Origin of the McGlenn Family of Oswego, New York
By Ryan McGlenn
Introduction:
The following is based on a combination of historical documents and YDNA analysis of the McGlenn family. This McGlenn line has a proven paternal pedigree back to John McGlenn of Oswego born: 1790-1800[1] died: 1856[2]. The family has always maintained they have a Scottish ancestry rather than Irish. This is unique as McGlenn (common spelling McGlynn) is considered an Irish surname. Did this family simply adopt a Scottish identity upon arrival to North America or are they indigenous Scots as they have always maintained[3]? If they are indeed Scottish where in Scotland did the family originate and how did they come to have the surname McGlenn? The following will attempt to answers these questions.
What is the origin of the surname McGlenn for this line?
One possible origin of the McGlenn surname could be Ireland as it looks to be a variant of the patronymic surname McGlynn and most common to Donegal, Ireland. A patronymic surname is derived from the name of a father or ancestor, typically by the addition of a prefix or suffix, e.g., McDonald, Johnson, and O’Brian. Other spelling variants of the name are, McGlinn, McGlin, Glynn and Glenn. The original written Gaelic form of the Irish surname McGlynn is Mag Fhloinn. It is pronounced “Maglin” as the “Fh” is silent due to how Irish Gaelic is spoken. The name changed to its current form by English influence in Ireland known as Anglicanization.
The meaning of “Mag” in the original Gaelic means “son of” and “Fhloinn” which is derived from the Gaelic word “Flann or Flinn” meaning “ruddy-faced”. The 'i' in Fhlainn or Fhloinn means 'of'. Therefore, Fhlainn/Fhloinn means 'of Ruddy-Faced’. Hence Mag Fhloinn means “son of Ruddy-Faced”[4].
The Irish surname McGlynn likely originated independently in several parts of Ireland. This is because Flann was a common forename in the medieval era. Descendants with fathers named Flann or Flinn could have taken the surname Mag Fhloinn. As mentioned above the name is heavily concentrated in Donegal Co. Ireland.
Another possible origin for this McGlenn family is that it could be a variant of the Scottish surname of Glen. This surname is a topographical surname and means “of the glen” or “the valley.” It is generally considered a Lowland Scots surname. However it should be noted that the “Mc” prefix does not make a surname exclusively Gaelic in origin, the “Mc” was sometimes adopted by Norsemen and by some Lowland Scots, particularly on the Highland periphery, e.g. MacGibbon, MacRitchie[5]. In other words a Lowland Scot with the surname Glen living in the highlands could have taken McGlen as a surname.
Based on the multiple possible origins of the McGlenn family of Oswego it was determined that a DNA test might be able to determine the ethnic origin of this family line.
Using YDNA testing to determine if this McGlenn line is Scottish or Irish:
A direct male McGlenn decedent was selected to have their YDNA tested. The genetic YDNA test looks at the Y chromosome in a male participant to trace their paternal ancestry. The Y chromosome is passed down from father to son exclusively with no genetic mixing and is only subject to change through random mutations. Based on an average rate of mutations a positive YDNA match can estimate a timeframe to most recent common ancestor.
The most basic YDNA test is a 12 marker test and will often find many matches with many being 25 generations or greater and not very helpful. The 37 or 67 marker YDNA test is more useful due to the greater accuracy of a match, confirming a likely common ancestor in historical times.
European Surnames and YDNA:
Surnames came into common use in Ireland and Scotland circa 1000-1200 A.D. If an individual shares the same surname with another and has a YDNA match it is likely their surname has been passed down to them from circa 1000-1200 A.D. Therefore if this McGlenn line is Irish they should match other McGlynns but if they are Scottish then they should match Scottish Glens or McGlens.
Results of the YDNA test for McGlenn:
At the 67-marker test level, 4 matches where found. At the 3 and 4 step difference, there is 1 match each to a Glen individual suggesting a common ancestor within the last 400-600 years. The Love surname match is likely a non-paternal event. The Paine match is a Norman surname and likely very distant circa 900 A.D. and outside a genealogical time frame but suggest a possible ancient Norman origin.
