Clan MacMillan Society of North America
The Clan MacMillan Society of North America ("CMSNA") was organized in 1958, coinciding with the recognition of General Sir Gordon MacMillan of MacMillan as our clan’s rightful chief. Its first gathering took place at the time of Sir Gordon’s Investiture as Chief of his clan in North America, in Hamilton, Ontario.
Thirty years later, Sir Gordon's son George MacMillan of MacMillan was invested as Chief of his North American clan at the 13th Gathering of the Society, at the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta, Georgia. (George was also invested in a separate gathering and ceremony in Scotland.)
Since 1958, there have been twenty-nine gatherings of the Clan MacMillan Society of North America. We elect an Executive to serve for two years. The President of the Society is charged with hosting a Gathering at the conclusion of their term. Sometimes sickness, the COVID-19 pandemic, and quite often an International Gathering of the Clan called for Scotland itself has delayed this get-together for a year or two. But the tradition has continued, of alternating get-togethers in Canada or the United States.
In 1994 a Clan Conclave was hosted by our Chief, George MacMillan of MacMillan, to determine the nature of the various clan societies' relationship with the newly formed Clan Cantre at Finlaystone. By that time there were clan societies throughout the world, including many in North America that were more local, and thus able to be more active, than the CMSNA. Several of these North American clan branches had been originally constituted as branches or chapters of CMSNA, but in fact many of them were more active than the "umbrella" society, and eager to relate directly to the Chief and the Clan Centre, without the complications of a middle-organization that only met every two years at best.
As a result of everyone’s desire to see support strengthened for the Clan Centre, the decision was made that from now on, every local official Branch or Clan Society would be constituted as a "branch" of the Clan MacMillan International, in exchange for their set per-member donations to the Clan Centre. Thus the Clan MacMillan International Centre was formed, as we now know it, focused on the Chief's residence and the MacMillan archives, paid archivist, displays and publications at Finlaystone. This meant that CMSNA became, in fact, one of many "branches", with its own "branches" now federating directly through the Clan MacMillan International Centre.
The continuing Mission of CMSNA,
…is to promote and foster the Clan MacMillan Society in Canada and the United States on the shared interests of family, heritage and history. CMSNA is part of the worldwide family by birth, marriage, adoption or interest, loyal to our Chief and supportive of the Clan Centre, researching, communicating and celebrating the story and heritage of Clan MacMillan. We work in the spirit of our motto 'Miseris Succurrere Disco'."
Membership in the CMSNA is open to MacMillans (however their English spelling if the original Gaelic name), Sept members and their descendants who have no local branch in North America to affiliate with, or who choose to the belong to the continent-wide CMNSA along with their membership in a local branch. There is an application form on the website. Dues at present are $ 15/yr, usually collected every two years during our biennial gathering. This includes our contributions to the Clan MacMillan International Centre.
For many years before the emergence of the Clan MacMillan Centre Journals and Newsletters from Finlaystone, John. B. McMillan of Burlington, Ontario edited a yearly CMSNA Newsletter. Copies of those contain many interesting stories of MacMillan individuals, gatherings, historical discoveries and accomplishments over the more than sixty years of the society’s existence. They are an outstanding anthology of matters MacMillan. Hopefully these can be assembled and republished in some accessible form.