MacSorlie Chieftains

[Thomas Cameron]

Would anyone have any details regarding the following MacSorlie (Cameron of Glen Nevis) Chieftains:

Alexander, 8th Chieftain: An adult in 1645; alive in 1649.

- his son:

John Mor, 9th Chieftain: An adult in 1678.

Specifically, I'm looking for which gent would have been chieftain in 1665. It's uncertain whether Alexander was still alive at that time.

Thanks!!

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Hi Tom,
Happy New Year to you and your family! Please give them my best. I'll add my thanks for the wonderful card. The photo of you and your family is occupying a place of honour on my refrigerator, along with my other family photos.
I have a bit of information on "Alexander of the Glens" (Alasdair a' Ghlinne) which gives his date of birth as 1580. He ascended to the Chieftainship on the death of his younger cousin, Angus, who died without heir. If this is correct, then he was already at the advanced age of 65 when he followed the Marquis of Montrose to the great victory at Inverlochy in 1645. He was, as you state, still alive in 1649, as this is when his excommunication from the Church, through the synod of Argyll (imposed for his part in the Battle of Inverlochy - did I mention it was a great victory?) , was lifted, and his church membership restored.

His son, John Mor, is listed as head of the family in 1678. If the birthdate of 1580 is correct, then this would mean that Alexander, if alive, would be 85 in 1665. Unlikely in those times, but certainly not impossible.

John is mentioned as being head of the family also in 1672, when he signed an undertaking along with Sir Ewen Cameron, and Martin Cameron of Letterfinlay.

I have reviewed the accounts I have of the standoff at the fords of Arkaig, including Drummond of Balhaldie's Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel , and can find no reference to who was at the head of the Glen Nevis tribe, although they were undoubtedly in attendance.

If I was a betting man, I would put my money on John Mor being Chietain in 1665, based on probability because of Alexander's purported date of birth.- but it is nothing more than a guess.


Slainte,

John

[Thomas Cameron]

Hi John,

It's good hearing from you. Glad that you enjoyed the card - it was a beautiful day at the foot of Glen Finnan, overlooking the loch.

Based on your data (nice find with Alexander's birth year) I'd agree that John Mor was chieftain in 1665. I am sort of working on a project and have been trying to nail down the three chieftains who would have been involved at the Standoff. Martin MacMartin and his partner in crime, his brother John are definites. Do you have any guesses about the MacGillonie chieftain? Based on the short list in Stewart's book, I noted a John MacGilonie alive in both 1642 and 1672. However, a brief reference in a Mackintosh reference book cites a Hugh MacGillonie around 1643. I'm hoping that you might be able to pull another rabbit out of your hat!

Oh, did I mention that it WAS a beautiful, fantastic, well-deserved victory at Inverlochy?

[ChrisDoak]

Hi Tom and John,

I think it probobly was John Mor who was the Chieftain of the McSorleys in 1665,though it seems he was quite young at the time.This period seems to be a wee bit genealogically vague in most of the Cameron/Lochaber history books,and it is not too clear who was the head of the family.This entry from "The Lochiel Inventory" of long-lost papers is a wee bit puzzling:

"DISCHARGE.Allan Cameron,tutor of Glenevis,of a Decreet obtained at his instance before the Sheriff of Inverlochy,against Donald Cameron of Glenevis,Euan Cameron of Locheil,and Donald Cameron his tutor and others,for the sum of 1200 merks,as part payment of the rents of the lands of Glenevis possessed by them for 4 years.Dated 27 November 1657".

Regarding the Chief of the McGillonies,I think you are right in assuming it was most likely John Cameron of Strone - accepting,of course,that the Strone family was at the top of the tree.I haven't come across any of the McGillonie families in Lochaber at this period having a male member with the name of Hugh/Ewan,or though if the Mackintoshes knew of one,he could conceivably have come from a family outwith the district.

Unfortunately I have never seen the small burial ground at Strone - one of a large list of places I wanted to visit at the time of the Gathering,but never managed to squeeze in!

Regards,Chris.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Hi Tom & Chris,
I would agree, based on what I have read, that John of Strone was Chieftain of the MacGillonies at that time. I have always assumed that Strone was the senior branch of that family.

I wouldn't trust the MacIntosh reference book! It is undoubtedly a ploy to confuse us.

I haven't visited the Cemetery at Strone either - given the amount of time it took me to find Torcastle, and the two hikes to find PBC's cave, I figured I better stick to places with lots of signage and car parks!

I'm just kidding of course - I wish I had lots of time to just wander around Locahber and see what I could find.....

Slainte,

John