The Clan MacLachlan has been represented at Scottish gatherings and events across North America for over three decades. At first, it was made up of an informal group of dedicated people who gave of their energies to foster a young but growing organization. It was not until 1981 that we finalized bylaws and elected officers to formally create the Clan MacLachlan Association of North America, the first such organization dedicated to our MacLachlan heritage in the world. We have grown from a small group of Southeasterners to an international group of several hundred throughout North America.
The objectives of the organization are to promote the general interest of the Clan and to cultivate the spirit of kinship and fellowship among its members throughout North America and with the Clan Society in the United Kingdom; to collect and preserve literary, historical, and genealogical records, documents and relics relating to the Clan and to Scotland; to honor our Scottish heritage and to cultivate among our members and descendants the pride and spirit of our Scottish ancestors; to render aid to all clansmen should they meet adversity.
If you are interested in receiving more information on membership within the Clan MacLachlan Association of North America (CMANA), please complete the following form. When done, simply click on the submit button at the bottom. We will use the information you provide to send you a complete information packet. This packet includes the official application form/genealogical pedigree chart.
If you are interested in applying for membership today, a copy of our Application Form is available in Adobe's PDF format. Simply download the form, open it with Acrobat Reader, print it, fill it in, attach your pedigree charts and return it with your first year's dues.
Currently, annual dues (for the 2006/2007 dues year) are $25.00 U.S. per membership. We do not offer a Life membership classification.
Our dues year is defined as July 1 through the following June 30.
Family: Covers all residents at a single residential address. Only the adult members (over age 18) of the family may hold office and vote.
Associate: Covers all individuals that at a single residential address who support Clan MacLachlan but can not trace their ancestry to a MacLachlan. Associate members are ineligible to vote or hold office.
The CMANA has completed a book entitled the History and Legends of Clan MacLachlan that is available to its members for a nominal price. This volume provides historical information on the MacLachlans, the Gilchrists and the MacEwens from the days of the Dalriadic Scots to modern times. It also provides an unparalleled architectural description of the Old Castle Lachlan, informative maps showing where the various cadet branches lived and an in-depth discussion on the MacLachlan tartans.
The CMANA publishes an organizational newsletter, The ROEBUCK, four times per year. Included within each newsletter are articles that cover the interesting things we MacLachlans do (whether famous, infamous or unknown). Still other articles provide insight into our common heritage and history, with special emphasis on the exploits and adventures of our ancestors once they arrived in North America. Finally, traditional Scottish fare recipes often grace each issue to provide more appetizing flair. A classified section is available for membership use free of charge. It's the perfect place to look for information on lost ancestors. Besides The ROEBUCK, some of our regions are publishing local newsletters informing the membership of upcoming events and news highlights in their area.
The CMANA has recently established an archival arrangement with the Odom Genealogical Library to provide the CMANA with a permanent record archive site. (The Odom Genealogical Library is in Moultrie, Georgia. They are the publishers of The Family Tree.) As a result, genealogical information now provided to the CMANA is available to all individuals, MacLachlans and non-MacLachlans alike, doing research through the Odom Library. Jack McLaughlin, our Commissioner of Genealogy, has also established a MacLachlan folder within the Mormon Church's genealogical repository. He has even begun building an electronic data base with the same information on member MacLachlans. His goal is to build a cross-reference capability on any MacLachlan ancestor that will be valuable to Association members.
The CMANA currently has representation, in a Clan Tent, at over 40 Scottish and Celtic Festivals, Games and Fairs across North America each year. These tents provide a central location for our membership to socialize and participate in sponsored activities such as Tartan Parades and Clan Competitions (for example, the Haggis Hurl). The CMANA provides its members with information on any of the approximately 250 annual events held across North America each year. This information is published in The ROEBUCK and can be requested separately.
The Association will be having its Annual Grandfather Mountain Dinner on the second Saturday of July during the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, North Carolina. We will again be holding the Annual 1999 dinner at the Appalachian Conference Center of the Quality Inn in Boone. The Annual Gathering in July will represent our 29th year of having a "tent" on Grandfather Mountain.
Besides the activities in North Carolina, the Association holds an Annual New England Regional Gathering and Dinner. Traditionally, this dinner is held in conjunction with the Tam O'Shanter Highland Games in Brocton, Massachusetts.
The Association also holds its Annual Great Lakes Regional Dinner on the Fourth Saturday of June during the Ohio Scottish Games in Oberlin, Ohio (near Cleveland). The dinner has been traditionally held at Mountain Jack's Restaurant, which is next to the Holiday Inn in Elyria, Ohio.
In addition to these Annual Dinners, other regional socials are held both in conjunction with other Highland Games and Festivals and as a separate weekend function. A few of the dinners have even featured traditional Scottish fare. The Association has even sponsored a group excursion to Scotland that culminated with a luncheon with our Chief.
We'll be publishing details on these, and other CMANA events, in upcoming issues of the newsletter and by special regional notices. If applicable, details on special lodging arrangements are also published.
As the CMANA has grown, we have had the opportunity to offer our members custom merchandise that emphasizes our common heritage. Items include cotton tartan, tee shirts, histories, jewelry and made-to-order hand woven place mats and table runners.
This site is maintained by the Clan MacLachlan Association of North America, Inc. This page was last updated on July,1 2007.
© 1996-2007 Clan MacLachlan Association of North America, Inc.