up to Glengarry. The few more emigrants who set off a weeklater on he schooner John, received their Glengarry lots almost two months later.
On arrival each family received a 200-acre lot certification, the first ones dated 24 June,
1794. They begin with the five key organizers in this sequence for Lochiel
Norman(d) - Lot 27.7th Concession; Kenneth - L.19.7; his son Alexander - L18.6; 'Big'
Alexander - L33.7 — all MacLeods; — and Archibald McGilvrie (sic) Lot 17,6. 'Big'
Alex delayed settling on his lot until his dying father was buried in the Lancaster
cemetery. This Archives of Ontario (PAO) record is referenced in The People of
Glengany.viii
Kenneth's son Alexander MacLeod saw his wife die on the voyage, but their three sons
survived and he was secondly married in December 1796 to Margaret (Peggy) Cameron
(c1775-c1835+). She was born on Sir John Johnson's Mohawk lands about 1775 to John
Cameron (1725-1824) of Clunes (UEL) and Mary Cameron (1739-1831) of Glen Nevis,
Scotland, who gained fame safeguarding their rose bush, off which the 'Loyalist Rose'
was developed, from -the UK to Kingsborough, NY, and then to Cornwall, Upper
Canada.
For Archie 'King' and “Big' Alex, the landing in Glengarry would have been an occasion
of much relief and joy, tempered with sad thoughts of those who had died on the way or
arrived mortally ill like 'Big' Norman. The two veterans had crossed the Atlantic to the
New World five times in 20 years, as settlers, soldiers and then as scouts and organizers
of the MacLeod emigration.
Vital road-making
Glengarry tradition has it that Archie 'King' first got his nickname because of his
leadership role with these MacLeod emigrants. In Gaelic 'king' is used to denote a boss
or foreman. The abilities of Archie 'King' as a leader were recognized soon after he
arrived on the Glengarry frontier, when he was named road-master to supervise the first
all-weather road construction across the county.
A major undertaking was construction of a military and service road that Upper Canada's
Governor, John. Graves Simcoe, had called for. The road later called the King's Road
was opened through the province west and east of York. It crosses Glengarry along a
stony ridge through Charlottenburgh and Lancaster Townships, avoiding the latter's
swamps to the south. (Because the new arrivals included two other Archibald
MacGillivrays in Glengarry, Archie's new overseer's job reinforced his nickname.)
This King's Road was a major project not only for defensive needs but also as access to
grist and other mills so vital to the pioneers. The Montreal-York section was not fully
opened until 1812 but it was the main road across Glengarry until after the First World
War and remains an important provincial Highway #18.
Archie 'King' likely purchased the 'front' 30-acre section of Lot 1.7 Charlottenburgh in
1810 because he was re-assigned to oversee construction of a Military Road that ran
north from Lancaster town through Alexandria (now Highway 34). These two main
roads cross at Brown House Corner, so named for a popular stage-coach hotel diagonally
opposite the log home of Archie 'King' and Catherine (McIntosh) McGillivray. The
War of 1812 meant Archie 'King' was called for duty with the 2nd Glengarry Militia
Regiment in Captain Alexander's Company. The company included a subaltern, ensign
and two sergeants, Finlay McIntosh and Archie 'King', the senior Non-Commissioned
Officer.x Then aged about 56, Sergeant Archibald 'King' McGillivray would have
played a key role in MacLeod's Company as he personally knew all ranks from his long
service as road-master.