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From: "Thomas W Bennion" <>
Subject: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Macleans of Crossapol
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 08:47:12 -0500


Another interesting article on Macleans came out in this week's ElectricScotland newsletter that may be of interest to members of the list. I found it interesting as the article was written by the Rev. A. Maclean Sinclair, author of "The Clan Gillean", but the article differs in some respects from his work in the Clan Gillean on the same family. Jean Whimp - if you are reading, would love to hear your comments.

From: The Celtic Monthly: A Magazine for Highlanders, edited by John MacKay, Glasgow, No. 2, Vol. XI, November 1902:
"The Maclean of Crossapol, by the Rev. A. Maclean Sinclair, Belfast, P. E. I., Canada.

There are three distinct theories with regard to the origin of the Macleans of Crossapol. Some maintain that they are descended from the famous Neil Mor, who was murdered at Clachan Dubh in 1596 or 1597. Others hold that they are descended from Neil of Drimnacross, son of Lachlan, seventh of Coll. It is supposed that he had a son who was known as Neil Og, and that this son was the first Maclean of Crossapol. A third party maintain that the Macleans of Crossapol are descended from a grandson of John Garbh, eigth of Coll. Those who adhere to this vier differ among themselves as to which of John Garbh's sons was the father of the first Maclean of Crossapol.

Neil Maclean was tacksman of Crossapol when Dr. Johnson visited Coll in 1773. He was paying a rent of seven pounds a year, and was in good circumstances. He was born probably between 1724 and 1729, certainly not earlier than 1724. He married Julia Stewart and had by her Donald, Margaret, Allan, Neil, Janet, Catherine, Flora, Una, and Ann.

Donald, the eldest of his family, was born in 1752.
Allan married Mary Maclean, by whom he had Neil, John, Donald, Catherine, Christina, Janet, Julia, and Mary. He died in 1832.
Neil succeeded his father in Crossapol, and died unmarried in 1855.
John died in 1826.
Donald died in 1834.
Catherine was married in Edinburgh to the Rev. Donald Allan Fraser, who came to Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1817, and died in St. John's, Newfoundland, February 7th, 1845.
Christina was married to the Rev. Lachlan Maclean,
and Mary to Ewen Maclean, in the Isle of Rum.

Donald, eldest son of Neil of Crossapol, was minister of Small Isles. He married Lillias, daughter of Alexander Maclean in Gott, Tiree, and had by her Margaret, Alexander, Neil, Hector and Julia.
Alexander was a doctor, and died in 1818. He left a son, whose name was also Alexander. This Alexander was a lieutenant-colonel in the army and died in 1878. He was the father of Hector A. C. Maclean in London, the present representative of the Macleans of Crossapol.
Neil, second son of the Rev. Donald Maclean, was minister of Tiree. He had six children: Donald, Harriet, Mary, Alexander, Lillias, and Isabel. He died in 1859.

Harriet, daughter of the Rev. Neil Maclean, was born in 1817 and died in 1892. A slip of paper which is said to be in Harriet's handwriting, contains the following genealogical statement - "Alexander, son of Alexander, son of Donald eldest son of Neil, son of Hector grandson of the Laird." This document was discovered shortly after the death of Alexander Maclean, father of H. A. C. Maclean, in 1878. It is really the only particle of evidence in existence to show that Neil of Crossapol - the Neil of 1773 - was the son of Hector, grandson of the Laird.

At a meeting of Session held in Coll in 1732, Hector Maclean of Coll, Hector Maclean, and Allan Maclean were present as elders. The names may perhaps be Hector Maclean of Coll, Allan Maclean, and Hector Maclean. I do not possess a copy of the minute and consequently cannot tell in what order the names are given. I assume, however, that the laird's name comes first, although the usual practice is to give the names of elders according to the date of their ordination.

It is supposed by some persons that the Hector Maclean who was present at the meeting of Session in 1732 was Hector of Crossapol. It is also supposed that the Allan Maclean who was present was Allan of Totaranato. For these suppositions there is no ground. As Hector, son of Allan of Totaranato, was over fifty years of age in 1732 he is as likely to have been an elder at that time as his father. It is indeed probable that his father was not living then. Allan of Grishipol, second son of Neil of Drimnacross, was a man of as much prominence as Allan of Totarano. He was born about 1665. Catherine Maclean, hsi wife, was born in August, 1668, and was living in June, 1764. Lachlan, his eldest son, was born June 21, 1793. Allan of Grishipol was not living in 1764; it is pretty certain, however, that he was living in 1732. Then, those who maintain that the name of the father of Neil of Crossapol was Allan may also maintain that the Allan of 1732 was Allan of Crossapol.

It is said that the daughters of Col. Hugh Maclean, the last laird of Coll, expressed, a few years ago, their readiness to acknowledge the head of the Crossapol family as chieftain of the Macleans of Coll. An expression of this kind proves nothing, except good-will on the part of those making it. If Col. Hugh's daughter's had stated that they had good and sufficient reasons, from tradititons heard by them when they were young girls, for believing that the Crossapol family was descended in the legitimate male line from Hector son of Ewen, son of John Garbh, or from Ewen, son of John Garbh, or Ewen from John Garbh {typed same as in article}, their statement would carry a good deal of weight with it. But a statement of this kind they have not made. As women of intelligence and hereditary nobleness of nature they would have made it, if they could.

Hector, third son of the Rev. Donald Maclean, was minister of Lochalsh, and died in 1869. In a letter written by him in February, 1860, to his nephew, Col. Alexander Maclean, he refers to the death of his sister Julia and makes the following statements: "She forgot that you are descendant of Neil Mor, and that you should have something to remind you of that pedigree. I have a few articles of plate belonging to your great grandfather Alexander, after whom your father was named." The first sentence seems to imply that the Macleans of Crossapol were descended in the male line from Neil Mor - that their "pedigree" was to be traced back to him. The second sentence seems to refer to an entirely different matter. It may be held, however, that there is a logical connection between the two sentences and that taken together they mean that Alexander Maclean in Gott was descended from Neil Mor, that the writer would send some articles of plate which had belonged to Alexander to Col. Maclean, and that these articles would be something to remind the Colonel of his pedigree. I am sorry that I am not able to trace Alexander Maclean back to his ancestors. I know nothing at all about him. (To be concluded)."

End of article!
Hopefully, next week's newsletter will have the conclusion of this article. If so, I will post to the list.
Jean - if you are reading, I have verified the dates (years) that were given in the article to ensure that I typed them as they were given in the article - you will note that some of them are different from what we have exchanged in the past, as well as the names of some of the children given.

If anyone on the list can verify the marriages of the daughters that have been given (and perhaps their lines), this would be greatly appreciated!

Linda Bennion


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