Royal Lanark Militia - can't find any records for James McLean (b. 1796)

[Helzbelzuk]

Hello! First time poster so please excuse any newbie errors.

I have been confidently informed that Rootschat is THE place to solve my brick wall issues. Here goes...!

I am looking at James McLean (b. 1796 +-1yr) who served as a Sergeant in the Royal Lanark Militia. Not the 1st or 2nd RLM. The dates he would have served are between 1815 and 1866.

Now I know this was a reserve regiment with volunteers as well as Ex "regular" Military soldiers. The fact that he was a Sergeant leads me to believe that he did indeed serve some time in the regular British Army.

I can't find a birth or baptism date however the 1841 census states Birthplace: Glasgow. He married Mary Hamilton (from Hamilton, where the Militia Barracks were located) in 1822. After that... I have nothing. He is not listed in the household in 1851 census and his daughter died in 1866 and James is listed as deceased.

So I have a LOT of info on this family but have hit a total blank at Militia, Military and his death.

Anyone have any ideas!?

I should mention I've trawled War Forces Records online, National Archives, British Newspaper Archives, Scotland's People, Ancestry and various Google Books and Military websites..Nothing!!  Spent a fortune!!

[deejayEn]

I found a baptism for a James McLean, close to Glasgow -    

James Mclean
Christening Date:  05 Jun 1796
Christening Place: EAST KILBRIDE, LANARK, SCOTLAND
Birth Date:    23 May 1796
Father's Name:   William Mclean

[Annette7]

The 1841 census didn't give actual birthplaces - only stated whether or not they were born in the county they were living.  So, whilst James was born in Lanarkshire, it could have been anywhere in the county and possibly the baptism found by deejayEn.

Can find nothing for James McLean in army service records I'm afraid.

In 1851 James and Mary's 4 younger children are living with older brother James at same address as in 1841 and therefore I would suggest that both James senior and wife Mary died between 1841 and 1851 since neither can be found on census after 1841.

Annette

[Rosinish]

Can find nothing for James McLean in army service records I'm afraid.

May be worth considering some variants:

M(a)cLean/MacLain(e)/McLain(e) & possibly others?

Annie

[Annette7]

Can find nothing for James McLean in army service records I'm afraid.

May be worth considering some variants:

M(a)cLean/MacLain(e)/McLain(e) & possibly others?

Annie

I did that, Annie - there are hundreds of entries but more than half were in the navy, not army, born elsewhere, very few entries show birth year and others have scant/no information as to birthplace, age or residence.

The closest I can find is a Jas. McLean in 9th Reg. Veteran Battn. living 2 Glasgow (as worded) who'd been admitted to pension in 1814 and shown to have died 7/1/1845.  That's it.

Annette