Below is a transcript of an interesting MS in the archives of Inveraray castle under reference ARG-11-03-39. It is said to be the product of two authors. The second author attributes the pre-1651 material to Alan MacQuarrie of Ulva (killed at Inverkeithing in 1651) in the following terms: “most of McGuaire’s papers were burnt in 1688, and by that means we cannot [verify] the antique part of their history but what we have from the M.S. history of that family write in 1648-9 by Allan McGuare Esqr and esteemed authentic.” Of that second author, the updated MS is unsigned and their identity remains unknown, but that it ended up amongst the papers at Inveraray castle may be reason enough to assert with some degree of confidence that they belonged to that Clan. The document bears no date so quite when the second author made their additions is uncertain, however, that it was after February 1818 is confirmed by the inclusion of the death of the last Chief, John MacQuarrie, which is elsewhere recorded as having occurred at Glenforsa on 14 January 1818, aged 103 years [see The Scotsman, 7th February 1818 edition].
The veracity of several of assertions do not stand up well to the test of comparison with evidence contained within primary sources. Other statements cannot be put to a similar test on the grounds that the MS is the single source of information for them. The omission of Gillespie MacQuarrie of Ulva who as “one of the “special barronis and gentilmen of the Yllis,” subscribed to the Statutes of Icolmkill on 23 August 1609, is curious, all the more-so when it is considered that he lived not four decades before the first M.S. was penned. From 1651 onwards content is more or less in-line with points of genealogy contained within papers of a legal nature.
Those errors and inconsistencies are not terminal to trust in the document. Instead, inaccuracies as these within M.S. accounts are quite normal and should not in any way detract from the value such insights from times long past give us.
McGuaire of Ulva
Their founder being Godfredus, or Gorbredus, 2d son of Prince Gregory, son of Ailpin ruadh king of Scot[lan]d, who flourished inter anno 79 et 834 (Gregor was father of Dongalus & Gorbredus).
1 Donal McGorrie lineally descended from Gorbredus as above died in the rign of Alex[ande]r 2d about 1216 leaving a son Cormac by a Norwagian Lady
2 Cormac or Cormachus, a warlike brave man was called Cormac mor. Tho they were subject to Norwagian yoke, yet they followed their King Alex[ande]r 2d in his expedition to recover the wester isles 1249.Cormac had his clan and 3 ships of 16 oars, and his majesty at the island of Kerra. He undertook to reduce the fort of Kernburg also King Alex[ande]r treated with Ines (or Aonus) king of the Isles who was Hacco’s Leut[an]t but K. Alex[ande]r died (then rendered that schem abortive and when his army returned him, the Lord of the the isles (viceroy to Hacco) invade Cormac in Ulva, killed Cormac & most of his followers and his 2 sons All[a]n & Gregor escaped to Irland.
3 Allan soon after made his peace with Hacco’s leut[enan]t. He mar[rie]d a noble Lady of Irl[an]d by whom he [begot] Eachan his [heir]. This Allan was contemporary Gileoin progenitor of the Mcleans. He fought under Alex[ande]r at Largs and was kill[e]d 1263.
4 Eachan luath, Alan’s son, took to wife, Fionvola Gileoin dr. He was in great friendship with Gillise McGileoin his brother in law. Fought with him at Bannockburn 1314. By his lady [he] had 2 sons, Gorrie (or Guarie) & Cormac, from whom most of the MacCormacks here has their descent.
5 Gorrie (godffrey or Guaire) succ[eede]d his father eachan.. He married his cousin Mor, or Marian, dr of McGuaire of Inisjilin a lady of remarkable beauty by whom he had 2 sons John & Gilesbic, who died unmar[rie]d. The dr Isabella died young.
6 Eoin brec his son succ[eede]d. A man of uncommon strength of body. He mar[rried] Giles, dr of Mac-Thorquil designed Fean-Allan [of] that ilk, descended of the Norwagian kings of Mann, by Torquil, grandson of king Olave, of whom the McLeods. By her he had a son
7 Lachlin Mor. He mar[rrie]d Christiana, dr of John McGregor of Brecsliabh, 2d son of Malcolm Bachdach Lord McGregor. By this lady he had
8 Eachan McGuaire of that Ilk who mar[rrie]d Marg[are]t dr of McNeil fo Barra ancestor of Roderick McNeil of Barra. By this lady he had one son John and several daughters all honourabley mar[rie]d.
