Donald McLaurin Testament 1686

 The Testament of Donald McLaurin - 1686

This Testament links the 'Lorn to Carolinas McLaurins' to the 'Edinburgh MacLaurins' through Drumurch in north Glenaray, not far from Dalmally where Duncan McLaren MP's Memorial is located, whose family is from the Isle of Lismore. There are numerous McLaurin families living in nearby Stronmagachan and to the east in nearby Strath of Orchy, according to parish records.

The Cautioneer (Executor) is Hew McLaurin from Drumurch, John MacLaurin who became clan chief in 1781 cites in his Petition to the Lyon Court that his ancestor Donald MacLaurin Esq. married Katherine MacArthur of Drumurch. They lived at the same time period as Hew McLaurin in the Testament.

An interesting entry in Donald McLaurin's Testament from 1686 two years after his death in 1684, are his utensils and armour, indicating that he was an armed gentleman a 'daoine uasile'.

Donald lived in Coire Bliochdaig (where cows were want to be milked), what I would describe as a Draw on the High Plains. It runs south out of Glenure on the Canmore.org map. It is my opinion that John McClaurin D. 1687 a relative of Donald's who also lived in Coire Bliochdaig is the ancestor of most of the Richmond County, NC (Laurinburg and Red Bluff) McLaurins.

Testament Dative and Inventar of the Goods of Donald McLaurin, 1686

Reference CC2/3/3

Testament Donald M^cLaurin

The Testament dative and Inventar of the gods and geir pertaining to the deceist Donald M^cLaurin in Carivlekag within the parochen of Balliboydan & diocis of Argyll the tyme of her his deceise, who deceist in the moneth of No[vembe]r 1684,

Faithfuly made and given up be Neill M^cLaurin his broy^r in name of Mary M^cLaurin, only child & exe[cut]rix dative decerned to the s[ai]d deceist Donald M^cLaurin her fay^r,

As ane act made y^ranent of the dait of thir p[rese]nts in itself at more length bear[es]

Inventar

Imprimis the said defunct had pertaining to him the tyme of his deceise the goods and geir underwri[tte]n of the availl[es] and pryces par[ticular]lie following, To witt,

Twelve great Cowes price piece £13 6s 8d inde £160,

Item four tuo yeir olds price £24,

Item four stirks price £12,

Item fourtie sheep and goat[es] price £53 6s 8d,

Item ane mare, ane horse and thre follower[es] price £26 13s 4d,

Item ane boll meall and thre boll[es] oat[es] price £11 6s 8d,

Item the utencil[es] and Armour est[imated] to £13 6s 8d.

Summa Inventarii £300 – 13 – 4

No debt[es] to

Debt[es] be

Item y^r was Resting be the s[ai]d defunct the tyme fors[ai]d,

To her M[aste]r of Rent £29 6s 8d,

Item of Teynd[es] and viccarage £3 6s 8d,

Item of servant[es] fies 46s 8d,

Item allowed of Funerall charges £6 13s 4d.

Testament Dative and Inventar of the Goods of Donald McLaurin, 1686

Reference CC2/3/3

Su[m]ma debt[es] be £41 – 13 – 4

which deduced Remaines £259 – 0 – 0

Dead[es] p[ar]t is £129 – 10 – 0

Confirmatio

I, John M^cLean, Co[m]miss[a]r Deput of Argyll, doe Ratifie, approve and Confirme the Testament dative and Inventar of the goods and geir abovewri[tte]n and decerne and Confirme the said Mary M^cLaurin exe[cut]rix dative to the s[ai]d deceist Donald M^cLaurin her fay^r,

And give and Committ to the s[ai]d Neill M^cLaurin her uncle, for her, in her name & behalf, and to her use & behove, full power to Intromet &c,

And if need bees to Call &c in Co[mmun]i fo[rm]a,

Becaus the said Neill hes maid faith & found Hew M^cLaurin in Drumurch Cau[tione]r for him that the goods and geir abovewri[tte]n shall be made forthcomeing to all parties havand Intrest as accords.

In witnes q^rof thir p[rese]nts sub[scribe]d by me at Ardchattan, the Tuelth day of No[vembe]r 1686 yeirs

Corrieblicaik (where cows arer wont to be milked), Balleodan Parish lower Glen Creran.