The Glen matches are the most genealogically relevant with their oldest known ancestor originating from Scotland. This Scottish Glen line is well document and proven back to 1605. Their oldest known ancestor is Alexander Glen b: 1605 Dysart, Scotland d: 1685 Scotia, New York, USA.
It is important to note that no Irish McGlynns match this McGlenn line. Based on the YDNA matches to the Scottish Glens this McGlenn line is indeed Scottish not Irish.
DNA Surname Matches:
The above YDNA marker matches are at the 37 and 25 marker level. Again the best matches are Glen and Love both of Scottish decent. Older and more distant matches at the 25 marker level are Anglo-Saxon and Norman. Note: some of these matches can be false positives[6]. It is interesting that this line does have matches to Norman surnames as many historical Glen families of Scotland claim Norman ancestry.
Haplogroup Analysis:
A deep clad YDNA analysis was also done and found this McGlenn line is part of Haplogroup R1b-U106. It is found at high concentrations in the Netherlands and northern Germany. Its presence in other parts of Europe can be attributed to the 5th and 6th century Germanic migrations. In relation to this line, R1b-U106 is found in high concentrations in the Scottish lowlands further supporting the McGlen/Glen line is of Lowland Scots origin. Also worth noting is the very low frequency of R1b-U106 in Ireland. Previous to the use of surnames it would appear the paternal line is likely Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norman, migrating to Britain sometime around 600-1200 A.D. The results of the YDNA analysis conclusively confirms the family tradition of Scottish ancestry. Now combined with historical records what can these results tell us?
Historical Findings:
As mentioned above this McGlenn line is prove back to John McGlenn of Oswego born: 1790-1800 died: 1856. Furthermore family tradition asserts John McGlenn of Oswego’s father is a native of Scotland and that the family has served in all the wars of the United States before the American Civil War[7]. Therefore the father of John McGlenn should be a native of Scotland and likely a veteran of the War of 1812, The American Revolutionary War and possibly The French and Indian War. Numerous McGlenn lines from the early 1800s and late 1700s were identified and examined. Most were identified as Irish and ruled out as possible ancestors as this McGlenn family line has been proven through YDNA to be of Scottish origin.
Identified McGlenn Veterans of the War of 1812:
William
McGlen B: 1782 Ireland - Irish
ancestry therefore ruled out
·
Private, 16th US Infantry, 1812[8]
Shederick
McGlenn B: 1780 Caroline Co., Maryland D: circa 1830 – Likely Scottish
·
19th Regiment Maryland Militia, 1812[9]
·
Private 36th US Infantry, 1814-1815[10]
Identified McGlenn Veterans of the American
Revolutionary War:
James
McGlenn B: circa 1750 - James and
Daniel appear to be brothers and have Irish ancestry
·
Philadelphia Militia, 1777[11]
·
Sergeant, 10th of Pennsylvania, 1778[12]
Daniel
McGlenn B: circa 1750 – Decedents of Daniel
claim Irish ancestry therefore ruled out [13]
·
Sergeant, 10th of Pennsylvania, 1778-1781[14]
John
McGlen B: circa 1740 – Likely native
of Scotland[15]
·
Private, Maryland 5th Regiment, 1778[16]
·
Private, Pennsylvania 6th Regiment,
1780[17]
·
Private, Maryland Line, 5th Company, 3rd
Regiment, 1781[18]
·
Private, Maryland Line, 3rd Company, 3rd Regiment,
1782-1783[19]
McGlenn Veterans of the French and Indian
War:
John
McGlen B: circa 1740 - Likely native
of Scotland and the same John McGlen as listed above
·
Private, Company of Foot, Newton, Bucks County
1756[20]
Of the veterans listed above only two meet the criteria
of being Scottish and veterans. Those are
Shederick McGlenn and John McGlen of Scotland. Interestingly John McGlen of
Scotland appears to be the father of Shederick McGlenn as John McGlen of
Scotland lived in Maryland around the same time Shederick McGlenn was born in Caroline
County, Maryland in 1780. Secondly between these two they are veterans of every
American war before the Civil War. These are the only individuals that meet the criteria above therefore they are the likely family of John McGlenn of Oswego. Additionally
John McGlen of Scotland shares the same forename as John McGlenn of Oswego
strengthening the connection as it was very popular during this time to name
sons after their fathers.
