The Highland Clan McNeill and the Garron

 

The combination of Highland Garrons and the McNeill name relates to the historical use of these hardy ponies on Scottish estates, specifically linked to the McNeill family's involvement in Western Highland history.

• Highland Garron: The garron is a larger, robust type of Highland pony traditionally used as a "workhorse" in the Highlands for agricultural work and, crucially, for transporting deer (hill stalking) over rough, boggy ground.
• McNeill Connection: The McNeills (specifically of Barra, Gigha, and Colonsay) are an ancient Highland clan with strong ties to these areas.
• Context: Historically, Highland families like the McNeills would have relied on garrons for working the difficult landscape of the Western Isles and mainland Argyll. 

Robert Ronald McIan, an actor and painter known for his romanticized 19th-century depictions of Scottish life, created a famous plate titled "Mac Niel" for his 1845 work, The Clans of the Scottish Highlands. 

The illustration features a member of the clan in full Highland dress, uniquely depicted riding a small, sturdy horse—widely identified as a Highland Garron.

Key Details of the Illustration

• The Subject: Unlike many of McIan's other clan plates, which show figures standing, the MacNiel (often spelled "Mac Niel,” "MacNeil" or MacNeill”  in various editions) is shown mounted and armed.
• The Horse (Garron): The pony is depicted as a robust, hardworking breed, reflecting the "garron" workhorse tradition of the Highlands.
• Artistic Style: As an actor, McIan’s work is noted for being highly theatrical and dramatic. This specific plate highlights the clan's mobility and military character, often shown with a bow and arrow or other traditional weaponry.
• Tartan: The figure wears the MacNeil tartan, though McIan was known to prioritize aesthetic drama over absolute historical accuracy in his threadcounts.

McIan’s illustrations, including this one, played a major role in the Victorian-era "tartan craze" fueled by Queen Victoria’s own passion for Highland culture. Original hand-colored lithographs of this plate are still sought after by collectors today. 

MacNiel’s Matchlock Musket

In Robert Ronald McIan’s illustration of the MacNeil (or "Mac Niel"), the firearm slung over the rider’s shoulder is a matchlock musket. 

While McIan is famous for his romanticized 19th-century style, this specific choice of weapon reflects a specific historical period and the maritime heritage of the MacNeil clan:

• Type of Weapon: The musket is a long-barreled matchlock, a type of firearm that was common in the Highlands during the late 16th and 17th centuries before the widespread adoption of the flintlock (snaphance).
• Historical Context: In the accompanying text for the plate, James Logan (the author who collaborated with McIan) notes that the MacNeils of Barra were known as formidable sea-rovers. Carrying a musket while mounted on a garron emphasizes their readiness for both land and sea skirmishes.
• The "Romantic" Touch: McIan often included older or more dramatic weaponry to enhance the "warrior" image of the clans. In this plate, the musket is paired with a claymore (broadsword) and a round targe (shield) hanging on the rider’s back, creating an image of a fully equipped Highland cavalier.
• Artistic Detail: If you look closely at the original lithograph, you can see the serpentine (the S-shaped lever) of the matchlock mechanism, which held the burning "match" or cord used to ignite the gunpowder.

Thank you to Gemini AI for the additional details.  -- Drifting Cowboy

Our Pilgrim Ancestors (Plymouth Colony): Arrived on the Mayflower in 1620

 

Our 11th great-grandfather Francis Cooke and his son John Cooke were among the 102 passengers on the Mayflower in 1620, and our connection to them through Lydia Brown’s line is one of the most well-documented Mayflower descents possible. 

Francis Cooke (c. 1583 – 7 April 1663)

Francis was a Leiden Separatist (part of the English religious group that fled to Holland to escape persecution and later became known as the Pilgrims). His exact birthplace and parents remain unknown, but he was almost certainly English—likely from the Canterbury or Norwich area (or possibly Yorkshire, though unproven). By trade, he was a woolcomber, a skilled craft involving preparing wool fibers for spinning. 