McLerans are they McLaurins and McLarens, preliminary notes

The MacLerans

Are they the same as McLarens and McLaurins, the surnames interchangeable in Scotland and America is often the case, as shown below.

“The word learan is not in any dictionary. What could it mean? The answer is pretty simple: ‘shipwrecked mariner’, ‘human flotsam’. Lear is a common poetic word for the sea. Shakespeare picked it up as ‘King

Lear’, the sea-god Manannan being Manannan mac Lir ‘Manannan son of Lear’, that is, ‘the son of the Sea’.“

“The evidence from the north points to an eponymous Leadharan or Leadhran who may or may not have been a saint. Given Moss’s information, a derivation from some word or name connected with ‘leather, hide’ would be highly appealing. Gaelic leathar would not supply it, but its Welsh/?Pictish and Norse cognates lledr and leðr would.10 Moss said that MacLerans had migrated from an original homeland in upper Glengarry to Rannoch, the Aird (of Lovat) and Lewis; Matheson found them in Lewis, Glengarry,

Tiree, Knapdale and Kintyre, and was able to establish a connection between those of Lewis and Glengarry. It seems likely, then, that those of Tiree, Knapdale and Kintyre were MacLerans of a different kind from those of the north. “ Ronnie Black, “The MacLerans”, published in the West Highland Notes & Queries, Series 3, Number 18, Jan 2012 pages 3–17.

John MacLaurin Lord Dreghorn’s 1781 Matriculation of chiefly arms, gives his kindreds origin as Tiree, where in 1541 we find McCleruns living at Cornekmoir/Cornaigmore. Notice the index has them as M’Laren in this 1878 publication of “Rotuli scaccarii regum Scotorum“, The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Vol. 17.

I have not found a better description of the McLerrans/McLaurins or McLarens than the following by Rev. William Matheson in 1986..

“In N&Q ser. 1, no. 28, March 1986, 15–16, Alastair Campbell of Airds told a story about how some MacLeans at Southend in Kintyre added an ‘r’ to their name to conceal their identity. This produced a magisterial response on the MacLerans by the late Rev. William Matheson (ser. 1, no. 29, August 1986, 21–26). Mr Matheson modestly omitted reference to one his own books, in which he had spoken of Fionnlagh Mac Gille Eadharain, ‘chieftain of the clan of that name’, in North Galson, Ness, Lewis, c. 1600.1 In his article he judiciously turned his words ‘chieftain of the clan of that name’ into ‘the head of the tribe’ and ‘tacksman of Galson’, and went out of his way to portray the MacLerans as belonging to a large sub-aristocratic social class which does not figure on clan maps and which is ‘dispersed all over the land from north to south and east to west, bearing their own ancient surnames’. “ Ronnie Black, “The MacLerans”, published in the West Highland Notes & Queries, Series 3, Number 18, Jan 2012 pages 3–17.

In this passage we find McLerans in Cameron country. We know from marriages and the Testament of Dr. Lauchlin McLaurin that McLaurins, Locheil, Auchnaba and Fassfern Camerons were closely tied. Loch Arkaig is about 40 miles due north of Duror and Appin where many McLearens/McLaurins lived.

“I can point to various sources which use the latter formation. One is George Moss, a native of Strathglass, writing about the MacLerans in 1965.

Is e fuaim “MacLèran” a bha againn an Siorrachd Inbhir-Nis, an coitchinne, aig dùthchasaich a labhair gu nàdurra . . . Faodar bith . . . gu robh am fuaim sin “MacLèran” againne, a’ riochdachadh an ainme “Mac Leadhrain” . . . Bha Clann Leadhair (Leadhra, Leadhrain) mu na gleannain bheaga uaigneach eadar Loch Airceig agus ceann siar Glinne Garadh. Meirlich chruidh a bu deach an Albainn; cliù àrd e sin agus Clann

Mhaoilein is Clann a Phì a bhith ann. B’i fo-fhine bha annta gun fearann aca féin a bu leò féin. Le bha iad ’nan còmhnaidh mu na crìochan a bha fo dheasbud eadar Mac Dhomhnaill Duibh, triath nan Camaronach, agus Mac Mhic Alasdair, triath nan Domhnallach á Gleann Garadh, theirte gu robh iad ’nan Camaronaich nuair a ruigeadh maor Mhic Mhic Alasdair orra, is e ag iarraidh na càna bu dìr do uachdaran; ach gu robh iad ’nan Domhnallaich dar a chaidh maor Mhic Dhomhnaill Duibh ’gan

ruigsinn. B’e “Domhnallach” a bha air gach gin aca a shìob gu cearnan eile – Raineach, Bràigh na h-Aird, Leódhus, e.c.7

