Preserving our History,
One story at a time
Clan MacKinnon Society is proud to preserve and share the work of Gerald McKinnon (1951–2021), whose extensive research brought centuries of MacKinnon history to life.
Remembering
Gerald McKinnon
1951 - 2021
Gerald McKinnon devoted much of his life to researching, documenting, and sharing the history of Clan MacKinnon. As Clan MacKinnon Society Historian and Representative to the Chief, he became a treasured member of our community. His love of all things MacKinnon live on in his books and in our memories. Prior to his death, Gerald wrote several comprehensive books about Clan MacKinnon. These works are professionally researched and incredibly in-depth. Learn more about them below. These books are no longer regularly published, but occasional copies may still be available through secondary booksellers. The Society is working to make sure these books can still be purchased online into the future. Read more about Gerald's amazing life in his obituary below. We are so honored to have known him and to have called him a friend.
The Shank Bone Papers
The Shank Bone Papers (2014) is a collection of 29 well-researched essays. Each essay is a separate chapter discussing a topic drawn from the history of the Clan MacKinnon.
The Small Regiment: Origins of the Clan MacKinnon
The Small Regiment: Volume 1, The Origins of the Clan MacKinnon (2017) is a well researched history of the Clan MacKinnon to the year 1621. The book is a well illustrated 398 page volume with: 25 maps, 27 photographs, 8 family charts, and several drawings.
The End of an Old Song: The Clan MacKinnon and the Jacobite Rising of 1745
The End of an Old Song (2015) is a well researched non-fiction account of the Clan MacKinnon experience during the Jacobite rising of 1745. The ramification of the war and its affect on the clan's future are also discussed in detail. The author makes extensive use of eye witness accounts and contemporary illustrations to give the reader an accurate view of the period.
A Short History of the Lordship and Baronetage of Nova Scotia
The booklet (2018) starts with a brief review of Acadian history. It moves on to the rise of William Alexander in King James court and the formation of the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, the relationship between the Order of Baronets of Nova Scotia and the history of both the colonies of Acadia and Nova Scotia, and the effect of the British Civil Wars and the Restoration of the Monarchy on the Baronetage of Nova Scotia.
Why These Books Matter
History isn't simply a record of where we came from. It connects generations, preserves stories that might otherwise disappear, and helps future MacKinnons understand the people and places that shaped our clan.
