Chief George at Grandfather Mountain
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Chief George at Grandfather Mountain In this issue: The CMSNA Gathering 2012 Issue No. 16 The Gut of Canso Ferry Macmillans Nov/Dec 2011 The Man Who Founded McMillan WI The Hon. John McMillan 1816-1886 1 Scenes from the Chief’s tour in Canada The Lunenburg party after the church service Mayor Barrie MacMillan Left: Alice McMillan (left) and her cousin Vangie Way (right) at the Pictou Co. Roots Society’s new library Right: Chris & George with the staff at the Gut of Canso Museum Left: The PEI Dinner with Margaret Bell (centre) and Anne Neuman Right: Late lunch with Bert & Peggy’s neighbours With Fr Allan MacMillan Commemoration of Hon. John McMillan in Saint John, New Brunswick 2 Clan MacMillan International Magazine Issue No. 16, Dec 2011 CONTENTS Clan MacMillan 4 News from the Clan around the World International Centre at Finlaystone 6 On the Road Again: The Chief & Genealogist’s Chairman: Three Weeks in North America George G. MacMillan 10 The Hon. John McMillan: A Forgotten of MacMillan and Knap Father of Canadian Confederation? Trustees: David Brown, Scotland 11 The Gut of Canso McMillans: From Scotland Peter MacMillan, England to Australia, via Cape Breton in Canada Lamar McMillin, USA Connall Bell, USA 16 B. F. McMillan: Founder of McMillan, WI, USA Phillip McMillan, USA Margaret Pool, New Zealand 17 The Pioneer, the McMillan, and the Yangtze June Danks, Australia Blanche McMillan, Canada 18 Plans for CMSNA 2012 Gathering in Minnesota Robert Bell, USA 20 Clan Directory Treasurer: Arthur MacMillan From the Chief Genealogist & Editor: Graeme Mackenzie. Elsewhere in this issue you will read a There’s a lot of chat about 2014 as a full account of the highlight of my year – Year of Homecoming, like 2009. Clan MacMillan International (CMI) - the the pilgrimage to eastern North America Unfortunately, we still have no worldwide organisation based at the made by Graeme and me. So I shan’t information about key events (if any) in home of Clan Chief George MacMillan dwell on that – except to say that, besides the national programme with which clans - publish a Newsletter and a Magazine their wonderful hospitality, many of our will be encouraged to co-ordinate their each year, which are sent free to all host(ess)s gave us generous contributions to efforts. So I can’t tell you much about members. CMI membership is open to travel costs or anything else. We both felt all M’millans and septname bearers – timing; but we are thinking of a trip to the and members’ subscriptions help fund we’d been given such a wonderful holiday Outer Hebrides. As transport and the work of the Clan Centre that the cash went to the Clan Centre. So accommodation are severe constraints, we “...to collect, preserve, display and disseminate its funds are in pretty good shape, at least may have a job to fulfil our promises to educational and historic material about Clan for the time being. general satisfaction. Meanwhile, though, it MacMillan heritage and its Septs worldwide That’s something for which we’re would be useful to know how many people for the benefit of clan members and other extremely grateful, because I, for one, feel might be interested in a trip, and, perhaps, interested parties; and to assist the chief, clan that the Centre (which is entirely sustained which islands would interest them most. societies and individual clanspeople around the by Graeme), is doing superb work for the This year has seen a steady trickle of world in the promotion of the clan and its Clan at large. The website, in particular, ideals and charities” visitors to the Clan Centre from both (Clan Centre Mission Statement as which now contains a mass of genealogical Britain and elsewhere. I very much enjoy amended at Clan MacMillan Conclave material, has been attracting plenty of these contacts. I find that advancing years in August 2008). interest. So thank you, dear supporters, produce an interesting, but frustrating, for past blessings – and future ones too, I effect: however enjoyable the visit, I forget The annual subscription for 1st Jan. to hope! details all too quickly. The second visit, 31st Dec. 2012 is UK £15 or US $25. Soon after our return, Pauline (who however, ensures almost perfect recall. So Cheques – in UK pounds or US dollars has formally retired as Curator of the please persist – and don’t wait too long. only please – should be made out to Clan Centre) kindly helped me to put on Next summer (21-26 June) I hope to Clan MacMillan International and sent to: a tea party for local kinspeople. We’d be in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Barry’s team Clan MacMillan International hoped that John and Kari (our Norwegian (Mike and Jack) have maintained the Centre, Finlaystone, Langbank, cousins) might be with us; but they high tradition of organisation in the PA14 6TJ, Scotland. couldn’t find anyone to mind the farm in CMSNA, and I’m sure the atmosphere their absence: their sons were fully of the gathering will be as good as ever. If For further information about CMI employed elsewhere – a reason for which I you’ve not attended one of these events and the Clan Centre please go to: suppose one ought to be grateful these days. before, why not break fresh ground? www.clanmacmillan.org In spite of that, we had a good re-union. George. 