History of Clan MacThomas
Great Tommy and the Move to Glenshee
Clan MacThomas (Gaelic: MacThomaidh) takes its name from Tomaidh Mor ("Great Tommy"), a Highland warrior who lived in the 15th century. He was a grandson of William, the 8th Chief of the Clan Chattan Mackintoshes. Finding the Clan Chattan Confederation in Badenoch too large and unmanageable, Thomas led his kinsmen across the Grampian Mountains to settle in Glenshee. Here, they flourished under various names, including McComie (a phonetic form of MacThomaidh), McColm, and McComas. The clan seat was established at The Thom, on the banks of the Shee Water, near the legendary tomb of Diarmid.
The Burn of the Heads
By the 17th century, the seat of the chiefs moved to Finegand. The name Finegand is a corruption of the Gaelic Feith nan Ceann, meaning "The Burn of the Heads." This gruesome name commemorates a violent episode where tax collectors were attacked by MacThomas clansmen. The collectors were beheaded, and their heads were thrown into the nearby burn (stream). This fierce independence defined the clan as they expanded their territory into Glen Beag and Glen Prosen, breeding cattle and fighting off rustlers.
The Legend of McComie Mor
The 7th Chief, John McComie (Iain Mor), is the clan's most famous hero, known in folklore as McComie Mor. A man of immense strength and courage, legends abound regarding his deeds:
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He fought off tax collectors single-handedly to defend a poor widow.
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He killed the Earl of Atholl's champion swordsman.
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He overcame a ferocious bull with his bare hands.
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He even fought his own son in disguise to test the boy's courage.
Physical reminders of his strength remain in the landscape today, including McComie Mor's Putting Stone in Glen Prosen and McComie Mor's Chair in Glen Beannie. Historically, he was a Royalist who fought alongside Montrose in 1644, personally capturing Sir William Forbes of Craigievar.
Feud, Ruin, and Dispersion
Despite his heroics, Iain Mor's later years were marred by a bitter feud with the Earl of Airlie and the Farquharsons. A dispute over the Canlochan Forest led to a bloody skirmish at Drumgley in 1673, where Iain Mor's cousin and two of his sons were killed. Crippling lawsuits and fines followed, ruining the clan financially. After Iain Mor's death, the MacThomases were forced to sell their lands. The clan drifted apart:
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Some moved to the Tay Valley, becoming Thomsons.
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Others moved to Fife and Angus, becoming Thomas, Thom, or Thoms.
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A branch moved to Aberdeenshire, becoming the McCombies (famous for breeding Aberdeen-Angus cattle).
Modern Revival
The clan remained fragmented until the mid-20th century. In 1954, the Clan MacThomas Society was formed to reunite the scattered septs. In 1967, Patrick Watt MacThomas was officially recognized by the Lord Lyon as "The MacThomas of Finegand," reviving the chiefship after centuries. His son, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, succeeded him, re-establishing the clan's presence in Glenshee. The clan has famously purchased the ancient gathering ground, The Cockstane (Clach Na Coileach), ensuring their history remains rooted in the land of their ancestors.