Person Page - 14

     Thomas Donnell Sr was born circa 1712 in Delaware, USA.¹ He married Jane Latham in 1743 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Thomas Donnell Sr died circa 1795.
     In 1737, Thomas Donnell Sr and Jane Latham moved to Pennsylvania. Thomas Donnell Sr and Jane Latham livedin Lancaster about 1743 and went to Guilford County, North Carolina. Pennsylvania was getting crowded, and it was difficult to acquire land, so the family moved south. There is a record in Greensboro courthouse that he entered 2000 acres of land 1753-1755.² Thomas Donnell Sr and Robert Donnell Sr moved to the Nottingham Colony in North Carolina and secured grants of land from the agents of Lord Carteret, Earl of Granville. They and their families were active in the Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Guildford County in December 1753 as documented by Rankin and cited by Charles Donnell.³ The Buffalo Presbyterian Church was located just north of the center of Greensboro, North Carolina and its location has been absorbed as the city expanded.⁴
From Rankin, to remind those of us who grew up in relative prosperity: Rankin, in the History of the Buffalo Church, has a lengthy discussion of the Revolutionary War. In North Carolina, most of the fighting was between the English loyalists (Toreys) and the colonists who were Whigs. It was more like gang or clan warfare than organized militias. Participation of the Donnells, especially Thomas's sons was extensive. Most of his sons were in companies organized by Captain William Donnell or his brother Major John Donnell.
Rankin, discussing the Battle at Guilford Courthouse, wrote that the members of the Presbyterian congregations (Buffalo and Alamance) who were able bodied all fought for or in support of Major General Nathanael Greene. Many joined him later through the end of the war.⁶

     William McDonnell was born in 1681 in Glencoe, Scotland. He married Mary (?) William McDonnell died in January 1730.²
     He settled in Cecil County, Maryland. William dropped the "Mac" and picked up the "Mc". His three sons dropped the "Mc" completely.
He moved to Cumberland County, then part of Lancaster County about 1743, then on to Guilford County, Carolina, after the birth of their fifth child in 1752.
He bought 320 acres on North Buffalo in 1760 from Thomas Donnell and settled here.³

     Bryan MacDonald was born on 11 November 1645 in Glencoe, Scotland; Other sources indicate a birthplace in Ireland, which is suspect.² He married Mary Jane Combs Doyle in 1665 in Aklow, Leinster, Wicklow, Ireland.³ Bryan MacDonald died in February 1707 in New Castle, Delaware, USA, at age 61.⁴ His estate was probated on 19 March 1707 after the will was written on 23 February 1707. That would establish his death as late February or early March 1707.⁴
     Bryan MacDonald was also known as Brian.⁵ He and Mary Jane Combs Doyle emigrated in 1686, after a brief stay (perhaps 2 years) in the north of Ireland, and settled, with their first three children, in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA.³ This land was initially part of Pennsylvania. From the source: A will discovered by John A. Donnell indicated that Bryan spelled his name both MacDonnell and Mac Donald in the text of the will and signed it MacDonald. Occasionally the spelling adopted the Irish form of McDonald from their time in Ireland.
The variations from the original Mac Donald used by Bryan's descendants include MacDonnell, MacDonald, Donald (just dropped the Mac), Donnald, Donneld, and McDonald.⁶

     Alexander MacDonald was born circa 1610 in Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland. He married Marcella Helena Archibald, daughter of Thomas Archibald and Catherine Hay. Alexander MacDonald was killed at the age of 82 with his wife in the Glencoe Massacre on 13 February 1692.¹
     His official name and title were Alasdair MacIain MacDonald, 12th Chief of the Glencoe MacDonald Clan.² If Alexander MacDonald was 80 when he was killed in the Glencoe Massacre, based on reports, then the often reported birthdate of 1630 makes little sense. According to Charles Donnell's account, Scotland was undergoing serious civil and religious strife. The rulers in Scotland had accepted the Roman Catholic faith and many Protestants had begun leaving for Ireland. Soon after, the Irish officially adopted the Catholic faith and the emigrants continued their move westward.

