Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 2, 1894

1(5(5
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
FOR . THEM . THIN-GS . OXCE . CALL D . HIGHEST
CRIMES
XOU . he's . GONE . UP . ON . JACOb's . LAD'r
TO . PRAISE . KING . CHRIST . THE . MEDIATOR
CLOTIl'l) IS , HE . NOU . IN . A . WHITE . ROBE
WITH . THEM . THAT . STILL . SING . PRAISE . TO . GOD
VIRTUS . EIUS . POST . FUNERA . VIVIT.
OBIT . 2S . FBB : 1725 . ANNO . EIUS.
.trATis . 61.
John Macmillan of Brockloch ami llolni died
in 1830 leaving Holm to his eldest son Robert,
and Bi'ockloch to his younger son John. Robert
Macmillan married Mary Goldie, daughter of
Jaiues Goldie of Stonehouse and Marbrack, and
great-great grand-daughter of Bonnie Annie
Laurie. He died in 1858 and was succeeded by
his elder son J ohn, whose portrait accompanies
this sketch. He was born in 1833 and was
educated at Glasgow High School. He is a
Justice of the Peace for the Counties of
Dumfries and Kirkcudbright.
The Arms of the Family are " Argent on a
Chevron between three Mullets, sable ; as many
Besants, or"
Crest — A Lion rampant, bearing in his hand
a bloody dagger.
Motto — " Age aut peri."
„,.„,,„.„ Archibald MacMillan.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE CHIEFTAINSHIP OF THE CLAN
MACKINNON.
Sir.— If the letter of Mr. Alexander Kendall
MacKinnon published in the June number
of the " Celtic Monthly" is intended to infer that
he considers himself to have a claim to the Chief-
ship of his Clan, it would be better at once to tell
him briefly tliiit his ))osition is quite untenable and
this on his own shewing. I do not desire to point
this out in an unfriendly spirit, and doubtless Mr.
A. K. MacKiimon's long residence in South America
may have put him a little out of touch, so to speak,
with the subject of Clan pedigrees. He traces his
descent from Charles, last Chief but one in the
direct line. Charles had a son John, the last direct
Chief, who died at Leith in 1808 (not in London),
and unmarried. Charles had an only daughter,
who married Alexander MacKinnon of Naples, a
clansman having no place on any recognised tree
or claim to the Chieftainshij). The Lady was Mr. A.
K. MacKinnon's paternal grandmother. Plainly,
therefore, Mr. A. K. MacKinnon can have no claim
to the dignity since he traces through the female line.
The late Mr. W. A. MacKinnon, M. I'., "respected"
the direct line of Mr. A. jK. MacKinnon's grand-
mother's family — because until the Chief John,
above alluded to, died, tlie Antigua branch of
wliicli lie became head, liad naturally no title.
A .slight inaccuracy on the i)art of Mr. A. K.
MacKinnon must here be set right. The late
Mr. W. A. MacKinnon stircrded his (iriiiidfuthei-,
Mllllam, who died at Bintield, Berks, in" 1809,
aged 77 years, and who thus was actually Chief
for one year after the death of John, 1808,
but for obvious reasons he would not have regis-
tered his patent. Mr. A. K. MacKinnon seems
to doubt the rights of the Antigua family. Besides
the jjatent allowed in 1811, there is the testimony
of si.x trees ranging from the early part of last
century to the time of Donald Gregory. All these
agree in tracing the Antigua family to Donald or
Daniel, second son of Lachlan Mor, which is all
that is wanted to establish the claim. Lachlan
Mor, who lived in the reign of Charles II., for
whom he fought at the Battle of Worcester, 1G51,
and Donald, who was taken prisoner, emigrated to
Antigua on his liberation, and from whom the
Antigua family is descended, and William Alex-
ander, who registered his patent of "Ensign
Armorial " as Chief, granted three years after the
death of John already alluded to, might be suthcient
to remove all doubt on the subject, the necessary
documentary proof having been admitted by the
Lord Lyon, in whose office the Certificates of
Births and Marriages up to Lachlan Mor can be
examined. In Bath Abbey there lies a slab stone
on which is a Coat of Arms, viz ; — that of
" MacKinnon " (with the bordure and crescent for
difterence). " To the memoiy of William Mac-
Kinnon, Esq., son of Daniel MacKiimon, second
son of Lachlan Mor MacKinnon, Chief of
MacKinnon, who died, October the 8th, 1767, aged
70 years." This gentleman was father of William
MacKinnon, who became Chief in 1808 on the
faihire of the direct line, and great-great grandfather
of the present Chief's father, William Alexander
MacKinnon, Esq., of Acryse Place, Folkestone, Kent.
I trust these few notes may satisfy Mr. A. K. Mac-
Kinnon, for I am not anxious to disturb the harmony
which is annually becoming more and more marked
among the members of the Clan, [irincipally throiigh
the instrumentality of the newly formed Clan
Society, of which 1 am happy to say Mr. A. K.
MacKinnon is a member.
Glasgow.
Duncan MacKinnon.
DESCENDANTS OF ALLAN CAMERON.
Sir, — Can any of your readers state, authen-
tically, whether Allan Cameron, — who married
Jean M'Gregor in lOtiG — brother of Ewon after-
wards Sir Ewen XVII. of Lochiel, had any children,
and Lf so, their names and what became of them.
D. C.
THE MACKITCHIES, MACCROSTIES,
MACGUFFIES, AND GORRIES.
Sll^ — Could you or any of your readers tell me
anything in regard to the Ritchies or MacRitchies,
MacCrosties, MacGutiies, and also the Gorries (
Are they Highland Clans, or septs of Clans I The
first is a [iretty common name in the Long Island,
in Perth, and Argyllshire. I shall bo glad of any
information as to their origin.
Yours truly.