In Leiden, Holland, he married Hester (Esther) le Mahieu (a French Walloon whose family had fled religious persecution) on 20 July 1603. They had seven children:

• John (our direct ancestor, baptized 1607)
• An unnamed infant who died young in Leiden
• Jane, Elizabeth, Jacob, Hester, and Mary (birth order is approximate) 

In 1620, Francis (about age 37) and his oldest son John (age 13) decided to join the voyage to the New World. They originally sailed on the Speedwell, which was supposed to accompany the Mayflower, but after repeated leaks the Speedwell was abandoned. Father and son transferred to the crowded Mayflower and arrived at Cape Cod (Provincetown Harbor) on 11 November 1620 (Old Style). Francis was one of the 41 adult male signers of the Mayflower Compact, the foundational document that established self-government for the colony. 

His wife Hester and the younger children stayed behind in Leiden until the colony was more stable. They arrived three years later in 1623 on the ship Anne. Francis and Hester had two more daughters born in Plymouth (some records list Hester and Mary as born in the colony). He lived a long, active life in Plymouth:

• Received land grants (including 2 acres in the 1623 division—one for himself and one for John)
• Participated in the 1627 cattle division
• Served on juries and in other civic roles
• Lived at “Rocky Nook” (now part of Kingston, Massachusetts) 

Francis died in Plymouth on 7 April 1663 at roughly age 80—one of the longer-lived Mayflower passengers. Hester outlived him, dying after 1666.

John Cooke (c. 1607 – 23 November 1695)

Our 10th great-grandfather (and Francis’s oldest son) was baptized in the French Walloon Church in Leiden between January and March 1607. At just 13 years old, he was one of the youngest passengers on the Mayflower and one of only nine boys aged 11–17 on the voyage. He survived the brutal first winter (when nearly half the passengers died) alongside his father. 

In 1634 (age ~27), John married Sarah Warren, daughter of fellow Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. This marriage gives our line a second Mayflower connection (through the Warrens), which is why the Cooke–Warren union is so prized by Mayflower descendants. They had five daughters: Sarah, Elizabeth, Hester, Mary, and Mercy. 

John started as a deacon in the Plymouth Church but was later excommunicated (around the late 1640s/early 1650s) after adopting more radical religious views—he became a Baptist. He moved to Dartmouth (now the Fairhaven–New Bedford area of Massachusetts), where he:

• Served as a town deputy
• Advised on colonial defense during King Philip’s War
• Helped establish one of the earliest Baptist churches in the region (the Stone Church in Tiverton still traces its roots to his work) 

John lived an extraordinarily long life—he died on 23 November 1695 at age 88 in Dartmouth and was the last surviving male Mayflower passenger. He had literally lived through the entire history of Plymouth Colony from its founding until it merged into Massachusetts Bay.

Why This Matters for Our Tree

Our line from Francis → John → Sarah Cooke (who married into the Brown family) is rock-solid and appears in the official Mayflower “Silver Books” and the Mayflower Society’s records. It’s one of the cleanest colonial connections you could have—double Mayflower (Cooke + Warren) and verified right down to Lydia Corinna Brown. Francis and John’s story is classic Pilgrim history: religious refugees who crossed the Atlantic, endured the first terrible winter, and helped build a new society while raising large families.

Lydia Brown's Mayflower lineage looks like this: 

Francis Cooke Mayflower 1620 arrival 1584-1663 11th great-grandfather 

John Cooke 1607-1695 Son of Francis Cooke Mayflower 1620 arrival 

Sarah Cooke 1635-1712 Daughter of John Cooke 

Hannah Hathaway 1660-1748 Daughter of Sarah Cooke 

Elizabeth Cadman 1685-1768 Daughter of  Hannah Hathaway 

Sarah White 1709-1795 Daughter of Elizabeth Cadman 

John, Jr Brown DNA match 1734-1772 Son of Sarah White 

Solomon Brown 1765-1839 Son of John, Jr Brown DNA match 

Samuel R Brown 1798-1877 Son of Solomon Brown 

John Galloway Brown 1833-1915 Son of Samuel R Brown 

Abraham Lincoln Brown 1864-1948 Son of John Galloway Brown 

Lydia Corinna Brown 1891-1971 Daughter of Abraham Lincoln Brown -- Maternal grandmother

