The Loch Tay area in Perthshire is the origin of a significant branch of Clan Arthur. Bearing a chiefly name, Patrick McArtair was born around 1615 in Killin - The Chiefs of Clan Arthur have historically been named Charles, Duncan, John or Patrick MacArthur, and this Patrick is the ancestor of a branch of Clan Arthur which runs into hundreds of descendants. As yet, the ancestry of Patrick is unknown, but his living descendants include the Clan Arthur Seannachie, Robert McArthur, his son Donald McArthur the High Commissioner for Southern Africa, Frank McArthur the High Commissioner for Britain, and his son Hugh McArthur the Publicity Liaison Officer.
The Loch Tay branch of Clan Arthur represents the oldest known lineage of pure male MacArthur descent and it is possible that a lost Chieftainship is contained within this extensive family. The place name of Tir Artair (Arthur’s Land) near Killin at the head of Loch Tay is recorded is early as 1460 proving that the name was known in the area long before 1615, possibly arriving after the infamous decapitation of John MacArthur in 1427 or even earlier. It is also said that the MacArthurs once held lands in Glen Dochart, though whether that was this particular family of MacArthurs or another is not known at this time.
Tir Artair, Loch Tay
Photograph by Hugh DP McArthur
The family lived on the Breadalbane Estate and around the 1760s the Earl's factor tried to evict Patrick’s great great grandson and his family, but Patrick McArthur (the 2nd) petitioned the Earl to be allowed to stay in his house as he had "an increasing family and an aged mother to look after." The Earl signed across the petition; "Of course he can stay, bearing in mind the service he and his father had given our Cause in the recent troubles." The Earl of Breadalbane was a Jacobite and this proves that this faction of Clan Arthur gave support to the Jacobites at Sherrifmuir in 1715 and Culloden in 1746.
In later history the name of MacArthur was well known on both sides of the Loch and the 1841 Census records 100 MacArthurs in the area spread from Killin to Kenmore - Two of them were 92 years of age.
The senior known branch of descendants from Patrick McArtair is below. It is believed that there may be descendants of a more senior lineage and it is requested that anyone with further information contact the Publicity Liaison Officer at hugh.mcarthur@clannarthur.com as soon as possible. Further detail on this branch of Clan Arthur is available from the Seannachie at messengerclanarthur@btinternet.com.
LOCH TAY
McArthur Family Tree
| Patrick McArtair Born about 1615 in Killin, Perthshire |
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Mary NcInnukedar |
| Neill McArtur Born 1643, Forsa, Kenmore, Perthshire Baptised 20 Aug 1643, Kenmore |
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Catrien Nikester (John McArthur) |
| John McArthur Born 1668? Kenmore, Perthshire Baptised 2 Feb 1667, Kenmore Married after 26 Feb 1687, Kenmore Died after 1700 |
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Katryn NcNibhn (Joannot, Margery, John & Donald McArthur) |
| John McArthur Born Oct 1694, Balnasuim, Kenmore, Perthshire Baptised 21 Oct 1694, Balnasuim, Kenmore Married 24 March 1714, Kenmore Died 1731 -1732 |
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Katryn Anderson (Janet, & Patrick McArthur) |
| Patrick McArthur Born 17 Jan 1720, Kenmore, Perthshire Married 17 Feb 1749, Kenmore & Weem Died after 1761 |
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Janet McNab (Margaret, Catherine, Donald & Janet) |
| Donald McArthur Born 1759, Killin, Perthshire Baptised 20 July 1759, Killin Married 28 Nov 1784, Killin Died after 1796 |
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Janet Fisher (John, Margaret, Duncan, Donald, Alexander & Peter McArthur) This Donald is the ancestor of Clan Arthur Seannachie Robert McArthur |
| Duncan McArthur Born 24 Dec ? 1789, Kenmore, Perthshire Baptised 6 Dec 1789, Kenmore Married 1 April 1827, Kenmore Died 4 August 1874, Calilachan, Kenmore |
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Elizabeth Cameron (Catherine, Donald, James, Duncan, Jessie, Elizabeth, & Hugh McArthur) |
| Donald McArthur Born about 1832, Kenmore, Perthshire Married 31 May 1866, Comrie, Perth Died 26 Nov 1902, Knowes, Auchterarder |
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Christina Black (Duncan, Robert, Donald, Elizabeth, James, Jessie & Peter McArthur) |
| Robert McArthur Born 14 Feb 1867, Crieff, Perthshire Married 25 Jan 1889, Stirling Died 6 Nov 1959, Crieff |
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Isabella Morrison Wylie (Hugh, William, Williamina, James, Robert, Isabella, Robert & Christina McArthur) |
| Hugh Wylie McArthur Born 9 March 1891, Crieff, Perthshire Married 2 March 1922, Crieff Died 1 Sept 1942, Airdrie, Lanark |
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Catherine Oliver Pollock (Francis, Hugh & Catherine McArthur) |
| Francis Pollock McArthur High Commissioner MacArthur Society in Britain Born 31 January 1924, Crieff, Perthshire Married 14 Feb 1953, Tarves, Aberdeen |
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Elsie Olive Davidson (Janice & Hugh McArthur) |
| Hugh Davidson Pollock McArthur Publicity Liaison Officer MacArthur Society in Britain Born 18 July 1961, Glasgow Married 23 June 2001, Glasgow |
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Christine Mary Gough (Gavin James Gough) |
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Weekly Scotsman, Thursday October 11, 1962 THE STORY OF THE CLANS MacARTHUR - Chiefs of The Clan Campbell |
Rvd William A. Gillies In Famed Breadalbane |
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hugh.mcarthur@clannarthur.com
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