Neil McLennan (September 2, 1777, 1778, or 1787 – 1867) was an early

Scottish-American Scottish Americans or Scots Americans (Scottish Gaelic: ''Ameireaganaich Albannach''; sco, Scots-American) are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Scotland. Scottish Americans are closely related to Scotch-Irish Americans, d ...

settler of Texas.

McLennan County, Texas McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 260,579 . Its county seat and largest city is Waco. The U.S. census 2021 county population estimate is 263,115. The county is ...

, was named for him. McLennan was born on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. In 1801, he and a large group of family and friends immigrated to

Richmond County, North Carolina Richmond County is a county located on the central southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,946. Its county seat is Rockingham. History Early history The earliest inhabitants of the ...

, later moving further south to Florida. The McLennans were

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

speakers and

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

s. Around 1820, they were invited by

Yuchi The Yuchi people, also spelled Euchee and Uchee, are a Native American tribe based in Oklahoma. In the 16th century, Yuchi people lived in the eastern Tennessee River valley in Tennessee. In the late 17th century, they moved south to Alabama, G ...

Chief

Sam Story Sam Story, also named Timpoochee Kinnard, was Chief of the Walton County, Florida, band of Euchee (Yuchi) Indians in the early 19th century, who occupied the lands on and to the west of the Choctawhatchee River. His parents were Timothy Kinnard, a ...

to become the first white settlers in

Walton County, Florida Walton County is located on the Emerald Coast in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida, with its southern border on the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 75,305. Its county seat is DeFuniak Springs. The c ...

. In December, 1834, Neil and his brothers Laughlin and John, along with some of their families and friends, immigrated to Texas, sailing a self-built three-masted schooner from Pensacola, Florida, to the mouth of the Brazos River, where they arrived in March, 1835. After a short stay at present-day

Columbus, Texas Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Colorado County in southeastern Texas. The population was 3,699 as of the 2020 census. It is located on the Colorado River. The Colorado County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Histori ...

, Neil obtained a grant of a

league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football Sports * Sports league * Rugby league, full contact footba ...

of land at McLennan's Bluff (a mile west of present-day

Rosebud Rosebud may refer to: * Rose bud, the bud of a rose flower Arts * The name of Jerry Garcia's guitar from 1990 until his death in 1995. * In the 1941 film ''Citizen Kane'', the last words of Charles Foster Kane and an overall plot device. * "Ros ...

, Falls County) in

Robertson's Colony Robertson's Colony was an empresario colonization effort during the Mexican Texas period. It is named after Sterling C. Robertson, but had previously been known by other names. It has also been referred to as the Nashville Colony, after the Tenn ...

in July, 1835, where he and his group settled. Laughlin McLennan and his wife and mother were killed in an

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

raid the following winter, and John was likewise killed in 1838, after which the McLennan group moved to the Robertson Colony's headquarters of Nashville-on-the-Brazos in present-day

Milam County Milam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,754. The county seat is Cameron. The county was created in 1834 as a municipality in Mexico and organized as a county in 1837. Milam Coun ...

. In 1845, Neil McLennan moved his family to a site on the

Bosque River The Bosque River ( ) is a long river in Central Texas fed by four primary branches. The longest branch, the North Bosque, forms near Stephenville, and flows toward Waco through Hamilton, Bosque and McLennan counties. It is subsequently joined ...

near present-day

Waco Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the st ...

, and he died at his home there in 1867, renowned as "the patriarch of the Bosque."

References

External links

"Neil McLennan," ''The Handbook of Texas Online''."Neil McLennan," ''Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas'', 1880."McLennan's Bluff," ''The Handbook of Texas Online''.McKinnon, John Love. ''History of Walton County''. Atlanta: Byrd Printing, 1911. Online version available at this link through the Florida Heritage Collection of the State University System of Florida.
{{DEFAULTSORT:McLennan, Neil 18th-century births Year of birth uncertain 1867 deaths Burials at Oakwood Cemetery (Waco, Texas) People from the Isle of Skye Scottish emigrants to the United States People from McLennan County, Texas