Furthermore if John McGlenn of Oswego was born circa
1790 then his likely father would be John McGlen of Scotland veteran of the
French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. This would then make Shederick
his older brother. However if John McGlenn of Oswego were born circa 1800 then
John’s likely father would be Shederick and his Grandfather would be John
McGlen of Scotland. This conflicts with the tradition that John McGlenn of
Oswego’s father would be a native of Scotland. Shederick is recorded as born in
Caroline Co., Maryland not Scotland. However John McGlen’s place of birth is
not known but it is the opinion of this author that it is indeed Scotland.
Therefore John McGlen of Scotland is the most likely father of John McGlenn of
Oswego and Shederick McGlenn is his older brother.
Scottish
McGlen Origins:
If John
McGlen of Scotland is indeed from Scotland where did he originate in Scotland? YDNA
evidence connects the family to the Glen family of Fife, Scotland but is that
the home of John McGlen of Scotland? No historical records from the early 1700s
are found for McGlens in Fife, Scotland therefore this does not appear to be a
good place of origin for John McGlen of Scotland. It should be noted that the
unknown Glen ancestor that connects the McGlen and Glen family of Fife is
likely from the 1300-1500s if not even earlier possibly from Lennoxtown,
Scotland[21].
Secondly Fife, Scotland is in the Scottish Lowlands and it seems an unlikely
place for a Glen to add the Highland patronymic “Mc” to their name.
The McGlen’s
of Scotland should be found in the Highland periphery and some historical
records should support that. Indeed that is what was found in Lochgoilhead,
Argyll, Scotland from 1726. The record is for the baptism of Duncan McGlen and
his father listed as John McGlen. Lochgoilhead is an ideal place for a Glen
moving from the Scottish Lowlands into the Highland periphery to then
adopt the “Mc” patronymic naming pattern. Consequently the McGlens of Scotland
likely originated in Lochgoilhead, Argyll, Scotland circa 1700.
What can we
know about these McGlens and why did they leave Lochgoilhead and immigrate to
North America? First based on the baptism record of Duncan McGlen the family
was landless[22]
and likely worked as tenant farmers. They may have also been tradesmen as later
McGlenns worked as blacksmiths, coopers and ship joiners. Life
would have been hard in the Highlands in the 1700s and further compounded by
the chaos of the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745. While it is unknown if any
McGlens supported the Jacobite cause, the defeat of the Jacobites at the Battle
of Culloden may have been part of the catalyst that lead to the McGlens of
Scotland to immigrate to the American Colonies circa 1750. It appears none of
the McGlen family remained in the region as no later records have been found in
Argyll.
After John
McGlen of Scotland arrived in the American Colonies he settled in Newton,
Pennsylvania for a period of time[23].
In 1756 the French and Indian War broke out and John is recorded as a Private,
Company of Foot in Newton, Pennsylvania. While it might seam strange that a
Scotsman with possible Jacobite sympathies would now be fighting on the side of
the British Crown it is not without precedent. One notable example is Hugh
Mercer a Jacobite who was assistant surgeon to Bonnie
Prince Charlie, whom after the Battle of Culloden fled to America. He ended up
on the side of the British in the French and Indian War and then later was a
Patriot in the American Revolution.
Sometime
after the end of the French and Indian War John McGlen of Scotland settles to
Caroline Co. Maryland circa 1770. John likely enlisted in 1776 for 3 years with
the 5th Maryland Regiment[24]. During
his enlistment John would have served under General George Washington in the Defense
of Philadelphia, trained at Valley Forge and the fought in the Battle of Monmouth.
It interesting to note that John McGlenn of Oswego’s 3rd born son
was named George Washington McGlenn whom John McGlen of Scotland served under.
