1. Acid-free envelope containing the following items:
a) Faded cabinet-format copy print made in the 1880s by photographer Charles Harding of Pembroke, of an original daguerrotype photograph of McNab probably made in the early 1840s. The copy is pasted on a black cardboard mount. It depicts Archibald Laird of McNab in highland dress. Written on the back in pencil: return to Mrs. Alex Box, White Lake P.O., Ontario. The photograph was given to Peter Hessel by the Waba Cottage Museum in 1987, for his research.
Associated with this print is a letter by the Public Archives (Peter Robertson, Documentary Art and Photography Division) to Peter Hessel, dated October 27, 1987, regarding this photograph, with enclosures, showing that PAC also have 2 copies of photoprints of Archibald McNab, one of which (C-11069) was mistakenly labelled “by Sir Henry Raeburn”. The Raeburn painting, which is in the National Gallery in London, is of Archibald’s uncle, Chief Francis McNab, not of Archibald.
b) 2 identical colour prints taken by Peter Hessel in 1988 from a photo reproduction (in Waba Cottage Museum) of a portrait by an unidentified artist, depicting Archibald Laird of McNab.
c) Three identical colour postcards produced and published by Waba Cottage Museum, showing a portrait by an unidentified artist, owned by the Royal Ontario Museum, on long-term loan to Dundurn Castle, Hamilton. Note that the portraits (b and c) are different in certain details! One may be a copy or adaptation of the other. The original of b) is in storage at the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. See copy of pages from Peter Hessel, McNab — The Township (also in this envelope).
2. Anecdote hand-copied by Kirstin Jeffrey, 1987 (original in the Suggit Papers - see Bibliography, McNab - The Township) regarding a raccoon hunting episode in which Archibald Laird of McNab was humiliated.
3. Two identical photos taken in 1987 by Peter Hessel at Waba Cottage Museum, showing items that belonged to Archibald Laird of McNab. The items are described in McNab - The Township.
See #16 below.
4. Printout of letter by Peter Hessel dated April 29, 1988, to the Mayor’s office in Lannion, Côtes-du-Nord, France. A translation of this letter was sent to determine whether anything is known about Archibald McNab who died in Lannion on August 12, 1860.
5. Reply (in French) by the Mayor’s Office, Lannion, to the above letter.
6. Printout of manuscript article by Peter Hessel, entitled “Arnprior — Begotten by a Rogue, Fathered by a Benefactor”, which was published in the Arnprior Chronicle-Guide in 1987.
7. Photocopy of newspaper clipping from Ottawa Citizen, Nov. 30, 1935, of an article by an unknown writer entitled “Was it Portrait of Laird Which Hung in Sand Point?”
8. Photocopy of newspaper clipping from Arnprior Chronicle, about 1935, of an article by an unknown writer entitled “Mrs. Alex McDonnell of Sand Point Sold Painting”. This article contains several mistakes about the painting in question. [It was not the famous Raeburn painting of Francis McNab, but a painting by an unidentified painter of Archibald McNab].
NOTE: An article in the Watchman, August 17, 1917, page 1 reel N584 Reel 1: “In the last issue of the New York Times is a photograph of a painting of the late Chief McNab styled “Francis, 12th Laird ...” (this is about the famous Raeburn painting of Archibald’s uncle Francis McNab)
9. Photocopy of newspaper clipping from an unknown paper, about 1935, of an article by an unknown writer entitled “Relics of ‘The McNabb’ Are Seen; Owned by Resident White Lake”. Most of the items described are now at Waba Cottage Museum.
10. Newspaper clipping from the Ottawa Citizen, June 9, 1987, of an article by Roy McGregor, entitled “Mulroney might heed Laird MacNab’s folly”.
11. Handwritten transcript done by Kirstin Jeffrey in 1987 of a letter by Archibald McNab to his son Allan McNab [of White Lake], dated Caledonia Springs, July 19, 1845. Not recorded from which original it was copied. [PH: Either the Box Papers or the Museum Collection.]
12. Photocopy of pages 277-279 in book “Three Years in Canada” by John McTaggart. The passage deals with Chief McNab. Also mentioned: Alexander McDonnell and Theodore Davis.
13. Photocopy of a letter by Duncan McNab of Callander, Scotland, to his brother Angus McNab in McNab Township, dated March 14, 1839, transcribed by Peter Hessel. Key terms: Laird of McNab, Allan Report, distillery, road commissioner, roads dispute.
