(30 Sept. 1870-12 Dec. 1935), physician. (Randy McLennan, Dr Randy McLennan, Donald Randolph McLennan, Randolph McLennan) Born at Williamstown, GC. Parents: Duncan F. McLennan and his wife Christina Brown. Duncan F. McLennan, who was postmaster of Williamstown, was the son of Farquhar McLennan and the brother of Murdoch F. McLennan. Christina Brown was the sister of Alexander J. Brown and was a great-niece of Hugh McGillis. Randy McLennan attended the Williamstown schools. In 1896 he graduated in medicine from Queen’s University. “He joined the Yukon gold rush in 1898 and resided there till his death, having been home but once, when he came East with the Dawson hockey team in 1905.” In the Yukon, he was a miner and mining recorder. The printed history of Mayo (older name, Mayo Landing), Yukon Territory, which must be held to incorporate authentic traditions so far as they could be determined, states that “he refused to practice medicine on a regular basis and did so only when no other doctor was available in the district.” The date at which he settled in Mayo appears to have been about 1904. In his later years there, he operated a drug store and the post office, and it was at Mayo that he died. He served on the Yukon Council 1914-1915, representing South Dawson. He was married to Margaret Kinney or Kenney, a nurse. (possibly children but none surviving him).

     In his early years, Randy McLennan was a noted athlete in the GC area and at Queen’s, playing lacrosse for the Cornwall team and hockey and football for Queen’s; and was successful also in Caledonian games. Angus H. McDonell notes that he played twice in Stanley Cup competitions, once for Queen’s and then in 1905 on the Dawson team. He was injured in the second competition, thus ended his hockey-playing days. Continuing his interest in athletics, he played curling and tennis. He was inducted into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. A surprisingly well-remembered Glengarrian, who with only slight exaggeration can be called a figure of legend, he owes his fame not so much to his rather minor role as an athlete as to his having been an educated man who made that bolt from civilization that so many people dream of.

     He was the brother of Farquhar D. McLennan and Capt. J. A. B. McLennan. Another brother, Murdoch John McLennan (13 Nov. 1866-20 Dec. 1933) was a land surveyor who lived at Williamstown and acted as “drainage engineer for a number of surrounding townships.”

     See also Dr H. H. Christie. And for Mayo-area residents, see Alexander Malcolm Maclennan and Alan John Macdonald.

Obituaries (virtually identical, and deriving probably from his brother Farquhar D. McLennan), Standard Freeholder 18 Dec. 1935 (with portrait) and Glengarry News 20 Dec. 1935 (QF) * Angus H. McDonell’s biog. of him for Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame, GN 3 June 1987, with portrait (line drawing), probably by Douglas A. Fales * Fraser, Gravestones, I, 162-163 * obituary of his mother, Cornwall Standard 7 June 1928 * obituary of his sister Catherine Marion (Mrs Edward Prentice), the last surviving him of his siblings, GN 10 Oct. 1974 * Murdoch John McLennan: obituary GN 29 Dec. 1933; biography (QF) in OLS No. 49 (1934) 90-92, with portrait (in fact, very little about this surveyor’s own life, but valuable information about the family background) * Gold & Galena: index; has no connected biog., but various useful facts, and a good group portrait * leaves Ontario for Yukon, GN 18 Feb. 1898 * dangerously ill in B. C., GN 15 April 1898 based on Toronto Globe * Dr Randy McLennan treats Glengarrian (Daniel H. McDermid) severely injured in Yukon, GN 29 Aug. 1902 * visits GC during Dawson hockey team tour, GN 20 Jan. 1905