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Family Histories: New England


These parts of the family lived mostly in southern Maine, and include the McLellan and Levensaler families and wider relations.

Histories here refer to no living people. If you have any information which might amplify these histories—documents, pictures, or references—PLEASE get in touch! You are free to browse and download. If you cite or use them elsewhere, however, please give credit.

The Salem Witch Trials

Margaret Stevenson Scott was hung at Salem in the fall of 1692 as a witch; via the Decker and Clough families, she is a direct ancestor of William H. P. McLellan, who migrated to New Orleans. There are a range of sites devoted to the trials; here are two which are more substantial that most:

Bryce McLellan's house
Bryce McLellan's house in Portland, ME, as
featured in a local newspaper article. The story to
go with this article is available on his page.

The University of Virginia has an archive of documents related to the trial.

"The Salem Witch Trials Memorial is dedicated to those who were killed.

The Rescue of Marie Antoinette?

Rufus K. Sewall, "A Refuge for Marie Antoinette in Maine." According to legend, and maybe fact, Stephen Clough, the father-in-law of William McLellan, outfitted a ship to rescue Marie Antoinette from the guillotine in France. A house was outfitted for her awaiting her arrival. This article tells the story. This is S569 on this site.

The McLellans

Bryce McLellan was a weaver from a Scots-Irish Presbyterian family. He immigrated from Ireland to southern Maine in about 1719 or 1720. His cousin Hugh McLellan immigrated a few years later, around 1733. Their children at times intermarried, living in towns on the Maine coast around Portland (named Falmouth until 1786), from Wells on up the coast to Thomaston and Warren. Much has been written on the McLellan descendants who lived in Maine and New England in general (some selections are attached to pages for various individuals—see the stories about Capt. William McLellan, for instance, a grandson of Bryce). The line of the family on this site proceeds via Thomas McLellan, another of Bryce's grandchildren, through William Henry Paine McLellan, who migrated to New Orleans in about 1840 with his wife, children, and several siblings.

"The Name and Family of McLellan." This history was compiled by the Media Research Bureau, apparently a genealogical service, in about the 1930s. It seems to have been (as the handwritten note on the cover says) part of someone's effort to join the DAR. I doubt it worked; it is very general, and not always reliable, but does include an interesting discussion and some information on the family of Bryce and Hugh.

"Bryce McLellan, an Immigrant to Maine, and His Family," by John A. McLellan. This and the following history of Bryce's grandson Thomas are seminal, and wonderfully readable, work on this family. To allow for efficient viewing, this history is presented in two parts: Bryce's Narrative, and his Descendant Report. This is S37 on this site.

"Falmouth Neck in the Revolution." This article describes the town and the occupants of Falmouth, later Portland. The McLellans are described on pages 81-83. It was written by Nathan Goold, and taken from the Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society in 1897. This is S567 on this site.

Nathan Goold, "Colonel Jonathan Mitchell's Cumberland County Regiment: Bagaduce Expedition, 1779." This article is presented in two parts. Part 1 tells the story of the failed expedition, and the subsequent disastrous retreat, by the Maine militia against the British outpost which began in late July of 1779, during the Revolutionary War. Part 2 describes the participants. Two of immigrant Bryce's sons participated: Joseph McLellan, of Falmouth, was the "commissary of supplies" (see pages 57-8 for mention of his tasks and his family); and William McLellan captained the sloop Centurion which was used as a transport ship and destroyed during the engagement. One of immigrant Hugh McLellan's sons also participated: Alexander McLellan captained a company on the expedition, and died from illness contracted during the retreat (see pages 169-71). Another William McLellan, a grandson of Bryce, also served as a private. The article, by Nathan Goold, is taken from the Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society in 1899. This is S515 on this site.

"Thomas McLellan, of Thomaston, Maine, His Children and Grandchildren," by John A. McLellan. This continues the history of Bryce's family through the story of his grandson Thomas, and includes the line of the family which migrated from Maine to New Orleans. This is S36 on this site.



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