Genealogy of The Clan Gregor - 95 - The MacGregors of Ardinconnal, Stewarts of Ballylawn and the Marquesses of Londonderry

[0] 20 October 1432 (Highland Papers iv, 200) 'Gregorio Johannis' [= Gregor son of John] witnessed a latin charter of the Glen Orchy lands by Donnchadh Campbell lord of Loch Awe to Cailean Campbell. It is possible that this Gregor could be the ancestor of the MacGregor lineage in Ardinconnel in the Gareloch.

[1] Amelia Vol i, ch 11, p109: MacGregor of Ardinconnell was one of the oldest offshoots of the Clan, and this branch must be noticed as most involved in subsequent disputes with Colquhoun of Luss. Its earliest recorded existence was in 1429, as in a deed of resignation by John MacRoger “of Gleane Mackerne (Mackurn) [page 110} in favour of John Colquhoun of Luss, dated 7th February 1429. One of the witnesses is Johanne MacGregor Dominus de Ardinconwell.”- “Chiefs of Colquhoun,” by William Fraser, 1869, vol. ii. page 28.

[2] Amelia Vol i, ch 11, p109: “1479. Oct. 27. Before the lords compeired Umphra Colquhoun of that ilk, Patrik Noble, Patrik McGregour and Johnne of Douglas, and protested that because Christian Lady Grahame ‘gert sumond theme that therefore they should be assoilzied &a &a.’ - Acta Dominorum Concilii vol. i. folio 58 in Register House.
About 1502, Sir John Colquhoun of Luss, who had lately acquired Porterfield’s Lands, vide page 40, purchased from Patrick MacGregor of Ardinconnell the “Middle third of Ardinconnell” Original Charter, dated February 20th, 1501, and original Instrument of Sasine, dated April 1501, at Rossdhu. Chiefs of the Colquhouns, Patrick MacGregor of Ardinconnell, was afterwards tenant of Sir John Colquhoun, and the following bond in which Patrick calls him his “darast Master” is curious.
“Discharge and Obligation by Patrick MacGregor of Ardyncnwall to Sir John Colquhoun of Luss Knicht for forty merks of the duties of the said lands.

[4] Amelia Vol i, ch 11, p109: “1527. Notice of a raid by Patrik McGregors Elder and Younger of Lagris upon the lands of Strone, in the barony of Luss.
“1527. September 2. Mention is made in the Record of an Action at the instance of Andrew Lord Auvandale, who had obtained a gift of the ward of the Earldom of Lennox against the Colquhouns &a and among them Patrick Malcolm, and Patrick MacGregor. (Acta Dominorum Concilii xxxvii, M.S. 2369.) These were probably of the Ardinconnell family.
“1527. Nov. Patrick MacGregor younger of Ardinconnal had letters of reversion of 8 merkland of Ardinconnal from Sir John Colquhoun of Luss Kt. and at the same time, the ward of these lands was given by Andrew (3) lord Evandale to Walter Colquhoun brother of the said John. - Records of the Burgh of Dumbarton.

