John McQuilhen ~1790- 1828?
Family lore has it that the family came over from France to Scotland as Quillen and added the Mc to fit into life there!
Street Porter, deceased, - from 1856 d.c of his son John 1819 . Coal Miner from the 1899 dc of his son, Robert
The father of the three McQuillen brothers (John ~1819-1856, Henry ~1823-1886, and Robert 1826-1899) was a John McQuillen who was probably born in Greenock on the Clyde (baptism record b.1792 to parents Robert McQuillan and Katherine Henderson). That's as far as can be established. We would certainly like to know more but records from that time and earlier in Ireland are much poorer than those in Scotland.
~1790-1799. John McQuilhen born to parents unknown .There is a baptism on SP on 29/1/1792 in Greenock to Robert McQuillen & Katherine Henderson- possible & he does call his 3rd son Robert . Greenock ~ 110k W of Edinburgh . Dunfermline~ 30 k NW of Edinburgh
Greenock is where many of those coming across from Northern Ireland would have landed.and Dunluce Castle, Antrim, Ireland is documented as being home to the McQuillan clan in the 1600s, but no evidence to show John's parents had come from Ireland!!
~1818 . Cannot be sure that I have found the correct marriage of John McQuilhen to Janet Baxter
A John McQuilkan married a Janet Baxter 22/5/1818 in St Cuthberts, Edinburgh- FMP.( She the 1789 Dunfermline daughter of a Charles Baxter & Janet Penman) . Purchased this entry from SP and it seems to say: John McQuilkan , labourer. Pleasance Rd 45 and Janet Baxter, daut, Wm Baxter , lab, residing Infirmary. St . 2 winesses; Donale McNaughton, Plaisance, lab. & William Davies grocer Crossgate ?? 
So above with Janet's father given as Wm. Baxter seems at odds with a father Charles Baxter , but, the fact that this John was a porter on his 1828 dc, and on the 1856 dc of son John, and that son Robert was born Edinburgh, all give weight to this marriage being theirs
They married in Edinburgh, moved to around Auchterderran ( Janet's natal place) by 1819, were still in Fife by 1823, but returned to Edinburgh by 1826. he died there 1828 and Janet returned to around Auchterderran
And they had John McQuilhen~1819-1856 and Henry McQuilhen ~1823 & also Robert McQuillon ~1826- 1899, born & died Edinburgh . Unfortunately no baptisms exist for any of these 3 - their parents just given on 2 of their d.cs and Henry 1823 the informant on his mother's 1866 d.c.
1828. Only possible death found on SP is for a John McQuillon, aged 50, in 1828 in Edinburgh - thought parish death record would likely tell me nothing . But purchased this- a 1 line entry: he was a porter. Buried " 1D P east of the North Corner of south graveyard". Although our John was a street porter on the 1856 dc of son John, this could be just a coincidence. This death almost certainly the death of the John who married in Edinburgh & likely our John too
John 1819 has Auchtermuchty Fife transcribed in FMP as his birthplace in 1851C, but I think this actually would read Auchterderran : seemingly no baptisms anywhere in Fife of Mcquillans/variations 1780-1840 on Scotlandspeople
1823-1841. John McQuilhen died- not with his wife in 1841C.
1841C. His 2 sons, John & Henry McGullin, are likely ag. labourers in Cleish, see Henry 1823 page. His wife, Janet, 45, cottier, & Robert McQuillon, presumably a son, labourer, are living Village of Lochgelly, Auchterderran
| Janet | McQuillon | Female | 45 | 1796 | Fife, Scotland |
| Robert | McQuillon | Male | 15 | 1826 | Scotland |
1858 Police record for a Robert McQuillen : Formerly, Labourer ( Army ), Then policeman, No. 116, Warrant No. 2362, Marital Status: Married, Country of Birth: Scotland, Height 6ft 0; Face - Oval; Eyes - Hazel; Hair - Brown; Complexion - Fresh, Age: 33, Date of Joining the Edinburgh police, 25.5.1858
Robert MCQUILLEN was born about 1826 in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. He
appeared in the census on 30 Mar 1851 in Canongate, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland, United
Kingdom. Robert was a unmarried 93rd Highlanders soldier. In Mar 1859 he was a Police Officer in St.
Andrew, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. In Jun 1863 Robert was a Police
Constable in St. Andrew, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. In May 1870 he was a
Sheriff Court House porter in St. Andrew, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. He
died of cerebral apoplexy (1 month) & exhaustion as certified by J. Steven, M.B., on 11 Aug 1899 at the
age of 73 at 60 Bristo Street in St. Giles, Edinburgh City, Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom. Robert
died a married retired hall porter and Army Pensioner. His son, John McQuillen, was the informant.
This death record confirms spouse and parents: John McQuillon, coal miner , & Janet Baxter ( I purchased this from SP) . Robert was a Sheriff Court doorkeeper.
The 1841 census records for Auchtermuchty are missing - lost in transit to Edinburgh.!