14. Price list from the National Galleries of Scotland regarding reprint of painting of the Laird of McNab.
15. Clipping an photocopy of same, Ottawa Journal, March 20, 1954. Article by Harry Walker entitled “Restoring of Clan Macnab Title Recalls Stormy Madawaska Days. Photo of Waba Cottage (before destruction) and photo of a picture (engraving?) identified as “Chief McNab” (Archives of Canada). This picture may be of Francis McNab (does not look like Archibald).
16. Black and white print of photo taken by Peter Hessel in 1987/88 at Waba Cottage, showing items that belonged to Archibald McNab: sword, powder horn, pipe, walking stick). See also # 3 above.
17. Photocopy of article on Clan MacNab from: “The Clans of the Highlands of Scotland” by Thomas Susibert. Edinburgh, J. Hogg, 1850. From the Library, University of Windsor, call # DA 880.H6S63.
18. Photocopy from the book, “Beckwith” by Glenn J. Lockwood. References to McNab. Also reference to Alexander Miller, school teacher.
19. Photocopy of handwritten letter by Archibald McNab to John McAuley, dated Nov. 14, 1838. Wishes to be addressed as McNab of McNab instead of Archibald McNab, Esq.
20. Letter from Orkney Islands Council in Kirkwall in reply to a letter by Peter Hessel, inquiring about Archibald McNab. Referred Alison Fraser, Archivist. [She did not reply]. Letter by Peter Hessel, dated Jan. 21, 1992, faxed to Orkney Islands Council in Kirkwall referring to 1988 letter. See file “Descendants of the Last Laird” for Alison Fraser’s reply and other correspondence.
21. Photocopy of Margaret Atwood’s article on rebellions (1815/1840). Mentions McNab.
22. Photocopy of letter to the editor by “L.D.C.” in Arnprior Chronicle, Aug. 30, 1929, referring to banquet “tendered” to Percival J. Cooney, author of Kinsmen. Other key terms: Dr. Scadding’s book “Toronto of Old”, Dean Ramsay: “Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character”. The letter contains mostly quotations. Also: Bouchette (traveller’s account).
23. Photocopy of excerpts from the book “In Famed Breadalbane” by William A. Gillies (first edition 1938, second ed. 1980, reprinted in 1987. Chapter on the McNabs of Bovain.
24. Yellow newsletter of “Clan MacNab Society” (1991), letters to Peter Hessel from Carol Fortenbacher (Mrs. Michael Fortenbacher), in 1990 president of the Society. Also article about James Macnabb & other material sent to Peter Hessel by Carol Fortenbacher. (Other keyword: Clan McNab Society.
25. Copy of “The Buchanan Banner”, Winter 1991 issue
26. Letter from Mary V. Clinton of Spokane, WA to William Yuill, dated Sep. 18, 1992. Key terms: Catherine Fisher; Piper James McNee. Attached handwritten note from Viola Files re Campbell ancestry. Key terms: William Yuill Sr. and his wife Catherine Yuill (the Laird’s daughter?), mother of William Yuill Jr., Margaret McNee (married Wm. Yuill Jr.). Rev. William English in Pakenham, 1877. Rev. Alex Mann, Pakenham.
27. Some genealogical notes prepared by Rev. George Richardson of Bagot Twp. in 1992 re the following: Alexander McNee, William Yuill, Donald Fisher, Alex Fraser, and others.
28. Photocopied pages from The Fife and Drum: the Newsletter of the Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common v. 19 No. 3 Sept. 2015 containing article by Sandra Alston "The Toronto Athletic Games, the Garrison and McNab of MacNab". Article is based on an eye witness account of Dr. William Ord Mackenzie who met McNab of McNat while attending the games in 1839.
File 2:
29. Five b/w picture postcards of Killin in Perthshire, including Kinnell House (the Laird’s home before he came to Canada), the “Kinnell Vine”, the entrance to McNab’s Island (Inchbuie cemetery), “relics of McNab” at Inchbuie, and a rural scenery near Killin.
30. Clipping from "Country Life" 3 March 1983 about Kinnell House.
31. [Formerly file AC/JG]. Photocopy of an article from the Dictionary of Canadian Biographies (DCB), vol. VIII, pp. 584-589, written by Alan Cameron and Julian Gwyn. Deals with Archibald McNab “colonizer, administrator, justice of the peace, militia officer”. Township named after him in 1824 (was formerly named Wilmot Township). The article contains several errors and some judgmental remarks which are noted and corrected in the book, McNab — The Township (pages 15-16).
