_____________________
|
_John HARPER ________|
| (.... - 1780) m 1760|
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Sarah HARPER
| (.... - 1826)
| _Francis MCCONNELL __+
| | (1714 - 1769) m 1736
|_Mary MCCONNELL _____|
(1743 - ....) m 1760|
|_Isabella _____ _____
(1719 - 1779) m 1736
__
|
______ MCCONNELL ____|
| |
| |__
|
|
|--Alexander MCCONNELL
| (1673 - 1729)
| __
| |
|_____________________|
|
|__
[6796]
To date I know of seven McConnells with matching DNA, all descendants of Alexander McConnell.
According to a DNA analysis described on the website Clan Donald USA, we know our male ancestors are direct male descendants of Somerled, the
progenitor of the MacDonald Clan. Somerled died at the Battle of Renfrew in Western Scotland in 1166. When he died he and his Clan had taken control of much of Northern Ireland and Western Scotland and had driven the Vikings out of those areas. This land and his descendants formed the MacDonald Clan which became the most powerful Clan in Scotland. Somerled's ancestors were Norse Vikings and his second wife, Ragnald, was the daughter of a Norse King and a cousin of William the Conqueror. Several generations of his ancestors are known and they were kings very much involved in Scotland's many battles. It is believed that an early Scottish king, Kenneth MacAlpin, gained control of Scotland with the assistance of Somerled's Norse ancestors.
Per "A Brief Sketch of the McConnell Family,"
McConnells in America
From the Battle of Bothwell Brig to the beginning of the eighteenth century, there is practically nothing known except that the name [McConnell] continued, probably most prominently in Galloway [Scotland]. Some of these persecuted Scots came to Pennsylvania about the year 1700, but those who entered this region by invitation came in the year 1715.
They with others came by invitation in 1715, of the First Proprietor, and located on Chikis Creek, Donigal Township, along the Otorora in Sadsbury and Drumore Township and in Colerain Township in what was then Chester County, but which on May 10, 1729, became part of Lancaster County.
In 1720 they established in Sadsbury Township what later became known as Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church, which served Drumore Township as well. (This church is still in existence and is listed in the minutes of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church.) These settlers were all Presbyterians or perhaps Covenanters, and the old church built in 1769 is maintained as a shrine for the descendants of those early parishioners.
The McConnells were among the earliest settlers along the Octorara. The first mention of the McConnell name is to be found in the minute book of Property I, Volume XIX of the second series of the Pennsylvania archives in which there is the following entry: "2/2mo/1723 Abraham Emmet recommends Alexander Miller, Alex'r McConnell and John Scott as sober industrious persons who request about 3 or 400 acres for settlement near Octorara Creek adjoining Tho. Reid." This is the first mention of the founder of the branch of McConnells we are interested in, that we find in any public records in America.
We do not know when he came to this country. Tradition has it that he came from the vicinity of Dumfries, Scotland, and the branch of the McConnells he came from had merged with the Gordons: Galloway which is near Dumfries is where we find McConnells merged with Gordons, and it is likely he came from Galloway.
He was in the 1725 Sadsbury Twp, Chester Co., PA tax list.
He did not live long after the entry of the minute in the Book of Property, and unfortunately for the historian, he died intestate. Among the Chester County's Orphans Court, records in administration, Docket 1, page 104, we find it noted that on May 19, 1729, in the estate of Alexander McConnell, letters of administration were granted to Elizabeth McConnell, who was probably his wife, upon entering bonds in the sum of 100 pounds with Adam McConnell, probably the son, and Holden McGee as sureties. Having no will we have no record of the names of the children. Tradition, however, tells us that among them were Alexander, John, William, Adam and probably Thomas.
Since Alexander McConnell (d. 1729) died intestate, there is no absolute proof of who his children were. I am quite sure about three of his children-Adam, John and Alexander. However, I think there is plenty of evidence to show that they were his sons. The evidence includes:
1. Adam was executor of Alexander McConnell's estate. Usually a son is named as an executor of an estate if a son survived.
