Donald Alexander Smith, a saddler's son was born in Forres in1870 and emigrated to Canada when he was 18. he rose to become Governor of Hudson Bay Company, High Commissioner for Canada and later Lord Strathcona, acquiring Glencoe Estate in the late 19th century. In 1895 Lord Strathcona built Glencoe House, created the Lochan and surrounding woodland for his Canadian wife, Isabela whose grandmother was a native American, and it is said that Donald wished to make his wife feel more at home in Scotland.