3 News from the Clan around the World Clan MacMillan honoured on new trophy donated to Waipu Highland Games in New Zealand The MacMillans are the fourth clan listed on the glass background to this handsome figurine created by local craftsman Jamie MacGregor and donated by Wayne and Anthea Lawrence “to honour the clans who attend the Waipu Highland Games annually to promote the Scottish culture in New Zealand and the history of the clans they represent”. Appalachian Branch enjoy successful New team for the games at Stone Mountain and make Sept of Blue plans for the coming year Mary Hobbs, of Greensboro, NC, has just taken over from President Rob Jones has Robert Bell and I Patti Burke as President of Clan recently sent the following collaborated on our effort to MacMillan’s Sept of Blue; and win the McKenzie Award but Becky Brown, of Carthage, NC, report to Chief George was unsuccessful. We shall try is the Sept’s new Treasurer. Stone Mountain Highland again next year. Mary outlined her family Games went well this year. We Fran and I have scheduled history in the July edition of the registered 70 visitors to our participation in the Highland Sept’s newsletter, “Out of the tent and signed up 4 or 5 new Games held near Richmond, Blue”. She’s descended from members. It was a beautiful Virginia. This is a new event Dougald Blue and Agnes weekend with exceptional for us so I'm curious what the MacColl who emigrated to weather and the attendance was outcome will be. Hopefully a America as adults in the 1700s - larger than last year. good turnout with a lot of with Mary’s great-great- Encouraging given the current new members. grandfather John Kerr Blue state of economic affairs. During the winter months, coming into this world on Laura Mancin won first in we will be turning our board ship in the mid-Atlantic. the Ladies Kilted Mile. Claire attention to completely John K. Blue was the father MacMillan, placed first in the revising the Appalachian of Dougald M. Blue, whose Highland Dancing Competition Branch website. A careful daughter Leta V. Blue married as well as selection as undertaking which I hope will Peyton H. Squires. Their son, Outstanding Dancer of the provide a significant boost to Peyton H. Squires Jr. was the Day. Claire will be featured in a our presence as an father of the present Secretary forthcoming Chatterbox where organization and capture the of the Sept of Blue, Gale I will highlight her significant interest of the thousands of Squires Duque; while their achievements. She is a rising MacMillan and Septs who daughter Lillian Blue Squires - star among Highland Dancers never attend Highland wife of John Dixon Peterson - and has won a number of Games. was Mary Hobbs’s mother. championships in the USA and I plan to provide a special Mary’s husband W. Randall has been placed well in the focus on Scots and Scots- Hobbs died in 2002, and Mary Scotdance Canada-North Irish influence on has two daughters, Teresa American Open Highland Appalachian history. Jackson and Sybill Wehrhahn. Dancing Championship. 4 Canadian Clan Veterans celebrate 60th Anniversary Glengarry Branch gather to celebrate a founding father’s family milestone https://picasaweb.google.com/100551636975017035324/ HughPAndMurielS60thAnniversary# Hugh P. and Muriel MacMillan In a varied career and an wondered what she got herself have seen it all as far as Clan adventurous life he’s worked for into, has brought up their family MacMillan are concerned, having the Provincial Archives of and catered with great generosity been married in the year that Ontario - in a sort of Indiana for many passing MacMillans over George’s father, Sir Gordon Jones role, seeking out rare the decades. If she looks a little MacMillan, was recognised as the documents - whilst devoting surprised in the above picture it’s first chief of the clan for at least much of his spare time to probably more to do with the 150 years. researching, and re-enacting, the agility of the step-dancers who Hugh has also held most of history of the Highland Fur were entertaining the party than the leading clan positions in his Traders who opened up so with anything that her husband native land, having been President much of Canada in the 18th and may have said; and if you want to of both the Glengarry branch and 19th centuries.