[5] Amelia Vol i, ch 11, p111: “1541. Patrik MacGregor of Lagris was pursewed by John Colquhoun of Luss oye and successor to Sir John Colquhoun of Luss in the 28th year of King James V (1541) for 8 oxen, price of each 3 lib, and of 12 ‘grete mylk ky’ price of each. . . ‘thiftuilie stowin and cancelit fra the lands of Strone in Glenfruiune 1527 and for the yeirlie profits thereof since that time at 6 firlotts of oatmeal, at 12s per boll, for each ox and 13s 4p. for each cow yeirlie.’ His father Patrik MacGregor also had shared in the said raid and in 1531 found Walter McFerland his son suretie for the damages, at the Justice Assize of Dumbarton.
Amelia Vol i, ch 11,page 112
“1544. Dec. 21. ‘The 4 merkland of Laggarie, belonging in property to Patrick McGregour, and holding of the Earl of Lennox, and the 8 merk land of Ardinconnal,' are thus specified in a charter by Queen Mary 27. July 1545 being one of appreciation of the Earl’s estate for the damage done in his late rebellion to James Stewart of Cardonald 4, Jan. 1543-4. Mag Sig : xxxx 22. By the Laird of Ardinconnal is meant obviously the person to whom it was mortgaged by McGregour of Laggary, formerly of Ardinconnal.
“1544. Dec. 21. John Colquhoun of Luss complains that ‘Duncane McFarlane of Arrochar Andrew McFerlane, Robert Mcferlane and Duncane Mcferlane his fader bray, viz., Campbell of (Strachur) James Stewart sone to Walter Stewart in Buchquhidder and certain uthir grete thevis, lymaris, robaris, qmoun (common) sornaris upaun the liecis, throtcuttaris, murtharis slaaris of men’s wiffis and barnis and yr complices to ye novmer of vj (q score?) men with ye maire come to ye said John’s lands and place of Rossdew and lands and barony of Luss and yare crellie slew and murdrest nyne of his pure tennents in yr beddes ans hereit his hale cuntrie baith his self and his pure men alswele of all insy gude wt, in houss as of nolt and schap and vyir (other) bestiale laitlie in ye monet of December instand dailie (ar) persewaries in plain reif and sorning vpoun ye pure liege of ye realme, and ar gaderand to yaim (them) ma thevis and lymmares, tending to hery ye haill cuntre to Glasgow and Striveling and yai be not resisted in yis temptioun (contemption) of ye : authrite and lawis giff salbe.’ Whereupon the Sheriffs of Argyle Dunbarton Renfrew and Stirling are charged to summon all the lieges within their bounds ‘to ryss and cum togidder for resisting of the saidis thievis and revaris to sik ptis (parties) as yai sal happin to cum uponn and yai tak plane pairt wt ye said Johnne or ony uyer gentilmen yat rysis for resisting of ye saidis theves and lymaris and tak and apprehend yame and bring yame to ye Justice to be punist for yr demeritis qform (conform) to ye lawis. And giff ony of yame beis slane or hurt in ye taking or resisting of yame to cum upoun o (our) privelege yat na cryme salbe impuitt to yame y’throw’ ” - Luss Papers”
The following passage is from “The Chiefs of Colquhoun”
:- “The first trace of that enmity between the MacGregors and the Colquhouns, which at length became so inveterate, to be found in the Luss family writs, occurs in a document dated in the year 1541. So far back as the year 1527, one of the MacGregor clan, Patrick MacGregor of Laggarie, had despoiled the father of the then Laird of Luss of a considerable number of oxen and cows. To obtain redress for this theft committed on his father’s property, John Colquhoun of Luss summoned him on 27 Dec. 1540, to appear before the Lords of the Privy Council, to hear their decreet, ordaining him, in terms of the summons, to restore to the pursuer eight oxen and twelve milk cows or the price of them with the profits of the same since the year 1527, when he had stolen them from the lands of Strone, in Glenfruin. And on 30th May 1541, Patrick MacGregor of Laggarie was at the instance of John Colquhoun of Luss inhibited from selling any of his lands or heritages until he had satisfied John for the spoil which he had reft from him.

[6] Amelia Vol i, ch 19, p229: >br /> “1573. Oct. 6. John, son of Patrik McGregour was retoured heir of his father Patrik McGregor in Ardinconnal.” - Retours in general Register House, Edinburgh. “From the records of the Burgh of Dumbarton it appears that John MacGregor of Ardinconnall married Christian Denzelstoun and that he had three sons Alexander his sons and heir who appears in Record 1612. as Alexander Stewart of Lagary John, and Gregor.

[7] Alexander, the eldest son above starts to show up in documents as Alexander Stewart of Laggarie. Sir Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple dies in 1617, his heir, a cousin named Alexander MacAulay of Durlin, begins the process of selling Ballylawn in Ireland to Alexander Stewart of Laggarie in exchange for Ardeconnel and Laggare in Dunbartonshire. At some point during this process, Alexander Stewart of Laggarie dies without an heir and his younger brother, now styled John Stewart, becomes the acquirer of Ballylawn in Ireland.

[8] Amelia Vol i, ch 31, p398: “1612. Alexander Stewart of Laggarie is debtor in the testament of Agnes McKean. - Commissary Books of Glasgow. That Alexander Stewart was properly Alexander MacGregor there can be little doubt. Alexander MacGregor had been infeft in Laggarie on a precept of Clare Constat as heir to his father John MacGregor in 1602. - Record of the Burgh of Dumbarton 1602, as cited under that year. He had, of course, taken the protective name of Stewart under the operation of the Act of Secret Council April 3. 1603, abolishing the surname of MacGregor. - See 10th Dec. 1603, where mention of him under both surnames.

[9] Amelia Vol i, ch 19, p229: “1578. John MacGregor of Ardinconnell entered into a contract with Humphrey Colquhoun of Ballermickmore, That his son and heir shall marry Marion daughter of the said Humphrey and that the said Humphrey’s eldest son John shall marry Janet daughter of the said John.” - Record of Dumbarton.

[10] According to Joseph Anderson, in 1890: "In 1454 John MacGregor, son of Patrick MacGregor of Ardinconell, possessed a town house in Dumbarton, and in 1480 Duncan MacGregor held the chaplainry of St. Patrick there."
For this to make sense, John of Ardinconnel mentioned in 1429 must have died without offspring, so Patrick, his probable brother, became "Of Ardinconnell". Patrick must have had a son John recorded in 1454 residing in Dumbarton. Duncan in 1480 may have been John's brother.

[11] Catherine MacGregor (abt 1470 - aft 1500) m. John Porterfield (abt 1460 - aft 1496) on 27 Jan 1496.