Members of the MacDonald clan who remained were targeted by King William and more than 30 were killed at Glencoe, either outright, or by being left to starve or freeze to death. The elder Alexander MacDonald and his wife were told they would be spared but were killed anyway. Charles’ account attributes the massacre to Clan Campbell, but the issue was more complicated.

The MacDonalds and Campbells had competed for the same territory in Scotland for generations, the northwest coast of Scotland and the islands. Their feuds dated back to the 1400s. By the late 1600s, the power of the Campbells had increased, while the MacDonald's power had waned. In fact, Glencoe and the other regions occupied by the MacDonalds were largely surrounded by the Campbells who could make travel difficult if they wanted to.³
The Wikipedia page provides a detailed accounting. The MacDonalds had sworn allegiance to King James and, after the Jacobite rebellion had failed, had not sworn allegiance to King William and Queen Mary, for which the penalty was death. Robert Campbell of Glenlyon was the commander of a small force of which some of the soldiers were also Campbells. The total force sent against the MacDonalds was about 400.¹

There is a different version on the wikitree genealogy site that is much more charitable to Campbell. At the wikitree site, there is a link to a documentary of the Massacre of Glencoe.

The following is extracted from the wikitree site:

Yet another website, "Highland Titles" provides a very balanced description of the events leading up to the massacre.⁵ My efforts on the Donnell genealogy builds on the work of Charles E Donnell, “A Genealogy of Donnell, Langford and Other Families”. He collaborated with Emma A and James Arthur Donnell who wrote “The Donnells and their Macdonald Ancestors, A History and Genealogy, 157 to 1927 A. D.”
I have recently discovered another source: "MacDonald McDonald Family Records," by J Montgomery Seaver that was published in 1929. This work identifies our Bryan McDonald as a Lieutenant Bryan McDonald, born in Ireland and a member of the army of King James II. This is certainly a possible ancestry branch. I stayed with our family version for several reasons:

     Mary Jane Combs Doyle was born in 1647. She married Bryan MacDonald, son of Alexander MacDonald and Marcella Helena Archibald, in 1665 in Aklow, Leinster, Wicklow, Ireland.² Mary Jane Combs Doyle died in 1709.
     She and Bryan MacDonald emigrated in 1686, after a brief stay (perhaps 2 years) in the north of Ireland, and settled, with their first three children, in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA.² This land was initially part of Pennsylvania. From the source:

     John MacDonnell was born in 1679 in Glencoe, Scotland. He died in 1755 in New Castle, Delaware, USA.²
     From the source: He settled in at Big Spring, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, USA, in 1735.³ John MacDonnell was mistakenly identified as Thomas in the book "The Donnell History" published in 1912. John MacDonnell is the progenitor and primary interest of the authors of "The Donnell History" and "The Donnells - The Family in America."²

     James MacDonald was born in 1683 in Glencoe, Scotland. He died after 1751.²

     Thomas MacDonnell was born circa 1715 in New Castle, Delaware, USA. He died in 1775 in Big Spring, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, USA.²
     He settled circa 1735 at Big Spring, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, USA.³

     James MacDonnell was born after 1690 in New Castle, Delaware, USA.²
     He never married and died without children.

     John MacDonnell was born after 1690 in New Castle, Delaware, USA.
     He and Samuel MacDonnell settled in South Carolina after the death of their father circa 1735.²

     Samuel MacDonnell was born after 1690 in New Castle, Delaware, USA.²
     He settled in South Carolina. He and John MacDonnell settled in South Carolina after the death of their father circa 1735.²

     Mary (?) married Robert Donnell Sr, son of William McDonnell and Mary (?).¹

     Jane Latham was born in 1718 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.¹ She married Thomas Donnell Sr, son of William McDonnell and Mary (?), in 1743 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Jane Latham died in 1784 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹ She was buried at the Alamance Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹
     In 1737, Jane Latham and Thomas Donnell Sr moved to Pennsylvania. Jane Latham and Thomas Donnell Sr livedin Lancaster about 1743 and went to Guilford County, North Carolina. Pennsylvania was getting crowded, and it was difficult to acquire land, so the family moved south. There is a record in Greensboro courthouse that he entered 2000 acres of land 1753-1755.²

