Jordan Ranier's School Project
Beginning of the Clan MacLennan
Past to Present
500 A.D,-The Clan MacLennan began back in ancient time, about 500 A.D. records point to descendants of a prince from Spain who settled in Ireland and later became king. During this time, several sons of a king left Ireland and came to Scotland. According to tradition, the Clans, MacLennan and Logan are related. The name Logan came from this Irish background. The Logans in return settled in two areas, one in the lower lands and the other along loch lochy in the high lands. It is from the high land branch that our family emerged
1200,-Research done in the 1970s by the MacLennan Clan chief, (Ronald George MacLennan, 34th chief of the clan), showed that his ancestry could be traced back to the ancient royal Celtic families of Ireland and Scotland through Aengus Macgillafinan, Lord of Locherne around 1230. It is recorded they were occupying Glenshiel at an early date and were in residence at Eilean Donnan Castle before 1263
1400 Clan Conflicts:-The Logan’s fought constantly with various other clans and in the early 1400, at battle of Kessock between the Logans and the Frasers, the Logan family went down to defeat. It is recorded that Chief Gilliegorm fought Lord Lovat, who was related to Gilliegorm’s wife. Gilliegorm was killed and his pregnant wife taken captive by Lord Lovat. In due time a child was born deformed with a humped back, the child was named Crotair Macgilliegrom, or crooked-back son of Gilliegorm. One story goes that fear on the part of the Frasers that he might raise an army to avenge his fathers death caused them to send him to a monastery at Beauly. In due time, Crotair Macgilliegrom became priest himself. Like many monks of that day, he did not remain celebate (a good thing or the MacLennan Clan would have ended upon his death). He married and had seven children according to one story. One of his sons, called Gille Fhinnein, is the supposed ancestor of the Clan MacLennan. This son’s children were known as Siol’inan or Gillie Fhinan, then translated to Mac Gillie Innain, and ultimately spelled MacLennan.
The Maclennans/Logans settled around Kintail, and held lands in Easter Ross. The Logans were to become most prominent in the Lowlands, where they became Barons of Restalrig, near the Port of Leith.
In 1452, the Clan MacLennan and their allies (MacKenzies), were overwhelmed in the Great Battle of Bealach nam Broigh.
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1600-1800: During the Civil War (Jacobite Rising), the MacLennans followed the MacKenzies. They fought against James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose who was the commander of the Royalist forces in Scotland at the Battle of Auldearn in 1645. Their chief Ruaridh, a red-bearded giant standing well over six feet tall, led the Clan MacLennan. Ruaridh and his men fought to their death, defending Seaforth’s standard. The Clan Gordon cavalry finally defeated them. The clan would go without an official Chief for the next 330 years. Eighteen of the widows then married their servants and with that, the MacRaes became an important part of the clan.
At the battle of Sherriffmuir also called Dunblain), on Nov. 13, 1715, the MacLennans again went to battle to put “Bonnie Prince Charlie” on the British throne. On April 16, 1746, at the Battle of Culloden, the MacLennans and their highland partners lost over 1,000 as Charlie fled for France and the Jacobite revolt was over
The late 1700 to the early 1800 became known as the Highland Clearances. The Highland Clearances are still regarded as one of the most shameful episodes in Scottish history. Tens of thousands of men, woman and children were forced off their land, often violently to make way for large-scale sheep farming. By the 1770’s, the demand for wool had grown and its price had doubled in just ten years. The people pushing the Highlanders off their property were called the ‘Improvers’ their job was to make the difficult Highland’s economy more productive, but they brought so much tragedy and misery to the Highlands that they are still hated to this day.
The Scottish Highlanders were forced to settle on small parcels of barren land (called crofts) usually near the sea. The ‘crofters’ as they then became known, were told they would be able to fish and harvest seaweed for a living but there was so many of them that it could not sustain them all and many of them were left starving. In 1846, when the potato crop failed they were left with no alternative but to emigrate to America or Canada. Many of them made their way to Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia (New Scotland) but the betrayal of their fellow Clan chiefs and imported English noblemen still linger to this day
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1786, my Great, Great, Great Grandfather Kenneth MacLennan is born. This is as far back as I have been able to trace my families (the MacLennan’s), lineage. He married Janet Grant and they had three sons and a daughter. In 1841, they were living in a town called Contin. Their youngest son (James) would be my Great-Great-Grandfather. James’s two older brothers were farm laborers, but for some reason, they were able to afford an education for James and he went on to become a Sheriffs Clerk. We were not able to trace Kenneth or his other two sons or daughter after the 1841 census. Perhaps they were victims of the hard times caused by the Highland Clearance or the 1846 potato crop failures and they decided to immigrate to another country.