Thank you to Grok xAI for examining and confirming the details.  — Drifting Cowboy

Tracing our McNeills of Taynish and Gigha

 

This family search takes us directly into the heart of the Lordship of the Isles. Our ancestors wasn't just a clan; they were the hereditary keepers of the "western gate" of Scotland, serving as sea-lords and constables for the Macdonald Lords of the Isles.

Our lineage follows the Taynish branch, which is distinct from the McNeills of Barra. While Barra looked toward the outer Atlantic, the Taynish/Gigha McNeills dominated the tactical waters of Knapdale and the Kintyre peninsula.

Verification of the Early Lineage (1380–1564)

The early portion of our tree aligns with the historical record of the Clan Neill of Knapdale.

• Torquil McNeill (1380–1449): He is the recognized progenitor of the Taynish and Gigha line. He held the lands of Gigha and Taynish by charter from the Lord of the Isles.
• Hector McNeill (Constable of Castle Sween): This is a crucial historical "anchor." Castle Sween is one of the oldest stone castles in Scotland. Being its Constable meant Hector was a top-tier military commander in the West Highlands.
• The Neills of Gigha (II and III): These generations represent the peak of the family’s power before the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles was forfeited to the Scottish Crown. Neill III (d. 1564) is well-documented as the last of the direct "Old Line" of Gigha, as the island was briefly sold to the Macleans of Duart before being recovered by the McNeills later.

The Transition: Taynish, Tarbert, and the "Second Sons"

As we move into the 1600s, our lineage tracks the Tarbert and Taynish cadet branches.

• Neil McNeill of Taynish and Tarbert (1557–1613): Historically, this Neil is the one who began the recovery of family lands and consolidated the Taynish estate.
• Donald McNeill (1615–1708): A life of nearly a century! This generation lived through the brutal "Wars of the Three Kingdoms." Many McNeills were Covenanters or fought alongside the Campbells of Argyll, which shifted their alliances from the old MacDonald lords to the rising power of the Duke of Argyll.
• Malcolm McNeill of Drumchoir (1692–1750): Drumchoir is a specific landholding that appears in legal "sasines" (land records) of the time. This generation marks the beginning of the transition from "Warriors" to "Landed Gentry/Farmers."

The "Unproven" Link and the DNA Matches

I’ve flagged Neill McNeill (1725–1770) as unproven. This is the "Migration Gap." In the mid-1700s, many McNeills from Argyll moved across the North Channel to Antrim, Ireland, or directly to North Carolina (the Argyll Colony of 1739).

• John McNeill (1759–1835) & Duncan McNeill (1786–1841): The "DNA Match" here is our strongest evidence. Since we share DNA with other descendants of these men, it suggests that even if the paper trail for Neill (1725) is thin, the biological bridge to the Taynish McNeills is intact.
• The Name Change (Allan McNeil to Wm Allen): This is a classic "Pioneer" move. Changing a name after 1908, and immigrating to the USA, often indicates a desire for a "fresh start" or a shift in legal status.

The "McNeill Spirit": Seafarers of the Sound

The McNeills of Taynish weren't just farmers; they were Sea-Kings of the Inner Hebrides.

1. Castle Sween: Our ancestors lived in and defended a fortress built directly on the water. Like our Sinclair ancestors, the McNeills didn't see the sea as a wall—they saw it as a highway.
2. The "Birlinn": While the Vikings had longships, the McNeills perfected the Birlinn (the West Highland galley). These were the vessels your ancestors used to navigate the Sound of Jura.
3. The "Call of the Pines" Connection: The landscape of Taynish and Knapdale is incredibly similar to the woods of Quebec and Algonquin Park—rugged, rocky coasts covered in Scots Pine and Atlantic oak. When I felt that "pull" in 1987, you were responding to the Argyll coast just as much as the Norman forests.