(“Our usual pronunciation in Inverness-shire, that of natives speaking naturally, was ‘MacLèran’, that is, ‘MacLeran’ with long ‘e’ . . . It may be . . . that it reflected the name Mac Leadhrain . . . Clann Leadhair

(Leadhra, Leadhrain) were scattered around the remote little glens between Loch Arkaig and the western end of Glen Garry. The worst cattle thieves in Scotland; quite a reputation, given the presence of MacMillans and MacPhees. They were a sept with no land of their own. Living as they did in the disputed frontier lands between Lochiel’s and Glengarry’s, they claimed to be Camerons when Glengarry’s groundofficer reached them in pursuit of the tribute due to a landlord, but to be MacDonalds when Lochiel’s ground-officer arrived. ‘MacDonald’ was the name used by all of them who drifted off to other districts – Rannoch, the braes of the Aird, Lewis, etc.”)” Ronnie Black, “The MacLerans”, published in the West Highland Notes & Queries, Series 3, Number 18, Jan 2012 pages 3–17.

The name Laurence appears in the Clann Mhic Leadhrainn section of MS: 1467. (http://www.1467manuscript.co.uk/) Ronnie and Mairi Black provide the following transcription from the manuscript. I added the far right column with known contemporaneous MacLaurins.

TIMETABLE

MS: 1467 Leadhrainn/MacLeran/MacLerran AD Labhrainn/MacLaurin/MacLaren

Mhic ìle (Lords of the Sea) 950

Mhic mainne (common Gaelic name) 980

Mhic baltair (Walter, Norse and Norman) 1010

Mhic tormoid (Norse) 1040

Mhic lamrainn .g. (Laurence) 1070

Mhic eoghain  (John) 1100

Mhic tormoid (Norse) 1130

Mhic murchaidh (Murdoch) 1160

Mhic conbethad (Hound of Life, uncommon) 1190

Mhic tormoid (Norse) 1220

Mhic mainne/magnuis (common Gaelic name) 1250 Bishop Laurence de Ergadia (Argyll), Lismore

Mhic arailt (Harold) 1280

Mhic eogainn (John) 1310

Mhic gillapadraige barra (Patrick, Barr) 1340 Vicar Laurencius, Kilmartin, Glassary 1355

mac cormaig (common name) 1370

gillapadraic (Patrick) 1400

1420 Vicar Labhrainn, Kilbodan, Ardchattan 1420

1436 Vicar Dubhghall macGhille-Chrìost Mhic Labhruinn, Kilmichael, near Kilmartin, not the one in Kintyre

1446-1497 Dougall MacLaurin, Ardveich, Appin

1455 - Coule V’Lauran

"As you see, this places Laurence of the MacLeran pedigree at c. 1070. He probably knew King Macbeth personally." (Ronald Black, 2016) 

John and Patrick are common 16^th century MacLaurin names. The name Walter is found in the 1559 ClanLawren Bond to Campbell of Glenurchy.

There are three possible locations for Barra, the most likely for Mhic gillapadraige circa 1340, is Barrs on the north shore of Loch Etive, two miles north of Cadderlie, where MacLaurins are known to have lived. This was also the home of Dugald Campbell of Bairres, who was Cautioneer for John McLaurin in Coire Bliochdaig’s Testament in 1694. There is a Barr, Morvern northwest of Lismore and a Barr, west Kintyre home of the MacAlister Clan, the territory of Lorn lies between the two.

After 40 years of MacLaurin family history research, I can confidentially say that each and every MacLaren or McLaurin has at one time or another had his or her historical name spelled MacLeran/McLerran or another variant. Or the reverse is also true, there were McLerrans who changed the spelling to McLaurin in the 1840's, Carolinas of the US. I am 50/50 that this is actually a MacLaurin of Lorn genealogy, and that Dubhghall Albanach mac Mhic Cathail the scribe, spelled the surname the way it sounded to his ear.

