He was born in 1843 at Strath on the
Isle of Skye, the son of Lachlan MacKinnon and his wife Catherine. He was educated locally at the Free Church School. His training as a minister is unclear but he was first ordained in
Ballachulish Free Church in 1878. He translated to
North Uist in 1884. He then moved to the twin parishes of Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston, and finally, in 1894, to the
Gairloch Free Church. At the Union of 1900 he remained in the Free Church of Scotland. In 1908, in succession to Rev Murdo Mackenzie, he was elected
Moderator of the General Assembly, the highest position in the Free Church. In 1909 he was succeeded in turn by Rev James Henry. He died at
Gairloch on 13 February 1925. He is buried in Gairloch. ==Family==