32. Photocopy of an article in the Chronicle (date?) by T.C. Mulvihill, entitled “The Old Chief”. It is a continuation of an earlier article.
33. Photocopy of an article (in the Chronicle) entitled “The McNab. Died alone and in poverty in Boulogne, France. “ Note by PH: the Laird did NOT die in Boulogne! Re Archibald’s real place of death (Lannion, France), see file: Macnab, Donald in Peter Hessel Fonds.
34. Comments by Peter Hessel regarding an article “The Last Laird” by Archie McKerracher in Scots Magazine, February 1996. The article, which contains numerous errors and wrong conclusions, is attached.
35. Correspondence between Peter Hessel and R.B. Shackleton of Innisfall, Alberta, May 1996, regarding comments by Shackleton on an article in The Beaver by Bernard Shaw about the Laird of McNab and the settlers from the S.S. Niagara.
36. Clipping (and photocopies thereof) called “A Story of Rare Interest to be commenced in the Mammoth Holiday Number of the Arnprior Chronicle. Dec. 14th, 1888”. The publishers of the Chronicle at the time were Munn & Macdonald. The 2-page clipping contains the first 4 chapters of “The McNab”, a Glimpse o’ the Past. Historical sketch of the reign of the proud highland chief. Its text follows more or less “The Last Laird of McNab” by Dugald C. McNab.
37. Correspondence between Peter Hessel and Sher Leetooze of Bowmanville, Ont., August 1995, regarding a contribution in the book “The Crew of the Flagship. A Collection of Stories from Across Ontario”. Attached are handwritten comments by Peter Hessel.
38. Correspondence between Peter Hessel and the Orkney Islands Council and the Chief Librarian at Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, dated 1988 and 1992, regarding information about the Laird’s stay in the Orkney Islands in 1852.
39. Typescript of a speech by Elizabeth McNab (born in Douglas), entitled “The Only Highland Chieftain in America”. written in Ottawa after 1936. She was a Queen’s graduate, Master’s degree in Classics. Taught at Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa and in Calgary. Died in Ottawa. The speech was given to the Ottawa Historical Society. Contains many inaccuracies. Some of these were pointed out with pink stickers by Peter Hessel with reference to page numbers in McNab - The Township.
Reference person: Murray Stark (613) 256-3592, in Almonte. Elizabeth was a great-aunt of Murray.
40. Photocopy of typed copy of a letter by Archibald McNab to the Earl of Dalhousie [Governor of Upper Canada], dated Williamston, Glengarry County, December 15, 1822. The letter indicates that the Laird was honoured with a “kind and Scottish reception” upon arriving in Canada. Reference to the “sacred Jacobite relic, ... the broad sword of Prince Charles Edward Stewart [sic], called by some people ‘The Pretender’ ...” Unable to prove identity and history. Says he found this sword in Canada in the possession of “one of the old tenants of my family in Lochiel”, who obtained it “at considerable expense and trouble”. Is offering the sword to the Earl and asks him to present it to His Majesty [King George IV]. The letter does not make it clear whether the sword at that time was still in the “old tenant’s” possession or in the Laird’s possession. See also: McNab — the Township”, page 24 ff. The original letter is in Norman MacDonald, “Canada, 1763-1841: Immigration and Settlement”, 1939, p. 187 and 204 (Note 26) citing as origin vol. 5 of the Dalhousie Papers as quoted in Upper Canada, Sundries, Feb. 26, 1829, Ontario Historical Society, vol. xii (1914), Feudalism in Upper Canada. See our file “Immigration and Settlement”, The Kingston Chronicle of December 20, 1822, reported the dicovery (see McNab — the Township, p. 25) and identified the
tenant’s name as McKinnon. The Laird’s letter also indicates that finding this sword was “one of the motives which led me to this country”.
41. Photocopy of typed copy of a letter by the Earl of Dalhousie to Archibald McNab (still at Williamstown), dated at Castle of St. Louis, January 3, 1823. In essence, the Earl tells McNab that rather than he merely sending the sword to the Secretary of State, it would be much more appropriate for the Laird to present it to the King in person, as a symbol of loyalty. Note by Peter Hessel: It is clear from this letter, that the Laird actually owned the sword at that time. It is likely that the Laird was unable to follow the Earl’s suggestion since he was now persona non grata in Britain, having fled from his creditors. At any rate, the Laird kept the sword, and it was still in his possession 24 years later when on August 1 and again on August 16, 1847 (letters from Box Papers, L 22, 23), he asked his son Allan to take “Prince Charles’s sword” as well as the “silver head sword” to Kingston from White Lake, so that he (the Laird) could present it to the Governor (Lord Elgin). See McNab — the Township, p. 73.
