were all marvellous, and he flirted with each in turn and even talked about marrying them.

John came home to Fernaig when he left school, but then a very sad thing happened. His father Farquhar, was a very important person who had made a lot of money dealing in cattle and there was no one whose opinion Lord Seaforth valued more. One day, Farquhar was asked to come to Brahan urgently to give his advice on a boundary dispute. He set off at once and walked as fast as he could even though it was a very hot day and he got quite exhausted. He stopped for a long drink of water from a well, Tobair Degain, in the pass of Strath Conan. The water was icy cold and it gave him such a shock that he died. He was still quite a young man.

Lord Seaforth thought a lot of young John too and he made him his factor in Lochalsh straight away. He fulfilled this trust completely and carried out his duties very fairly. He also made quite a lot of money grazing cattle in Skye and droving them to the southern markets. But John thought a lot about Annabella and Margaret and Elizabeth, too. Most of all he thought about Annabella.

Now Annabella's grandfather was a famous poet called Murdoch MacKenzie of Achilty (which had been bought for them by the Marquis of Breadalbain, his father-in-law). He was living in the Isle of Lewis at this time and Annabella and her mother were with him. There was a very eligible young man there and Murdoch thought she should marry him. But Annabella had fallen in love with John Matheson of Fernaig when she had met him in Fortrose and she was very unhappy about this proposed marriage. She managed to get off an urgent letter to John.

John was certainly not a person to let things slide. When he got Annabella's letter, he contacted twelve of his friends and asked them to come on a journey with him in their best highland dress. Among them were Rev. Alexander MacLennan the young minister, MacCrimmon the piper from Glenelg and Murdoch Matheson, Seaforth's baird. They all set off at once in a long rowing boat (called a birlinn) for Stornaway in the Isle of Lewis. The wind was blowing and it was very rough that day, as it often is in the Minch and poor Murdoch the baird was sea-sick. He was so ill that they had to land him on the Island of Crowlin. Then they pushed on as fast as they could. But the weather got worse and the wind blew up against them and they had to waste two days sheltering in Skye.

Meanwhile Murdoch felt better as soon as he got onto dry land and he even composed a beautiful song for the occasion. He managed to get a boat across to Gairloch where he caught the packet for Stornaway and arrived there before John and the others. To their astonishment, there he was on the quay to meet them! They sent someone off at once with a message to Annabella's house and made themselves look as smart as possible. Then they set off with MacCrimmon the piper leading the procession.

Annabella was very excited when she got their message. She went to the parlour window to watch for them with her mother, who had never met John. When they came in sight, she asked Annabella which one he was. Annabella pointed out John and her mother said: "I do not wonder at you at all, to be in love with such a handsome gentleman!"

After they had arrived and had had a meal, Annabella's grandfather said that he would give a party for John and his friends and the rival suitor from Lewis. He said that they were both such gallant young gentlemen that he could not decide who should claim Annabella, so whoever could get hold of a Minister first should marry her. I expect he thought the Lewisman would have the advantage! But Alexander MacLennan had gone next door to change and he came back dressed as a Minister. There he was, on the spot, to perform the Ceremony.

Everybody was very happy and they had a wonderful wedding for a favourable wind and set off back to Fernaig where I am sure they had another party!