2. Naming patterns. Both John and Alexander named their oldest son Alexander. Adam did not leave a will, so we don't know for sure who his oldest was.
3. Adam initially owned land adjacent to Daniel. After Daniel died Adam owned land adjacent to John and Alexander, who owned their land jointly. The amount of land among them in Colerain Twp is roughly the same amount of land previously owned by Alexander (d. 1729). It is in the same location if we take into account changing names of townships and counties.
4. DNA. Descendants of John, Alexander and Adam have similar DNA. I have tests for one descendant of Alexander, two descendants of John and four descendants of Adam. All are R1A and look similar to one another.
Just to be clear, the Daniel (d. 1749) mentioned here is a different than Daniel (d. 1797) who was the son of John McConnell (m. Barclay).
Here is a timeline of events:
1729 Adam was the executor of Alexander McConnell's estate along with Alexander's wife Elizabeth. A son is usually chosen to be the executor of an estate if there is a son.
May 10 1729 the area that Alexander McConnell lived, Sadsbury Twp, Chester Co., PA became Lancaster Co., PA. Colerain Twp, a southern part of Sadsbury Twp was split off from Sadsbury Twp.
Jan 23, 1737, Daniel McConnell (d. 1749) and Adam McConnell obtained warrants for land on exactly the same day, adjacent to each other by Octorara Creek, W Sadsbury Twp, Lancaster Co., PA.
Jan 23, 1737, The location of the land received by Daniel and Adam is where Alexander McConnell (d 1729) had previously had a warrant for 300 to 400 acres of land. Daniel's warrant was for 300 acres and Adam's was for 150 acres.
1738 Colerain Twp was organized out of land that was previously Sadsbury Twp.
1748 John and Alexander had 150 acres of land surveyed, in Colerain Twp, that was next to Adam McConnell's land and also next to Hugh Barclay, father of Elizabeth Barclay. The fact that they owned land jointly usually indicates they inherited the land. Since they were immediately next to Adam, they are likely to be related to him.
1748 Adam loaned his land and later sold it to John and Alexander and moved to the Great Cove (now McConnellsburg).
1749 Daniel (d. 1749) died without a will. I believe he transferred his land to Adam, John and Alexander and possibly others before he died, which would explain why Alexander and John wound up with land held in both of their names instead of being owned separately. Daniel does not appear to have had descendants (without a will, it is not easy to figure this out) although both Adam and Alexander had a son named Daniel.
[6790]
[S2637]
Scottish Immigrants to the U.S.A.
[6791]
[S7096]
Per the minute book of Chester County, PA
[6792]
[S10196]
List of Free Men in Sadsbury and Fallowfield Twps, Chester Co., PA
[6793]
[S10195]
1726 Tax List, Sadsbury Twp, Chester Co., PA
[6794]
[S13308]
1727 Tax List, Sadsbury Twp, Chester Co., PA
[6795]
[S39]
Brief Sketch of the McConnell Family, by R. Kirk McConnell and Rev. R.J.J.
[102010]
[S2637]
Scottish Immigrants to the U.S.A.
_James MCCONNELL ____+
| (1801 - 1856) m 1829
_James "John" Washington MCCONNELL _|
| (1843 - 1903) m 1873 |
| |_Margaret WADDELL ___
| (1805 - 1877) m 1829
|
|--Florence Waddell MCCONNELL
| (1880 - ....)
| _Samuel FRAZIER _____
| | (1816 - ....) m 1849
|_Sarah "Sally" Martha FRAZIER ______|
(1854 - 1903) m 1873 |
|_Nancy ROBINSON _____+
(1818 - ....) m 1849
[105708]
[S6988]
Ancestry Family Trees
_Francis M. MCCONNELL _+
| (1803 - ....) m 1827
_James MCCONNELL ____|
| (1827 - 1911) m 1849|
| |_Mary MCGREGOR ________+
| (1807 - 1843) m 1827
|
|--Franklin MCCONNELL
| (1853 - ....)
