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I know this is the proverbial needle in a giant haystack
(especially with the name "Donald") but I sure could use
the help in finding the right one.
When my grandfather was alive (1940s) he said that his grandfather, Donald McLennan, came over to North America from Inverness, Scotland. Grandpa John was a clipper ship captain in the 1800s and having left his family at the age of 11, out of Portland, Maine, to become a cabin boy and work his way up to captain, he had little memory for his family as a result. So I have very little to go on...only one or two possible clues.
First, when my sister was born, he said that it..." was the first time in three, maybe four generations that a daughter had been born to our McLennan line." That would mean that Grandpa, himself, had only four sons and that his father, James (born in Maine) had only four sons (James, George, David and my grandfather, John) but it would also mean
that Donald only had sons (which included James in Maine)
and that perhaps Donald from Inverness only had brothers.
The second clue is that Grandpa always told the story that
his father, James, was the cousin to Roderick (Big Rory)
McLennan, of Ontario, Canada, who became famous for his
hammer throwing abilities. Now probably because of his
fame, I was able to go back in his family (IGI records)
and found that Rory's grandparents were Farquhar McLennan
and Flora McLennan. Farquhar was born about 1773, in Morvich, Kintail, Ross-Shire, Scotland. His parents were
Duncan McLennan and Catherine McLennan, with Duncan born
around 1754...to his parents, Donald Ban McLennan and Christina McRae. with Donald Ban born around 1721.
So if Grandpa's story is to be believed, our family branch
needs to come off this pedigree. But I am too new to this
to have any luck at finding it.
***The only thing that I do know, is that Donald McLennan
once arriving somewhere in Canada, had to have made the
journey to Maine, where at least one of his sons, my
great grandfather, James McLennan, was born. But I don't know if he arrived in Nova Scotia, like so many did at that time.
Or if he traveled up the St Lawrence to Quebec, like so many
others, including his possible kin who settled in Ontario.
I am having no luck in finding any record of my ancestors
in Maine.
Donald had at least one son, James (my great grandfather)
born somewhere in Maine. James grew up and married Jane
Findlay (father Douglas Findlay came over from Aberdeen)
Together, James and Jane had four sons, George, James, David and my grandfather, John, who was born 9 May, 1853, in Ft Fairfield. The family, sometime later, moved to the outskirts of Portland, building a log cabin in the woods, outside of the town. In 1864, my grandfather, John McLennan, went to sea as a cabin boy at age 11, sailing out of Portland.
I have not been able to find any record of this family
or any members of this family, and could sure use some
help.
Any help on this would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Bruce
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