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Of the origin and history of the Macmillans, little seems to be known.
According to Buchanan of Auchmar, they are descended from the second son of Aurelan,
seventh laird of Buchanan. According to Mr Skene, the earliest seat of the Macmillans
appears to have been on both sides of Loch Arkaig, and he thinks this confirmatory of a
clan tradition, that they are connected with the clan Chattan. The Macmillans were at one
time dependent on the Lords of the Isles, but when Loch Arkaig came into possession of the
Camerons, they became dependent on the latter. "Another branch of this clan",
says Skene, "possessed the greater part of southern Knapdale, where their chief was
known under the title of Macmillan of Knap; and although the family is now extinct, many
records of their former power are to be found in that district". We take the liberty
of quoting further from Mr Skene as to the history of the Macmillans.
"One of the towers of that fine ancient edifice, Castle Sweyn, bears the name of
Macmillan's Tower, and there is a stone cross in the old churchyard of Kilmoray Knap,
upwards of twelve feet high, richly sculptured, which has upon one side the representation
of an Highland chief engaged in hunting the deer, having the following inscription in
ancient Saxon characters underneath the figure - 'Haec est crux Alexandri Macmillan'.
Although the Macmillians were at a very early period in Knapdale, they probably obtained
the greater part of their possessions there by marriage with the heiress of the chief of
the Macneills, in the 16th century. Tradition asserts that these Knapdale Macmillans came
originally from Lochtay-side, and they were driven by Chalmers of Lawers, in the reign of
David II.
"As there is little reason to doubt the accuracy of the tradition, it would appear
that this branch of the Macmillans had been removed by Malcolm IV from North Moray, and
placed in the crown lands of Strathay. Macmillan is said to have had the charter of his
lands in Knapdale engraved in the Gaelic language and character upon a rock at the
extremity of his estate; and tradition reports that the last of the name, in order to
prevent the prostitution of his wife, butchered her admirer, and was obliged in
consequence to abscond. On the extinction of the family of the chief, the next branch,
Macmillan of Dunmore, assumed the title of Macmillan of Macmillan, but that family is now
also extinct.
"Although the Macmillans appear at one time to have been a clan of considerable
importance, yet as latterly they became mere dependants upon their more powerful
neighbours, who possessed the superiority of their lands, and as their principal families
are now extinct, no records of their history have come down to us, nor do we know what
share they took in the various great events of the Highland history. Their property, upon
the extinction of the family of the chief, was contended for by the Campbells and
Macneills, the latter of whom were a powerful clan in North Knapdale, but the contest was,
by compromise, decided in favour of the former. It continued in the same family till the
year 1775, when, after the death of the tenth possessor, the estate was purchased by Sir
Archibald Campbell of Inverniel".
There have been a considerable number of Macmillans long settled in Galloway, and the
tradition is that they are descendants of an offshoot from the northern Macmillans, that
went south about the time the Knapdale branch imigrated from Lochtay side. These Macmillans
are famous in the annals of the Covenanters, and are mentioned by Wodrow as having acted a
prominent part during the times of the religious persecution in Scotland. Indeed, we
believe that formerly, if not indeed even unto this day, the modern representatives of the
Covenanters in Galloway are as often called "Macmillans" as
"Cameronians".
Another account of the Clan
BADGE: Dearcag monaidh (Vaccineum
uliginosum) bilberry.
 ACCORDING
to universal
tradition the Macmillans are of the same blood as the Buchanans, and Skene
in his Highlanders of Scotland derives both, along with the
Monros, from the Siol O’Cain—the race of O’Cain, otherwise O’Cathan
of Clan Chattan. According to Buchanan of Auchmar, the immediate ancestor
of the Macmillans is believed to have been a certain Methlan, second son
of Anselan, seventh chief of Buchanan, who flourished in the reign of
Alexander H., in the first half of the thirteenth century.