[12] From Bryan Srewart in Florida.
I've had additional time to look over some MacGregor of Ardenconnel and Laggarie information in more detail and wanted to bring a few items to your attention.

The Ulster Herald in 1639, Thomas Preston (who later became 1st Viscount Tara) made the following record on this family. I have also included the citation (which can be found online.)
Ireland. Genealogical Office. Funeral Entries, Vol. 17, Containing Armorial and Genealogical Notes Made by Officers of Arms Concerning Deceased Persons, with, in Some Cases, Illustrations of Their Arms and Funeral Processions. 1450. Page 96. Entry 219.
John Stewart of Coulagh Imore in the County of Donegal Gent. deceased 2nd son of John MacGregor of Lagry in the Sheriffdom of Dunbarton in the realm of Scotland which first mentioned John assumed the name of Stewart in obedience to an act of Council in Scotland that there should be none of the name of Clangregor for ever hereafter which happened upon diverse notorious Rebellious Acts done by the Chief of the Clangregor and the most of his surname during the reign of King James though the above named John MacGregor or any of his family were not any way guilty or accessory to the Rebellious outrages and misdeeds of the most of that surname. The said first John took to wife Janet daughter of James Linsey of Pellenflat near Dunbarton in the Realm of Scotland by whom he had issue 2 sons and 2 daughters. John the eldest son and Heir who married…..daughter of David Kennedy of Mayneclan in the Barony of Rapho in the County of Donegal aforesaid Alexander 2nd son married to…..daughter of James Wood of Mamore in the said county Janet eldest daughter married to Robert Dennistoun of Coulagh Imore aforesaid Margaret 2nd daughter married William Linsey of Bally holly in the said county. The first mentioned John died at Coulagh Imore aforesaid the…of….1603 and was Interred in the Cathedral Church of Rapho aforesaid the…of the same month. The truth of the Premises is testified by the Subscription of James Galbraith, Esq., who hath returned this Certificate into my office to be there Recorded Taken by me Thomas Preston, Esq. Ulster King of Arms the 18th of June 1639.

***** If I am reading this record correctly, this would mean:
John MacGregor of Laggarie (d. 1602) is the father of John Stewart of Coulagh Imore (d. 1603) above. Therefore, this John Stewart of Coulagh Imore is the younger brother of our Alexander Stewart of Laggarie and it is his son, John Stewart who is being granted the arms in 1639. This is younger John Stewart would also be the John Stewart being reconfirmed in the Ballylawn grant in 1629 by King Charles I.

So, my earlier assumption about Alexander Stewart of Laggarie leaving Ballylawn in Ireland to his brother appears incorrect. It was left to his nephew (also named John Stewart.)

As further support of this, John MacGregor of Laggarie (d.1602) was married to Catherine Dennistoun, daughter of Robert Dennistoun, 11th Laird of Colgraine in Dunbartonshire. Fast forward two generations to his granddaughter. Janet Stewart, daughter of John Stewart of Coulagh Imore, married another Robert Dennistoun, the 11th laird's great grandnephew. These two families intermarried a few times! I further note Colgraine and Rhu are in proximity to each other near Helensburgh in Scotland, and some Dennistouns went over into Ireland with my line (hence the latter Robert Dennistoun also being from Coulagh Imore in County Donegal.)

The intriguing assertion in this document is John Stewart of Coulagh Imore dying in 1603. It says he was interred at Rapho Cathedral in Ireland. Notwithstanding the language about not being involved in the "rebellious acts," the timing of his death does make one wonder (though I'm not sure someone would have transported a body from Glen Fruin to Rapho Cathedral in Ireland in 1603, but who knows?)

One final note. The wife of John Stewart of Coulagh Imore was Janet Linsey (Lindsay) and she was the daughter of James Linsey (Lindsay) of Pellenflatt. Pellenflatt is also spelled Pillenflatt, and was a farmland between Dalquhurn and the King’s Park at Cardross, a reference to ancient residence of King Robert I (the Bruce) who frequented the parish of Cardross near the modern town of Renton, Scotland.

All told, it appears the MacGregors of Ardenconnel & Laggarie were among of number of intermarried families who were adherents of the Ludovic, 2nd Duke of Lennox (including the MacAulays of Ardincapale) that established themselves in Donegal near the duke's lands in County Donegal, Ireland.

If you agree with the evidence above, it would mean the tree at The Genealogy of Clan Gregor 95 - The MacGregors of Ardinconnal, Stewarts of Ballylawn and the Marquesses of Londonderry should have another John Stewart, son of the John Stewart you have listed at "Of Ballylawn." It would probably help distinguish between the two to label the father as John Stewart of Coulagh Imore and the son, John Stewart of Ballylawn.

Cordially, Bryan Stewart, Maitland, Florida USA