Not only a McFarland but a “Hidden McGregor”
Posted: January 14, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized 6 CommentsThe DNA testing not only confirmed the family legend it also yielded another surprise. It seems William Thomas Hunt Sr born 1787 might have known he was a McFarland but what it seems he didn’t know was that he was a McGregor also.
The DNA testing has matched the McGregor Clan. The McFarland’s who are by DNA McGregor’s are called hidden because of what occurred in history in 1603. With the results of Bill Hunt’s and Earl McFarland’s – Big Y – DNA test, we are also actively working with the McGregor Clan Societies to try and map where off the McGregor Tree Branch we fall.
It seems this Hunt family were McGregor’s to about 1600, then McFarland’s to 1800, then Hunts. Since it has been 200 years since the last surname change the Hunt family should be ready for a new surname about now. 🙂
Here is a brief history lesson on why the McGregor’s changed to McFarland. I am stealing Earl McFarland’s history lesson that he sent me. Thank you Earl.
As a result of the Glen Fruin Battle (often referred to as a Massacre by the side that lost). Proscription allowed that if any person saw a group of 3 or more MacGregor males standing in a group he was allowed to shoot on sight, as many as he could hit, and not be charged with murder (he may have been able to claim the property of the deceased) , the women were branded (rumor has it some of their children were removed and put in foster homes). As a direct result of the Battle of Glen Fruin, the then Chief of the MacGregors and 11-12 of his close associates were hanged…but the Chief was hanged exactly one foot higher “as befitting his station”. by Earl McFarland
Many of the McGregor’s adopted new surnames our ancestor went with McFarland. This proscription lasted about 200 years. Our McGregor ancestors were one of the lucky ones that survived this time period.
Deason Hunt
williamthunt
HuntRoots 
Hello: Keep in mind that there are 3 lines of McFarland/McFarlane/Mcfarlin in the US that have been shown by DNA to be closely related, so closely related that all 3 likely have a common ancestor back in the Co Tyrone area some time between abt 1603 and the early to mid-1600s. These related lines make up sub-groups A,B,C on the Clan MacFarlane DNA Project website. The first line (A) is the line of Daniel McFarland, who arrived with several sons, from Ulster via Boston in the Summer of 1718, he died in Worcester, Mass in 1738 (his DOB is est between 1655-1665, this is my own line). The second McFarland line (B), is that of Duncan McFarland and his wife Ann/Eliz Porter, they came thru PA, their deces moved west and then down the Valley of Virginia (Russell, Wythe, Tazwell, Augusta). The 3rd line is the Orange Co NC line of William McFarland and his possible wife Keziah Pierce, that line may be however an off shoot of the Valley of Virginia McFarlands that simply moved a little more south (the Great Wagon Road in the Valley of Virginia did dump out in NC, Rowan Co etc). All of these lines appear to have a common origin in Ulster (it is noted that no one to my knowledge has ever found Weiter, Wester, Wieter, the possible home of Duncan McFarland). Earl MacFarland (crzypopmac@aol.com)
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Been looking for McFarland ancestors but seem to hit the proverbial brick wall at William and Peter. My gggrandfather was Daniel Coatsworth McFarland who was born in GA. His father was Peter who also lived in GA (Wilks Co). I believe his father was William. Daniel reported in a census that his father was born in NC and in another place that he was born in PA.Could we be some of those who are hidden Mc””Gregors?
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Lucy, I don’t know. Let me refer you to Peter Mcfarland. He knows much more about the McFarlands than I do. Contact me at netexas@gmail.com, and I’ll send you his email address.
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I have hit a wall as well, and the earliest I can go back is for James McFarland born around 1825 in South Carolina, but I cannot find any records for him in South Carolina or to show who his parents are. It is rumored that they were from the VA line, who moved to North Carolina, and then to South Carolina, but I have no way to confirm this, and so far nobody has been able to help. I know he married Sarah Johnson and lived in Georgia before moving to Tennessee around 1853. One of their sons, Robert Lee McFarland of Grundy County Tennessee, was born on 22 Mar 1873, and married Jane B. Campbell. These are my great-great-grandparents.
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One of Wm McFarlands sons moved from Orange County NC to York County SC. His name was John McFarland. He was there about 1790 and raised a family there.
Do you have any male relatives that still have the surname of McFarland? If so a ydna test at ftdna would tell a lot since there is a large number of McFarlands who have tested.
If you don’t know anyone I have worked down various male lines and asked perfect strangers to take the test. Of course I paid for it.
Check out John McFarland in York. His info is also on my private tree. Unfortunately I am in a place that has very very limited internet and can barely send an email for another few days.
Sent from Nine ________________________________
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Duncan McFarland, w. Elizabeth Ann Porter was my 5th great-grandparent.
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