In the 1881 census, it shows James MacLennan living in Dingwall, Scotland. He is now 43 years old and is still working as a Sheriffs Clerk Depute. His wife is Christina (Fraser) MacLennan (age 44). They have four children, John, Janet Ann, Christina Eunice and my Great Grandfather James David. Times must be getting a bit easier for them because they also had a servant living with them named Isabella.
James David MacLennan
His journey to Canada
James David MacLennan was my Great Grandfather. He was born in 1880 in Dingwall, Scotland. He was the first of my family to immigrate to Canada. James decided to come to Canada because life in Scotland was very hard and he had heard there were more opportunities here and lots of land. On Dec. 18, 1902, he took a boat from Liverpool England across the Atlantic Ocean to Halifax; he was only 22 years old. He then traveled across Canada and the first job he got was in Kamloops B.C., where he was able to work at law firm because of his prior education in Scotland. He also worked on a ranch for the McLeod’s so he could learn how to farm in Canada.
He then came up the North Thompson valley and settled on the Raft River (Clearwater area), in 1903. He chose to homestead on the Raft River because the valley was open and beautiful and it reminded him a bit of Scotland. He built a small cabin and cleared the land so he could make hay fields. He also made railway ties to earn a little extra money.
James .D. MacLennan was working hard and making a new life for himself in Canada but he was missing the girlfriend he had left behind in Scotland. He had told her he would be back for her once he settled in Canada and had a place for her to live. Although he had written her many letters, he had not heard from her in quite some time. Therefore, in 1906 he went back to Scotland with intentions to marry his girlfriend Susan Batley and bring her back to Canada. However, to his shock when he got there he found out that she was already married to an older man and they had a newborn baby girl together. To make matter worse, the letters they had been writing to each other had intentionally been intercepted, (perhaps by Susan’s family). This of course, must have been very upsetting to Susan Batley and James D. MacLennan, but what they decided to do next would cause a huge family riff and as well, cause a breakup of the families.
Susan Batley decided to leave her husband and her only child behind in Scotland and come to Canada with my Great Grandfather James .D. MacLennan.
Little is understood or known about the actual events that led up to the family riff, but these actions were to bring a lot of disgrace and cause a huge scandal among the families they had left behind in Scotland. Because of this, James D. MacLennan was estranged from his father and any family inheritance. James and Susan never spoke about this incident to anyone not even their own children, (My Grandfather James Warrington MacLennan was to learn about his half sister (Dorothy), who was left behind in Scotland in the 1970’s, long after his parents had passed away).
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Many years later, some of James’s grandchildren, traveled to Scotland and visited this abandoned baby (Dorothy), who was a much older woman by this time. Dorothy had been told very little about her mother and was relieved to hear stories about what a wonderful, strong person her mother had been. Many people’s lives changed due to these circumstances but perhaps because of the family riff, my family, the MacLennan Clan is here on this earth today.
In 1909 Susan Batley and James D. MacLennan were married in Kamloops B.C. and began their new life together on the Raft River.
In the fall of 1909 Susan (Batley) MacLennan, made a canoe trip all the way down the Thompson River to Kamloops for the birth of their first baby Marjorie. The weather was rather nice at the time, and even though Susan was about seven months pregnant, she described this event as being, ‘quite a pleasant trip.’
In 1910, James D MacLennan became the postmaster for Raft River’s first post office. In this same year, he was also appointed Justice of the Peace. At one time, he even ran a small logging camp; he was a very busy man!
In 1911, their second child, James Warrington MacLennan was born premature in his home at Raft River. Mrs. Eustache a native neighbor from across the river assisted with the birth. He weighed only 3 pounds, 4 ounces and was the first white boy to be born in the Clearwater valley. Another friend hiked at least thirty miles to Chu-Chua to phone for a doctor. Two days later the doctor finally arrived from Kamloops (which was a long trip in those days) and told my Great Grandmother Susan Batley not to get too attached to this premature baby for it would surely not survive more than a couple of days. However, this doctor underestimated the determination of a loving mother. My Great Grandmother stayed up caring for this baby boy, day and night. She used the wood stove as an incubator to keep him warm and fed him every couple of hours. Not only would this baby survive but also he would live to be 86 years old. Susan MacLennan would go on to have three more children, Daisy, Christina and Eva.
