Alexander Maclean, 13th Laird of Ardgour


Alexander Maclean, 13th Laird of Ardgour was a soldier and Highland Laird.

Life

He was the son of Hugh, 12th MacLean of Ardgour and Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Houston of Jordan Hill.
He entered the army as an ensign in the 2nd battalion of the Royals, in 1780, and was promoted to a lieutenancy in the same corps, from which he afterwards exchanged into the. He subsequently attained to the rank of captain and major in the 8th Regiment of Light Dragoons.
After leaving the regular service, he became a captain in the Hopetoun Fencibles sometime between 2 February 1793 to 1799 under James, the 3rd Earl of Hopetoun. On 29 May 1795, he was appointed Major in the Fencible cavalry of the Lothian Regiment. He was subsequently appointed, circa 1811, lieutenant-colonel of the third regiment of local militia of the county of Argyle, the command of which he held until the regiment was disbanded.
He was a splendid horseman and the most accomplished and daring rider in the Royal Caledonian Hunt, amongst whose members was Robert Burns.
In June 1805 he was appointed Receiver General of Landrents, Paymaster of the Civil Establishment and Receiver General of the land tax, and assessed taxes in Scotland. This was apparently under the patronage of John, 2nd Earl of Hopeton, his brother-in-law, on a salary of £1,500. Just a year later, in June 1806, he was succeeded by Sir William A. Cunynghame of Milncraig, Bart.
He gifted the site of Ardgour Church in 1826, which is still the centre of local worship. It was built by Thomas Telford in 1829, one of forty-two in the Highlands which were part of a Parliamentary Project for The Church of Scotland.
Alexander became blind several years before his death in 1855, and was buried in Cill Mhoadain Graveyard, Ardgour alongside his wife. Alexander was succeeded by his fourth son, Alexander Maclean, 14th MacLean of Ardgour.

Family

He married Lady Margaret Hope, who died 16 September 1831, daughter of Sir John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun, and by her had issue: