The McMillin's of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Growing up in the small village of Harrisonburg, Louisiana in Catahoula Parish wasn't like other exciting places I've since learned about and experienced, but it was a good life. To this day I vividly recall certain people, places and events in the area as if it all happened yesterday.

Downtown Harrisonburg

One of the things that seems to stand out in my memory is the McMillin Family Reunions. They were held each year, usually on the banks of Sandy Lake, near Jonesville. Grandfather Roy McMillin, held the lease on the entire lake and surrounding grounds, and since he operated a fishing boat rental business it was a convenient place to meet. The men-folk would arrive early in order to catch and clean the fish while the women-folk would prepare all the other food items. When the time came to eat we all ate like there was no tomorrow. The food was always delicious.

Naturally, over the course of the day we got a chance to meet our old and new relatives and talk about what all happened since the last family reunion. Those relatives who couldn't make it to the event usually sent a letter giving all the details of their lives over the past year. Some lived far away from the simple life of Catahoula Parish. The letters would sometimes be read aloud for the group but they seemed to generate a lot more interest for me when taken aside and read in a comfortable spot under a shady tree. It was great for me because it allowed my mind to visualize these far off and exciting places as I read with eager eyes and pounding heart. I would conjure up images second only to those I saw each week in the local movie house.

For weeks after the reunion I would dream of going to visit my relatives in those far off places and see for myself what they saw and did in their daily lives. My active imagination had them being rich and famous and living in plush homes in some exotic city where every street was paved and every house had indoor bathrooms and servants and great art masterpieces on the walls. What an exciting world there was for me to explore when I grew up.

Well I'm all "growed up" now and have been for a very long time. I've seen and lived many of the adventures I dreamed of so long ago, including some that even dreams could not foresee. I've worked hard along the way and now that I'm retired I finally have the time to think about where I've been and what I've done in my lifetime. I frequently wonder what ever happened to all those relatives I seem to have lost touch with in my haste to fulfill my quest for adventure.

One day last year I begin to wonder who my distant ancestors were and where exactly did they come from? Why did they choose Catahoula Parish of all the places in the world? What were they like? Where in Ireland did they originate?

The list of questions started to grow and one day I typed "McMillin" into the Google search engine and whaoooooooo... there were over 800,000 hits. I stayed up half the night reading about McMillins from all over the world. These are my relatives and they are many I thought as I read until my eyes could hardly stay open.

Then I happened on one web site that stopped me dead in my tracks: Clan MacMillan Official Site. And any MacMillan by any of over 200 different spellings of the name were my relatives. What's more, we all originated in Scotland, not Ireland like I had always thought. What an enlightening moment... No wonder I always thought how cool it would be to be a Scotsman... I was one. A "Clan," I belong to a Clan? A Scottish Clan? I have history...


First Bicycle "Velocipede" Invented by Kirkpatrick McMillan

And to my complete surprise I read that a McMillan invented the bicycle. So in addition to being a rather handsome group, we're an "inventive" group too. That's good news to me because I now know where my creative streak comes from. Click here to read about the Velocipede: http://www3.sympatico.ca/comflex/mcmillan/DevilonWheels.htm

Well one thing led to another and another and finally just last week I became a Charter Member of and attended the first "Gathering" of the Clan MacMillan Society of Texas. It was so cool to meet for the first time about thirty of my "cousins." I may never have known about them had it not been for the Internet and the efforts of two men in Austin, Texas who wanted to know more about their McMillan family history.



Chief George McMillan


Also attending the Gathering was none other than the Chief of all MacMillans, Chief George McMillan of Finlaystone, Scotland. He was an absolute delight to meet and talk to. We hit it off right away. He looked very much like my Dad, so much so that at times I think they could have passed for twins. Chief George extended an invitation to visit him at Finlaystone Castle and we will certainly make every effort to do so.



Finlaystone

One of the topics we discussed at length at the Gathering is how important it is to identify which family tree you belong. One of the best and fastest methods is to make use of DNA Genealogy testing. Naturally I wanted good information as fast as possible so I sent away for the 67 Marker Kit. The goal is to match as many of my markers to others in the extensive database. It's doubtful that I would ever make a perfect 67 match but the more matches there are the closer I am to confirming my family tree. I will have the results in a few weeks.

In addition to doing the DNA test, I also authorized my data to be shared over the Internet so that McMillins (any spelling) around the world can see if I'm that missing link they have been searching for. Of course I will be doing the same with their data. This is going to be very interesting to say the least.

So, this Blog will become the place where I record the results of my efforts to learn more about my already extended family.

Stay tuned.