John (Macdonell) McDonell UE (1728 - 1810)

Born 1728 in Scotus, Knoydart, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine Macdonald — married 18 May 1748 in Urquhart And Logie Wester, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland

Descendants

Died 15 Apr 1810 at about age 82 in Cornwall, Stormont, Upper Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mark Townsend [send private message]

Biography

Colonel John Mcdonell, sometimes McDonell, Macdonell or MacDonell, was known by the nickname "Spanish John." He immigrated to America on the ship,"The Pearl" in 1773. He settled on a piece of land owned by Sir William in the Charlotte River Valley, fifty miles south of Johnson's Bush.

Colonel John Macdonell, well known in history as "Spanish John,". He was the son of John of Crowlin of the family of Scotus. His father was out with Prince Charlie in "45," and his grandfather was out with Montrose. He was sent to Scots College in Rome, in 1740, to be educated for the priesthood. After having been three years at the college he gave up the idea of becoming a priest and resolved to become a soldier instead. A Spanish army was at that time in Italy and he decided to join the Irish brigade under General Macdonald who was in command of the army. He afterwards saw a great deal of service and suffered many hardships, being dangerously wounded in one of the battles.

He emigrated to America with a large following of his people in 1775, and settled in the Mohawk Valley under Sir William Johnston who was superintendent of Indian affairs for the Province of New York. Sir John Johnson succeeded his father in office, and upon the outbreak of the War, Spanish John followed him to fight in the King's Royal Regiment as one of its most distinguished officers. After the war he settled in St. Andrew's, where he died in 1810. He received from the Crown the lots 37 and 38 in the second concession of Lochiel as a reward for his services. We see, therefore, that Alexandria is linked up with the history of several wars, and if we had a detailed account of the life of Spanish John, no more interesting romance could be read. His grand-uncle, Alaistair Dubh, (Black Alex) was the greatest Highland hero of all times. He led Montrose's army through Argyle to avenge the massacre of Glencoe.

Burial

Pioneer Graveyard, St. Andrews West, Ontario, Canada.

Genealogical Insights

According to J. Young, amateur genealogist from Cornwall Ontario and a relative of Spanish John McDonell: Spanish John writing in a letter dated Scothouse 16th March 1800 to his son John Jr. who lived just west of Pointe Fortune Quebec [ last house in Ontario on south side Ottawa River] which is now McDonell - Williamson House Chute-a-Blondeau Ont., indicates that this "Deaf Alex" or Allick as Spanish John calls him, is the son of the King, which I think makes "Deaf Alex" a Bui King McDonell.

John McDonell b. 1728 d. 1810 is usually referred to as Spanish John McDonell of Scotus b. 1728 d. 1810 buried St Andrews West Ontario, 5 miles from my Cornwall Ont home. Alexander "Deaf Alex" McDonell b. 1761 d. 1799 [killed by a falling tree] as it states on his tombstone [which is also in that St Andrews West graveyard], was NOT the son of Spanish John McDonell. In a letter written to his son John Jr. McDonell dated Scothouse 16th March 1800, while writing about neighbours who had recently died, Spanish John McDonell writes "Allick burgh the King's son who died by the fall of a tree last fall." Therefore Spanish John McDonell in his own hand states that "Deaf Alex" is the son of the King, ipso facto, he is not Spanish John McDonell's son.

The good news is that I may well know who this King is. I think he is John Bui King McDonell, who settled with his son Alexander McDonell whom I think is aka Alexander "Deaf Alex" McDonell, settled Lot 10 Concession 5 Cornwall Township Stormont County, which farm is next east to the church and graveyard at St Andrews West.

I can add that Deaf Alex's wife Janet Cameron is the daughter of John Cameron of Clunes who settled with his wife Lady Mary Cameron and son Alexander Cameron of Clunes on Lot 6 Con 4 Cornwall Twp., where is located a Pioneer Cameron graveyard.

Source: J. Young (Jan. 10, 2017)

Sources

John MacDonell (Revolutionary War loyalist). (2014, January 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:50, December 13, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_MacDonell_(Revolutionary_War_loyalist)&oldid=589387148

Macdonald, Rev. A. and Macdonald Rev. A. (1904). The Clan Donald: Volume 3. Inverness, Scotland. Northern Counties Publishing Company Ltd.p. 321.

The Rev. Vincent Jensen, SJ., MA., "The Macdonell Family in the West," Canadian Catholic Historical Association (CCHA), Report, 16 (1949), Report, 16 (1949), 71-82.

McDonell, James K., and Robert Bennett Campbell. Lords of the North. (Google Books). General Store Publishing House, 1997, pg.50; Accessed December 13, 2015. https://books.google.ca/books?id=aZz213hdj3EC&pg=PA50&lpg.