| _______________________
| |
|_Rebecca L. ELZLER __|
(1827 - 1910) m 1849|
|_______________________
[82018]
[S10551]
1860 Census, Parkersburg, Wood Co., VA
[82019]
[S10551]
1860 Census, Parkersburg, Wood Co., VA
__
|
_Matthew MCCONNELL __|
| (1814 - ....) |
| |__
|
|
|--John MCCONNELL
| (1847 - ....)
| __
| |
|_Marietta _____ _____|
(1825 - ....) |
|__
[77712]
[S9853]
1850 Census, Hector, Tompkins Co., NY
[77713]
[S9853]
1850 Census, Hector, Tompkins Co., NY
_William MCCONNELL __+
| (1744 - ....)
_Alexander MCCONNELL _|
| (1772 - 1820) m 1795 |
| |_Unknown ____________
|
|
|--John "Jonathon" MCCONNELL
| (1797 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
|_Barbara _____ _______|
(1772 - ....) m 1795 |
|_____________________
[20625] Per 1880 census both parents were born in Pennsylvania. He was a widower.
[20622]
[S1534]
1880 Census, Moundsville, Marshall Co., WV
[20623]
[S9920]
1860 Census, Elizabeth Town, Marshall Co., VA
[20624]
[S1534]
1880 Census, Moundsville, Marshall Co., WV
______ MCCONNELL ____
|
_Hiram MCCONNELL ____|
| (1813 - 1862) m 1849|
| |_Unknown ____________
|
|
|--Melvina "Millie" Matilda MCCONNELL
| (1857 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
|_Margaret A. MELCOM _|
(1825 - ....) m 1849|
|_____________________
[71656]
[S4141]
1860 Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson Co., KS
[71657]
[S11597]
Iowa State Census, 1856, Lancaster Twp, Keokuk Co., IA
[71658]
[S4141]
1860 Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson Co., KS
[71659]
[S11601]
1865 Kansas State Territorial Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson Co., KS
[71660]
[S9175]
1870 Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson Co., KS
[71661]
[S9178]
1880 Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson Co., KS
[71662]
[S9181]
1900 Census, Marceline, Linn Co., MO
[106159]
[S9181]
1900 Census, Marceline, Linn Co., MO
_Joseph MCCONNELL ___+
| (1785 - 1844) m 1808
_William MCCONNELL __|
| (1814 - 1880) m 1839|
| |_Polly POWERS _______+
| (1789 - 1844) m 1808
|
|--Susan Adaline MCCONNELL
| (1854 - ....)
| _George SPRINGER ____
| |
|_Nancy SPRINGER _____|
(1818 - 1900) m 1839|
|_Lucy HOCKERSMITH ___
[85290]
[S11244]
1860 Census, Pettis Twp, Platte Co., MO
[85291]
[S11244]
1860 Census, Pettis Twp, Platte Co., MO
[85292]
[S11245]
1870 Census, Pettis Twp, Platte Co., MO
[85293]
[S11184]
1880 Census, Pettis Twp, Platte Co., MO
_Hugh TORRENCE ____________+
| (1701 - 1784) m 1743
_James TORRENCE _____|
| (1744 - 1826) m 1768|
| |_Sarah Marjory CUNNINGHAM _
| (1723 - 1781) m 1743
|
|--Rawlins TORRENCE
| (1775 - ....)
| _Alexander MCCONNELL ______+
| | (1718 - 1793) m 1736
|_Mary MCCONNELL _____|
(1744 - 1778) m 1768|
|_Prudence ALEXANDER _______
(1720 - 1781) m 1736
[99891]
[S14310]
Torrence Family Tree on Ancestry.com