42. Correspondence (2004) between Peter Hessel and the current chief of the Clan McNab (Clan Macnab), J.C. Macnab of Macnab, at Leuchars Castle Farmhouse, Leuchars, Fife KY16 OEY, Scotland. Key terms: Catherine Fisher, sword of Bonnie Prince Charlie, Roland Wild’s book, 1958 letter from Iain Macnab of Barrachastlain, Orkney property, letter from Archibald McNab dated Sep. 20, 1849 to his son Allan McNab re legacy of a Wadsett in the Orkney Islands. Draft for use in the Breadalbane Folklore Centre in Killin: “Francis Buchanan’s Arnprior Sword”. This explains that the sword is now in the Breadalbane Folklore Centre in Killin, after it was purchased from the Chief’s great-granddaughter (a grand-daughter of Kitty Yuill nee McNab).
43. Photocopied articles from the Free Presss, London between September 1945 and November 1945 about the Chief's declining health and attempts to improve his desperate financial troubles by settling severa debts.
44. Booklet entitled, “An Outline of the History of Clan Macnab and its Lands”, published by the Macnab Memorial Trust in 2003. Comprehensive clan history (Clan McNab). Several mistakes concerning Archibald McNab (for instance, his first marriage was officially annulled, and his second (legitimate) marriage was NOT bigamous! Between those two legal marriages, he was also living common-law with Chatherine Fisher, and had children with her. Attached to this booklet is other material sent by the present (2004) chief of McNab, James Macnab of Macnab, who lives in Leuchars Castle Farmhouse, Leuchars, St. Andrews, Fyfe.
45. Photocopy (5 pages) of “NOTE of Particulars Regarding the Estate of Macnab in Perthshire”, dated at Edinburgh, on June 28, 1823. This copy was given to Peter Hessel by Robin Macnab Jones during his visit to Arnprior in September 2005. It is the announcement of (advertisement for) an auction sale (“public roup”) at the Royal Exchange Coffee House in Edinburgh, on November 26, 1823. At this auction, Archibald McNab’s estate was sold to cover his debts. The estate included the following real estate:
Kinnel - the grounds, the mansion house, the farm of Sleoch with the houses and grounds of Grey Street on the south side of the Dochart River;
the farm of Achacharn, also on the south side of the river;
Millmore mill and grounds, and the houses and grounds in the village of Killin, on the north side of the river;
the “large and extensive” tenement of Bovain and Craitchur, also on the north side of the river.
The distance from Killin to Callendar is given as 20 miles, that to Stirling as 36 miles. “The dwelling houses on the tenements of Kinnel and Bovain are fit to accommodate genteel families. The rental of the whole property is at present £942 sterling besides the salmon fishings, which may be valued at £12 annually. The public and parochial burdens are very moderate, and the teinds were valued in 1771; - by the locality is not yet prepared, according to which the minister is to receive his stipend.”
Details about the various tenants, their leases, and the rent they paying. “The woods [on the Sleoch farm] are worth from £800 to £1000 sterling ... The lands of Kinnel and Bovain, together with Suy Ewar, and other parts, formerly sold, are valued in the cess-book at £351:13:4 ... The wood upon Achacharn is valued at upwards of £500 sterling. ... The title-deeds are clear and complete; and offerers and intending purchasers may apply to COLL Macdonald, Writer to the Signet. Mr. John McGregor at Killin will give directions for shewing the different properties.”
Attached is a list of tenants and the rent they were paying for the different properties. Surnames of tenants: Brown, Campbell (incl. Archibald Campbell, Army Agent in London, tenant of the Mansion House, Kinnel), Carmichael, Clark, Crerar, Fraser, Mackinley, McCaul, McEarchar, McEwan (baker), McGibbon, McGregor, McLaren, McLellan, McLennan, McNab, McNaughton, McPherson, McTavish, Robertson (Achacharn), Sinclair, Stewart, Walker, Wilson.
46. Letter from Chief James MacNab. See "MacNab of MacNab, James" file of Peter Hessel Collection.
47. August/September 1995 issue of the Beaver with article by Bernard Shaw: "Tyrant of the Ottawa Valley - the Highland Laird who planted the Clan McNab in colonial Canada"
Notes
See also: Map 15 (estate in Scotland) in Peter Hessel collection.