&ji: Qobert V. Smith V*"*'7 OCT 8 1957 DESCEN DANTS OF ARCHIBALD McALLISTER, OF WEST PENNSBORO TOWNSHIP, Cumberland County. Fa. 173U--1898. DATE MICROFILM JTEM ON ROLL l.. BY I CAMERV A NO. '%_,? •- MARY CATHARINE McALLISTjER. CATALOGUE NO. 7'«* ^// G^N=AL^ ' :AL SOCIETY CF THE Q OF JESUS CHRiST OF LAT R-DAY SAINTS !I:irii.sliurg, IVun'iu: ScbefTer'&rrinUiigy Bookbinding House, It !S.fimt No. 2J South Soeond Street, 1898. E K RATA. Pages 7 and 8—for Angus read Angus. Page 38—for McKibben read Pierce. Rage 72—Thomas Gates McAllister, 4, b. Aug. 26, 1784, in 1-ondondcrry Township, l*ancaster Co., Pa. Copyrighted, 1896, MARY CATIIAIUNK MCAI.UWTKI: Fort Hunter, Pa. PREFACE. HIS compilation from original documents, and family T history has been made with the hope that at some future day, it may be of service to the inquiring minds of coming generations. For the original idea, the general plan, and valuable assis- auee, the author is indebted to Mr. Frederick Schober, mem­ ber of the Historical and Genealogical Societies of Pennsyl­ vania. The author desires to thank members of the different brunches of the family who so kindly and willingly fur­ nished information of their several lines. NOTICE. Numbers on the right of name indicate generation. Numbers on the left of name number in succession, A star on the left of a number in succession indicates detailed information further on. MCALLISTER t GEflEALiOGY. MACALLISTER:—That is, son of Allister a branch of the famous and warlike clan, MacDonald, whose chief was Lord of the Isles:—(Hebridean Isles). This clan were always Stuartmen—and loyal to their king until the final overthrow in 1745. It was their boast that they were always given the right on the field of battle. At the battle of Cullodcn these MacDonalds were placed on the left wing, and not a man would draw a sword that day. In defense of their conduct an officer of division said: "We, of the clan MacDnnalds, thought it ominous we had not this day the right hand in battle, as formerly and as we enjoyed when the event proved successful. As at Gladsmuir and Fal­ kirk, and which our clan maintained we had enjoyed in all our battles and struggles in behalf of our royal family, since the battle of Bannockburn. on which glorious day Robert, the Bruce, bestowed this honor upon Augus MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, as a reward for his never-to-be-forgot fidelity to that brave prince, in protecting him for above nine months in his country of Rachlin, Isla and, Uist. This right, I say, we have enjoyed ever since, unless when yielded by us out of favor upon particular occasions, as was done by the Laird of Mac- Lean at the battle of Harlan; but our sweet-natured prince was prevailed on by L. and his faction to assign this honor to another on this fatal day; which right, we judge, they will not refuse to yield us back again on the next fighting day." The badge borne on their helmets was a "froach gonn," or "common heath," and their battle cry, " Froach eilan," the " Heathy isle."—(Scottish Gael or Celtic Manners, Logan.) Allaster MacDonald, the progenitor of the MacAllasters, flourished in about A. IX, 1263, and became " Chief77 of a new clan, then known as "clan Allaster"—this Allaster was suc­ ceeded by a worthy son, " Allaster MacAIlaster," who upon the death of his father became the u Chief" and headed and led a powerful clan that flourished in Scotland from that time until the downfall of " Prince Charles" in 1745. Their possessions and homes were in and about Knapsdale in Cantire. Scotland. 8 The first Allaster was the son of Angus Mor, (i. e. Angus, the Great), who in about 1258 to 1274, was "Lad ofthe Isles." He had descended from Somerled Thane (Baron) of Argyle and First "Lord of the Isles," who was a son of Magnus III., Barford, King of Norway. It may be added also that the said Allester maternally descended from Isa­ bella, a sister of King Robert, the Bruce. In the preface to an edition of " Burke's British Peerage :1 Burke says in substance, that the two beat family names in Great Britain arc the Plantagenets and the MacDonalds, and that there arc descendants of the latter family in America who can well claim to be of as noble descent as any in Great Brit­ ain. The MacAJlurtera having descended from the MacDon­ alds, as good, or as " blue " blood flows in their veins as flows in the veins of any people on the face of the earth. None .sur­ pass them as to nobility of ancestry, and for bravery :nu\ mili­ tary history the MacDonalds,and their descendants, the