This condition of affairs prompted us to unite our efforts and energies in procuring, as far as possible, authentic data from which to compile a true history of our forbears. Each pursued his own course in the collection of facts and all were placed in my hands for compilation. I thus became the custodian of a large collection of scrappy information that forms the basis of the following pages. Governor McGill secured the services of Richard Oulahan, a learned Irishman in the Treasury Department at Washington, to examine works in the Congressional Library, not generally accessible, and to his work we are indebted for many quaint and interesting items.

The following from the "Irish American" of Oct., 17, 1877, cannot but prove interesting to the student of history be he whom he may:

MAGILL-McGILL.
(The "Irish American," N. Y., Oct. ¹7th, i877.)

From Thomas Rogers Magill, of Charlotte, N. C.-"Laffen" lately received a very interesting note of inquiry which was to this effect :

As I desire to learn something of my genealogy I will explain to you what I know of my name, originally Macgill - now McGill or Magill. As far back as I can trace my father's side, I have found an Arthur Magill, who was father to James Boyd Magill, who was father to Thomas Rogers Magill. On my mother's side it appears that James Boyd was father to Robert Boyd, who was father to Sarah Boyd, who was mother of James Boyd Magill, who was by his wife, Esther Rogers Magill father of Thomas Rogers Magill.

My father was born in Broughshane, Parish of Racavan, barony of Lower Antrim, County Antrim, Ireland, ¹799. He had two brothers, the Rev. Dr. Robert Magill, pastor of Willover church (Presbyterian), and Neill Magill. Robert Magill intermarried with the Skiltons. I have in my possession several poems written by him during the prevalence of the cholera in Ireland in 1832. He lived in the town of Antrim and possessed a fine lot on Bowline street, on a portion of the old lands of the Magills who once owned large possessions on Lough Neagh. Shanes Castle was their burial place. Arthur Magill's bones yet rest there, although his monument was removed subsequent to the burning of the Castle (in 1816) by Rev. Robert Magill and his brother Neill, and placed in a Presbyterian graveyard over the remains of the Boyd family, taking the lettering off and substituting Boyd. Old Arthur, or Neill Magill, married Grace Bartley and lived either in or near the town of Antrim. He held in proprietary control the bogs of

Lough Neagh, whose property was probably the McGoverns. I have been told that they and the McGills were nearer related than the O'Neills who now hold it. The O'Neills and Magills I have also been told are related.

Whole estates were confiscated and their owners rooted out by William of Orange, after the overthrow and banishment of James II. Some representatives of the family of Magills-McGills and Macgills-still live in the County of Antrim in or near Ballymena, Broughshane, Antrim and Belfast. I have several near relations who are Presbyterian clergymen, including Beattie Pettigrew and Robert and George Magill. The Boyds claim a Scotch origin, and it may be that the Magills are derived from the same source.

Will you please be so kind as to give me the origin of the surnames of Magill, McGill and Macgill in the "Irish American."

-FROM THOMAS ROGERS MAGILL, Charlotte, N. C.

REPLY

Our respected correspondent need not be in doubt as to the origin of his name, which is of the old Irish connection, and long prevalent in Ulster, though found well represented also in the Celtic districts of Scotland, where it is classed with the surnames derived from Ireland, of which surnames Galloway can supply from its inhabitants numerous examples, many of them sadly mutilated or corrupted. Of Galloway ancestry was the Makgills represented in the 16th Century by Sir James Makgill, who in time of James V. of Scotland was Provost of Edinburgh, and in that and two succeeding reigns was otherwise prominent in the turbulent politics of his native land. His death occurred in A. D. 1579. He was the ancestor of Makgill of nether Rankeillour, Parish of Colissie Fifeshire. His younger brother, David Makgill, a Lord of Sessions, and from A. D. 1582 to 1589 Lord Advocate, whose death took place March 12th, A. D. 1594, was descended in the second generation Sir James Makgill, also prominent in public affairs, who in A. D. 1627 was raised to a baronetcy, and in April, 1651, to the peerage under the title of Viscount of Oxford and Lord Makgill of Couseland. Robert Makgill second Viscount, son and successor of the first Viscount of Oxford, failed of "Heirs male," and thereafter the titles, though from time to time assumed by the descendants of his daughters and claimed by other Makgills of his kindred were classed, as they now are, amongst the dormant peerages of Scotland.

These Makgills intermarried with the Maitlands of the Lauderdale connection, many representatives of which family have been distinguished in the naval and military service of Great Britain, including Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland (1779-1839), to whom, as commander of the Bellerophon, Napoleon surrendered himself in June, 1815, and by whom the great Emperor was conveyed to his island prison of St. Helena in July of the same year.

McGill, Magill, Maguille and Maguillan appear on record in the Anglo-Irish documents of the Sixteenth Century, chiefly relating to Ulster. Maguille and Maguillan were variations of Macquillan, which was borne by an Antrim family of wide renown, whose territory was known as MacquilIan's Country, within the Country of the Roet (Route). The Macquillans have been represented as deriving mostly from Welch ancestors. The founder of the family in Antrim was said to have been a soldier of fortune whose remains the Scribe of the Earl of Essex in A. D. 1556 makes mention of as then reposing to the left of the Altar in the Monastery of Cool-brahan, beneath a tomb whereon "lieth the picture of a Knight armed." Some of these Macquillans have been represented as having, in later generations, reduced their name to MacQuill, or changed it to MacGill, which latter forms have been likewise spoken of as having been adopted by other families of purely old Irish origin, into some of whose ancient names Macgiolla, or Macgilla entered a component part, like MacGillabride, now usually rendered McBride, though also appearing as Mackilbride or Kilbride. Macgillafinnan, MacGillapatrick, now Fitzpatrick, MacGillashuilligh, MacGillhooly or simply Gillhooly, etc., etc.

In the seventeenth century several representatives of the Magills or MacGills took opposite sides in the civil wars of Ireland and shared the fortunes of their Chiefs. Captains Hugh, James and Robert served in the royal interest against the Parliamentarians. Captain Arthur McGill, an Antrim man, commanded a Company of Infantry in the Regiment of Colonel Cormack O'Neill, in the service of James II., of which Company Cormack McGill was Ensign; another Ensign Magill serving with Captain Gilmore, same regiment.

A Captain Arthur Magill held command of a Company of Infantry in the Regiment of Colonel Alexander McDonnell, Earl of Antrim - same service.

John McGill, Esq., was Sheriff of the County of Dublin at the time of the restoration of Charles II. His family subsequently removed to Naptown, County Dublin, and established itself on a land grant at Gillford, County Down. Arthur Magill, Esq., of Dublin and Antrim, was attainted by the Williamites in A. D. 1691, as were also Bryant and Roy McGill of Antrim.