An elusive McHone family tree

[Tess Lambrecht]

Does the MacEwen sept include any history of a lost family group named McHone?

 

The two clans that seem most likely are:

Clan Calquhoun -- MacOwen, MacCowan

Clan MacLachlan -- MacEwan, MacEwen

What source documents might be available for survivors of the MacEwen Massacre?  Since the survivors likely went to the MacLachlans for refuge, I am hoping someone somewhere has the hidden secrets.

 

At the far end of my family tree are the McHones.  Sackfield and Archibald are the first two known to live and own land in America.  Sackfield and his wife died young, and theirs sons were wards of the state.  Archibald served in the American Revolution -- something very popular with refugees from Scotland -- and owned land in VA/NC.  The best rumor is that they sailed to America on a ship owned by a man named MacNeil from Barra Island after "the uprising."

 

If I've posted this in the wrong area, please, move it to the right discussion.  Thanks.

My line is Lambrecht - Krueger - Williams - McHone.

 

[Thor Ewing]

Dear Tess,

 

Thank you for your message.

 

According to House of Names (not always completely reliable, but a reasonable first port of call), the name McHone is thought to be a variant of MacIain (including other variants such as McCain and McKane) rather than MacEwen. I have to say though, your suggestion of a link with MacCowan seems equally plausible. There are MacCowan septs in at least two clans - I think the other important one might be in Clan Campbell. I'd also suggest a possible link with the Irish name McKeown (which is from the same root as MacIain) - I've just noticed that ancestry.com suggests an Irish origin "possibly a variant of McCune or McCone".

 

I'm afraid I don't know of any evidence for a MacEwen massacre. I know it appears on the MacLachlan website, but I have never seen mention of it anywhere else. The story seems to contradict the known history. Clan MacLachlan was often at odds with Clan Campbell in later history, and I suspect that their more recent traditions have played a part in their view of how another clan would have related to the Campbells at an earlier time.

 

In fact, I haven't come across anything which suggests that MacEwens were linked with Clan MacLachlan before the twentieth century, though the Ewing name seems to have been listed along with MacLachlan in the nineteenth century. I have contacted the MacLachlan clan society and the clan chief for information on this, but haven't had a satisfactory answer.

 

I understand there was a McHone Newletter run by Willard Thomas McHone, but unfortunately he died in 2008. I've contacted a chap called Bryan Denny for you who seems to have set about transcribing these newsletters.

 

You might also be interested in this book: http://is.gd/OQ2510

 

Best wishes,

Thor

[Thor Ewing]

Hi Tess,

Bryan Denny has got back to me, suggesting you contact him at man...@gmail.com (you could also visit his webpage http://www.bryandenny.com/family/)

Best wishes,

Thor

[Tess Lambrecht]

Good morning, Thor.  Well, I'd have to say a variant of Maclain is NOT what I was expecting.  But I will follow through on that lead.

 

Ancestry.com would probably give the same generic response for Macaroni... I'm pretty much exhausted by genealogy dot coms.

 

It is interesting to learn that Dorothy's book is available hardbound.  I have a photocopy version of the original hand-typed research she published for the family in 1975.  That book is full of caveated speculation, that most of my distant relatives took as gospel.  But I have to admit, very few of the histories she documented are in error.  The information she uncovered in 1975 is as good as the websites offer today. 

 

She couldn't find a good resource for the origin of the name.  And I have to be impressed -- I am having just as hard a time as she had, but I have instant access to global records and websites.

 

Here's my theory.  The entire McHone family came to America, and therefore few records remain.  The big genealogic histories of Scotland begin in 1740, and by then the McHones were gone and not included. 

 

Second theory.  Due to the Jacobite Uprising, the clan survivors weren't comfortable keeping their original surnames.  And changed their names when they fled to America, fearing someone would be following them, looking for revenge or taxes.

 

Third theory.  When they came to America and tried to tell folks they were from Clan Calquhoun (the lqu being silent) they were told to make life easier and someone official and arrogant changed their names to something folks could spell.  So Calquhoun became Calhoon, Cahoun, Ma'Cahoun...  whatever.

 

But I don't know how the original settlers felt about their origins.  I only suspect they were more than happy to fight the British.

 

Since I am now eligible to be a Daugther of the American Revolution, I'd like to get into better archives.  I am now in touch with Bryan, whose research doesn't go back as far as mine. At least I can send him my original data, such as it is.

 

Please, let me know if you get a more narrow line to a hint.  These are the septs I am researching:

 

Clan Cameron -- MacOnie

Clan Campbell -- MacOran, MacOwen.

Clan Calquhoun -- MacOwen, MacCowan

Clan Gunn -- MacKean

Clan MacDonald -- MacGowan, MacGown, MacKeochan (the ch is silent).

Clan MacDougall - McCowan, MacEowan, MacOwen

Clan MacFarlane -- MacEoin

Can MacKintosh -- MacCombe, MacComie, MacOmie

Clan MacLachlan -- MacEwan, MacEwen

Clan MacNaughton -- MacCachren (the ch is silent).