9 John McGuarie of that Ilk succ[eede]d and having gone to Irland on a visit to his kinsman McGauire of Iniskhillin, he married that Gents brother’s dr and after he return to Scot[lan]d he acquired sone lands in Mull, called Seith-iochrach, from the Lord of the Isles. He had of that Lady 4 sons, Colin, who upon his fathers resignation got a charter under the Great Seal, Coline McGuaire, terrarium de Auchloisk (or Torloisg) et Druimoton de date Feb[ruar]y 24th 1477 but died without issue.(The charter in consequence of his conveyance is still preserved but the dated is defaced. It must be prior to 1598 for Lach[la]n mor who was killed that year. Don[al]d who became John McGuaire his father’s heir being the 2d son. 3d Eoin who died young 4th Fingon, so called in complimentit to McFingone of Maoisnish being on a visit at that time in MacGuarie’s house, supposed to descend from the same royal stock. This John McGuarie died in an advanced age, succ[eede]d by his eldest son,
10 Don[al]d, who mar[rrie]d a lady of the McDon[al]d family, by whom he had [a] son
11 Hector who mar[rie]d a dr of McNeil of Tanish, and the tocher he got with this lady was very remarkable, being 2 men, 2 women & a pyet-coloured horse. Some of those descendants are at Ulva yet. By this lady he had
12 Donald who took to wife Christian dr of Lachlan og Mclean, founder of Torloisk family, 2d son of Lachlan mor of Duart. By her he had 4 sons & 2 dr. Allan his successor and Hector who mar[rie]d —– sister of Don[al]d McLeod Esq, a Major in the service of the States general of Holand who obtained a bond for £1000 from Mcleod of Dunvegan 1684. From this Hector descended Ormaig family 3d son Lach[la]n who mar[rie]d a dr of Mclean of Ardgour, founder of Lagan family. 4th son is John who mar[rie]d a dr of Mclean of Lochbuie, of whom Bailghartan family. 1st dr Una marr[ie]d to Allan Mclean of Grulin and had issue 3 dr, 2d dr Catherine McGuarie mar[rie]d to Don[al]d Mclean of Aross and had isse, Major Alex[ande]r Mclean in the Spanish Service, father of don Andreieu Mclean, nobilitated in Spain.
13 Alan McGuarie of that ilk, eldest son of Donald, mar[rie]d his cousin dr Alan, 4th son of Lach[la]n Mor of Duart and lady Marg[are]t Cunningham. His uncle Hector mor of Duart when to edin[burgh] & got a charter of [his] own estate which held of the Crown renewed, was entrusted to do the same for McGuarie then young, and in order to save expenses, hector included McGuarie’s 20 merk land of Ulva &c in his own charters and afterwards conveyed the same to his Nephew. By this means Mcguarie came to hold of a subject superior. Alan was a brave soldier, a great loyalist and scholar, a major in the army. He was the author of the M.S. from which we deduced these memoirs. He joined his cousin, the brave Sir Hector ruadh nan cath of Duart in the battle of Inverkeithing where they were both kill[ed] with most of their men A.D. 1651. By his said Lady he had a son
14 Lachlan, who succ[eede]d him. He mar[rie]d 1st Marian dr of Mclean of Ardgour, by whom he had a sn John, his heir. And Julian who died young. he mar[rie]d 2dly Catherine, dr of John Garbh of Coll by whom he had Alan, who mar[rie]d Miss Peggy dr of Charles Mclean, merch[an]t in Tirie – and dr Flora, mar[rie]d to Lach[la]n 4th son of hector of Lochbuie, by Marg[are]t Campbell dr of Lochnell.
15 John, by the first marriage of Lach[la]n of of Ardgours dr succ[eede]d and mar[rie]d Flora dr of Hector Mac iain ghairibh of Ashole in Ross, Mull, by whom he had Lach[la]n his heir and Marian, who was first mar[rie]d to Hector Mclean merchant in Tirie ; and next, to McGuarie of Baile-ghartain in Ulva. John died in 1735 and is interred at Inish-Kenneth in the family burial place. He was succ[eede]d by his son Lach[la]n McQuarie of that Ilk who married first Alice, dr of Don[anl]d Mclean of Torloisk, by a dr of Arch[bal]d Campbell of Sunderland in Ilay, by this lady Lach[la]m had 4 sons & 4 dr. 1 John McGuarie Esq, his apparent heir, who was a Leu[tenan]t in the 114th Reg[imen]t reduced to half pay, 2d Don[al]d, who was ensign in the Argyleshire Fencibles, 3d Lach[la]n, bred to the sea, 4thLach[la]n, 1. Mary, mar[rie]d to Mr Gilleoin Mclean, son of John of Lochbuie, 2d Flora, mar[rie]d to Mr. John son of Arch[bal]d brother to Mclean of Torloisk, 3d Eliz[abeth] 4th Jean, unmarried. He 2dly mar[rie]d Miss Anne McGuarie dr of Lah[la]n McGuarie by whom he had Arch[bal]d, Murdoch & Don[al]d and 3 dr, 1st Emelia-Frances 2d Sibila, 3d Janet, 4th Anne, some died. He died Tusday ______ Jan[uar]y 18_________ aged 103 years.[1]
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