officer Chief of Clan Steward of Street Kilda
Born at Kilfinichen, he was the fifth son of Review Neil McLeod (1729-1780) Master of Arts, a native of Street Kilda, and Margaret MacLean (1737-1789), daughter of Review Archibald MacLean (b1683) Master of Arts, of the MacLeans of Boreray, North Uist.
Major The Honorary In 1805, he built Fort Dunvegan. He fought in the War of 1812 as a Major with the Canadian Voltigeurs. McLeod Lake, British Columbia is named for him.
Archibald"s grandfather, John McLeod (1696-1792), 4th Laird of Pabbay and Steward of Street Kilda, was directly descended from the 6th Chief of Clan MacLeod of Lewis, of Dunvegan Castle.
In 1773, Samuel Johnson and James Boswell stayed as guests of Archibald"s father, who Boswell described as, "a Minister that lives upon the coast, whose elegance of conversation and strength of judgment would make him conspicuous in places of greater celebrity. We were very agreeably entertained at his house.
Doctor Johnson observed to me that he was the clearest headed man that he had met with in the Western Islands". He was stationed in the Lower Fort des Prairies department in 1794-1795, and in 1800-1801 he was in charge of the Swan River district, wintering at Fort Alexandria, where he kept a journal that survives.
From 1802 to 1808, he was working in the Athabaska district.
In 1805, he established Fort Dunvegan, named for his family"s ancestral home, Dunvegan Castle. He retired from wintering in the wilds in 1809. He was named a justice of the peace for the Western Territories in 1809 and then for Montreal district in 1810.
McLeod was an officer in the militia and served during the War of 1812.
He did not run for reelection to the assembly in 1814. McLeod was one of the instigators of the Battle of Seven Oaks.
After the merger of the North West Company with the Hudson"s Bay Company, he moved to Scotland, settling at Sunnybank, Aberdeenshire. McLeod later served as master of the barracks at Belfast until around 1838.
He was dead by 1845, when his widow"s death is recorded.
McLeod Lake in British Columbia was named in his honour.
He was a member of the Beaver Club and represented Montreal West in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1810 to 1814.