Clan MacPherson -- MacGowan

Clan MacQuarrie -- MacGuaran

Clan MacQueen -- MacCunn

Pick one.

My sister likes MacOnie -- at least she likes their family crest - five arrows.  I think there's more to it than that.  LOL

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Tess

[Thor Ewing]

Hi Tess,

 

It's great to see how serious you are about running this one to ground.

 

I just checked at FamilySearch.org and I see that they list roughly 40,000 McHones for Scotland and about the same number for Ireland, but if I limit the results to before 1800, I get 18,000 for Scotland and just 7,000 for Ireland. The problem with this data is that it includes so-called variants, some of which are obviously unrelated. Still, there's a lot more to explore here. If you want to play around with this, start here: https://familysearch.org/search

 

Other online resources you might try are available at http://www.ancestryireland.com/

and at http://scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

 

It's interesting that you have a family tradition taking you to Barra - or was it that the shipowner was a McNeill of Barra. Either way, it's the best guide there is I can see. As I'm sure you know, your McHone ancestors must have been Jacobites.

Would "the Uprising" have been the '15? If so, I guess looking through General Wade's account might help.

If it was the '45, then there are other sources available.

 

If you're in touch with any male McHones from your family, you might also find a Y-DNA test helpful to pin down the origin of your McHones - though you still might not get a definitive answer. I see that there's a real dearth of McHones in DNA projects, so any information you could provide would definitely fill a gap.

 

Hope this helps. I'd definitely see if you can squeeze anything out of the FamilySearch site.

 

Best wishes,

Thor

[Tess Lambrecht]

I found two family crest websites.  I love them.  They're like science fiction.

 

The first one romantically says:

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the McHone family were born. Their name comes from the given name Ian or John. John is the most common personal name in the Highlands. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Iain.

Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. McHone has been spelled MacIan, MacAne, MacKane, MacKean, MacKain and others.

First found in Argyllshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

 

The second one was adamant:

 

This Scottish surname of McHONE is a rare form of the name MACANGUS. The name is also spelt MAKANYS, McKINIS, McYNISS, MacHANS, MAKANGUS and MACCANISH. The name was a baptismal name 'the son of Angus'. The use of fixed surnames or descriptive names appears to have commenced in France about the year 1000, and such names were introduced into Scotland through the Normans a little over one hundred years later, although the custom of using them was by no means common for many years afterwards. During the reign of Malcolm Ceannmor (1057-1093) the latter directed his chief subjects, after the custom of other nations, to adopt surnames from their territorial possessions, and there created 'The first erlis that euir was in Scotland'. At first the coat of arms was a practical matter which served a function on the battlefield and in tournaments. With his helmet covering his face, and armour encasing the knight from head to foot, the only means of identification for his followers, was the insignia painted on his shield, and embroidered on his surcoat, the draped and flowing garment worn over the armour. Early records of the name mention Duncan MAKANGUS, who was recorded in 1492, and Gilbert M'KINSHE was recorded in 1628. John MacHANS was recorded in Wigtown in 1662, and Christian M'CANISH was documented in Easter Dumfallandie in 1689. From 1759 to 1776 there was a constant flow of emigrants from the Highlands to North America. Between 1763 and 1775 alone, it is estimated that about 20,000 Highlanders left Scotland for the New World. Highland emigrants in their new American homes freely wore the highland dress, and were not forbidden the music of the 'piob-mhor' which was at that period prohibited in the Highlands by Government as a 'weapon of war'. On the outbreak of the American War in 1775, not only were the Highlanders in America loyal to their mother-country, but they raised a regiment in her support (the 84th Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment). At the conclusion of the war, the Highlanders, resisting all offers made to them by the new nation, crossed the border and settled in Canada.

See how much fun this name has been ???

 

Tess

[Tess Lambrecht]

Apparently, while my sister was in Scotland, near Edinburgh I imagine, she obtained a list of the MacOnie families from the early 1700s.  She hasn't unpacked the list yet.  But it's bound to be fine reading material.  ABout as much fun as a US census.

 

And on an ancestry.co.uk message board someone asked the inevitable:

"McHONE: My family may have come from Islay with Lachlan Campbell in 1739-1741. Family legend says we came to New York first, leased our land there for 100 years and came south to Virginia/Kentucky. First found Sackville McHone in 1745 in New Kent County, VA. His father may have been William, his son was Archelaus."

To me a legend is as good as it gets.

 

Tess

[Tess Lambrecht]

I have an account with FamilySearch.org so perhaps that is where I'll go next.

 

I've been floundering on Facebook and need to try something with teeth.

 

As for Barra Island... I think it was mostly speculation.  Possibly based on some inane history from a commercial website.  Captain McNeill was in America during the uprising, and the government seized his property.  When he returned to Scotland, he petitioned the government for the return of his assets, and was granted all his father's lands.  Leaving his father in prison and his mother in her home, he sold everything he owned and bought a ship.  He then invited all survivors (not in prison) on the island to come to America with him.  I'm going to have to read the novel "Christy" to see how much of it was the plot of that book.  And I think there's a mini-series on u-tube.  HA.