1841C . Glackinterach, Kilcalmonell . Are these, Archibald & Janet ~1760, the parents of John McQuilhen ~1790?? . I do not think so . All these Argyll people in italics are a red herring!
| Archibd | McQuilkan | Male | 80 | 1761 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuilkan | Female | 80 | 1761 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Mary | McQuilkan | Female | 40 | 1801 | Argyllshire, Scotland |
Also at Collashea Kilcalmonell - maybe Duncan ~1796 is a bother of John~1790??
| Duncan | McQuilkan | Male | 45 | 1796 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Jean | McQuilkan | Female | 35 | 1806 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Mary | McQuilkan | Female | 14 | 1827 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuilkan | Female | 12 | 1829 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Finlay | McQuilkan | Male | 10 | 1831 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Archibald | McQuilkan | Male | 8 | 1833 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Cathrine | McQuilkan | Female | 6 | 1835 | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Jean | McQuilkan | Female | 2 | 1839 | Argyllshire, Scotland |
1851C. A Janet McQuilhen, 89 & 58, North Carnbeg Farm, Kilcalmonell, Kintyre, Argyllshire
| Janet | McQuilhen | Head | Widow | Female | 89 | 1762 | (Farmer's Wife) | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuilhen | Daughter | Married | Female | 58 | 1793 | - | Killean, Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Cathrine | McQuilhen | Grand Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 16 | 1835 | Farm Serv | Argyllshire, Scotland |
The Janet 1793 above could be our Henry's mother, Janet Baxter, and the Janet 1762 his grandmother, Cathrine maybe a sister
1861C. The same Janet McQuilhen, 68, McQuilkans Land, Tarbert Kilcalmonell , Tarbert , Argyllshire
| John | McQuilhan | Head | Unmarried | Male | 39 | 1822 | Fundholder | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuilhan | Head | Unmarried | Female | 68 | 1793 | - | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Sarah | McQuilhan | Sister | Unmarried | Female | 66 | 1795 | Invalid | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland |
Thought the John above could be our Henry's brother and Janet his mother - but seemingly NO: he died in 1856!
1866. Janet McQuilhen, nee Baxter, died 1/12/1866 Lochgelly, Fife- due to debility of old age! . Bought this d.c. 14/7/2019. Tells me she is CERTAINLY the mother of Henry McQuillen, Northunberland: he the informant . She dies 1/12/1866 at Lochgelly, Auchterderran: widow of John McQuillen, agricultural labourer. Auchterderran ~ 5 k SW of Kinglassie , some way S, maybe 30-40 k of Auchtermuchty
1851C. John McQuillon,32, Church Officer, b. Auchtermuchty , School House Cleish . So, was our 1823 Henry McQuillen also born Auchtermuchty, Fife ??
| John | McQuillon | Head | Married | Male | 32 | 1819 | Church Officer | Auchtermuchty, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuillon | Wife | Married | Female | 29 | 1822 | - | Cleish, Kinrossshire, Scotland | |
| John | McQuillon | Son | - | Male | 7 | 1844 | Scholar | Cleish, Kinrossshire, Scotland | |
| Euphemia | McQuillon | Daughter | - | Female | 5 | 1846 | Scholar | Cleish, Kinrossshire, Scotland | |
| David | McQuillon | Son | - | Male | 3 | 1848 | - | Beath, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | McQuillon | Daughter | - | Female | 1 | 1850 | - | Cleish, Kinrossshire, Scotland |
1856. This John McQuillen dies Cleish, on 14/6/1856, age 37, & his mother appears to be Baxter - will buying this help me with Henry McQuillen 1823- yes, were he to be his brother!! Who knows?? Our Henry does not call any children John or Janet !! Anyway, I bought it, and have discovered that his father, John, was a street porter , deceased, and his mother, Janet McQuillen/ Baxter, was still alive. John, 37, died of Phthysis Pulmonoles, ? For years?. Buried in the churchyard, Cleish
The 2 Johns below are not Henry's brother - he was not married in 1861 and thus cannot have a son born 1855
1871C. Tarbert , Argyllshire
| John | McQuilkan | Head | Married | Male | 55 | 1816 | Fisherman | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Mary | McQuilkan | Wife | Married | Female | 56 | 1815 | - | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Archd | McQuilkan | Son | Unmarried | Male | 16 | 1855 | Fisherman | Tarbert, Argyllshire, Scotland |
1891C. Bains Cottage Kilcalmonell , Tarbert , Argyllshire- all the McCoags here must be McQuillens!
| George | Bain | Head | Married | Male | 36 | 1855 | Fisherman | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Sarah | Bain | Wife | Married | Female | 34 | 1857 | - | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Mary | McCoag | Mother-In-Law | Widow | Female | 76 | 1815 | - | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| Archibald | McCoag | Boarder | Unmarried | Male | 26 | 1865 | Fisherman | Argyllshire, Scotland | |
| John | McQuilkan | Boarder | Widower | Male | 72 | 1819 | Retired Fisherman | Argyllshire, Scotland |