1. ALEXANDER MCCONNELL, b. 1673 in Dumfries, Galloway, Scotland,(son of _____ McConnell and Unknown) d. May 1729 in Octorara Creek, Chester Co., PA.
To date there are seven McConnells with matching DNA, all descendants of Alexander McConnell.
According to a DNA analysis described on the website Clan Donald USA, we know our male ancestors are direct male descendants of Somerled, the progenitor of the MacDonald Clan.Somerled died at the Battle of Renfrew in Western Scotland in 1166.When he died he and his Clan had taken control of much of Northern Ireland and Western Scotland and had driven the Vikings out of those areas.This land and his descendants formed the MacDonald Clan which became the most powerful Clan in Scotland.Somerled's ancestors were Norse Vikings and his second wife, Ragnald, was the daughter of a Norse King and a cousin of William the Conqueror.Several generations of his ancestors are known and they were kings very much involved in Scotland's many battles.It is believed that an early Scottish king, Kenneth MacAlpin, gained control of Scotland with the assistance of Somerled's Norse ancestors.
Per "A Brief Sketch of the McConnell Family,"
McConnells in America
From the Battle of Bothwell Brig to the beginning of the eighteenth century, there is practically nothing known except that the name [McConnell] continued, probably most prominently in Galloway [Scotland].Some of these persecuted Scots came to Pennsylvania about the year 1700, but those who entered this region by invitation came in the year 1715.
They with others came by invitation in 1715, of the First Proprietor, and located on Chikis Creek, Donigal Township, along the Otorora in Sadsbury and Drumore Township and in Colerain Township in what was then Chester County, but which on May 10, 1729, became part of Lancaster County.
In 1720 they established in Sadsbury Township what later became known as Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church, which served Drumore Township as well.(This church is still in existence and is listed in the minutes of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church.)These settlers were all Presbyterians or perhaps Covenanters, and the old church built in 1769 is maintained as a shrine for the descendants of those early parishioners.
The McConnells were among the earliest settlers along the Octorara.The first mention of the McConnell name is to be found in the minute book of Property I, Volume XIX of the second series of the Pennsylvania archives in which there is the following entry:"2/2mo/1723 Abraham Emmet recommends Alexander Miller, Alex'r McConnell and John Scott as sober industrious persons who request about 3 or 400 acres for settlement near Octorara Creek adjoining Tho. Reid."This is the first mention of the founder of the branch of McConnells we are interested in, that we find in any public records in America.
We do not know when he came to this country.Tradition has it that he came from the vicinity of Dumfries, Scotland, and the branch of the McConnells he came from had merged with the Gordons:Galloway which is near Dumfries is where we findMcConnells merged with Gordons, and it is likely he came from Galloway.
He did not live long after the entry of the minute in the Book of Property, and unfortunately for the historian, he died intestate.Among the Chester County's Orphans Court, records in administration, Docket 1, page 104, we find it noted that on May 19, 1729, in the estate of Alexander McConnell, letters of administration were granted to Elizabeth McConnell, who was probably his wife, upon entering bonds in the sum of 100 pounds with Adam McConnell, probably the son, and Holden McGee as sureties.Having no will we have no record of the names of the children.Tradition, however, tells us that among them were Alexander, John, James, William, Adam and probably Thomas. He married Elizabeth _____, married 1692,b. in Dumfries, Galloway, Scotland, d. AFT 1729 in Octorara Creek, Chester Co., PA.
Children:
i. John McConnell b. 1693.
ii. Alexander McConnell b. 1695.
iii. Adam McConnell b. 1709.
2. iv. WILLIAM MCCONNELL b. Cir 1722.
v. James McConnell, d. 1764 in Salisbury, Rowan Co., VA.
http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mcconnell/2963/