Visitors were rare in those days but in 1913, James David MacLennan’s brother John visited from Scotland and lived with them for a short time at their home in Raft River before going off to World War 1 where unfortunately, he was killed.
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The MacLennan children were a lot like the other kids of that generation. Everyone beyond toddler age had to pull his or her own weight. If they were not busy doing work around the house, haying, and gardening, feeding the livestock or other chores, then they had to make up their own fun. Playthings were scarce back then. When summer came, they would hike up MacLennan Mountain, (named after James D. MacLennan), and swim in Raft River and play in the woods. They would see lots of wild bears, moose, and herds of deer, up to 40 at a time, (it was common to see that many deer in a group back then) and sometimes even the odd cougar.
Summer time would bring the Shuswap natives into the area, as the Raft River was a great salmon spawning area. The MacLennan children would watch them spear fish and smoke or dry them for the winter. James David MacLennan would hire them to help pick his strawberries and raspberry he grew because they were good workers, ‘quick and quiet’, was how my great Grandfather described the native worker. He had a lot of respect for the natives and depended on them for many things.
In 1918, the “flu” epidemic hit and my Great Grandmother kept her children from all outside contact and the family managed to escape any serious sickness. By the fall of 1919, the flu had passed and the MacLennan children started attending the new Raft River School.
Times must have been very difficult in those days for James D. MacLennan and his wife, but years later one of their children were quoted as saying “My parents were very resourceful, we always had enough to eat and clothes on our backs that we never knew how hard life must have been for them.” During these hard times, James was able to keep up correspondence with his sisters in Scotland and they would send over much needed care packages of clothing for the children.
Nevertheless, life was difficult, and as well, they carried with them the burden of guilt, knowing the pain they caused their families they had left behind in Scotland concerning the family riff. This burden took its toll on my Great Grandfather who was a religious man and he ended up having a nervous breakdown. They did not know much about mental health in those days and so in 1925 my Great Grandfather was institutionalized at a home in Vancouver. He would remain there for the rest of his life. His son James Warrington MacLennan (my Grandfather), being the only male in the family had to quit school and go to work and support his family; he was only 14 years old. More bad luck was to follow.
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In 1928, Susan MacLennan was working out in the field when she looked over and saw their house was on fire, there was no hope in saving the house, as it was completely in flames by the time Susan got to it. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, however, everything they had worked so hard for and all their treasures and irreplaceable pictures were lost.
Then the great depression struck and Susan MacLennan and her son were not able to keep up with paying the taxes on the MacLennan property. Susan tried to sell only a portion of the property but this deal fell through and the MacLennan Homestead went back to the government.
Fortunately, the government showed mercy on many families who went through hard times during the depression and the property eventually went back to the MacLennans.
During the 1930, James W. MacLennan continued to work and look after his ageing mother. He built a small cabin for her on the MacLennan homestead and she lived there until she died in 1955.
James W. MacLennan continued to live an active life by farming, logging, and working as a surveyor in the North Thompson, Adams Lake and Kamloops area. He also worked at the old Windpass Mine near Dunn Lake. In 1938, he married his wife Isabel (Moss) MacLennan and they had six children together. In the 1960’s, James built a new home for his family on the Raft River and purchased the Clearwater Service Station where he worked until he retired in the late 1970’s. During his retirement years, you could always find Grandpa out in his garden, working from dawn until dusk growing huge vegetable gardens that he would share with his family. He passed away in 1997.
In 1974, Warrington J. MacLennan, (James W. MacLennan only son), took over farming the MacLennan homestead. To this day, he and his family reside there and they grow hay and farm the land on the same fields my Great Grandfather cleared many years ago. Now his children and grandchildren play in the Raft River, and roam in the mountains………….
and the MacLennan legacy continues.
Clan MacLennan’s Timeline
500AD-Origins of the MacLennan Clan
1200-Maclennan’s ancestry can be traced back to 1263 and was occupying the Eilean Donan Castle at this time.
1400-Battle of Kessock between the Logan’s and the Frasers.
1645-MacLennans and MacKenzies allies in the civil war,(Jacobite Risings).
1715-MacLennans battle to put Prince Charles on the British throne.
1719-Eilean Donan (MacLennan’s Castle), destroyed by the British.
