Montgomery History
The Montgomery name origin on the European continent is as follows. In the 9th century Viking Chieftain Gomeric, son of Ingvar Ragnarson, the king of Anglia and Northumberland, was ravaging Europe. He had settled in the Calvados area of Normandy France, and had fortified a hill, which was named in Latin Mons Gomerici or Mount Gomeris. In 1066 Gomerics GG grandson Roger De Montgomorie commanded the right wing of the Norman army under William Duke of Normandy, aslo known as William the Conqueror. At the battle of Hastings Roger was awarded the title of Count Roger. He was also rewarded with wealth in England and Wales. He later went prospecting in Wales over an estate which he renamed Montgomery. Later generations arrived in Ayrshire Scotland in about 1160. One of his sons Robert dropped the prefix De from the Montgomery name and was known as Robert Montgomery. Most Montgomery’s of North America ancestors are traced to John Montgomery of Ireland of the 17th century. Johns’ son Captain James emigrated from Ireland to the Blue Ridge area of Virginia, and married Ester Houston, but for my Montgomery lineage I cannot make that connection. The Montgomery family crest is shown. Now in the procession (possession?) of Helen Montgomery Medley Powell of Massachusetts.

Montgomery Crest - "Honor Has Returned"

Find more information about his history in my previous post: James Preston Neal (1820-1896) – Published Biographies, and read Thomas Neel’s Will here: Thomas “Uncle Tom” Neel (1760-1843) – Will

Thomas “Uncle Tom” Neel
Birth – Oct 1760, Northern Ireland
Death – 8 Dec 1843, Butler Co., Kentucky
Burial – Richlieu Cem., Butler, Kentucky

Father – ?
Mother – ?

Married:

Mary Hamilton
Marriage – ?
Birth – 22 Dec 1762, Northern Ireland
Death – 14 Feb 1846, Butler Co., Kentucky
Burial – Richlieu Cem., Butler, Kentucky

Father – ?
Mother – ?

Their Children:

1 F – Susannah Neal
Birth – 16 Mar 1786, Ireland
Death – 24 Oct 1854, Ohio, Kentucky
Spouse – Dennis Mehon
Marriage – 11 Mar 1805, Campbell, Virginia

2 F – Ann Neal
Birth – 14 Dec 1789, Ireland
Death – 22 Oct 1866
Spouse – Alexander Moody
Marriage – 8 Aug 1810, Butler, Kentucky

3 F – Mary Neal
Birth – abt 1793
Death – ?
Spouse – Samuel Alexander Hutchinson
Marriage – ?

4 F – Rachel Neal
Birth – abt 1795
Death – ?
Spouse – John Augustus Porter
Marriage – 26 Jul 1819, Butler, Kentucky

5 M – William Neal
Birth abt 1797, Kentucky
Death – 12 Nov 1821, Butler Co., Kentucky
Spouse – Sinai Harreld
Marriage – 27 Jan 1817, Bowling Green, Kentucky

6 M – James Neel
Birth – abt 1797, Kentucky
Death – 22 May 1849, Ralls, Missouri
Spouse – Malinda Davis
Marriage – 26 Apr 1819, Butler, Kentucky

7 M – John Neal
Birth – 16 May 1799, Butler, Kentucky
Death – 8 Apr 1839, Butler, Kentucky
Spouse – Rebecca Porter
Marriage – 14 Feb 1822, Warren, Kentucky

8 F – Mariah Neal
Birth – 23 Jun 1801, Butler, Kentucky
Death – ?
Spouse – Calvin Alexander Garrison
Marriage – 26 Nov 1825, Butler, Kentucky

9 F – Sarah W. “Sally” Neal
Birth – abt 1805
Death – ?
Spouse (1) – John Hill
Marriage – 28 Jul 1824, Butler, Kentucky
Spouse (2) – James H. Nourse
Marriage – 2 Feb 1841, Butler, Kentucky

10 F – Jane Neal
Birth – 18 Nov 1807
Death – 26 Apr 1830
Spouse – James Marion Sloss
Marriage – 2 Nov 1827, Butler, Kentucky

If you’re related to this family or have more information about them including stories, pictures and dates and family member names, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

This will combined with the history of him and his decendents included in my post entitled James Preston Neal (1820-1896) – Published Biographies, give us a good idea of the size of his family and their married names.

