Capt. George MacFarlane, 3rd of Auchrossan[1, 2, 3]  1788 - 1827

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• Title	Capt.
  Suffix	3rd of Auchrossan
  Birth	18 Oct 1788  [3]
  Christened	24 Oct 1788	Kilfinan, Argyllshire, Scotland   [3]
  Gender	Male
  Military Service	Captain of 57th Regiment
  Military Service	Sep 1811	Portugal   [4]
  	Lieutenant 57th Regiment
  Died	21 Oct 1827	Kilfinan, Argyllshire, Scotland
  Buried	MacFarlane Vault, Kilfinan Parish churchyard, Argyllshire, Scotland
  Person ID	I48934	Clan current
  Last Modified	19 Nov 2009 13:35:00
  Father	Andrew MacFarlane, 2nd of Acharosson, c. 1 Jun 1756, Kilfinan, Argyllshire, Scotland
  Mother	Jane Campbell, b. Abt 1764, Ormidale, Argyllshire, Scotland
  Family ID	F27939	Group Sheet
  Family 1	Mary Allan
  Married	Unmarried
  	Type: Unmarried Partner
  Children	1. Wellington MacFarlane, b. 22 Apr 1820   2. Norman George MacFarlane, b. 8 Jan 1823
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2008 13:51:00
  Family ID	F27924	Group Sheet
  Family 2	Anne Fletcher, b. 1 Jan 1798, Kilfinan, Argyllshire, Scotland
  Married	Unmarried
  	Type: Unmarried Partner
  Children	> 1. Jean MacFarlane, b. 10 Nov 1824
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2008 13:51:00
  Family ID	F27923	Group Sheet

• Photos		View from the front of Acharossan House, Kilfinan
  		Acharossan House, Kilfinan, Argyll map
  		Acharossan House
  		Acharossan House

• Notes

  1 - George MacFarlane was born in 1788 to Andrew MacFarlane, 2nd Laird of Auchrossan, and his wife Jean. Auchrossan is just south of Kilfinan, on the Cowal peninsula in Western Scotland. At some time during his life, possibly before his father's death in 1825, George became the 3rd Laird of Auchrossan. On 13th June 1805, George was commissioned in the 57th (or the West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot. After just eight months as an Ensign, he was raised to Lieutenant on 6th February 1806. In 1810 he was serving under Wellington in the Peninsular war, and on 22nd June wrote a letter home to his father from Portalegre, Portugal, before the assault on Albuquerque in Spain. George and his brother Alexander are also believed to have served at the battle of Waterloo on 18th June 1815. On 20th July 1815, George was raised to the rank of Captain. Within a year, on 25th February 1816, a large number of officers from the 57th, including George and his brother Alexander, were transferred to the half-pay list (i.e. reserved but not retired), presumably as a result of the ending of the Napoleonic wars by the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. George was the natural father to sons Wellington in 1820 and Norman in 1823, and daughter Jean in 1824. The fact that George was the father seems to have been no secret, as his name was recorded in the birth and baptism records, and the children were all named McFarlane. The latter two births were not recorded until 1828, when the two children were baptised. There appears to have been some confusion over the birth dates, as Jean's was changed in the register from 1823 to 1824, and the month was also changed. A Gaelic song, "The Captain of Acharossan", is said to have been written about George. George died on 27th October 1827 at the age of 39. He was unmarried, and the estate passed to his younger brother Alexander, the 4th Laird. His memorial was placed on the wall of Kilfinan church, inscribed "GEORGE MACFARLANE Esq. of Auchrossan, Capt. 57th Regt. of Infantry 21.10.1827 age 39, brother Robert M., commander of the Funchal of Greenock 2.2.1826 age 24." The tablet was displaced after 1973, and has now been returned to the vault but is largely illegible.. A codicil dated June 1827 to the will of George MacFarlane, Captain George's uncle, "late of Largimore, now residing at Crossbank, Govan", leaves money to Captain George's three natural children. There was a tablet at Kilfinan church "Erected to the Memory of GEORGE McFARLANE of Largiemore who died on the 14th January MDCCCXXVIII" (1828). Largiemore is on the shore of Loch Fyne, about 5 miles North of Kilfinan. [ http://www.mckechnies.net/family/mcfarlane/george/index.htm ] 2 - George was an officer in the British Army and was present at the Battle of Waterloo with the 57th Regiment. Afterwards he rose to the rank of Captain in that regiment. Captain George MacFarlane's name is still kept green in the West Highlands through the popular song 'The Captain of Acharossan'. We have been informed that the portraits of George and his brother Alexander, who was also an officer in the 57th, are in the celebrated painting of the Waterloo banquet at which 'The Duke' presided. Born 1788 George died childless in 1827 and was succeeded by his brother. [History of Clan Macfarlane Vol. II - manuscript by James Macfarlane; Chapt. 31] 2 - George, 3rd Laird, who died unmarried and was succeeded by his brother: Alexander Rootsweb entry from Terrance Gach MacFarlane [ http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/MACFARLANE/2003-09/1062977779 ] If he did marry twice as shown here it begs the question as to why his brother succeded to the estates. The reason it appears is that neither marriage was legal, that both wives were partners and he actually died unmarried. 3 - George. Although he never legally married, he had at least three children by two women, and seems to have been quite open about it as he is recorded as the father in the church records. [ http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.macfarlane/159.4/mb.ashx ] 4 - GEORGE MACFARLANE Esq. of Auchrossan, Capt. 57th Regt. of Infantry 21.10.1827 age 39, brother Robert M. commander of the Funchal of Greenock 2.2.1826 age 24. MI from tablet on wall of West Vault Kilfinan Parish churchyard. "Tablet fallen from wall and misplaced. Record taken from a previous 1973 recording. To the left on the wall. Later found and replaced in vault but mostly illegible" 2001 note. [ http://freespace.virgin.net/sinclair.drumcot/index.htm ]

• Sources

  [S817] Rootsweb, (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/) [S799] Andrew Macfarlane 2nd of Acharosson [S537] International Genealogical Index - extracted, Church of Latter Day Saints, (http://www.familysearch.org) [S832] History of Clan MacFarlane Vol. II - manuscript, James MacFarlane, (manuscript kept at Helensburgh Public Library)