The MacSorleys are in MS:1467 Just like the they are in the 1509 Appin Decress

Acharr, Appin

Abroad John Mclarine and Donald Mclarine. List of Heretors Tennants Servants and Cottars that are at home and of those that are abroad in the Present Rebellion out of the Country of Appine and Glencoe Those at home in the Ten pound land of Airds only excepted. 3 May 1746

In 1755 a Letter of Complaint signed at Duror by Donald McLearin of Acharr a Culloden survivor. Extracts from “Journal of the MacColl Society” or “Cuairtear Chloinn Cholla” July & August 1969

In 1775 these men emigrated to North Carolina from Acharr Larran McLarran,Duncan McLarran and Daniel/Donald McLarran Jupiter of Lorne

Barcaldine

In 1797 Neil McLeran at Acharr, Appin paid a horse tax.

Richmond Co. NC

1792 - 1793 RICHMOND COUNTY SHERIFF’S TAX BOOK

Hugh McLearan X-046 Near the others in 1790 Census

War of 1812

Ninth Company, detached from Anson Co. Regiment 

Daniel McLeran - Daniel McLaurin (L-aad)

Neil McLeran - Neil McLaurin (L-aab) was granted 250 acres on the n. Side of Mill Creek beginning at a pine in 1810

Glenure

Between 1747 and 1772 Colin McLeran served Robert Campbell of Glenure later of Barcaldine. In 1746 Euan Bane McLearan servant to Duncan Canpbell Barcaldine’s Brother, Duncan McLearan his other servant, John McLearan Brother to Duncan, an idle man

Breadalbane

In 1703 Duncan Toshach of Monzievaird sends a letter to Breadalbane containg the Glenlednock Bonds and telling the recepient may dismiss Duncan McLeran if he pleases, but they had all better all come down to Taymouth (?).

McLerans, McLerrans that became McLaurins by 1830

McLerran 1739, Bladen Co NC, John McLerran (J)

Mclarine 3 May 1746 Dougal Stewarts Saltoun 'List of Heretors Tennants Servants and Cottars" Appin

SAME PEOPLE

McLearan 6 July 1746 Campbell of Stonefield 'List of persons within the parish of Lismore and Appin"

McLerran 1790 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

Hugh McLerran, Jr (G) G kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLerran Jr (B-bd) B kin-group Richmond Co.

John McLerran, Sr (J-bc) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

John McLerran, Jr (J-bca) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

McLerran 1793 - 1800 Richmond County Deeds of above Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

McLeran 1800 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of McLaurin above Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

Hugh McLaurin, Jr (G) G kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLarrin (B-bd) B kin-group Richmond Co.

John McLeran (J-bca) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

John McLaurin (B-bc) B kin-group Marlboro Co.

Duncan McLeran (J-bcb) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

McLerran 1810 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of McLaurin above Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

McLeran Hugh McLaurin(G) G kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLaurin, Major (B-bd) B kin-group Richmond Co.

John McLerran (J-bca) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

John McLeran (B-bc) B kin-group Marlboro Co.

Duncan McLerran (J-bcb) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Daniel McLerran (J-bcc) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

McLerran 1820 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of McLauren above Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

McLaurin Angus McLauren (G-d) G kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLauren (B-bd) B kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLeran (J-bcb) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

John McLerran (J-bca) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Lauchlin McLaurin (B-bb) B kin-group Marlboro Co.

McLaurin 1830 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of  McLaren Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

Angus McLaurin (G-d) G kin-group Richmond Co.

Duncan McLaurin (B-bd) B kin-group Richmond Co.

John McLaurin (J-bcad) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Duncan McLaurin (J-bcb) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Neil McLaurin (J-bc-) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Hugh C. McLaurin (B-bbb) B kin-group Marlboro Co.

Duncan McLaren (L-aag) Anson Co. NC

Daniel McLaren (L-aad) Anson Co. NC

McClarin 1837 John McClarin (L-aac) Kemper Co. MS

McLaurin 1840 US Census, Richmond County North Carolina of

McLeran above Appin 1746 emigrants and descendants

Angus McLaurin (G-d) G kin-group Richmond Co.

John McLeran (J-bcad) J kin-group Cumberland Co.

Hugh C. McLaurin (B-bbb) B kin-group Marlboro Co.