Thomas “Uncle Tom” Neel
Birth – Oct 1760, Northern Ireland
Death – 8 Dec 1843, Butler Co., Kentucky
Burial – Richlieu Cem., Butler, Kentucky

Will of Thomas NEEL

I Thomas NEEL of Butler County and State of Kentucky doeth this day make and ["publish" crossed out] ordain this my last will and Testament revoking all others / my will and desire is that all my just debts be paid / after that I wish my wife to have a plentiful living and a decent burial out of this Estate if she should live after my [death] / I think from every appearance at present that she will not be capable of keeping house by herself / therefore I would wish her to go & live with one of her daughters / and she says she wood chuse to live with Mariah GARRISON.

Now I will mention who I think proper to have what little property I own at this time / all my children have goot some think when they went away from me some more and some less according to my circumstance at these times / and now I will divide what little I own according to what I think they severally deserve or stand in need of / I do not expect to please all parties / I will therefore please myself /

and first of all I leave to Ann MOODY one negro woman / a slave named Marthew [?] & two of her children say Sam and Catherin and also what children she may have hereafter / this over and above what she has goot before / what I leave to Ann MOODY I allow to be at her disposal at her Death /

I leave to my son James NEEL my negro man David over and above what he has already goot /

I leave to Mariah GARRISON my boy Danel over and above what she has goot before this date /

I leave Sarah W. NURCE a negro garrel named Franky / also a boy named Myls over and above what she has goot before this date.

I leave the place whereon I now live & also 50 acres of land a little lower down the creek to my two grandsons Thomas and James NEEL with all the improvements thereon /

I leave to Susannah MEHON one cow and calf over and above what she hass goot before /

I leave to Mary HUTCHISON to her living hears one dollar over and above what they have already goot /

I leave to Jean SLOSS to her living hairs one dollar over and above what they have ["already" scratched out] goot before this date /

I leave Rachel PORTER Dc’d [?] to her living hears one dollar over and above what they have allready goot /

I leave to William HAMELTON Senr all my body cloathing.

I leave to John NEEL Dc’d [?] to his living hears one dollar over and above what they have already goot /

and to William NEEL Dec [?] to his living hears I leave my interest in a two hundred acre tract of land that I purchist from the sakers [?] /

I will now mention some property that I wish to be equally divided amongst my four living daughters say ______ that is in my cupboard / also a quantity of whitened shirting & shirting that is in a large chest / also what spun stuff may be in the house also what wool cotton or flax or table cover or Dask covers or towels or bowboxes / my wife’s own clothing & books / only my large Bible I leave to my son James NEEL / there is some borrowed books they will be known by the owners name / also ___ Bress kettle one hackel 2 looking glasses some candlesticks one or two flett irons / these last mentioned articles I leave to my four daughters above named.

I leave to Reback PORTER one hackle /

I leave to Fanne HAMELTON my wife’s saddle & bridle at my wife’s death /

I leave Thomas NEEL James NEEL’s son my watch /

I leave Thomas ["NEEL" scratched out] HILL my grandson my best saddle & bridle

I leave Thomas GARRISON my grandson my shot gun the fire ____ and tongs & fire shovel

Lett stay in the house now all the balance of my property and every speces [?] of property that I own upon Earth at my Death I wish to be sold at a public sale and at least twelve months credit be given / then taking noats with good security and add to thes noats what noats or money of any description you may find in my Dask at that time be it more or less / there is at this time about fifteen hundred dollars in sd Dask cheifly in noats /

then when that is done I wish James NEEL & Calvin A. GARRISON to give Preston NEEL & William NEEL my two grandsons one hundred dollars each one of theme /

also to James POARTER and Levise his sister my two grandchildren one hundred dollars each one of them which leave to these four my grand children /

then all the balance or all the rest that is not left to individuals I wish to be Equally Divided into five shares and divide one share equally divided amongst John NEELs four daughters say Mary ANDERSON / Rachel ESQUE / Julyan SNODGRASS & Margaret NEEL /

then all the rest I leave to be Equally Divided amongst Anne MOODY / James NEEL / Meriah GARRISON & Sarah W. NOURCE / what I leave to Sarah W. NOURSE I allow to be at her disposal at her Death.