Summary of the Lineage Strength

• 1380–1650: Highly Reliable. The McNeills of Taynish are well-recorded in the Highland "Black Books" and Clan histories.
• 1655–1750: Probable. Requires checking the Argyll Sasines (land transfer records) to confirm the Drumchoir link.
• 1759–Present: DNA Verified. This is our solid ground. The DNA matches act as the "compass" that points back to the Taynish line.

Our grandmother Annie Margaret was the "keeper" of a lineage that stretches back to the very first Norse-Gaelic lords who carved a life out of the mist and salt of the Scottish West.

From our Family Tree:

Torquil McNeill of Taynish & Gigha 1380-1449

17th great-grandfather

Neil Og McNeill 1400-1472

Son of Torquil McNeill of Taynish & Gigha

Torquil McNeill 1424-1473

Son of Neil Og McNeill

Hector McNeill Constable of Castle Sween 1443-1493

Son of Torquil McNeill

Neill McNeill II of Gigha 1478-1527

Son of Hector McNeill Constable of Castle Sween

Neill McNeill III of Gigha 1521-1564

Son of Neill McNeill II of Gigha

Neil Mcneill of Taynish and Tarbert, 3rd son of Neil of 1521 1557-1613

Son of Neill McNeill III of Gigha

Hector McNeill 1580-NaN

Son of Neil Mcneill of Taynish and Tarbert, 3rd son of Neil of 1521

Donald McNeill 2nd son of Hector Of Taynish 1615-1708

Son of Hector McNeill

+Malcolm McNeill 1st son of Donald of Tarbert 1655-

Son of Donald McNeill 2nd son of Hector Of Taynish

Malcolm McNeill of Drumchoir 1692-1750

Son of +Malcolm McNeill 1st son of Donald of Tarbert

Neill McNeill * Unproven 1725-1770

Son of Malcolm McNeill of Drumchoir

Hector McNeill 1740-1767

Son of Neill McNeill * Unproven

John McNeill DNA match 1759-1835

Son of Hector McNeill

Duncan McNeill DNA match 1786-1841

Son of John McNeill DNA match

Duncan McNeill 1821-1882

Son of Duncan McNeill DNA match

Allan McNeil (aka Wm Allen aft. 1908) 1865-1927

Son of Duncan McNeill

Annie Margaret McNeil 1892-1964

Daughter of Allan McNeil (aka Wm Allen aft. 1908) - Paternal Grandmother

Thank you to Gemini for the updated research of my McNeill line.  -- Drifting Cowboy

The Cowboy Who Cashed In a Winner

Now, I ain’t one to go preachin’ about heroes, but every now and then the Lord drops a real article into this old cow country, and when He does, you’d best take notice. Fellers like that don’t come along every roundup.

His name was Roger Miller, and he was born in Azusa, California, back when that town still smelled more of orange blossoms than pavement. But Roger never had much use for towns. By the time he was barely old enough to fork a saddle he was ridin’ for the Vail and Vickers outfit on Santa Rosa Island, off Santa Barbara. That was real cow work—wild stuff, the kind the old California vaqueros still remembered. Later he punched cows on Rancho California down by Temecula. He always said the prettiest thing God ever made was a wet, wobbly newborn calf standin’ in the morning sun. I reckon he was right.

But Roger wasn’t the kind to stay in one brand forever. Time came when he traded his chaps for a paintbrush and a set of silver-casting tools. He could carve wood that looked like it grew that way, paint a scene so real you could smell the dust, and turn out cast-silver cowboy jewelry that made a man’s belt look like it belonged on a king. He made his livin’ doin’ what he liked, just like old Charlie Russell used to say, and he figured that made him lucky from the start.