Conclusion
With a
combination of DNA and historical evidence it is reasonable to conclude that
John McGlenn of Oswego is the son of John McGlen of Scotland. The family
originates from Lochgoilhead, Scotland in the Highland periphery circa 1700 and
added the patronymic “Mc” to their original Glen surname. The family is related
to the Glen family of Fife, Scotland. Further research is needed to better define
the location of their most recent common ancestor, possibly in the region of
Fife, Scotland c. 1300-1500.
See
See
[1]
US Federal 1830 Census: Oswego, New York, United States: Enumerated: John McGlenn Birth:
1790-1800
[2] Monroe County Court Land Records Book 48: Sale of Deed Jason B. McGlenn to
George McGlenn in 1856. Mentions "...John McGlenn had at his decease in
said land..."
[3]
1911 Census of Canada: McGlenn family identifies
as Scotch
[4]
Jerry Kelly, Rootsweb, http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/IRISH-AMERICAN/2006-02/1139161986 accessed Dec 26, 2013
[5]
Mac Surnames, Scotland’s
People, https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk/research-guides/surnames accessed Nov 3, 2016
[6]
Matches at this level can be false positives due to
genetic convergence, http://isogg.org/wiki/Convergence accessed
Feb 27, 2016
[7]
W.R. McGlenn grandson of John McGlenn “The family has served in all the wars of the
United States and the paternal grandfather [unnamed father of John McGlenn
of Oswego, New York] was a native of
Scotland.”
[8]
William McGlen, Private, 16th US Infantry, Born: Ireland, Age: 30, Enlisted: Nov 10,
1812 Philadelphia by Lt. Powers for 5 years. U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914
[9]
Shadrick McGlenn, 19th Maryland
Regiment, Potter's Militia 1812, War of
1812 Service Record Index
[10]
McGlinn Shederick, Pvt: 36th U.S.
Born: Caroline, Maryland, Enlisted: Mar 19, 1814, Westmoreland Co. by Captain
Risin For: War, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914
[11] James McGlen, Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, V XIII,
Muster Roll Philadelphia: Page 612
[12]
Daniel McGlenn, Sergeant and James McGlenn
Sergeant, Pennsylvania Archives: Page 577
[13]
Anthony McGlinn likely son of Daniel McGlenn,
Irish decent and Catholic, Portrait and Biographical Record of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Page
466
[14]
Daniel McGlenn, Sergeant and James McGlenn
Sergeant, Pennsylvania Archives: Page 577
[15]
John McGlen, his birthplace is not known but it
is the opinion of this author to be Scotland and that he immigrated to the
American Colonies circa 1750 at a young age
[16]
John McGleen, Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783:
Maryland 3rd Regiment, 1778 (Folders 18-19) - Various Organizations (Folder
35): Images 173-174 & 175-176
[17]
John McGleen, Pennsylvania
Archives Series: Series 6: Volume I: Chapter: Muster Rolls Relating to the
Associators and Militia of the City of Philadelphia: Page 396
[18]
John McGlenn, Records of Maryland Troops in the
Continental Service: Page 392 & 395
[19]
John McGlin, Maryland Troops in the Continental
Service 1 Jan 1782 - 1 Jan 1783: Page 452
[20]
John McGlen, Pennsylvania Archives: Series 5: Volume
1: Page 39-40
[21]
Lennoxtown, Scotland. Richard de Glen deceased circa
1292. His descendent John de Glen granted a charter of the lands of Balmuto,
Fife, Scotland. Memorials of the
Scottish family of Glen: Rogers: 1888
[22]
Baptism record 1726 Lochgoilhead, Scotland list
the McGlen family as “in Crige” rather than “of Crige” only land owners are
recorded as “of the land” landless are recorded as “in the land.” Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
[23]
John McGlen, Listed in Newton, Bucks County 1756,
Pennsylvania Archives: Series 5: Volume 1: Page 39-40
[24]
John McGleen, Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783:
Maryland 3rd Regiment, 1778 (Folders 18-19) - Various Organizations (Folder
35): Images 173-174 & 175-176
Copyright Ryan McGlenn 2016
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