As those of us who have been researching the McLea family history know, the 'Account of McLea' has some great information which has greatly influenced our scholarship on the McLea family:

http://www.macleay.cncfamily.com/account_of_mclea.htm

I have never been able to determine what relationship, if any, my family might have to this group, the Revs. Duncan and Archibald McLea, et al.

But having re-read it, I see a potential connection with my own family.

As I've stated before, my eldest 100% confirmed ancestor is John McLea, who married Janet McKay, and who probably both came from Rothesay, Isle of Bute. Using this John McLea, b. 1790 as a basis for further research in the Parish Records of Rothesay, I have put together (with others) the idea that my ancestors beyond John (if this is the right John) were:

Parents: Duncan McLea & Margaret Fisher Grandparents: John McLea & Janet Brown Great-grandparents: Archibald McLea & Helen Bannatyne.

Beyond that, there are no good records. Duncan, John, and Archibald were all Tailors.

Now, as a bit of circumstantial evidence of a connection, using the Account of McLea as a basis, we know some things about the Rev. Archibald McLea and his family.

It says:

"The author was the son of Archibald Maclea in Rothesay. Prior to 1700 he was schoolmaster of Kilmodan, and then of Inveraray. He became minister of Dull in 1717 and died in 1749. He had three sons, of whom the eldest became minister of Lochgoilhead and the youngest minister of Inverchaolain. The second son, Archibald, born in 1738, became minister of Rothesay in 1765, married Isabella Macleod, grand-daughter of Hector Bannatyne of Kames, and died in 1824."

The fact that the marriage of the Rev. Archibald to Isabella MacLeod is recorded in the very same parish records as my McLeas is certainly encouraging. The fact that they spent at least a couple of generations on Bute, or nearby in Argyll is also encouraging. It is also interesting to note that The Rev. Archibald's marriage to the "grand-daughter of Hector Bannatyne" provides a connection with the Bannatynes that is also seen with MY Archibald, marrying a Helen Bannatyne. No evidence that my Bannatynes or my McLeas are directly related to his McLeas or his Bannatynes, but the presence of both names in both families in the very same parish is encouraging. Probably they were at least aware of each other!

Anyway, I thought it was interesting and some food for thought. I need to go through the 'Account' more carefully, putting together the family relationships discussed and looking more carefully through the records of film 1041085(scroll down) for McLeas, Bannatynes, McLeods, etc.

Since the author of the Account states that his is a direct lineal descendant of the McLeas of Lindsaig, it might provide some evidence that my family represents part of that line, the cadet line of the McLeas of Lindsaig...

Hey, just wild conjecture at this point! But, that's what this blog is for!

Kyle=