Lastly I appoint my son James NEEL & my son in law Calvin A. GARRISON the Executors of this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal this 26th day of October 1843.

/s/ Thomas NEEL {seal}

Test:
Nath’l PORTER
John H. FUNNER [?]
Wm McCOWN

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Butler County Court set ~ January Term 1844

I Vincent S. HAY clerk pro tem of the County Court for the county aforesaid do certify that the foregoing Instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Thomas NEEL was in open court duly proved by the oaths of Nathaniel PORTER and William McCOWN two subscribing witnesses thereto to be the act and deed of said NEEL and was ordered to record whereupon said writing together with the foregoing certificate have been duly admitted to record in my office. Given under my hand and seal this 9th day of January 1844.

Attest
Vincent S. HAY clk

**misspellings in the original record

I’m always trying to collect tid-bits of history, those morsels of stories that give meaning to the names and dates that public records make available. James Preston Neal was a historian and a well-known figure in his day. Not only was much written about him, but much history was written by his hand.

In an effort to connect with more of his decedents, I’m posting some histories written of him below. I am unsure of copy-write – other than the sources I list along with the histories – and share with the intent to learn more about this great individual. Feel free to leave a comment following the histories.

JAMES P. NEAL, THE FOUNDER OF PRAIRIE GROVE

(Editor’s note: Among the documents loaned to our Society by the late James P. Neal Jr., are two manuscripts giving the history of the Neal (Neel) family. These manuscripts – No. 1 in ink and No. 2 in pencil – were evidently written by members of the family. We are publishing them exactly as written, although we are unable to identify the author. – WJL)

No. 1

Thomas and Mary Neel were born in Northern Ireland in 1760 and 1762. They were married there and one or more of their children were born there. They came to America about 1780 and probably landed somewhere on the Virginia coast.

Many of their relatives and neighbors had preceded them to America and had settled in Chester and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania, eastern Maryland, and Virginia. The first of these had come over about 1730. John Neel came about 1730 and settled in Lancaster County, PA. One or more brothers came with John. These were probably the uncles of Thomas Neel, in whom we are interested.

Thomas Neel, having purchased a Virginia land warrant, found a site to his satisfaction, surveyed the land, and obtained title under his soldier’s land warrant. This land was on the Gasper River in Logan County, Kentucky, now Butler County. Here Thomas and Mary Neel found a haven of rest. Their Huguenot ancestors had been driven from France by religious persecution to Northern Ireland and thence to America. Far away from kings and religious intolerance, to a virgin land never before trampled by white men, they erected their log cabin and began clearing their land. Their hardships from travel, sickness and Indians were amply repaid by this final haven of rest and home.

Thomas and Mary Neel reared a family of three boys and seven girls. The boys were: William, James, and John; the girls were Ann (Neel) Moody, Mariah (Neel) Garrison, Sarah W. (Neel) Nounce, Susanna (Neel) Mehand, Mary (Neel) Hutchison, Jean (Neel) Slops, and Rachel (Neel) Porter.

Thomas Neel died in Butler County, Kentucky on December 8, 1843. Mary Neel, his widow, died in Butler County, February 1, 1846. They are buried side-by-side in the Richelieu cemetery, near their homestead. When I visited their graves in July 1937, the marble slabs were black and crumbling. That of Thomas had fallen down and part of the inscription crumbled away. The inscriptions were as follows:

“In memory of Thomas Neel who was born in Ireland —– 10th, 1760 and died —– 8th, 1843, aged 83 years. He lived a consistent life and died the death of a Christian.”
“In memory of Mary Neel, consort of T. Neel, who was born in Ireland Dec. 22nd, 1762 and died Feb. 14th, 1846, aged 83y. 1m. and 22d. She lived a consistent life and died the death of a Christian.”

William Neel, son of Thomas and Mary Neel, married Sinai Harrold at Bowling Green, Kentucky, January 27, 1817. From this union two sons were born; William Thomas Neel and James Preston Neal.

William Neal died in Butler County, Kentucky, November 27, 1821. His widow, Sinai Neel (born Harrold), married the Rev. Andrew Buchanan at Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1828, and with her two sons, William Thomas Neel and James Preston Neel, moved to Washington County, Arkansas, in 1829. Here husband, Rev. Andrew Buchanan, pre-empted the land on which the town of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, is now located.

