Person:John Lamont (7)

http://www.geocities.com/charryoung/early.html

Descendants of John Lamont and Mary Young Lamont... b. Scotland, Early 1600's

All the years I was growing up, Dad always told my siblings and I that our name had not always been Young. He said it had been changed at some time past because of "outlaws." In my young mind I could only conceive that perhaps we were related to the infamous Younger Brothers or some similar circumstance. Dad also told us we came from Virginia and that we were Irish. Over almost 25 years of digging through courthouses, cemeteries, libraries and books I have uncovered the thrilling history of our Young family and I can only wish that I could share it with my dad. He would have loved knowing! In old Scotland, the clan form of government was the rule of law. When the massacre described below occurred, the clan which was the strongest and the winner was then considered to be "the law," thus those who fled this horrendous happening were truly considered outside the law, or "outlaws." I have also learned that most Scots/Irish immigrants referred to themselves as "Irish" because of the many years they spent in Ireland, although their heritage was in most cases, almost entirely Scot. Even the huge Scots/Irish settlement of Augusta Co., VA was called the "Irish" Tract. This is the history of my family as they fled a massacre in Cowal, Scotland in 1646, settled at Larne, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and made their way to colonial America, beginning in 1737, with descendants migrating all over the United States. If you find a connection or even suspect a connection, please contact me at ShaLamont@@iwaynet.net. Generation 1:

In 1646 in Scotland, Clan Lamont (pronounced Lamb-it) found itself under siege by Clan Campbell in their two castles, Toward and Ascog. Sir James Lamont, clan chief (university educated in Glasgow) signed a peace treaty that guaranteed the Lamonts safe passage from the castles. But when the castle gates were thrown open to admit the Campbells, a massacre ensued. Numbers differ on how many Lamonts died that day, but researchers believe as many as 350 Lamont men died and uncounted women and children. Three dozen Lamont clan leaders, were hanged in a tree in the old churchyard that to this day is called Gallows Hill for that event. These men were leaders or sons of leaders of Lamont family groups or septs. John Lamont, son of Gilbert Lamont, Baron McGorrie, of Inverchaolain, was one of the 36 men hanged in the tree in the churchyard, along with his brother Duncan. (Family history preceeding this time.) John's wife was Mary Young, from the Clan Young of Auldbar. Mary Young Lamont fled with her four sons across the 39 miles of ocean from Scotland to a town called Larne in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Those who survived the massacre or were somehow able to get away from the Campbells sought any safe haven they could find. It was common practice by these refugees to change their surnames when they reached safety, fearing that the Campbells would search them down. Mary Young Lamont's four sons changed their names. John, the oldest, took the name Sitlington, which was the name of a "burn" or small stream on their Scotland estates. The two middle sons took the names White and Green. It has been stated that the White son may have been named William. The youngest son, Andrew, took his mother's maiden name of Young for his new surname. It is assumed that all four boys were young children because if they had been teens or older, they would have been fighting with their father and not left behind with their mother.

Clan Chief, Sir James Lamont, was imprisoned by the Campbells in various dungeons, constantly moved and held for five years. In 1651 Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and at that time Sir James was released from his dungeon. Argyll Campbell a few years later was brought to trial by the English Crown and beheaded for the deed of the massacre. The Clan Lamont history book (page 203) tells us that Sir James lived on the Isle of Bute for a time after he had been released from the dungeon, and would ride out on Bute and gaze upon his one-time home, the ruins of Castle Toward.

Our Lamont family remained in County Antrim and never returned to Scotland. Brothers John Sitlington and Andrew Young, along with their sons and grandsons, ran a successful agricultural and linen manufacturing business four miles west of Larne for 90+ years. The linen mill and John's and Andrew's homes were still standing in the 1960's, in good condition and being used. The linen mill has since had its roof fall in but the stone walls still stand. Amazingly, in the 1920's, both homes were still occupied by descendants of the families who purchased them from the Sitlington and Young families when they migrated to America. We have Irish Genealogist Mary Semple, who was a relative through Sir James Lamont's mother, who was also a Semple, to thank for giving us the story of this Young family back in the 1920's. This Scots/Irish Young family was devoted Presbyterian. Pictures of both Andrew's and John's homes and the linen mill.

Generation 2:

2. Andrew Lamont Young (s/o John Lamont and Mary Young Lamont) m. Mary Adair in County Antrim, Northern Ireland after 1646

Generation 3:

3. John Young (Andrew Lamont Young, Sir John Lamont) m. Annie Houston in County Antrim before 1695. He is the only known son of Andrew and Mary Adair Young, but there were probably others. Possible siblings for John include: James, Robert, Matthew, Charles and William, as found in the Carmoney Church records in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. There were possibly others. Many Youngs still live in the Larne area who probably descend from Andrew Young. Annie Houston is from the same family as Texas' Sam Houston. There are some entries in Chalkley's Court References of the Scots/Irish Settlement of Augusta Co., VA that suggest that John may have come to America with his adult children. If these references are to this John Young, then it is a certainty that he had a brother James, as James is made administrator of this John's estate and referred to as John's brother. This John died in 1747. James then died before he could get John's estate settled. Research is ongoing.

