Person:Patrick MacGregor (1)

A Letter from the 23rd Clan Chief Published in McGehee Descendants* Volume I

LIEUTENANT COLONEL SIR GREGOR MacGREGOR OF MacGREGOR, BART. SCOTS GUARDS

BRITISH LIAISON OFFICER UNITED STATES ARMY INFANTRY CENTER Fort Benning, Georgia 31905 404/545-3434

2nd February 1970

Dear Mrs. Nilan,

Thank you for your very interesting letter. I much enjoyed meeting and talking with your husband at the dinner of the Military Order of World Wars.

I, of course, know most of the names in the genealogical sheet that you enclosed. I have very few books of reference with me but from what I have been able to check out it would appear that the researcher who produced the sheet made one very major mistake and a number of minor ones. My comments are as follows:

11. Hugh MacDonald was a younger son and therefore could not have been referred, nor was he “of the Isles.” He became the first Chieftain of SLEAT (note the spelling) in the Island of Skye.

12. Donald Galloch 3rd of Sleat (his elder brother having died without issue).

13. Donald Grumach 4th of Sleat

14. Donald Gorm 5th of Sleat

15. Donald Gormeson 6th of Sleat

16. Archibald MacDonald, “The Clerk,” was the second son and to the best of my knowledge (which is limited) had nothing to do with Slate in Co. Antrim, Ireland at this time.

17. Sir Donald MacDonald of SLEAT, 1st Baronet.

18. Sir James MacDonald of Sleat, 2nd Baronet, had the following children:

     Donald, 3rd Br.
     Roderick
     Hugh
     Somerled
     Katherine
     Florence       but no Marian!

John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, descended from Hugh’s (no. 11) elder brother and same generation as Donald Gormeson (no. 15), surrendered the Lordship of the Isles to the Scottish King in 1494 since when it has been one of the titles of the King’s eldest son. Thus, Donald Gorm could have no claim to the Lordship of the Isles nor could his descendants.

Sir Alexander MacDonald of Sleat 9th Baronet, was created 1st. Lord MacDonald of SLATE County Antrim in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776, some hundred years and three generations later.

There seems to be some confusion in the author’s mind about Patrick MacGregor. There were, in fact, two Patricks living at this time who were distant cousins. The first was Patrick MacGregor of that Ilk, 13th Chief of Clan Gregor, led his Clan under Montrose in 1644 and fought at the battles of Inverlochy and Kilsyth in 1645. This Patrick has nothing to do with your family tree.

The other was Patrick MacGregor of Ardchoille (called Aberach after his father) Chieftain of the Children of the Mist and is also said to have fought under Montrose at Kilsyth in 1645. He would, of course, have been subordinate to the other Patrick who was his Chief. He married Marian MacDonald of Auchatrichatan in Glencoe member of the family of the MacDonalds of Glencoe and, perhaps, a distant relative of the MacDonalds of Sleat. By her, with other children, he had two sons — Iain, his heir, and James who settled in Virginia and was your ancestor. I am directly descended from his elder brother, Iain, as a matter of interest.

In the latter half of the 16th Century this branch of the Clan led such wild and hunted lives in the misty mountains that they became known as MacEagh or “Sons of the Mist.” It may be that it is from this Gaelic patronym that James MacGregor took the name MacGehee.

I am afraid this is a rather long and rambling reply but I hope it may prove of some assistance to you. As I said earlier I have practically no reference books with me and so cannot check things out in detail.

Yours sincerely,

Gregor MacGregor of MacGregor

   *The three volumes of McGehee Descendants can be purchased by sending a check or money order to Jane Grider, 383 Third Ave., Winder, GA 30680. Volume I and II each cost $50, and Volume III costs $80. 

Sir Gregor (1925-2003) was Chief of Clan Gregor for some 44 years before his death March 30, 2003 in Dundee, Scotland. He was succeeded by his son, now 24th Chief, Major Sir Malcolm MacGregor.

Mrs. Leonora Woodall Nilan was the sister of Ethel Grider, author of McGehee Descendants, and the aunt of Jane Grider who is now developing Volume 4.