[1][2][3][4] As indicated in the Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, William MacLellan was apprenticed to John Lennox, skinner, on 22 August 1705.
[10] On 6 June 1734 a protest was entered by the Earl of Marchmont against the persons claiming to represent the Lords Borthwick, Kirkcudbright, and Rutherford, their titles having lain so very long dormant, and still wanting the sanction of the House of Peers.
At the next election protests were given in by both claimants: that of William McClellan stated that the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland had reported on James McClellan's petition to the effect that he had not made good the allegation that he was nearest heir-male of the first Lord Kirkcudbright, and that in consequence his claim to the peerage fell to the ground.
James, however, did not pursue his claim further, and William McClellan voted as Lord Kirkcudbright at all subsequent Elections of Peers down to 1761, except that of 1744.
“Friday last the most honorable John Marquis of Tweeddale was elected at Holyroodhouse (nemine contradicente) one of the sixteen Peers, to represent the Peerage of Scotland in Parliament, in room of Charles Earl of Hoptoun deceased.”[15] On 30 November 1748 a dispensation passed the Great Seal, to enable Charles Addington, Clerk, M.A.
[16] In 1748, William Lord Kirkcudbright, glover, and Robert McClellan, merchant in Leith who had right by adjudication, entered into a contract of sale with David Thomson for the 8 merkland of Chapeltoun.
[20] William MacLellan's armorial ware is on display at the Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright and the Ewart Library in Dumfries, Scotland houses several collections that contain important manuscripts, including John MacClellan's research and notes for "The Record of the House of Kirkcudbright," published by J. Maxwell & Son, 117 & 119 High Street, Dumfries in 1906..