Saturday, July 16, 2016

Surname Saturday: The McClure Sept of the MacLeod Clan of Scotland

Even on vacation--with no family research on the agenda--genealogy exerts a strong pull. Visiting the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of northern Scotland, we chanced across Bosta Cemetery. Fewer than 200 stones are there but a number of members of the MacLeod family were buried there.

My husband's McClure family was originally from the Isle of Skye in Scotland (later among the Scots who were resettled to Donegal in Northern Ireland). The McClure family was a sept of the MacLeod clan still ensconced in Dunvegan Castle.

In tribute, I photographed some of the MacLeod stones in Bosta and posted them on Find-a-Grave. Above, George MacLeod, who died at Stornoway in 1969. In the distance, sheep wander freely outside the stone walls.

Any descendants of Halbert McClure, who led his family in crossing the Atlantic to Philadelphia and Virginia in the 1700s, please get in touch--new cousins are always welcome.

13 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about the pull of genealogy. Even on a lazy Sunday drive if I see a cemetery, I wonder what families are there although there is little chance there is anyone from my lines. Names of towns and streets that are clearly to honor a family pique my curiosity. Genealogy is a tough habit to break! (not that I want to)

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    1. Me too. Genealogy is such a rewarding hobby! New cousins, new history, new geography, new biography. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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  2. My ancestor Richard McClure was born in Donegal Ireland in
    1700 and died in Pennsylvania in 1774. Maybe cousins, maybe fellow passengers?

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    1. Hi Sandy, At the moment, I've loaned my "McClure" book to a relative who's interested in this branch of the family tree, so I can't check. Do you have the McClure book? It's very possible that Richard McClure was connected to the Halbert McClure branch! Hope we can check further, and thanks for leaving a note.

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    2. I'm sure we have a Halbert in our McClure line and ancestry put our family back toisle of skye

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  3. Linda GlasebrookDecember 05, 2018

    I think Halbert McClure was my 7th great grandfather, but everyone had the same names back then, except him! My grandmother was a McClure from Arkansas.

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    1. Hi Linda, Very possible there is a connection. The original McClure family that settled in Virginia had descendants who spread across Kentucky and up toward Ohio, and from there, into many other states, I'd imagine.

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    2. Josh McclureOctober 07, 2023

      Hi im from Clark county Arkansas and have tried to trace it back but it's really hard. My grandpa was Delmas McClure, his dad John Robert McClure, his dad William "Buck McClure, and his dad Joseph McClure, and I'm not sure but I this his dad was Andrew McClure that's as far as I can find

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    3. Hi Josh, Agree, it is very challenging to identify these many McClure branches of the family. There's a John McClure in my husband's line, and a Robert McClure, but no John Robert, nor any Joseph McClure. But so many other McClures fanned out to Kentucky and beyond. Wishing you luck in your research!

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  4. Im not positive my McClure ancestors are connected with yours but I run across the same names alot. I'm from Rockcastle county Ky. There are alot of john, nathan, and a halbrt/holbert I believe. I can only go so far back because courthouse records were burnt many years ago.

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  5. My mother was a McClure i haven't been on ancestry for over a year so can't look up names but I believe we are descendents of Halbert McClure

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  6. Kyle McClureDecember 19, 2023

    Halbert Samuel McClure 1600-1654 born in Donegal, Ireland and died in Virginia is my 12th Great Grandfather.

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