McLeas and King Charles the First

[Donald Livingstone Clink]

Many of the Highland families supported the Royalist cause against the Presbyterian Convenanters. By about 1644/1645 a number of the clans joined up with the Marquis of Montrose (James Graham) a former Convenanter to save King Charles and the monarchy from the wrath of both the Scottish Convenanters and English Parlimentarians led by Oliver Cromwell. In addition to smaller clans like the McLeas, Montrose recruited soldiers for his highland army from  the MacDonnells, MacDonald's, MacKinnon's, Camerons, McLaines and McLeans, McNab's, MacPhersons, Maxwell's, Olgivie's, Robertson's, Shaw's and Stewarts of Appin. Many of these highlanders participated in the battles of Inverlochy, Auldearn, Kilsyth and Philliphaugh.

[Donald Livingstone Clink]

Continuing my list of those Clans that provided men for the Marquis of Montrose's Highland army in 1644-45. There were also Farquarsons, Cameron's, Robertsons, MacDougal's and MacLaughlin's.

[Bachuil]

Placed prominently at the top of the second column of a list of those massacred at Dunaverty, 1647, supporting the MacDougalls were these McLeas: Iain Mc Iain Vc ein dui alias Mc onlea, Dunsla M'ein Vc onlea and Iain M'onlea, his brother, (Highland Papers, II, p. 257). There is an interesting article at http://www.clandonald.org.uk/cdm05a18.htm which gives some background.

[Kyle2 MacLea]

Dear Niall, Since the Highland papers are rather old and I've never read them before, I wonder if there is more information on these people at all?  I ask because my DNA test put my MacLea/McLea family in a large group of men from the McCain family.  They don't know the origin of their family, but I don't match well to other McLea family members.  But this reference to "Iain Mc Iain" and "Duncan M'ein" has made me wonder whether McCain could be related to Mc Iain, and could explain the origin of both THEIR family and my own, and perhaps some connection of my family to the other McLeas out there!  Any help or additional information would be appreciated -- or suggestions as to where to look! Thanks! Kyle=

[Bachuil]

Dear Kyle, That is a fascinating leap and could be very exciting indeed. I have to confess that I am pretty useless on the family history side - but if Rob sees this he may help.  I'll send an email to jog him. Regards, Niall

[Donald Livingstone Clink]

Duncan McLea's 1743 notes on the McLea origins may not be entirely correct, but do think it is an interesting document containing some valuable information and perhaps a few clues worth considering. Most interesting to Livingstone researchers is the fact that McLea indicates as early as the 1640's McLeas had begun to use the Livingstone name when travelling in the Lowlands and whats more were treated as family. McLea's source seems to have suggested that there was perhaps a family oran ancestral tie between the highland McLeas and the Lowland Livingstons of Callendar, but unfortunately does not go into any details. Whether there is or isn't an ancient family tie real or imagined by this unknown McLea source of DUncan's McLea's I cannot say. As Duncan McLea tells it a wounded Highlander by the name of Malcolm McLea on his way back to the Highlands after the Battle of Philliphaugh (at the Scottish border 1645)arrives at Callendar near Falkirk where the Lowland Livingston family lived at Callendar House. (McLeas were in fact a part of a Highland Clan army led by the Marquis of Montrose (Jame Graham) that was defeated by ALexander Leslie and his Scottish Convenanter Army in 1645.Most of those taken prisoner, Irish and Gaelic speaking Scot alike were subsequently slaughtered. At Dunavertie another mass slaughter of prisoners took place in which some McLea's were known to been among the victims.) According to the Duncan McLea account by word of mouth the Earl of Linlithgo, Lord Livingston of Callendar House (probably Alexander Livingston)learned of the soldiers plight and he was brought to Callendar House where a physician attended to his wound and spent several months recuperating. McLea indicates that the Earl felt compelled to help this wounded Royalist soldier because he was a Highland McLea and the Lowland Livingstons were related and the families connected in some way. As I mentioned before McLea does not go into specifics as to what possible family connection existed between the old aristocratic Lowland Livingston family and the small McLea Highland Clan. How much of this story is true I cannot say, but at least some of it has basis in historic fact. The Earl of Linlithgo at Callendar and his brother James evidently had been Convenanters but switched over to the Royalist side in the 1640's. This family continued to support the Stewarts in their ill fated subsequent attempts to restore themselves to the throne of Great  Britain. Another Livingston related to this Callendar family was James Livingston Lord Livingston of Kilsyth. In 1643 an agreement took place between the Marquis of Montrose, Lord Flemming and Lord Livingston of Kilsyth known as the Cumbernald Bond which paved the way for civil war in Scotland to commence between Royalists and Convenanters. A decendant of James Livingston Lord of Kilsyth, William Livingston Lord Kilsyth who supported the Old Pretender in 1715, lost his property and ended up in Rome where he and the Old Pretender were destined to spend the rest of their lives. I have not as yet figured out what role the James Livingston Baron of Biel and Skirling who received a 19 yr lease of the ISle of LIsmore, had during the Civil war in the 1640's. Obviously he was a supporter of KIng Charles the First. It was after the Baron received his lease in 1641 from King Charles that as one theory propose the McLeas began to change their name to Livingston. Duncan McLea only briefly mentions that there were McLeas residing on the ISle of Lismore and nothing about a Lowland Livingston living at one time in the 1600's on the island.

[Donald Livingstone Clink]

I pleased to find that there are a number of sites if one searchs on the internet which provide some background information on the Marquis of Montrose, leader of Scottish Royalist force during the English Civil War and the major battles. There is a Kilsyth, Scotland site www.kilsyth.org.uk/history/Battle_Kilsyth that covers in detail the Battle of Kilsyth. It states that Montrose had by the Summer of 1745 4,500 infantry and 500 cavalry. His infantry were mainly made up of numerous highland clans. The calvary consisted of Gordon's, Ogilvies and "gentleman volunteers" from aristocratic familes such as "Livingston" and Fleming. No doubt this refers to the lowland Livingstons that lived at Callendar house near Falkirk that were connected to the Flemings. As the Livingstons played such a prominent role in the Scottish Royalist efforts during the Civil War and in later years in the Jacobite revolts, it does not seem likely some of the Jacobite MacLeys changed their name to Livingstone to prevent themselves being identified as Jacobites. THere would have been some safer names in the highlands to have adopted if the name change was to be source of protection. My own feeling is that the name change, although somewhat confusing to us now, made logical sense to many of the McLeas in Argyll and if any of what Duncan McLea stated in 1743 about the McLea Livingston connection has a basis in fact, then perhaps was some sort of bond forged between these two families at the time of Civil War or possibly before that. Heinrich Schiemann in the 19th century proved that the lost city of Troy at the Dardenelles could be found based largely upon following clues provided in the ancient poetic epic Homer's Iliad. Perhaps we also can make use of Duncan MacLea's 1743 manuscript in a similiar way to solve our family mystery.