Mac- Allisters, the Macln tyres and MaeQueens are not equalled by any other family of which historians give an account. As to the matter ofthe MacAllester crest the alleged " Old Student of Heraldic bearings," quoted in a recent issue of the New York Herald, was in error when he contended that the crest claimed was the crest of Charles MaeAllester, of Loup, Enquire. Authorities will show that the motto on Loup's crest is " Fortitei " and thai in the hand is on upright dirk, instead of CIOHH, crotinfet Jiichei as in the original Mae A Hester crest proper. The arm, hand, cross, cross let fitchel and moiio " Per Mare per Terras " in the MaeAlliater crest is the same as the origi­ nal crest and motto of the first Lords ^MacDonalds), of the Isles, which goes to confirm and prove the origin of the MacAIIisicrs. The present MacAllasfcer of Glen Barr (Scot.) carries the original motto ,l Per Mare per Terras" as docs also Keith MacDonald MaeAllister, Esquire, of Inisttynich who by the way, always wears the MacA Hester tartan. The forego­ ing notes on the origin of Ihe McAllisters are from a recent research made for the late Ward McAllister, ° of New York City. The name McAllister has assumed many changes in spelling since the formation of the new elan by Allaster MacDonald in 1263- The emigrant and (bonder of the Pennsylvania branch ofthe family originally spelled his name MeAlister, but since his arrival, its orthography has been changed according to the ideas of his descendants lo McAllister, MeAlister, Mc- 9 Alastar, MeAlestar, McAllestar, McAlistair, McAllistar, Mc- Alestor, McAllestar. McAllestair, MaeAlister ami MaeAllister. The Germans ol Pennsylvania spelled it McCollister, as they pronounced it. Of Archibald McAllister1, the emigrant and founder of this branch oi' the family, very little is known, except that aboui 1730 he owned a large tract ot" land in the Cumber­ land Valley, and was a strict Presbyterian. He was one of the organizers ol' the First Presbyterian ( hnrcli, at Carlisle, Pa. From whence he came in Scotland is not known. The first mention of an Archibald McAllister, in the colony, is lound in the minutes oi the Colonial Hoard of Property, when on the •'12 month, 7da, 1723," Stephen Cornelius applies lor a warrant to have surveyed a "small vacancy of Lund on Rod Clay ('reek " and " desires to Make over his right, to this land to Archibald McAllister, who is a .Smith, and dwells upon it." Red Clay Creek was in New Castle County, Pa., now in the State of Delaware. It runs parallel with the Brandywine, empties into While Clay Creek, and thence to the i>ela\vare River. It has been lound impossible lo identify this Archi­ bald McAllister, with the Archibald who settled in Cumber­ land Countv Pa. The grant to Archibald McAllister in Cumberland County, Pa., originally contained between eight and nine hundred acres. Me built a grist-mill, the second one west ofthe Susque­ hanna. The foundations are still standing. The water on the tract, McAllister's Run, not furnishing Sufficient power, be was forced to carry the water in troughs for a quarter of a mile. The size of the mill was about twelve by fourteen feet, and it did most of the grinding for the surrounding country. family tradition has it that one of the farmers from Xewville, Pa., seven miles distant, said, on going to have u bag of grain ground; " that if there was not too many ahead, he might get home the next day." He also built a smith-shop; the original log one has long hem supei>eded by a more modem frame structure. The dwelling house was built of logs, a story and a half high, with a, huge fire-place running its whole width. This house, pari of which is standing to-day, IS in a natural hollow, and has one end against a ledge of lime-stone rooks, which 10 completely hide the lower story. Entrance to the loft can be made from these rocks. After a hundred and sixty-six years of constant usage, it is in a fairly good state of preservation. The farm lays three miles west of Carlisle, Pa,, on the turn­ pike, and is owned by James McAllister Ralston, 4 of Me- chanicsburg, Pa., a great-grandson of Archibald McAllis­ ter,1 , The Turnpike Company received from 1!M original owner a small piece of land on this farm for the purpose of building a Toll-House. This exempted forever the McAllister heirs from payment of tolls. The known descendants of the emigrant numbered #47 in IHUH. In the male line all have marked Scottish features, with sandy hair and bright complexions, reproduced to the sixth and seventh generations.