18528 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry County Road 2, Cornwall, ON K6H 5R5. Look Look for the plaque prominent on the south side of the road. There is no “house”.
Commemoration
Born in Scotland, Macdonell came to New York in 1773. Commissioned ensign in the Royal Highland Emigrants (84th Regiment) in June 1775 and later transferred to Butler's Rangers, Macdonell served with distinction until 1784 when he settled with his clansmen in Charlottenburg Township. He represented Glengarry in the Legislative Assembly (1792-1800) and was chosen first speaker (1792-96). Macdonell served as Lieutenant of Glengarry (1793-1808), commander of the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Volunteers (1796-1802), and paymaster of the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion from 1807 until his death.
Background
This was the site of the home of Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonell. The house was built around 1792, a year after the creation of Upper Canada.
Macdonnell was born part of the Scottish clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Scotland in 1728. After being educated in Rome, he served as an officer in the service of Spain leading an Irish regiment. Hence his nickname Spanish John Macdonell. He led a regiment fielded by France to support the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland in 1746. In 1773, he emigrated to New York at the invitation of Sir William Johnson, father of Sir John.
He died in 1810. His sons, Miles and John, were active politicians in Upper Canada and the west. Miles was the first governor of the Red River Colony, later Manitoba.