www.clanlivingstone.info

This is will of Archibald McLea, father of Duncan McLea, minister at Dull, as mentioned in the Account of McLea 1743.

http://kitenet.net/~kyle/family/wiki/ne ... aclea.html


Testament Dative of Umq[ui]le Archd. McLea Mercht in Rothesay

The Testament Dative and Inventory of the Debts & Sums of money
pertaining & belonging to Arch McLea Mercht in Rothsay the time of his
decease. Who deceast at Lindsaig in Cowall in the Month of Decem.
???? and Fifteen. Faithfully made and given up by Mr Duncan McLea
Minister at Dull his Eldest Lawfull Son, Only Executor Dative.
Decerned as nearest in kin to him and That by Decree of the Commissar
Substitute of Argyle dated the Twenty Eight day of March last at more
length proports.

Inventory

Commissar Dues four pounds Scot and paid to AC

There was justly Rating and owing to the said Defunct the time of his
decease The Sum of Ninety Seven Pound Scot as the bygone Annuatent of
the Principal Sum of Five Hundred pounds Scot only resting? of the
Principal Sum of Twelve Hundred merks? contained in an Heretable Bond
granted by John McNeil of Kilmory to the Said Umq[ui]le Archd McLea
and Mary McLaurine his Spouse of the date the last day of October One
Thousand Six Hundred and Ninty Years.

Summa Inventory

Mr. Archibald Campbell of Stonfield Advocat Commissar Depute of the
Commisariot of Argyle Understanding That after due Summoning and
Lawfull Warning made by Publick form of Edict openly and effeirs of
the Ex D Testamentars Spouse Bairnes if any were and Intromettors with
the Goods and Gear of the Said Umq. Archd. McLea and all others having
or pretending to have Interest in the said matter To have Compeared
before me or my Substitute at a certain day now bygone and answered at
the Instance of the said Mr Duncan McLea Lawfull Son to the said
Defunct To have heard and seen Executors Dative Decerned to him or
Else to have alleged a reasonable Cause in the contrary, My Substitute
Decerned thereintill as his Decree Dative given thereanont of the date
forsaid bears. Comform Whereunto J In Our Sovereign Lords Name and
Authority Make Constitute Ordain and Confirm the Said Mr. Duncan McLea
in Executor Dative qua nearest in kinn to the said Umq Archibald McLea
his father and In and To the Debt contained in the foregoing Inventory
With full Power to him to Medle & Intromett With Uplift Call follow
and pursue therefore as Law will And Generally to do every Other Thing
anont the Premises Which to the Office of Exc. in such cases by Law is
to known: Providing advise He Render Just Complt Reckoning of his
Intromissions When & Where the Same Shall be Lawfully acquired
Whereupon and That the Debt and Sum of money contained in the
foregoing Inventory shall be made free & forthcoming to all persons
having Interest as Law will Duncan Ochiltry Moresson? Inveraray is
become ?? as a Bond of ??? given thereanont bears in Testimony Where
of these present and Subscribed by Me and my Clerks of Court in
Inveraray the Twenty Fourth day of April ????? and Fourty Years. Ja.
Campbell Arch. Campbell Com. Dept.


******There are a couple of words I can't interpret. One word,
appearing twice, must be a date. The part at the end I can't make
out!

Email me if you'd like a copy, I can't seem to get the gallery to take the image right now.

Kyle=

HI Kyle;

Congradulations on your acquisition. Looks to me that the date in question is seventeen hundred - 1715 and 1740.


Regards;

Roberta

Hi Kyle,

That is a nice find. Any chance there was a will for your ancestor John or his father? He might be listed in a will of course you dont know who his father was for certain. I guess you probably have already looked. Also no baptismal record for your JOhn I guess in Bute. I assume you contacted the Rothesay, Bute experts and checked for all available records.
regards,

Donald

It does seem like the dates must be 1700, Roberta. I agree. The writing looking completely alien to me, in both cases. I wondered if it might have been some sort of Roman numeral written in a weird hand. But I agree that the date seems logical!

I have not found any relevant wills in my own family. Seems they were not wealthy enough for this. John was a blacksmith as was his father in law Peter McKay. John's son Peter was also a blacksmith. His son Duncan an upholsterer. It seems that despite being probably "middle class" in the scheme of the day, he still didn't have much money to pass on, or his will has been lost.

This one for Archibald is actually easily found on ScotlandsPeople.... I just hadn't gotten around to transcribing it until now. Andrew had asked about it and I wondered if it had any useful info. Turns out the answer is no, although I didn't know his wife's name, so that is useful!

Kyle=

I WAS guessing that October 1690 must have been when Archibald McLea married Mary McLaurine his spouse and mother of Rev Duncan McLea (writer of the Account of McLea 1743). So it must just be the date he received that Bond mentioned in the will.

But I actually find these records in our database:

B 11/06/1680 MCONLEA ARCHIBALD M MCONLEA ARCHIBALD NCLAWRINE MARRIE FR101 Inveraray and Glenaray /ARGYLL Scotland 513/ 0010 0097 Scotlands People OPR Births
B 27/11/1681 MCONLEA DUNCAN M MCONLEA ARCHIBALD NCLAWREEN MARIE FR107 Inveraray and Glenaray /ARGYLL Scotland 513/ 0010 0101 Scotlands People OPR Births

There are also a couple of other births to an Archibald McLea/McOnlea in Rothesay in the early 1690s (no mother listed). Possible they could be him, but it's much later (named Neil, Mary, and John). No additional children to Archibald and Mary can be found anywhere, including Inveraray, Kilmodan, or Rothesay.

Interesting about the two births we have is this:
Duncan is listed in the will as the eldest son of Archibald. So, either Archibald the son died, or was disowned in some way.

Duncan then goes on to have 3 sons, all ministers like him, who are mentioned in the Account of McLea and elsewhere. John, Archibald, and Duncan. Only Duncan the son is mentioned as having left issue.

Interesting that Archibald, father of Rev Duncan, the writer of the Account, died in 1740. Because Duncan then wrote the Account in 1743. Like he was trying to safeguard all he knew and had known from his father.

Kyle=

Hi Kyle,

Heres an idea. Can you trace the settlement pattern of Inverray Mcleas after 1680 and find a decline and increase in Mclea population in Eastern Argyll and Bute in the parish records you have access to through Scotlands People. With the baptismal and marriage records I was thinking we could brilliantly determine what happened to Maclea families connected to Rev. Maclea and in some way try to find kin of your John McLea even if cant find your John McLea himself in the records. ANotherwards end up with a tracking of an McLea population decrease or increases in Eastern Argyll parishes with the old Mclea family and Rothesay Bute between the years 1640 to 1840. I think you may find some interesting. In Argyll that would include Inverray and other Eastern Parishes not far from Bute where 17th century McLeas were located.

regards,

Donald

Interesting find, Kyle.
I noted that while while Archie and Duncan lived in Bute/Dull and John McLea was a burgess in Inverarary at this time, Archie died at the Lindsaig Estate. Perhaps further evidence that Lindsaig was the center of the southern branches of the McLeas.
Don't know what to make of the 1690 Bond granted to Archie by a John McNeil of Kilmory.
Craig

Or that those McLeas we find in the records whom lived in all the parishes of Eastern Argyll who did not become Livingstons were connected to those who we find at Rothesay, Bute.

Donald

I will post the wills from Archibald's sons when I get the chance, but they are considerably longer and will take more time to transcribe! At least a few weeks...

Kyle=