James Preston Neal married Adaline Bean, daughter of Mark Bean of Cane Hill, Arkansas. They moved to Austin, Texas, where he practiced law. Four children were born to them at Austin; Eleanora, Mark B., Samuel B., and Beauregard. Adaline Bean Neal died at Austin in 186–. Their daughter Eleanora married Richard H. Hyde of Lovelady, Texas; Samuel B. Neal married Maggie Mock at Prairie Grove, Arkansas; mark and Beaure died without issue.

William Thomas Neel, brother of James Preston Neal, married Lucy J. Tinnin at Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Their children were Andrew Buchanan, William Thomas, Hugh Tinnin, Joel Perry, and Annie. William Thomas Neel was a Captain in the 6th Arkansas Confederate Volunteers and was killed in 1865.

James Preston Neal married his brother’s widow, Lucy J., at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, January 1869. They had three children; James Preston II, Sinai B., and Jay Dudley.

James Preston Neal II married M. Etta Wrightsman at Pawnee, Oklahoma, December 10, 1895. Four children were born to them: Barbara, Eugen Preston, Jessie, and James Preston III. Barbara Neal died August 1923. Eugene Preston Neal married Martha Brown at Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 193–. They have two children: Jame Stanley and Eugene Wrightsman. Jessie Neal married Alexander Humple at Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 1937. James Preston Neal III married Desha Thompson at Cincinnati, Ohio, October 1932. They have one child: James Preston Neal IV.

No. 2

Col. (James P.) Neal was 9 years old when he came to Washington County. He studied law in the office of Judge David Walker at Fayetteville and after being admitted to the bar became the law partner of Judge Walker. In 1847 he volunteered in the Mexican War and was elected First Lieutenant in Captain Enyart’s company of Arkansas Mounted Volunteers and served throughout the war. He was mustered out of service with his company at Comargo, Mexico. He returned to Fayetteville and resumed the practice of law. He married Adaline Bean, the daughter of Mark Bean of Cane Hill, and with his wife moved to Austin, Texas, where he practiced law at the outbreak of the Civil War. His wife Adaline died at Austin in 1861. After the war he moved to Huntsville, Texas, and practiced law. There he married, but his wife and children from this marriage were lost in the yellow fever epidemic, which swept the South after the war.

His brother, Captain William T. Neel of the 6th Arkansas Volunteer Regiment, was killed during the Civil War. In 1868, Colonel Neal returned to Washington County, Arkansas, and married his brother’s widow Lucy J. Neel, nee Tinnin, and engaged in farming and merchandising. He platted the town of Prairie Grove and erected the first store building, win which he conducted a general merchandising business. He secured a flower mill by donating four acres of land for its location. He donated the land for the Methodist Church. His stepfather, Andrew Buchanan, organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church here and donated the land on which the church and cemetery are now located.

Col. James P. Neal had an unusual knowledge of the early history of the county. He wrote many articles for the county and state papers, depicting incidents and history of those early times.

… The state was under “carpet bag rule” for several years after the war until free elections were re-established. The southern part of the Prairie Grove valley was attached to the Hogeye voting precinct. As that town has saloons, election day was always a nightmare to the men of the Valley. In 1871 Colonel Neal, John Mock, Dr. Rogers, Col, M.F. Lake and other leading men of the Valley succeeded in getting the Prairie Grove voting precinct established.

William Rogers built a blacksmith shop across the road and a few hundred feet southeast of the school house. This shop housed the first post office and voting place. In 1872 Colonel Neal conceived the idea of founding the town of Prairie Grove. He erected a stone building on what afterwards became the northwest corner of Buchanan and Mock streets and opened a general merchandise store. A little later he secured the location of a flour and grist mill, by donating four acres of land for its site and other inducements such as the use of water from the spring. This four acres was at the southwest corner of Buchanan and Mock streets. The company that built the mill was composed of McFetridge, Baggett and Rogers. After the mill was in operation, Baggett and Rogers sold their interest to McFetridge.

In 1875 the plat of the town was made and placed on record. The first lot sold was to Neal Kidd. This lot is on the northeast corner of Buchanan and Mock streets. Neal Kidd erected a stone building on this lot and opened a general supply store for farm needs. He had harness, saddles, farm implements and such. This was the second business house built.