John McLaurin (L-aac) Kemper Co. MS

Duncan McLaurin (L-aag) Anson Co. NC

The McLaurin Railroad aka 'The Wilmington, Charlotte, and Rutherfordton Railroad Company' of North Carolina

"In 1855 before the counties along the NC/SC State line were successful in getting a charter for an east-west railroad. The Wilmington, Charlotte, and Rutherfordton Railroad would connect Wilmington and Charlotte via Lumberton, Laurinburg, Rockingham, Wadesboro and Monroe. ....The first train left Wilmington on July 5, 1860, and went fifty miles to Bladenboro in Bladen County. Lauchlin A. McLaurin of Scotland County was the first conductor on the eastern end of the road....."  G-cdb -Lauchlin A. McLaurin of Robeson Co., NC was later a captain in the CSA.

Commissioners for creating stock for the railroad company were appointed:

F-ad -Duncan McLaurin - 1787-1869, NC Legislator, Head of the School Board the Laurinburg School District which was named after him.

B-big -John Laurin Fairly 1805-1862 - married G-dg -Margaret McLaurin 1827-1911, see below:

Dr. John Malloy - In the early 1850's, Dr. Malloy, Dr. Robert D. Dickson and others purchased lands for the Laurinburg High School. Dr. Dickson was married to B-cad-c -Mary McLaurin 1825-1879,

John Fairley - married Nancy McNair 1813-1860 the widow of B-cbf -Lauchlin McLaurin 17__ - 1842/50,

John Gilchrist, Jr. - I think he later went to Mississippi,

Daniel C. McIntyre - Nephew of B-aaa -Hurricane Daniel McLaurin 1774-1838 and Catherine McIntyre daughter of Donald/Daniel McIntyre,

Daniel McKinnon - His father Daniel McKinnon who died in 1825, Donald/Daniel Sr. appears in the 1790 Richmond Co. census with a wife 1 son and 3 daughters. In the census Daniel is just above John McLerran and below F-a -John McLaurence on page 178. He also appears in 1779 and 1792/93 Richmond Co. tax records..

Matthew W. McNair - The son of "Major" Daniel McNair and B-bic -Margaret Fairly daughter of Alexander Fairly and B-bi -Effie McLaurin 1765-1831,

and Rev. Thomas Gibson - 

More About John Laurin Fairly:

Burial: Jim Walter McLaurin Farm between Hasty and Johns, NC

Children of B-big -John Laurin Fairly 1805-1862 and G-dg -Margaret McLaurin 1820-1869 are:

i. B-big-a -Eliza Jane Fairly, b. Abt. 1838.

ii. B-big-bi -Ann Fairly, b. Abt. 1840.

iii. B-big-c -Alexander Archibald Fairly, b. Abt. 1842.

iv. B-big-d -Catherine 'Kate' Fairly, b. Abt. 1844; d. February 20, 1881, probably Lampasas County,Texas.

v. B-big-e -Mary James Fairly, b. Abt. 1849; d. Bef. January 1890; m. Milton McIntyre

vi. B-big-f -Angus McLaurin Fairly, b. Abt. 1853.

vii. B-big-g -Frances Letitia Fairly, b. September 23, 1855; d. Bef. December 1878.

viii. B-big-h -Margaret Fairly, b. Abt. 1856; d. Bef. December 1878.

ix. B-big-i -Eugenie Fairly, b. Abt. 1857; d. July 30, 1878.

In 1869 following the Civil War a re-organization of the Rail Road Company was necessary, stockholder meetings where held in Charlotte and Wilmington, NC. By this date there were no McLaurin Directors, they were still stockholders though. From the report the Post Office and War Department appear to be significant customers.

In the balance sheet report from 1869:

B-cb?-? -L. A. McLaurin owed $4,007.26, likely son or nephew of B-cbe -James Cameron McLaurin

B-cb?-? -D. M. McLaurin owed $8,639.98, likely son or nephew of B-cbe -James Cameron McLaurin

Michael S. Cronly credit $1,800.00, the husband of B-cad-d -Margaret McLaurin sister of B-cad-c -Mary McLaurin above

B-cbe -James Cameron McLaurin owed $198.68, b. 1803 d.1888

NOTES by Rex McLaurin

Dr. Robert Dickson was a son of James Dickson, a native of Ireland and Anna McCall of Scotland. The celebrated Dr. James Dickson of Wilmington was a brother; and Joseph Medill, who founded the Chicago Interocean and became such a power in Republican politics was his first cousin.

