Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Macdonald, John (1818-1889)
MACDONALD, JOHN, D.D. (1818–1889), Scottish catholic prelate, son of William Macdonald and Harriet Fraser his wife, was born at Strathglass, Inverness-shire, on 2 July 1818. From 1830 to 1837 he was at the Scots seminary at Ratisbon. In 1887 he entered the Scots Coll at Rome. In 1840 he returned to Scotland, and in the following year he was ordained priest. He served in several missions, and 1856 to 1868 he was chaplain to Lord Lovat at Eskdale in Lower Strathglass. In November 1868 he was appointed coadjutor to Dr. James Francis Kyle [q. v.], vicar-apostolic of the northern district of Scotland. He was consecrated at Aberdeen 24 Feb. 1869 by the title of Bishop of Nicopolis. As Bishop Kyle died on the day previous to this consecration, Macdonald succeeded immediately to the vicariate. In 1875, when the catholic hierarchy was re-established in Scotland by Leo XIII, he was translated to the restored diocese of Aberdeen. He died at Aberdeen on 4 Feb. 1889.
[Brady's Episcopal Succession. iii. 415; Times, 5 Feb. 1889. p. 6.; Catholic Directory, 1892, p. 62; Tablet, 9 Feb. 1859, p. 221. 16 Feb. 252.]