The third was built by McFetridge and his son-in-law, John Ewing, on the southeast corner of Buchanan and Mock streets. Ewing opened with a stock of general merchandise. The building of the mill established Prairie Grove as the business center of the valley. H.C. and G.W. Crowell purchased the store and stock of goods from Colonel Neal. Other businesses that opened within the next few years were: B.A. Carl & Son’s store; D.F. McMillan’s general store; A.B. Rich & Son, general store; Robert Crowell, drugs; Dixon & Cummings, harness and saddles; Nees & Son, general store; Dorman & Welch, tombstones; Wm. Gillis; and Dr. W.B. Blanton. G.H. Crowell opened a hotel and livery stable. Dr. C.G. Garrison began the manufacture and sale of his own patent medicines and erected a building for this purpose at the north end of Mock street on Garrison avenue.

Source: Flashback published by Washington County Historical Society, Fayetteville Arkansas
Vol. IX, No. 3, July 1959. Page 7-9

Col. James P. Neal

Col. James P. Neal, one of the old residents of Washington County, Ark., who is now retired from active business life, was born in Butler County, Ky., March 24, 1820, and is a son of William Neal, and a grandson of Thomas Neal. The latter was a Virginian, whose ancestors were Irish, and one of the early settlers of Kentucky, in which State William Neal was born, reared and married. His wife ‘s maiden name was Sinai Harreld, whose parents were also Virginians, of English ancestry. After Mr. Neal’s death, which occurred when James P. was a child, she married again, and in 1829 moved to Arkansas with her husband, Rev. Andrew Buchanan, a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, locating on the land on which the Colonel now resides. Here Col. Neal was reared on the farm, and in 1847 volunteered in the Mexican War, marching through Texas into Mexico. He arose to the rank of first lieutenant, and served in this capacity until the close of the war, being mustered out at Comargo in 1848. Previous to his entering the army he had read law, been admitted to the bar, and had practiced his profession in Fayetteville, and after returning home he resumed his profession, which he continued until 1851, when he was elected mayor of Fayetteville, and held the office until 1854. In 1849 he was married to Miss Adaline Bean, daughter of Capt. Mark Bean, and cousin of the late Col. Tom Bean, the Bonham, Tex., millionaire. In 1854 he moved to Austin, Tex., owing to his wife’s failing health , where she died in 1863. During the war Mr. Neal was actively engaged in furnishing the Confederate army with supplies. He was a presidential elector, and voted for Jeff Davis for his second term. In 1868 he returned to Prairie Grove, Ark., then made historic by the battle of December 7, 1862, between the Federal and Confederate forces, commanded respectively by Gens. Blunt and Hindman. In 1869 he was married to the widow of his brother, Col. William T. Neal, who was killed by the Federals in a skirmish near Clarksville, Ark., in 1864. In 1871 he established the town of Prairie Grove, built the first store and engaged in merchandising, being also appointed postmaster of the town. He held this position until 1887, when he was obliged to resign on account of failing health, and is now living at his beautiful suburban residence, free from the cares of business life, surrounded by the lovely groves and grand old trees made memorable by the incidents of the battle, where that famous old spring comes bubbling forth with its crystal water, where both Federals and Confederates slaked their thirst and bathed their bleeding wounds. Col. Neal has held many positions of trust, and has done muc h to build up the town. His donations of real estate to public and charitable buildings have been munificent. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a worthy and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. His first union resulted in the birth of six children, only two of whom (Nora and Sam Bell) grew to mature years. To his present union three children have been born: James Preston, Sinai Belle and Jay Dudley. Mr. Neal has written and published many interesting sketches of the early times in Arkansas.

Source: WASHINGTON COUNTY_page 995 (Accessed from an online link that is no longer active)

James Preston Neal

James Preston Neal (1820-aft 1889) husband of Adaline Bean (daughter of Mark Bean and Nancy Sparks) was a veteran of the Mexican War. He volunteered in 1857 and marched through Texas into Mexico. He arose to the rank of first lieutenant, and served in this capacity until the close of the war, being mustered out at Comargo in 1848. In 1851 he was elected Mayor of Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas and held that office until 1854. During the Civil War he was actively engaged in furnishing the Confederate army with supplies. His brother, Col. William T. Neal, who was killed by the Federals in a skirmish near Clarksville, Johnson County. Arkansas in 1864. In 1871 he established the town of Prairie Grove in Washington County, built the first store and engaged in merchandising, being also appointed postmaster of the town. He held this position until 1887, when he was obliged to resign on account of failing health. He authored and published many interesting sketches of the early times in Arkansas.

