Duncan Mackellar

Captain Duncan Mackellar was a sea captain and, subsequently, a colonial settler of New South Wales, Australia, with his nephew, Duncan Mackellar, Junior (1795—1838). Both are associated with the early days of Braidwood. He was born around 1789, in the parish of Kilmodan, Scotland. Known as Duncan Mackellar of Glendaruel, he was recognised as the head of the Mackellar clan. He became a sea captain. In 1812, his ship was captured by the French and taken to Brest. Mackellar and his crew overpowered the prize crew holding the ship, and escaped with their ship to England. He married Margaret Dick (b. 1794), in 1814. They had five children. In 1822, he visited Sydney in command of Clydesdale, a ship sailing under the licence of the East India Company. It is possible that around this time he committed to settling in the colony, and may have received a land grant. In 1825, he was captain of the ship City of Edinburgh, owned by The Australian Company, of Edinburgh and Leith, in Scotland. The company's ships operated between Britain and the colony of New South Wales. On that ship in 1825, as immigrant passengers, were Mackellar's nephew, Duncan Mackellar, Junior and his nephew's family.