Paterson

MacLaren

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THIS is an ancient clan, and of the many origins the most probable is that they are descended from St. Lawrence. Their country lay between Lochearnhead and Glengyle, and they appear in the Ragman Roll of 1296. They were allies of the Stewarts of Appin through a love-at-first-sight episode, and their feuds were frequent with the Buchanans, Campbells, and MacGregors. They fought at Bannockburn, at Flodden, and at Pinkie. They have been dis- tinguished in peace. The Psalms were translated into Gaelic by Colin MacLaren or MacLaurin, son of the Rev. John MacLaurin, minister of Glendaruel. Colin was born at Kilmodan in 1698. He was Professor of Mathematics in Edinburgh University in 1745. For having planned the defence of the city against Prince Charlie he had to abscond to York. The hardships of the journey caused an illness, of which he died in Edinburgh in 1746. The clan fought for Prince Charlie at Culloden. John MacLaren, Lord Dreghorn, raised to the Bench in 1787, established in Lyon Court that he was Chief of the clan; but his line expired. Archibald MacLaren, a dramatic writer of some distinction, produced two plays at an Edinburgh theatre. He died in 1825. The clan burial-place is Leackine, by Loch Earn.

Lamont

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THE Lamonts are a Celtic family. The old seat of the Chief was Castle Toward. This was changed to Ardlamont, between the Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne, which was the seat of the Chiefs until the close of the nineteenth century. The surname of the clan is from one Lauman. A Duncan MacLamont seems to have been Laird of Lamont in Robert III’s reign. There were also Lamonts of Inverin, the greater part of whose lands was appropriated by the Campbells. John Lamont of Lamont married Lady Jean Campbell, daughter of the Earl of Argyll who fell at Flodden. The Lamonts fought under Montrose at Philiphaugh in 1645. Attacked by the Campbells, they bravely defended themselves in the Castle of Toward, but had to surrender, and were all put to the sword by the victors. In 1685-86 the Laird of Lamont and Archibald Lamont of Silvercraigs were Commissioners in the Parliament at Edinburgh. There were also Lamonts of Willowfield. In course of time the estates passed to Dougal Lamont of Stilaig. His eldest daughter was married to John Lamont of Kilfinnan, and their eldest son succeeded to the estate and chiefship in right of the maternal line.

MacAulay

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THE MacAulays are Celtic in origin. Their chief seat was Ardincaple, in Row, Dunbartonshire. Ardincaple was probably built in the twelfth century. At one time they dwelt in Kintail, and some think they belong to the Lennox family. It is said the original name was Ardincaples of that Ilk, util they took the name of a chief called Aulay. Aulay is mentioned in various charters by Malduin, Earl of Lennox, whose death took place at the beginning of the reign of Alexander III. Aulay was the Earl’s brother. His son and successor, Duncan, or MacAulay, Knight, is also named in the Earl’s charters. Subsequently, in 1587, Sir Aulay MacAulay is enrolled as among the chief vassals of the Earl of Lennox. A branch of the clan went to Antrim, in Ireland, and acquired the lands of Glenerm. The last portion of the clan territory passed out of the hands of the 12th Chief in 1767, when Ardincaple was sold to the Duke of Argyll. Lord Macaulay, the historian and essayist, belonged to the Clan MacAulay of Lewis, first on record in 1610, and a separate clan from the MacAulays of Ardincaple.

Farquharson

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THE Farquharsons are of Celtic origin. Their clan country is Strathdee, in Aberdeenshire. Some of them were originally named Shaw. The offspring of Shaw of Rothiemurchus took the name of Farquharson. In 1645 Farquharson of Invercauld fought at the head of his clan under the famous Marquis of Montrose. The clan was well represented in the army of Prince Charlie in 1745. In 1748 the Laird of Invercauld leased his castle to the Government for ninety years as a military station. The garrison has long been withdrawn. The above-said Laird died in 1750. His son, James, succeeded, and lived until 1806. James left a daughter, Catherine, to whom the insignia of the Farquharson chiefs were confirmed by Lyon Court. She married Captain James Ross, R.N., who adopted the name Farquharson of Invercauld, and to whose line the chiefship descended. The Farquharsons of Inverey have as their most celebrated member the “Black Colonel,” famed in Dee-side legend. In 1745 the clan was led by the “Baron Ban,” Farquharson of Monaltrie.

Campbell of Argyll

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THE name Campbell first appears in 1216, in connection with a proprietor of lands in Stirling; but the first of importance was Neil Campbell, who, in 1296, was made King Edward’s Baillie over lands in Argyll. His great-grandson was created Lord Campbell by James II, and was the first of the family to take the title of Argyll. His grandson, Colin, was made Earl of Argyll in 1457, and Baron of Lorn in 1470. The Marquis of Argyll was the great leader of the Covenanters during the Civil Wars in the reigns of Charles I and Charles II. The 8th Earl was created Duke of Argyll in 1701. The Peerages and estate descended to John, second Duke of Argyll and Earl of Greenwich (died 1743). He was succeeded by his brother, who died without issue, and so the title devolved upon his cousin, General John Campbell of Mamore. Inveraray Castle is the seat of the Campbell Chiefs, whose designation is MacCailein Mhor.