Michael Cronly was the only child of James and Sallie Taylor Cronly of New York city. His parents dying, he was brought up by his uncle, Mr. John A. Taylor of Wilmington. The children are Jane Murphy, Sallie, Taylor, Joseph Murphy, William, (the last four now living) Michael, Douglas, Robert, Dickson, Margaret and Mary Dickson.

Margaret McLaurin  was born on 27 Sep 1827 in Wilmington, New Hanover Co., NC. She died on 02 Jan 1911 in Wilmington, New Hanover Co., NC. She married Michael S. Cronly, son of James Cronly and Sallie Taylor, on 13 Jun 1848 in Michael S. Cronly, son of James Cronly and Sallie Taylor, on 13 Jun 1848 in Wilmington, New Hanover Co., NC. He was born on 24 Apr 1826 in NY. He died on 06 Feb 1898 in Wilmington, New Hanover Co., NC. "Descendants of Duncan McLaurin Born in 1740 in Scotland, Died in 1828 in Lauren Hill, Richmond Co., NC" by Rex McLaurin

Sources:

'Scotland County Emerging' - Joyce M. Gibson

Family identifiers and information Banks McLaurin Jr.

Rex McLaurin of the B-ca family group

LINKS
https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofsto00wilm

https://www.carolana.com/NC/Transportation/railroads/nc_rrs_wilmington_charlotte_rutherford.html

http://www.brevardstation.com/1800e.html

Hilton McLaurin, July 29, 2019

Who are the Argyll McLaurins?

The McLaurins and McLarens from the Isle of Tiree, Appin and Ardchattan parishes in Argyll are not Balquhidder or Strathearn MacLarens according to the Lyon Court, YDNA and the historical record. 

The Argyll McLaurins did not come from Balquhidder as supporters of Dougal McLaurin of Ardveich, Strathearn in the mid 1400s, who later became Dougal Stewart of Appin I. A story that is found in many Scottish history books, it is the other way around.

Dougal McLaurin was actually raised on the shores of Loch Etive, Benderloch, Argyll just a few miles east of Dunstaffange Castle the residence of his father Sir John Stewart of Lorn, Benderloch, where his ancestors had lived for hundreds of years, since the time of the Dalriadic Cénel Loairn. The similarity in Loairn to Laurin is a coincidence, one does not come from the other. Loch Etive is also from where, in the 1790s, several Appin and Benderloch McLaurins left for North Carolina on the ship Mary Ann.

John MacLaurin, Lord Dreghorn, undifferenced chiefly arms 1781

Artwork by William Semple in The Scottish Tartans 1966 Ed., with Sir Thomas Innes of Learney 

BEARS Argent a Sheepherds Crook Sable.
St. Columba's staff, now in the possessesion of Livingstone of Bachuill.
CREST  a Lady from the middle upwards issuing out of the Wreath in her arms a Child both proper and habited Vert
MOTTO Bi'se mac ant' Slaurie (son of the hearth hook)
SUPPORTERS two Tritons proper
Matriculated 6th of October 1781."

"In granting him [Major Donald MacLaren] the appropriate arms, with supporters, the Lord Lyon makes a distinction between the MacLarens of Balquhidder and Strathearn, and the MacLarens [MacLaurins] of Tiree, whose arms and descent are, his Lordship holds, those of a different race" Sir Thomas Innes of Learney 1957

Sir Thomas Innes of Learney is the Lord Lyon who awarded Major Donald Maclaren the Chiefship of the Balquhidder and Strathearn MacLarens in 1958. This means the current Chief Donald MacLaren of MacLaren and Auchleskine has over reached his authority by claiming that Argyll McLaurins and McLarens are members his clan, which we are not. According to legal documents that would withstand judicial review the Carolina McLaurins are the same as the Tiree MacLarens described above by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney.

And more recently

"As you descend from the Tiree Maclaurins I can see no reason why you should not use a  crest badge taken from the crest and motto of that Maclaurin recording but, of course, no-one has made up title to these arms last recorded in 1781 and thus this branch has had no recognised chief for nearly 250 years.

Yours sincerely

Elizabeth Roads"

Mrs. Christopher Roads, LVO, FSA.,
Snawdoun Herald,
Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records,
Court of the Lord Lyon,
HM New Register House,
Edinburgh, EH1 3YT

By definition of the Court of the Lord Lyon Clan McLaurin is an armigerous clan. An armigerous clan is a Scottish clan, family or name which is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and once had a chief who bore undifferenced arms, but does not have a chief currently recognized as such by Lyon Court.