Their original home, to which Skene thinks they must
have been removed from North Moray by Malcolm IV., was at Lawers, on the
north shore of Loch Tay, but from that possession they were driven in the
reign of David II., the middle of the fourteenth century, by the
Chalmerses, Chamberses, or Camerarii, who obtained a feudal charter to the
lands, and who were themselves afterwards forfeited for the part they
played in the assassination of James I. The Macmillan chief who was thus
expelled had ten sons, certain of whom became progenitors of the Ardournag
and
other families in Breadalbane; but the chief migrated to Argyllshire,
where he obtained a property from the Lord of the Isles in South Knapdale,
and became known as Macmillan of Knap. Macmillan is said to have had his
charter engraved in Gaelic on the top of a rock at the boundary of his
land.
The Macmillans are believed to have increased their
possessions in Knapdale by marriage with an heiress of the MacNeil chiefs,
and there is evidence that they became of considerable importance in the
district. One of the towers of Sweyn Castle on the loch of that name is
known as Macmillan’s Tower, and in the old kirkyard of Kilmorie Knap,
where the chapel was built by the Macmillan chief, stands a cross more
than
twelve feet high richly sculptured with foliage, and showing a Highland
chief engaged in a deer hunt, with the inscription, "Haec est crux Alexandri Macmillan."
Among traditions extant regarding these
Macmillans of Knapdale is one of a certain Gillespie Ban. This individual
was unfortunate enough while attending a fair to quarrel with a personage
of some importance and to slay his man in hot blood. He fled and was
instantly pursued. Managing to reach Inveraray Castle he rushed in, and
making his way to the kitchen found the cook engaged in baking. Instantly
procuring a change of clothes and an apron, he proceeded busily to kead
barley bannocks, and when his infuriated pursuers came to the castle they
took him for a regular domestic of the earl. The necessary respite being
thus allowed him, a composition was made with the family of the man he had
slain, and he was allowed to live thereafter in peace. He settled in
Glendaruel, where his descendants were known, from the circumstances of
his escape, by the patronymic of MacBacster, or "sons of the
baker."
Another tradition runs that the line of the
Macmillans of Knap ended with a chief who had a tragic experience. In
order to defend the honour of his wife from the advances of a too powerful
admirer he attacked and slew the man, and in consequence was forced to
abscond.
The main line then becoming extinct, the
chiefship was assumed, rightly, it is believed, by Macmillan of Dunmore,
on the south side of Loch Tarbert. This family also, however, died out,
upon which a contention arose between the Campbells and MacNeils as to
possession of the Macmillan lands. The matter was finally arranged, by
means of mutual concessions, in favour of the Campbells, and in 1775 the
estates were purchased by Sir Archibald Campbell of Inverneil.
Meanwhile, at an earlier day, a branch of
the chief’s house had settled elsewhere. The reason for this occurrence
is the subject of a well-known tradition. A stranger, it appears, known as
Marallach More, established himself in Knapdale and proceeded by his
overbearing disposition to make himself objectionable to the Macmillans.
He made himself especially obnoxious, it would appear, to one of the chief’s
sons, who lived at Kilchamag. The affair came to an open rupture, and at
last, either in a duel or in a general fight, Macmillan killed the
aggressor, but in consequence had to leave the district. With six
followers he migrated to Lochaber, when he placed himself under the
protection of Cameron of Lochiel and was settled on certain lands beside
Loch Arkaig.
Another tradition runs that the earliest
seat of the Macmillans was on both sides of Loch Arkaig; that, on Lochaber
being granted to the Lord of the Isles the clan became vassals of that
powerful chief; and that, when the Cameron’s obtained possession of the
district, the Macmillans became in turn their dependants, in which
situation ever after they remained. This tradition, however, seems to be
negatived by the fact that Macmillan of Knap was recognised as Chief of
the clan.
