(c. 1776-16 June 1859), fur trader. Born in Scotland. Parents: Donald MacDonell (7th of Lundie), who was a settler at Martintown, GC, and his third wife, whose maiden surname was MacDonald. Donald McDonell (7th of Lundie) was presumably the same man as the Donald McDonell of Lundy who came to Canada in 1802, as one of the assistants or “lieutenants” of Archibald McMillan of Murlaggan in the McMillan Emigration of that year. Rhodes Grant preserves the contrary tradition that he was a U E Loyalist, and adds that he had the title of captain, and that the family was later associated with the manufacture of Lundy’s biscuits.
Allan McDonell entered the fur trade in 1799 (therefore several years before his father came to Canada, if the above identification is correct), as an apprentice clerk with the XY Company. Thereafter, he served in the fur trade for many years in the Canadian West. He was a clerk in the NWC and a partner in 1816. In 1806, he accompanied other Nor’Westers in an expedition to the Mandan Indians on the Missouri River. He was involved in the conflict between the NWC and the HBC, and was arrested by Lord Selkirk as an accessory to the murder of Governor Semple, but was not tried. After the merger of the NWC and the HBC, he had the rank of chief trader with the latter. In 1839 he was appointed to the Council of Assinoboia. His last fur trade posting was at Rainy Lake. He retired in 1843, and settled in Montreal. His fine house in Montreal had the name of Lundy Cottage. He was a member of the Highland Society of Canada (during its 1st period of 1818-1824). He was married to Margaret Cameron, who was probably a Métis. (at least seven children) One of their children, John, was a Jesuit. Allan McDonell died in Montreal, and is buried there. Roman Catholic.
There is no evidence that Allan, the subject of the present sketch, was ever a GC resident, though he must have known the area reasonably well. He does, however, belong to the story of the extensive Glengarry-area connection with the NWC.
Life by Elaine Allan Mitchell, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, VIII, 537-538 (also DCB, VI, 111 for his wife) * Wallace & MDict 500 * his father: Mitchell, as cited; McLean 139; Rhodes Grant, i, 19, 22-23; also Pringle 405 (?)