Generation 4:

Children of John Young (Andrew Lamont Young, John Lamont, Gilbert Lamont) and Annie Houston Young:

4. Robert Young b. 1711 County Antrim, m. Agnes Crockett, b. 1715 County Antrim, Northern Ireland, by @@ 1730 in County Antrim, and migrated to America with wife and three sons, James, Samuel and John, in 1740, entering at Philadelphia and migrating down into Augusta Co., VA, settling on Back Creek on the north fork of the James River, a few miles west of Staunton. Robert died in Augusta Co., VA in 1762 and Agnes bought land in what would become Laurens Co., SC in 1766. the last reference for Agnes in Chalkley is for 1770. At some point after 1770, Agnes and five or six of her sons migrated to Laurens Co., SC.

5. Hugh Young b. County Antrim, m. his cousin Agnes Sitlington in County Antrim and migrated to America in 1741. Settling next to his brother Robert in Augusta Co., VA. Hugh and Agnes lived and died in Augusta and are presumed burried in the Glebe Cemetery next to Hebron Presbyterian Church at Staunton where their son John and both of his wives are buried. Hugh and Agnes Sitlington Young had three children:

5.1. John b. County Antrim, Northern Ireland March 25, 1737, d. Augusta Co., VA December 5, 1824 became Capt. John Young, aid to Gen. George Washington and ancestor to Senator John McCain. John was married 1) Mary White, daughter of Isaac White, his cousin, and they had six children: Jane who m. a Cunningham, Isaac who never married and had no issue, Hugh, David who m. Mary Ann Hart and became ancestor of Senator John McCain, Thomas who m. Mary Caldwell and had one daughter who m. a Sterrett and John W.; and Capt John m. 2) Mary Sitlington and had ten children: William Sitlington Young, Mary who m. a Kich, Andrew who never married, Agnes, Robert, Elisha I who d. in infancy, Margaret called Peggy who m. William A. Young and had a son John E. Young, Elisha II who m. Strudwick and daughter was Agnes Black Young, Jenny and Alexander St. Clair Young.

5.2. Thomas, killed by Indians and scalped in the battle of Kerr's Creek when he was a young man in 1763, unmarried and left no issue.

5.3. Mary m. John Cartmill, Augusta Co., VA, nothing further is known about Mary or her descendants.

6. Jane Young b. County Antrim and migrated to America, to Augusta Co., VA. Married 1) Patrick Cook and had children Mary (who married William Deane) and John who was killed at North Mountain when young. Patrick died and Jane married 2) to Andrew Steel, having one known child, Andrew Steel Jr.

7. William Young b. County Antrim and migrated to America at an early but unknown date, settled in Augusta Co., VA, later migrating to KY before 1777, when KY was still dangerous Indian territory and everyone lived in a fort or station, dying in 1818 in KY and was reportedly married three times. Only the first name of his third wife, Mary, is known at this time. William was a Revolutionary War soldier who may have served only in the forts/stations of the KY frontier. He is listed as a member of Capt. Boyle's Company, out of Logan's Fort, and stationed at forts along Dick's River in Lincoln Co. A Col. Young is later identified in a Draper interview with Mrs. Arnold as being at Craig's Station. In the Fall of 1783, all the inhabitants of Craig's Station went to Gilbert's Creek Station, including the William Young family. All remained at Gilbert's Creek Station except Capt. John Craig. William claimed two 400 acre land grants on Gilbert's Creek, one was denied, probably having had a valid claim by someone else. To get the grant he received, he had to have been in KY after January 1778 and before October 1779. There is a Chalkley court reference dated 1779, listing, among many others, both William Young and William Hughes, who would become William Young's son Thomas' father-in-law, as delinquent on their taxes because they have "gone to Kentucky." This delinquent tax list was for 1777 or 1778, making their trip to KY fall into the time frame in which son Thomas was born. He was probably born shortly after their arrival in KY, most likely at Logan's Fort.

8. John Young b. County Antrim, m. Elizabeth (Unknown), migrated to America in 1737 and settled in Augusta Co., VA. For further detail on this family see John Young Family.

9. James Young b. County Antrim, son William.

10. Sarah/Sally Young b. 1695 County Antrim, m. William Curry in Ireland. (I have more info not posted yet on this family.) (Possibly others.)