 

So right now I am no further along than I was this weekend.  I think I have actually ADDED names and clans to my list.

 

Tess

[Tess Lambrecht]

Today I had great success.  But no progress.

I found the Blisland Parish records in VA -- at VA Beach Library online.

Minutes show two women receiving Parish tithing (800 lbs of tobacco) for keeping the orphan children of Sackvile M'Hone from 1760 - 1768.

So we have a confirmation of death of Sackvile and only two versions of his surname M'Hone and Mahone.

 

In 1766 the older child (probably Archibald) turned 21, and left the home -- maybe not a Poorhouse -- since the women never received payment for fostering any other children.

 

It was a good day.

 

Tess

P.S.  FamilySearch.org now hates me because I challenged too many facts in the records linked to my pedigree.

On Monday, July 1, 2013 4:38:03 PM UTC-6, Thor Ewing wrote:

[Tess Lambrecht]

Doh.  I am going to have to remember to delete some of these trailing chains.

 

Tess

 

[Tess Lambrecht]

One serious question - about Scottish surnames.

What are the differences between surnames like McHone, Mahone, M'Hone and Hone?

===================================================================

I did the familysearch [limited results] and got one real McHone, and a few dozen Hone records from the 1700s.  I am thinking of sticking with this line and ignoring the septs for awhile.  A good idea?  Those other 7000 hits were for anything with a vowel...

 

If I pin all the best results on a map, I hope to narrow my search to a smaller region.  Because, frankly, so far I have been told the highlands, the lowlands, the Hebrides, and Ireland, and I knew that much before I started.

 

On the other hand, everything I learned along the way has been great for finding OTHER Scot ancestors, like the Kirkpatricks, who started in Scotland, emigrated to Ireland, emigrated to the USA and left a decent trail of kin.

 

The McHones have not been as easy, even with multiple family groups searching for the same elusive records.

 

Tess

On Monday, July 1, 2013 4:38:03 PM UTC-6, Thor Ewing wrote:

Hi Tess,

 

It's great to see how serious you are about running this one to ground.

 

I just checked at FamilySearch.org and I see that they list roughly 40,000 McHones for Scotland and about the same number for Ireland, but if I limit the results to before 1800, I get 18,000 for Scotland and just 7,000 for Ireland. The problem with this data is that it includes so-called variants, some of which are obviously unrelated. Still, there's a lot more to explore here. If you want to play around with this, start here: https://familysearch.org/search

 

 

My line is Lambrecht - Krueger - Williams - McHone.

 

[hicko...@gmail.com]

[hicko...@gmail.com]

Tess,
I am glad you are trying to find the origins of the name McHone, which is my maiden name, The earliest ancestor we can find is Sackville McHone, also found as M'hone and Mahone. M'hone just means the "Mac" is abbreviated. His recorded history begins in New Kent County Virginia but we do not know where he was born. He apparently traveled up the James River around 1747 to be a plantation overseer for a man name Payne in an area that a few years later was formed into Bedford County Virginia. He moved to Halifax County Virginia around 1755 and records on him disappeared around 1758, during the time of the French and Indian War. Two of his children were kept by a Manning family in New Kent County, their upkeep paid for by the Blisland Parish Church. But one of them was not Arche. His son Archelaus was around 12 years old, deemed "a poor orphan" and was bound out in 1758 by the parish church court in Bedford County. He grew up in Bedford, served in the militia, fought in the Revolutionary War and became a carpenter. He married Magdalena Bridgman in Bedford around 1768 and moved to North Carolina after the Revolution with his family..From questioning members of various clans who put up Clan Tents  at Scottish Festivals, I have been told that McHone is a sept name in the McDonnell clan, (McDonnell of Glengarry), which is a part of McDonald Clan (Clan Donald). I also have a certified clan chart form Edinburgh Scotland that says McHone is part of an ancient clan of Angus. I have never heard of an Angus clan, but there was an Angus who was leader of the McDonnells.I cannot prove any of thiis but it is what I have discovered on my search. I have attempted to find out if they came from the Isle of Islay around 1739-41,but if they were a part of Captain Campbell's diaspora,but if he was a part of it, the name been spelled in a different way (phonetically). Nearly every McHone found in America and traced by me, is a part of our family. Apparently, our ancestor's family was very small. Good luck. Linda McHone Spiker  .

On Saturday, June 29, 2013 5:47:12 PM UTC-4, Tess Lambrecht wrote:

[David Ewing]

Dear Tess,

Sadly, as far as we know there are no records that bear on these questions. Indeed, I am not even certain what you mean by the "MacEwen Massacre." Clan Ewen was broken when its last chief, Sween MacEwen died in the early fifteenth century without an heir. The lands of Clan Ewen were forfeited to the Campbells at that time, but I am not aware that there was any fighting or massacre involved. It is thought that some of the members of the Clan settled on MacLachlan land and there is a long tradition of cooperation between the Clans, but many of us believe that a good many members of the Clan moved into Dunbartonshire and Sterlingshire, where the surname became Ewing.

I think it entirely possible that McHone is yet another variant of the name, but we have no records bearing on that.

David Neal Ewing

Albuquerque

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