Source: History: Col James P Neal: Washington Co., Arkansas Biography By Kristin Hawkins – May 3, 2000 Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Co unties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889 –

Minifield 4th Oct 1846

My Dear Sir

I am sure you are very angry with me for not answering your kind letter sooner. But I found it impossible to do so. Not being acquainted with the ancient history of the Highlands. I applied to a cousin of mine, the Reverend Mr.? McColl of Glenorchay whose brother, Coll, a catholic priest collected a great mass of information throughout the Highlands and Gle. embracing a well written history as traditional information, ancient poetry?, or from these circumstances, I thought his brother the most likely person to give a correct outline of the history of the Clan McColl. The priest went to Australia some years ago where he died, he took all his manuscripts with him and what I now send is furnished by the Clergyman from memory alone, but it appears to me from what I heard in my younger days from old people to be quite correct as far as it goes. I think where he mentions that in after times the McColls became the vassals of the Stuarts should be suppressed. They the McC had at one time large possessions in Appin, but through the vicissitudes of the time and the bad faith and treachery of the Stuart who in common gratitude ought to have supported them they in the end lost all their lands, except that which I still hold. The priest before he embarked for Australia got the McColl crest and Motto engraved in London. He sent and impression of it to his brother, but in his letter to me he says the does not know how to take an impression from it. If there is any use in this information I am sorry you should want it so long but Mr. M Cooll has been from home for the last fortnight assisting his Brethren in administering the Sacrament in different parts of Argyllshire.
I hope you will be able to make out a good case for the poor McColls, this antiquity was never doubted. I shall be happy to hear from you . I am my dear Sir – Yours truly
Kul? McColl
[Note written on the side] The Chief man of the Clan McColl at above date

The History and tradition of the Clan McColl of Appin

The History and tradition of the Clan McColl of Appin

The history of the Clan McColl is very much lost in antiquity, yet the tradition still extant of the Clan shows their origin to have been both Noble an ancient. The name Coll or Cole or Colla, can be traced to an early period in the genealogy of families, both in Ireland and in Scotland, the first person of note of the name of whom I have read, was Coll or Colla, and Uamh-theistfir Coll, or Colla, the Monster a Prince in Ireland. In the 4th Century from whom it is said the McDonalds are descended. Whether the McDonalds take their origin from this Coll or Colla and Uamh-theist is difficult to determine, but it is a well known fact that the name Coll is still as well as in ancient times a name peculiar both? Clan McDonald. It is therefore evident that the Clan McColl must as the name of itself indicates, have come of the Colls of ancient times
The person from whom the McColls of Appin are descended is said to be Solla dubh (ie Black Solla or Solomon, Son of Coll, 2nd Son of McDonald, Kin or Lord of the Isles. This Solla dubh, had for his inheritance the Island of Coll, from which Island he fled and took up his residence in Lorn in the neighborhood of Oban, but having committed some crime in Lorn he absconded and went to Appin where he found protection. He had afterwards to fly from Appin and made his way to Rosshire when he settled and married the daughter of a Miller of the name Michael by whom the had several sons of whom the ancient family of the McCuloc[ink blotch here] of Glastuleih? in Rosshire. The wife of this same Solla dubh or black Solomon, the Son of Coll having died he left Rosshire with his Brother in law Michael, of whom the Carmichaels of Appin and returned to Appin where he married and settled for life, from whom the McColls are descended – a numerous and brave Clan in Appin in ancient as well as in Modern times – they had property a part of which, one of them still retain in Glencrain in Appin. It therefore appears that the McColls are a branch of the McDonalds, descended as the name indicates from Coll or Colla the 2nds Son of the Lord of the Isles Their crest is a Highlander with Shield and Dagger?-Motto
Ferris tigo
Maccollasky
(Ie seiath nehu Colla
or McColl’s Shield)
The McColls
In latter times became the vassals of the Stuarts of Appin – They fought their battles and at all times defended their cause with fidelity and bravery, but without anything like a suitable recompensation for their services