I met him one fine day in the late ’80s at a cowboy antique show in Phoenix. We shook hands and it was like two old saddle pals who’d just been separated by a stampede. Same dry humor, same love of good horses, same notion that life was too short to waste on anything that didn’t smell like leather or sage. Over the next few years we rode together in Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming, camped at a gentleman’s spread near Tucson, and raised more dust than the law allowed.

One year Roger sold his place in Glorieta, New Mexico—government wanted it for some Civil War battlefield—and suddenly he was cowboy rich. Did he buy himself a mansion? No sir. He bought a new pickup, headed straight for Cody, Wyoming, and picked up a little eight-acre slice of heaven on the edge of town. Dug a well, threw up a corral, parked a 40-foot horse trailer for a bunkhouse, and started buildin’ his cabin with his own two hands. I helped him set the foundation and floor one summer. Wasn’t fancy, but it was the perfect cowboy artist’s camp.

That’s when he talked me into buyin’ a horse. We drove up the North Fork of the Shoshone with a fifth of good Canadian whiskey, found a horse trader, and sized up a string of broomtails. Roger pointed at a sorrel paint mare and said, “I like that one.” I tried her, liked her, and bought her on the spot. We rode home, built fence till our hands bled, and turned her out with Roger’s little mustang Star in knee-deep alfalfa.

Roger was my teacher in those days. He’d been a real brush-poppin’ cowboy when I was still readin’ about ’em in books. One mornin’ while I was kickin’ manure in the pasture he looked over and drawled, “The most dangerous horse in the world is somebody’s pet.” I laughed at the time. Few years later my own “bomb-proof” gelding pinned me against a fence tryin’ to get away from the alpha mare, and I heard Roger’s voice floatin’ down from somewhere up above. I still smile when I think of it.

Another time we were ridin’ high in the Rockies with some outfit. Feller named Josh had ground-tied his pack mule while he worked on a squaw hitch. That mule decided he’d had enough of polite society and lit out for a 500-foot cliff, buckin’ and rattlin’ pans like a runaway freight. Josh was hangin’ on the lash rope for dear life. Roger never said a word—just spurred that little mustang Star and headed the mule off before it could commit suicide. I tried to follow on a string horse that didn’t cotton to spurs and got my own private rodeo. Roger just grinned, handed the lead rope back to Josh, and said, “Never trust a ground-tied pack mule.” We laughed about it all the way to the cantina that night.

Roger kept a little sign in his cabin. It had Charlie Russell’s silhouette on it and the words:

“Any man that can make a livin’ doin’ what he likes is lucky, and I am that. Any time I cash in now, I win!”

He lived by that. When he knew the final gather was comin’, he had some little elk-skin medicine bags made up. Each one held a pinch of sweet grass and a pellet of his own ashes, fastened with one of his silver conchos. He sent one to me. No note—just the bag. I knew what it meant. My old pard wasn’t really gone; he was just ridin’ a different range, close enough to keep an eye on things.

Roger crossed the Great Divide in September of ’98. The same year the last cows left Santa Rosa Island and the old Vail and Vickers cowboys were turned loose. Two good outfits gone in the same season. But the memories didn’t go nowhere.

So here’s to Roger Miller—working cowboy, fine artist, silver caster, and the best pard a man could ask for. He punched cows on islands and painted pictures of the life he loved. He built a cabin in Cody with his own hands, rode good horses, told better stories, and left a little piece of himself in an elk-skin bag so the rest of us would never ride alone.

Any time he cashed in, boys… he won.

Thank you to Grok xAI for studyin our history an' writin' Roger's story.

Thanks for listenin' to our tale -- Drifting Cowboy.

Adios, amigo. Vaya con Dios.

"Wild West Women," one of Roger's 3-D paintings on the back wall of Kings Saddlery in Sheridan, WY, c. 1997

"Buckin' Bronco" Bolo Tie by Roger Miller (above) Mustang Scarf Slide and Cowboy Money Clip (below).