YDNA

The chart below is taken from the Scottish DNA Project https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/scottishdna/dnaresults

webpage, which shows that there are many, many men with a wide variety of surnames that are closely related according to their STR Markers. Since the percentage of illegitimate children in Scotland of centuries past was so high, some scholars estimate as high as 40% were ‘natural’ and not ‘germain’ children. The result is that there are a lot of closely related men with different surnames.

The majority of Argyll McLaurins have a DYS-576 Marker value of 17, the last column on the far right. The majority of Balquhidder and Loch Tay McLarens have a DYS-576 marker value of 18, and a few 19's.

The Historical Record

Three branches using a form of 'son of Laurance' by the mid 1500's

In 1470 the Lordship of Lorne, where the soon to be called 'McLaurin or son of Laurence' ecclesiastical families had lived for centuries was divided by Colin M’Gilleasbaig M’Conochy Campbell, first Earl of Argyll between Dougal M’Iain M’ Robert Stewart of Appin I and Colin M’Conochy Campbell of Glenorchy I, this declaration, divided the family Labhruinn's territory and eliminated many of the MacDougal holdings in Appin and parts of Ardchattan.

In the early and mid 1500's many Argyll McLaurin families were induced to move into Perthshire, with most living on the Tay River from Strathfillan then northeast to Atholl. A few families were placed as tenants in Balquhidder by their Campbell chief the Earl of Argyll.

It was Grey Colin Campbell of Glenurchy who first assigned the Makolcallums’ as part of the kin-group he described as V’Lauranes in a 1559 Bond of Manrent. Because of Glenorchy, we have a fairly complete four generation genealogy of McLaurin men contained in three Clanlawren Bonds of Manrent. The 1559 bond contains the descendants of the first McLaurins to arrive in Balquhidder in 1512 and others that followed all probably closely related.

The first McLaren arrives in Balquhidder in 1512. Malcolm M’Olcallum V’Laurane settled at Invernenty, Balquhidder in 1512 along with four MacIntires who are also from Lorn. It appears that Malcolm Maklawryn and Gilbert Makyntyr are paying a reduced rate for the woodlands which other tenants have the right to use without destruction. A forest conservation program in place by the Campbells. The Clann Dubhghaill Cheire MacGregour’s also lived at Invernenty and nearby Drumlich, the two families would intermarry frequently, but there were problems, the MacGregors attempted to displace Invernenty MacLaurins with violence and perhaps were successful in the 1550s. Resulting in the Coule Keir MacGregors required to sign a Bond of Calpes to Campbell of Glenurchy in 1559 as punishment.

At Stirling, on the first of June in the 512th year [ie 1512]. Innernenty; £6 13s 4d, with the consent of William Stewart who had the same in fee-farm, is now assessed to the underwritten tenants just as is particularized above, that is to say,

To Donald Makyntyr, £5 for two marklands and a half, to be paid in respect thereof annually, with part of the marts,
To John Makyntyr, £5 for two marklands and a half, to be paid in respect thereof annually, with part of the marts,
To Gilbert Makyntyr, £5 for two marklands and a half, to be paid in respect thereof annually, with part of the marts,
To Duncan Makyntyr, 1s for one markland and a 40 shillings land, to be paid in respect thereof annually, with part of the marts,
And to Malcolm Maklawryn, 1s for one markland and a 40 shillings land, With this condition, that the rest of the tenants of the Lord of Buchquhiddir shall have licence to take timber for their necessities, without destruction [of the woodland], And for entry of a new infeudation £40, out of which sum £13 6s 8d is to be paid by the said tenants, and £26 13s 4d by the said William Stewart. (transcribed from Rotuli scaccarii Regum Scotorum Vol. VIII, Pg. 638)

It appears that Malcolm Maklawryn and Gilbert Makyntyr are paying a reduced rate for the woodlands which other tenants have the right to use without destruction. A forest conservation program in place by the Campbells. 

Malcolm’s son Malcolm M’Olcallum elder and grandsons (with the same names of course) are in the 1559 bond, with their great grandsons in a 1606 bond to Campbell of Glenurchy, which gives us where they lived. In the 1559 Bond, there are six other family groups of V’Laurane the MacPatricks, the MacAllens, the MacDougalls, the MacEwens, the MacDuncans and the MacJohns, with John the servant of Cristine the last of name are all the clan MacLaurin. You can track the names, in the three bonds, most names contain three generations such as Nicoll M'Ane VTatrick Moir (Nicol son of John son of big Patrick) in the 1573 ClanLawren Bond to Glenurchy. The Balquhidder MacLaurin history is for another time.