1786-My Great, Great, Great Grandfather is born Kenneth MacLennan
1836-My Great, Great Grandfather James MacLennan is born in Achility in the Contin Parish ( A parish is bound to a certain church).
1846-Year of the potato crop failures, times are very hard.
1880-My Great Grandfather James David MacLennan is born in Dingwall Scotland.
1881-My Great, Great Grandfather James MacLennan, is working as a sheriff clerk in Dingwall Scotland.
1885- My Great Grandmother Susan Batley (MacLennan) is born in Scotland.
1896-James.D.MacLennan attended law school in Scotland.
1902-Christina (Fraser) MacLennan (James D MacLennan’s mother), dies on July 21, 1902, and on Dec. 18, 1902 James D. MacLennan comes to Canada.
1903-James.D.MacLennan works with a law firm in Kamloops, he also works for the McLeod’s getting farming experience on a ranch near Kamloops. He then heads up the North Thompson and Homesteads in the Raft River valley.
1905-Susan Batley and George Gair are married at Conon Bridge, Scotland.
1906-Dorothy Gair is born, daughter of Susan Batley and George Gair (Susan’s first husband).
1906-James goes back to Scotland with intentions to marry his girlfriend Susan Batley.
1909-James.D.MacLennan sails back to Canada, with Susan Batley.
1909-James D. MacLennan and Susan Batley are married in Kamloops B.C. and in this same year their first baby, Marjorie MacLennan is born.
1910-James.D MacLennan is appointed Justice of the Peace
1911-James.Warrington.Maclennan is born premature at Raft River. He is the first white boy to be born in the Clearwater area.
1912-Daisy MacLennan is born.
1913-A bridge is built over the Raft River and James D. MacLennan’s brother John MacLennan visits from Scotland.
1914-World War 1 starts. John MacLennan enlists and is killed in the war.
1918-World War 1 ends and the Spanish Flu Epidemic starts.
1918-James MacLennan (James D. MacLennan’s father), dies in Dingwall, Scotland. Was he a victim of the Spanish flu?
1919- Raft River’s new school opens and James & Susan D. MacLennan’s children attend.
1920-Mr and Mrs. James D. MacLennan had their 5th and last child Eva
1925-James David MacLennan becomes ill and his only son James. W. Maclennan quits school to take over farming the homesteaded
1928-James D. and Susan MacLennan’s house burns down.
1930-Great Depression strikes and times are tough, Susan MacLennan cannot pay the taxes on the MacLennan property, and it goes back to the government.
1938-James W. MacLennan and Isabel (Moss) MacLennan are married and have six children their names and birth date follow.
1939-James & Isabel first child Margaret Elizabeth (Peggy Sloan) MacLennan is born.
1943-Glenna Jean (Jensen) MacLennan is born
1945-Judith Susan Isabel MacLennan is Born
1949-Warrington James MacLennan is born
1953-Lynda Louise MacLennan is born.
1955-Susan (Batley) MacLennan dies
1960-Mary Heather MacLennan is born.
1965-James W. MacLennan learns of his half sister (Dorothy Gair), in Scotland.
1966 to 1973 James W. MacLennan’s children, Jeanie, Warren and Lynda travel to Scotland, (all at different times), to visit James’s half sister, (Dorothy), in Scotland).
1969- Ronald George MacLennan declared his intention to claim the position of MacLennan Chief.
1974-James W. MacLennan hands over the farming business to his son Warrington James MacLennan and to this day, he still resides there.
1988-Dorothy (Johnson) Gair dies. (Susan MacLennan’s, daughter she left behind in Scotland.
1989-Clan Chief Ronald George MacLennan dies and his 12-year-old son, Ruairidh Donald George MacLennan becomes Clan MacLennan’s new chief.
1997-James Warrington MacLennan dies.
2002-Isabel (Moss) MacLennan dies.
2003-Jeanie, Judy, Warren, Lynda, and Mary MacLennan (James Warrington’s children), travel to Scotland together to seek out their family history and genealogy.
2008-Present day-The MacLennan family and Homestead thrives and the MacLennan legacy continues.
Clan MacLennan, also known as Siol Ghillinnein, is a Highland Scottish clan, which historically populated lands in the north-west of Scotland. The surname MacLennan in Scottish Gaelic is Mac Gille Fhinnein meaning the son of the follower of St Finnan. The word Clan or (Clann) in Gaelic means children of family.
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