History of one McLeod Family in Ontario

Dedication

Foreward

Historical Background

Dunvegan Castle

Emigration

The McCuaigs

Brothers Emigrate to Canada

My Family Tree

Other McCuaig Childen

General:

As time went on, after the two branches of the clan were formed, numerous cadet branches sprang from both families. Most of these were tenants of their respective chiefs, but others, though paying obedience to their chiefs, became absolute owners of their lands and were known by the name of their estates, such as the MacLeods of Assynt and the MacLeods of Raasay. There were others, septs of each branch who bore different names such as the MacCrimmons (who were the McCuaigs) and others.

War:

The house of Dunvegan has a noble record in regard to its military service and the welfare of the clan. During the half century or so after Culloden (Battle of Culloden 1746), 50 battalions were raised in the Highlands to serve the Guelphs more effectually than their fathers had served the Stuarts. Norman McLeod

Flora MacDonald

recalls that in the wars of the French Revolutions, besides thousands of soldiers and scores of officers sent to the regular army, Argyll had three regiments of Fencibles and a company of volunteers in every parish. Since the beginning of these wars, he counts up to 21 generals, 48 colonels, 600 other commissioned officers and 10,.000 soldiers as sprung from the Isle of Skye alone. Another Skye man says that 1600 from Skye stood in the squares of Waterloo. So it is readily seen that the clan has contributed much in the making of history.

Origins:

No true Highlander is ever ashamed of being Highland. He has every reason to be proud of it. We have only to look back in history to see that the Highlanders were both brave and loyal. Theirs was the "love no gold could buy nor time could wither." The word clan means children or descendants and the clan name is the name of the common ancestor from whom the members of the clan descended. "Mac, Mc, or M" preceeding the name means "son of."

It has definitely been established that the progenitor of the Highland clan MacLeod came from Norway. Olav, The Black, with his three preceeding ancestors held the title of "King of Man and the Isles." He died in 1237. The Norse occupation of the Hebrides probably took place about the year 800 AD, or soon after, and its predominance or sovereignty lasted until 1266 when the state of Innes/Gall was ceded to Scotland. There is a fairly connected history of this based on Norse and Irish records. We are the descendents of the first Leod in the Hebrides, who was the son of Olav, The Black, son of, or rather, King of Man.

Leod is derived from the Norse "Ljetr" that became in old Gaelic "Leet," then "Leed," meaning bad or ugly man, or rather, an ugly or bad man to have as an enemy. In Dr. George Henderson's, Norse Influence on Celtic Scotland, he gives what is likely the correct derivation of it, "Ljet-ulf-ugly, bad, but literally fierce wolf, this being descriptive of a doughty warrior."Leod was born toward the end

of the 12th century. He married the daughter of MacCrailt Armuinn who brought Dunvegan as her dowry and it has remained in the possession of their descendents ever since. Leod died about 1280 and was buried at Iona where his tomb is still in evidence. His two older sons, Tormod (Norman) and Torquill became the heads of the great two branches into which the clan is divided - the Siel Tormd and the Siel Torquill, otherwise the McLeods of Lewis. Both were powerful and both were independant. The Siel Tormod owned Glenelg on the mainland of Scotland, Harris, St. Kilda and about half of the Isle of Skye. The Siel Torquill owned Assynt and Fairleck on the mainland, Lewis, Rassay and Waternish in Skye. Unfortunately all the possessions of the Lewis branch and a large part of those of the Harris branch have passed away from their MacLeod owners, but are still and ever shall be called, "MacLeod Country." One of the most important events in the history of the clan was the downfall of the Lewis Branch that took place in the time of Rory, the 10th Chief. Torquill has become extinct and their ancient stronghold, Stornorway Castle, is no more.

Chiefs and Famous Associations:

The representative of the MacLeods of Lewis was Macleod of Cadbell-Ederick (sp?) Willoughby, late captain of the 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders who died in April 1931. He had one daughter and three sons, the eldest of whom, Captain Robert Bruce Darrell MacLeod M.C., late of the 3rd Battalion Cameron Highlanders, succeeded as head of the Cadbell MacLeods. But this property, as already stated, has been sold. The present MacLeod of MacLeod of Harris is Sir Reginald MacLeod of K.C.B., the 24th Chief, who succeeded his brother, Captain Norman Magnus MacLeod of Macleod in November of 1929.

Besides these are also interesting relics of romantic and much loved personalities:

There are links also, in the shape of letters, with celebrities of a very different type - Dr. Samuel Johnson and Sir Walter Scott. Dr. Johnson and his faithful Boswell, and later, the Wizard of the Berth, were entertained within the hospitable walls of the castle. Benevolent and courteous, the present chief of the MacLeods is held in highest esteem by the islanders. Although in his 88th year (1935), Sir Reginald has a reserve of youthful energy and strength to a marvellous degree and still, with great enthusiasm, fulfills his many duties in a very efficient manner.

Regalia:

The two different branches of the clan wear different tartans and bear different arms. The arms borne by the Chief of the Siel Tormod as matriculated in 1752 are:Azure, a castle triple towered and embattled, with masoned sable, windows and porch gules. Supporters are two lions regardant, each holding a dagger proper. The crest is a bull's head cabossed between two flags. Motto is "Hold Fast." For many years however, the family have borne on their shield, the legs of Man and a castle quarterly, and this crest is to be matriculated at the office of the Lord Lyen. The badge of Siel Tormod is Juniper. The Siel Tormod now wear a tartan, the field of which is green and black with red and yellow stripes running through the checks. The very thought of the tartan is enough to gladden the heart of the Scotsman in the distant land. Be he Highlander or Lowlander, he feels a glow of emotion when he beholds the dress he may have worn when he roamed the lonely glens or climbed the heathery hills of his beloved Scotland.

To the Highlander, especially, there is no name so clear as that of his clan, no garb so grandly beautiful as that in which his ancestors fought against the invader in the renewed days of old. In fancy, he marches under the banner of his Chief, the pipes ring out their wild and thrilling music, the old familiar war cry makes the mountains tremble and the tartan is perhaps stepped in the blood of the brave.