Local tradition has it that there were many sons and daughters of Ruairidh Breac, possibly as many as 21; but the sons whose names appear on the chart below are the only known children for whom there is evidence—so far.

Perhaps many of the sons and daughters attributed to Ruairidh Breac are grandchildren, for there is no evidence that Ruairidh was alive after 1812, and many of these purported sons and daughters were born well after that date.

Ruairidh's enlistment in the 82^nd Regiment (Hamilton's) in Scotland, 1778, and his participation in the American War until he was discharged in 1784 show that he was born presumably in the mid-to-late 1750s and that he married sometime very soon after 1784. His son, John, was born in 1786 in Barra. Land records along the coast, at Arisaig, N.S. indicate his emigration from Scotland in 1791 aboard the Dunkeld or its unnamed sister ship that arrived in Pictou late in the fall of that year.

Three more sons, Alexander, Donald and Roderick, were born in Nova Scotia, most likely on the Gulf Shore, Antigonish County (called Sydney County at that time).

His son, Angus, was born either in Arisaig or Cape Breton about 1801 – an estimate based on his absence from the 1817/1818 Census in Cape Breton. This census listed 'heads of families', age, time-on-the-island, country, country of Parents, situation (settlement), trade, marital status, and number-of-children. Ruairidh Breac also is not on the 1817/18 Cape Breton census.

Militia Lists (1813) include several settlers in Cape Breton who declare their previous military experience in the 82^nd Regiment or 71^st Regiment, and these men state their age as being late 50s and 60s.

I have continued the line of descent from Angus to my Great Grandfather Jonathan and to my Grandfather Michael. If you would like to add your line of descent from any of the ancestors on this chart then please let me know; I'll be happy to make the additions.