Born in the western highlands of Scotland in Kilninin, situated in the northwest of the Isle of Mull, Argyleshire, Scotland. Uncertain whether he was born in 1819 as per death certificate, or in 1824 as per emigration records from www.mullgenealogy.co.uk.
Records at www.mullgenealogy.co.uk also shows he was baptised on 29 February 1824 at Fanmore, Isle Of Mull. His parents are recorded as John McKinnon, born about 1767 and died 30 December 1855 at Fanmore, Isle of Mull and Mary McLean. John McKinnon's parents are shown as John McKinnon and Flory McDonald. John (the younger - born 1767) married Mary McLean and had 9 children: Flory born c.1808, Charles born 1811, Margaret born c.1814, Mary baptised 28 July 1815 at Fanmore, William baptised 24 May 1818 at Fanmore, Marion baptised 19 May 1820 at Fanmore, Anne baptised 27 January 1822 at Fanmore, LACHLAN, and Anne baptised 3 December 1825 at Fanmore.
However Lachlan's death certificate (see pictures section) records his mother as Mary McDonald. It is possible that the informant (Lachlan's son Lachlan) was distressed when he reported the death to the registrar and so mixed up some of the details of his father's forbears.
The birth certificate for Lachlan's daughter Mary states he was born at "Kilinin, Argyleshire, Scotland" and was married at Frackadale, Argyleshire, Scotland".
An old map from 1832 (see picture) shows Frackadale in the northwest central corner of the Isle of Mull. The only town in the region with a name close to "Kilinin" is the village of Kilninian. Allowing for misunderstanding of a broad Scots accent when Lachlan was reporting the birth to the clerk in Victoria, Kilinin would seem to fit Kilninian. In addition the Index to this John Thomson's Map Of Scotland 1832 lists the place as "Kilninin Village".
So it seems Kilinin = Kilninin = Kilninian. This village is on the northern shores of Loch Tua in Mull.
Lachlan's wife Ann McDonald also hailed from the same town.
Frackadale church where Lachlan and Ann married is near Calgary Castle.
Emigration records from the Scottish Archive Network can be found at www.scan.org.uk/researchrtools/emigration giving the passenger lists for families who took part in the "highlands and islands emigration society" 1852 - 1857. Here familes of good character were assisted to emigrate to Australia. Lachlan McKinnon is listed here. Firstly he is listed as "Number 680. Surname - McKinnon. Forenames - Lachlan. Residence - Tobermory. Estate - Aros. Parish - Kilninian and Kilmore. County - Argyll. Ship - Edward Johnstone. Departure Date - 17/6/1854. Port of Departure - Liverpool. Port of Arrival - Portland Bay. Remarks - Deposit 3 pounds paid into bank at Tobermory to A/C of Honourable Arthur Kinnaird. Page 134".
There is a further listing in this record of "Number 680 - Lachlan McKinnon age 30, birthyear 1824. Number 680 - Ann McKinnon age 25, birthyear 1829. Number 680 - Donald McKinnon age 1, birthyear 1853. Residence (for all parties) - Tobermory. Estate - Aros. Parish - Kilninian and Kilmore. Ship - Edward Johnstone. Departure date - 17/6/1854. Port of Departure - Liverpool. Port of Arrival - Portland Bay."
It would be reasonable to suppose that Lachlan and his family went to Tobermory on the north of the island to embark - this is the major port on Mull. They then set sale for Liverpool and thence to Portland in Victoria.
This all matches Lachlan McKinnon as established on his death certificate: Died 1886 aged 67. Father John McKinnon. Mother Mary McKinnon (formerly McDonald). Born - Argyleshire, Scotland (Lachlan's daughter Mary's birth certificate states he was born at Kilinen, Argyleshire, Scotland. This is the village of Kilninen / Kilninian on Mull.) Married at age 31 to Ann McDonald at Kilmore Church, Scotland (this is on the northern part of Mull on Loch Cuin near Tobermory). 32 years in Victoria. Children - John, Donald, Catherine, Mary, Annie, Lachlan, Jessie. Informant - Lachlan McKinnon the son. George Simpson is listed as a witness at the burial - perhaps this is the same George Simpson who was brother to Lewis Lawrence Simpson.
The only differences between Lachlan's death certificate and the official records at www.mullgenealogy.co.uk and at www.scan.org.uk/researchrtools/emigration are Lachlan's age (given as 67 on the death certificate and his mother's maiden name as McDonald). In fact it seems he was born in 1824 (not 1819 as extrapolated from the death certificate), hence age 62 at death not 67 (a misprint??) and that his grandmother's maiden name was McDonald while his mother's was McLean. Everything else matches very well.