     James Donnell was born in 1744 at Pennsylvania, USA. It is assumed that the children born before the move to the Nottingham Colony in North Carolina were born in Pennsylvania.¹ He married Agnes Denny, daughter of William Denny Sr and Anne (?). James Donnell died in 1811.²
     In 1799, James Donnell and Agnes Denny moved to Tennessee, USA.³

     Hannah Donnell was born in 1746 in Pennsylvania, USA.¹ She married George Denny, son of James Denny Sr, in 1775.² Hannah Donnell married Alexander McKnight (?)²

     Major John Donnell was born on 4 January 1748 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.¹ He married Hanna Meek in 1770.² Major John Donnell married Elizabeth Denny, daughter of James Denny Sr and Mary Agnes Aldren, on 1 November 1781 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA.² Major John Donnell died on 7 May 1822 in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA, at age 74.¹ He was buried at the Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA.
     He served as a Captain and later a Major in the Revolutionary War. His SAR registry number is #A033155.
There is a plaque memorializing him at Alamance Presbyterian Church Cemetery, but his actual burial location is the Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery..³

     Robert Donnell Sr was born in 1728 in the North of Ireland.¹ He married Mary (?)² Robert Donnell Sr died in 1816.
     He joined his brother Thomas in the Nottingham Colony in North Carolina in about 1753. Because there were two Robert Donnell's in the Colony, and he was first to arrive, he was known as "Robert, The First."³ He and Thomas Donnell Sr moved to the Nottingham Colony in North Carolina and secured grants of land from the agents of Lord Carteret, Earl of Granville. They and their families were active in the Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Guildford County in December 1753 as documented by Rankin and cited by Charles Donnell.³ Robert Donnell Sr secured two sections, one on North Buffalo and one on Reedy Fork. He first located on North Buffalo Creek and later moved to Reedy Fork. In 1786 he bought one thousand acres on Big Troublesome Creek in Rockingham County.² Rankin notes that the four Donnells must have been closely related. Thomas Sr and Robert Sr were brothers. James Sr and Robert (the second) may have been nephews.⁴

     Thomas Donnell Jr was born in 1754 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹ He married Margaret King in 1786.²
     Thomas Donnell Jr was a physician at Mecklenburg, Tennessee, USA.

     Andrew Donnell was born in 1757 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹ He married Nancy Brawley, daughter of John Brawley, in 1779.¹ Andrew Donnell married Mary Creswell in 1819.¹ Andrew Donnell died in 1835.

     George Donnell Sr was born on 4 July 1759 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹ He married Isabella Kerr, daughter of David Kerr, on 6 August 1784.² George Donnell Sr died in 1839 in Lebanon, Wilson, Tennessee, USA.
     He lived near Alamance Church where he was an elder. He moved in 1804 to Wilson, Tennessee, USA.³

     Latham Donnell was born circa 1760 in Guilford, North Carolina, USA. He died in 1828.²

     Alexander Donnell died young.²

     Robert Donnell Jr was born on 15 March 1766 in York, Pennsylvania, USA.¹ He married Catherine McCALIB in 1776. Robert Donnell Jr married Nancy Cabe in 1820.³ Robert Donnell Jr died on 31 March 1847 at age 81.¹ He was buried at the Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA.³

     Thomas Donnell was born in 1754.²
     He He was a Presbyterian minister, said to have organized the first Protestant church west of the Mississippi River.¹ He was educated in Dr. Caldwell's school, and was licensed by Orange Presbytery in 1778. He went as a missionary to the frontier in Tennessee, and when the frontier moved westward he moved with it and located in Missouri.²

     Mary Donnell was born in 1756.² She married James Denny, son of William Denny Sr and Anne (?), in 1772.¹ Mary Donnell died in 1782.² She married John McAdoo in 1782.¹ Mary Donnell was buried at the Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA.²

     Margaret Donnell was born in 1771.² She married Reverend William Denny Paisley, son of Colonel John Paisley, circa 1790.³ Margaret Donnell died in 1794.¹ She was buried at the Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA.¹

     William Donnell married Martha Denny, daughter of William Denny.¹
     William Donnell and Martha Denny lived at Big Troublesome Creek in Rockingham.¹