Post by ChrisDoak on Feb 24, 2005 12:45:30 GMT -6
In 1848,the Estate of Glenevis in Lochaber was put up for sale by John Cameron,15th Chief of the McSorley Camerons.The Estate,in the shadow of Ben Nevis,had been in the possession of his family since the 15th century,but John (a resident of Berbice,British Guyana),had mishandled his affairs so much,that by 1845 he had accumulated Estate debts to the sum of £10,000,and personal debts of £12,000.
The disposal of the Estate being inevitable,many of John's close family were sufficiently concerned at the decline of this veritable branch of the Cameron Clan.The 400 year history of the family was seemingly unrecorded,but in 1847,Sir Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy (brother-in-law of John Cameron) attempted to prepare the first genealogical Tree.
This Tree,which I saw for the first time last week,was drafted with the assistance of the verbal recollections of various family members,as there was not a lot of access available to historical documents.Mackenzie's draft of the McSorley lineage,however, differs slightly from the more familiar trees recorded by Stewart of Ardvorlich and Somerled McMillan.
Mackenzie didn't have the benefit of many documents,so his recording of the earliest generations are sparse,a bit vague,and have some Heads of the family missing.But the latter generations,which would have been familiar to his wife Isabella (granddaughter of Alexander Cameron of Glenevis),still feature names different to what we have come to know, with a few surprising omissions as well.Whilst these may be down to Mackenzie's own unfamiliarity with the various names,I think it gives us a good opportunity to reassess this family,especially since there is still currently much controversy over the offspring of Alexander,12th Chief.
Here is what Mackenzie drew up:
A.SOMERLED of Glenevis.
B.His son,JOHN of Glenevis,called Ian Dillas.
C.DONALD McAlister McCoal,or Soril.
D.His son,ALLAN.
E.His son ALEXANDER.
F.His son JOHN of Glenevis.(Married 1.daughter of James Robertson of Calsbrine in Athole.2.daughter of McMartine of Letterfinlay).John had a brother Alexander.
G.ALLAN,son of Alexander,married Mary,daughter of John Cameron in Acharn,Morven,"a younger son of Lochiel - uncle to Lochiel of the '45".Children:1.Alexander,his heir.2.Angus,"after 1745,resident in Rannoch,married Miss Menzies".3.Samuel,"died Captain in American Services".4.Girl,married Duncan Cameron("Duncan Slorach").5.Girl,married Alexander Cameron,younger of Druimsallie,("the Captain of Sloich Ian dhu").
H.ALEXANDER of Glenevis,married Isabella,daughter of "Alexander"Cameron of Dungallon.Children:1.Ewan,his heir.2.John,late of Achnasaul.,married Loisa,daughter of Colin Campbell of Glenure,3.Mary,married James Cameron.4.Jane,died unmarried.5.Ann,married John Cameron of Carnoch.
I.EWAN of Glenevis,married Helen,daughter of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston.Children:1.Alexander,died in infancy.2.Patrick,his heir,died unmarred.3.John,"the present proprietor".4.Donald,late Lieutenant in the 79th Regiment.5.Helen,married Adam McDonald of Achtriachtan.6.Isabella,married Sir Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy.7.Harriet,married James M.Grant of Glenmoriston.8.Jane,died without issue.
So is Sir Colin substantially correct (apart from the omissions,and one or two howlers)?Or have mistakes by others been accepted as gospel fact?
The disposal of the Estate being inevitable,many of John's close family were sufficiently concerned at the decline of this veritable branch of the Cameron Clan.The 400 year history of the family was seemingly unrecorded,but in 1847,Sir Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy (brother-in-law of John Cameron) attempted to prepare the first genealogical Tree.
This Tree,which I saw for the first time last week,was drafted with the assistance of the verbal recollections of various family members,as there was not a lot of access available to historical documents.Mackenzie's draft of the McSorley lineage,however, differs slightly from the more familiar trees recorded by Stewart of Ardvorlich and Somerled McMillan.
Mackenzie didn't have the benefit of many documents,so his recording of the earliest generations are sparse,a bit vague,and have some Heads of the family missing.But the latter generations,which would have been familiar to his wife Isabella (granddaughter of Alexander Cameron of Glenevis),still feature names different to what we have come to know, with a few surprising omissions as well.Whilst these may be down to Mackenzie's own unfamiliarity with the various names,I think it gives us a good opportunity to reassess this family,especially since there is still currently much controversy over the offspring of Alexander,12th Chief.
Here is what Mackenzie drew up:
A.SOMERLED of Glenevis.
B.His son,JOHN of Glenevis,called Ian Dillas.
C.DONALD McAlister McCoal,or Soril.
D.His son,ALLAN.
E.His son ALEXANDER.
F.His son JOHN of Glenevis.(Married 1.daughter of James Robertson of Calsbrine in Athole.2.daughter of McMartine of Letterfinlay).John had a brother Alexander.
G.ALLAN,son of Alexander,married Mary,daughter of John Cameron in Acharn,Morven,"a younger son of Lochiel - uncle to Lochiel of the '45".Children:1.Alexander,his heir.2.Angus,"after 1745,resident in Rannoch,married Miss Menzies".3.Samuel,"died Captain in American Services".4.Girl,married Duncan Cameron("Duncan Slorach").5.Girl,married Alexander Cameron,younger of Druimsallie,("the Captain of Sloich Ian dhu").
H.ALEXANDER of Glenevis,married Isabella,daughter of "Alexander"Cameron of Dungallon.Children:1.Ewan,his heir.2.John,late of Achnasaul.,married Loisa,daughter of Colin Campbell of Glenure,3.Mary,married James Cameron.4.Jane,died unmarried.5.Ann,married John Cameron of Carnoch.
I.EWAN of Glenevis,married Helen,daughter of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston.Children:1.Alexander,died in infancy.2.Patrick,his heir,died unmarred.3.John,"the present proprietor".4.Donald,late Lieutenant in the 79th Regiment.5.Helen,married Adam McDonald of Achtriachtan.6.Isabella,married Sir Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy.7.Harriet,married James M.Grant of Glenmoriston.8.Jane,died without issue.
So is Sir Colin substantially correct (apart from the omissions,and one or two howlers)?Or have mistakes by others been accepted as gospel fact?
