A few years ago I had just finished watching the first season of Outlander on Netflix. It was so inspiring and made me feel proud of my heritage. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to travel to Scotland, so the best I can do is hope to find my own set of standing stones that will transport me there for free. However, going back in time 200 years would be much harder than my worst camping trip. Therefore, I will keep dreaming and sharing stories about my family from Scotland.
My paternal ancestors are from the Lamont Clan, pronounced "Lamb-it". According to the stories I heard from my grandparents, the clan was massacred, nearly wiping out the entire population. Many survivors fled to the lowlands, but my branch of the family escaped to Northern Ireland in 1646. Mary and her four sons changed their surnames to White, Black, Sitlington, and Young (which was Mary's maiden name). My family inherited the surname Young.
The Dunoon Massacre Memorial
The Memorial that still stands today reads:
In memory of their loyal forefathers who perished near this spot, the clan Lamont dedicate this monument in September 1906. During the civil wars of the seventeenth century, the Lamonts espoused the Royalist cause thereby incurring the hostility of neighboring clans who laid siege to the castles of Toward and Escog. Sir James Lamont of that ilk was forced to surrender at Toward on 3rd June 1646. When in violation of articles of capitulation and indemnity signed by the besiegers, over two hundred of the Lamonts were bound carried in boats to Dunoon and there murdered.
I'm not sure if my family were the ones nearly wiped out in this massacre - because it's too far back in our history for me to find out. But ultimately, it doesn't matter as only God knows the truth. There were the family tales of such a Massacre at family reunions - and this was back in the '60s! It is known and documented that my family did leave Scotland and moved to Northern Ireland at some point during this period. Many of my father's sisters used to claim we were Irish. However, my dad and his grandfather always claimed we were of Scottish ancestry. I believed them. Their journey to the colonies began in Scotland, then they moved to Northern Ireland, and finally to England where they boarded a ship to the early colonies.
DNA reveals I am mostly Scotch/Irish and English.
Here's a good read on this:
Ancestry tells me I am 30% Scot. Two names in my mother's family may be Scots names: Reed and McKee. Reeds are widespread in the British Isles, in England, Scotland, and Ireland. My suspicion is that my Reeds are really Irish, and lace-curtain Irish at that. Not sure about the McKees, as I haven't gotten back to the immigrant generation yet.
ReplyDeleteI did experience some shock reading about how those hundreds of Lamonts were slaughtered. As we historians say, "The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there." (L P. Hartley)
Very interesting post. I have a friend with "Irish" heritage, but when she did her DNA test she got Scottish but no Irish. I wonder if her ancestors ended up in Ireland in the same way as yours.
ReplyDeleteAnother bunch of people fleeing violence.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's horrible. I had read that Scottish clans fought each other but never knew to what extent. Very interesting history. My husband has Scottish on him even though he is considered French. His eyes seem ro be Scottish. We encountered more than person who looked at him and said hecwas Scottish due to his eyes. He's very proud of his Scottish heritage which cones from his father's side.
ReplyDeleteI started off with more Irish ancestry but now Ancestry says more Scottish. So my names of Bryan and Mckinley have me searching more now in Scotland.
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