8 November 1559 Clanlaurane homage transferred. This very important legal document pertaining to Clanlaurane and the only one written in the royal burgh of Sterling, on 8 Nov 1559 confirms that several McLaurane families from Kilmartin Parish south of Loch Etive in Argyll, had moved into Perthshire. Two weeks later on 21 November 1559 at Balloch on Loch Tay in Perthshire, Alexander McLaurane and his followers from Kilmartin parish gave their Bond to Colyne Campbell of Glenurchy. This document is one of two, that directly contradicts the legend that McLarens had been in Perthshire since the time of Kenneth McAlpine, it also eliminates any notion of a Strathearn origin for Clanlaurane before the early 1500’s. 

“WE Archibald Erie of Ergyle . . . grantis ws to haif gevin ... To our traist cousyng Colyne Campbell of Glenurquhay and his allis male the manrent homage and sendee quhilk our predecessouris andwe had and hes of the haill kyn and surname of the Clanlaurane and their posterite togidder with the uptaking of thair calpis . . . Prowyding the said Colyne obtene . . . thair consent . . . thairunto . . .

In witnes of the quhilk thyng to thir presentis subscriuit with our hand our propir seill is affixt at the burgh of Sterueling the aucht day of Nouember the yeir of God M v and fifty nyn yeiris befoir thir witnes Johne Campbell off Inuerlevir Johne Corswell persone of Kilmartyne and Andro Quhit. And this we gif for the gud and faythfull sendee that the said Colyne hes done to ws. ARD. ERGYLL.” Black Book of Taymouth 

In the 18th century many of the indigenous Appin McLaurins that had remained in the original homeland, along with related Livingstones, MacKenzies, MacDougalls, MacColls and Stewarts, including a handful of "Culloden Veterans" emigrated to Richmond County, North Carolina in 1790 where they flourished. North and South Carolina where there are more Scots living today than in Scotland itself.

McLaurin, MacLaurin, McLaren, McLerran, McLarran, McLarine, McClaren and more are all found in historical and genealogical records for the same persons surname, especially in the United States. This makes research more difficult, compared to researching names Campbell, McDonald, Stewart, McColl or McCall for example. And like Sherry says, "they are all named Hugh".

Letters from Duncan McKenzie to his Brother-in-law John McLaurin in Richmond County, NC

“Duncan is full of the Idea that I will Visit No Ca next winter

I was more desirous last fall on account of my not being enga-

-ged only in the crop all my inter valls were to me lost time as I

could not be at any thing to enhance the value of my own

place then not known, tho it may not be impossible for me

to See no – ca next winter If Betsy can effect a Sale of her

place and wish to move here I will try to go of course but you

known every one that has a place can find something to do

on it — it would be highly gratifying to me to see you all

but my little matters call my attention here…”

Found at  the 'From Ballachulish to South Mississippi' Blog, Letters from Duncan McKenzie to his Brother-in-law John McLaurin in Richmond County, NC

John McLaurin’s tombstone in Stewartsville Cemetery, Laurinburg, NC. In Memory of John Son of Hugh & Catharine McLaurin Born Sept. 1789. Died March. 22. 1864. (The name S. Buie appears at the bottom and may refer to the monument maker.)

Limited Edition MacLaurin of Dreghorn clan badges are now available, made in USA.

"Bi' se mac an t' Slaurie" pre standardized gaelic meaning “Be Thou the son of the crozier”. implying a follower of the church.

Clan Chief's Crest matriculated by John MacLaurin, Lord Dreghorn in 1781 the son of Colin MacLaurin the noted mathematician, educator and historian who collected the genealogies of Western Argyll found in Manuscript:1467. "Crest a Lady from the middle upwards ifouing out of the Wreath

in her arms a Child both proper and habited Vert" In use long before the modern Clan MacLaren was created in 1958 with it's motto "Creag an Tuirc".

Limited edition run from Baker Art Foundry.
Raised crest bonnet badge or plaid brooch.
Solid polished pewter with pin back app. 2" diameter.

$25 includes US shipping