Latterly, according to
Buchanan of Auchmar, the Macmillans in Lochaber, known from the district
of their residence as the Clan Ghille Mhaoil Aberaich, dwelt in Muir
Laggan, Glen Spean, and Caillie. Their military force was reckoned at one
hundred fighting men; they were among the trustiest followers of Lochiel,
and were employed by him generally in the most desperate of his
enterprises. One incident is on record which shows the esteem in which
they were held by the Cameron chief. Late in the seventeenth century some
cause of trouble arose between them and the MacGhilleonies, a sept of the
Camerons, and, in a fight with twelve of these latter, one of the
Macmillan’s was killed. In fear of consequences the twelve
MacGhilleonies fled to the fastnesses of the hills, hoping to maintain
themselves there till the Macmillans could be appeased. But the Macmillans
demanded from Lochiel permission to pursue the aggressors, and threatened
that if this permission were not granted, they would wreak their vengeance
on the whole offending sept. Lochiel perforce gave leave, and the
Macmillans set about the hunting of the fugitives with such energy, that
in a short time, without the loss of life to themselves, though many of
them were sorely wounded, all the twelve MacGhilleonies were either slain
or captured.
In more recent times one of
the Lochaber Macmillans returned to the south, and taking up residence at
Badokennan, near the head of Loch Fyne, became ancestor of the Macmillans
of Glen Shera, Glen Shira, and others.
Still another branch of the
Macmillans have been for centuries settled in Galloway. According to
tradition they are an offshoot of the Macmillans of Loch Tayside who went
south when the chiefs of the clan were driven from Lawers by the
Chalmerses. These Galloway Macmillans played a notable part on the side of
the Covenanters in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and their
doings are recorded by Wodrow, the chief historian of that page of
Scottish history. The most noted of them was the Rev. John Macmillan, who
published several controversial pamphlets, and was deposed for schismatic
practices in 1703. He was the first pastor of the " Reformed
Presbyterians," and ministered to the "remnant" from 1706
till 1743. Even to the present time the Covenanters in Galloway are as
often called Macmillanites as Cameronians.
Another noted member of the
clan was Angus Macmillan, who emigrated to Australia in 1829, and
discovered and explored the country south-west of Sydney, afterwards
called Gippsland.
Celebrated in yet another
way was Daniel Macmillan, son of a small farmer at the Cock of Arran, who
with his brother Alexander founded the great publishing firm of Macmillan
& Co. in the middle of the nineteenth century, publishing Kingsley’s
Westward Ho in 1855 and Tom Brown’s School Days in 1857.
Septs of the Clan:
Baxter, Brown, Bell, MacBaxter
Another account of the Macmillans
Few Scots families can have occupied such
varied and widely separated areas of the country than the nomadic Macmillans. There are
many theories on their origin but the most popular view is that they are descended from
the Siol O'Cain, an ancient Pictish tribe of Moray. The name Macmillan is ecclesiastical
in origin, Mac Gillem-haoil "Son of the Tonsured servant", and commemorates
descent from an old family of Celtic abbots. An Gillemaol, the Tonsured servant in
question was living around 1132 near Elgin where he was listed as witness in the Book of
Dear, the oldest Scots religious record. It is believed the Macmillans were transplanted
from Loch Arkaig to Crown lands on Lawers near Loch Tay by Malcolm IV around 1160. There
they remained for two centuries until once again they were driven from their home and the
clan scattered to many regions of Scotland. The main branch to Knapdale, others to
Lochaber (many of this line emigrated to Canada during the 19th century), another branch
to Galloway spreading later throughout Aryshire and Dumfriesshire and some to the Western
Isles; Harold Macmillan, Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963, was descended from the Arran
branch. Malcolm Mor Macmillan received Knapdale from the Lord of the Isles in 1360. The
charter is said to have been inscribed on a rock. (This was later destroyed by Campbell of
Calder in 1615). As vassals of the Lord of the Isles, the Macmillans were caught up in the
aftermath of the forfeiture of the Lordship and lost control of Knap forever. They did
however manage to keep the adjoining lands of Tireleacham. Even so they were still
harassed by the Campbells who had supplanted them. Macmillan of Knap was considered chief
of the clan and when the line became extinct in 1665, the title passed to the Dunmore
branch, and from them to the Lagalgarve branch in which it is still vested. |
