William McLellan
- 1781
- Yes, date unknown-
Name William McLellan [1, 2] Gender Male Military Service He apparently died on British prison ship during the war. There are five William McLellans listed in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution in vol. 10 (pages 543-44). I would guess, if family history is correct, that he is this one:
Mclellan, William.1st Lieutenant, sloop "Retrieve" (privateer); petition dated Watertown, Aug. 29, 1776, signed by John Fox, in behalf of himself and others, of Falmouth, Casco Bay, asking that Joshua Stone be commissioned as commander [p.544] of said vessel; ordered in Council Aug. 29, 1776, that a commission be issued; also, list of prisoners on board the cartel "Hostage" to be exchanged for British prisoners, as returned by Thomas Stone, Commissary [year not given]; said McLellan, 1st Lieutenant, reported taken in the sloop "Retrieve" (privateer), of Casco Bay, by the British ship "Milford."
According to Miller, "He enlisted as a private in Capt. Reed's Company, Samuel Cobb's regiment, July 23, 1871, and was discharged Dec. 1, 1871. The company was raised for the defense of the sea coast of Eastern Masschusetts. Mr. McLellan died on board a prison ship in the Revolutionary War. He was the son of Capt. George McLellan, who married Mary Webster of Portland. Capt. McLellan was a shipmaster and was lost at sea with his son George. It is possible that John, Samuel, and William McLellan resided in Thomaston when they entered military service. Members of the McLellan family, howeer, resided in Cushing in the early history of the town."
I would guess that he was a privateer, which many New Englanders were during the Revolution. Privateers were employed by the Continental Congress to harry British shipping, and were quite successful. It was also a good way for New Englanders to get rich--they could keep the prizes they won. When privateers were captured, they were often held in prison ships; one of the notorious ones was the New Jersey, anchored off of New York. They were pretty squalid. [2]Death 1781 Patriarch & Matriarch 
Bryce McLellan
b. Abt 1690, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
d. 24 Mar 1776, Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine (Age 86 years) (Grandfather) 
Isabel Armstrong
d. Yes, date unknown (Grandmother)Person ID I3259 Last Modified 23 Mar 2025
Father Capt. George McLellan, Sr.
b. Nov 1725, Wells, York Co., Maine
d. bet. 1767-1771, Lost at sea (Age 45 years) Mother Mary Webster
b. Abt 1727, Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine
d. 28 Aug 1797, Thomaston, Knox Co., Maine (Age 70 years)
Other Partners:
└─Capt. Patrick Porterfield
b. Abt 1722
d. 3 Oct 1799, Thomaston, Knox Co., Maine (Age 77 years) m. 14 Nov 1773 Marriage Abt 1747
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Histories 
The Revolutionary War This page collects the people on this site who served in the Revolutionary War. Some are militia; some served in the Line troops. It includes both loyalists and patriots. There may well be others on the tree who should be included. Some could use more secure evidence: genealogical histories often say that someone "fought in the Revolution," but this can be family legend rather than fact.
Sources are cited under each person's page. War and Pension records can be found on line at the National Archives. Genealogies can be ordered from the DAR and the SAR, but their lists only include those whom people have used to join, not all veterans.
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Reference Pitard, D. "William McLellan". Genealogy at Pitard.net. https://ancestors.pitard.net/getperson.php?personID=I3259&tree=1sttree (accessed March 24, 2025).
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