Aeneas Gunn Family Trees 1868-1870 - introduction
Introduction
Sinclair in his 'Appendix' (pages 133 on) makes use of of family trees (1868 and 1870) - and manuscript - by Aeneas Gunn of Edinburgh. I have a copy of the trees and will include them here. A copy of the manuscript is held by a Gunn in Adelaide, Australia but I have not seen it.
Why do I think they are his trees?
Firstly one needs to consider the ‘Appendix’ of Thomas Sinclair’s The Gunns (1890 edition), which includes information which he has not assimilated into the main text.
He says (page 133) ‘By the favour of Mrs Janet Leslie Gunn, Langley Lodge, Wick relict of Rev Robert Innes Gunn, Free Church of Scotland, Keiss a manuscript is available, entitled “History of the Clan Gunn, From the earliest period to the present date, Compiled from the most authentic sources, By Aeneas Gunn, writer Edinburgh.” It is dated Edinburgh, April 1852, nine years before Calder’s “History of Caithness;” but the major portion seems to have been composed about 1868 ... This Edinburgh solicitor was a son of Aeneas Gunn, Tacher Farm, the son of William in Ascaig, Kildonan. In Wick churchyard there is a tombstone erected by John Gunn, Jamaica, to his mother Catherine Innes, wife of Aeneas Gunn, Tacher. She died on 7th August 1831, aged 59. Her son George, a doctor of medicine, died in Jamaica on 1st February, 1826, at the age of 25. Another of these brothers was William of the Inland Revenue. A family tree of the Gunns, by the late Aeneas, junior, this historian, was prepared in 1870, as an improvement on another he made in 1868, both of which have useful items...
(Page 147) ‘A genealogy is appended ... George settled in Corrish, and his two sons, Alexander and George, were tenants in Kildonan Parish. Alexander had William, Donald and Robert (all living in 1812) and the other son George had Thomas Gunn, who went to India, Alexander William and James.
For the genealogy, the author expresses himself indebted to a MS history of the clan by Rev Alex Sage, Kildonan, lent by Rev. Alex Gunn, Watten.’
(The link between Sage and Watten is worth noting; Mark Rugg Gunn is inclined to view it as important (page 165) that Gunn of Watten and Sage are similar in views. I am slightly suspicious that Watten may merely have accepted Sage as he held his papers, and that Watten should be questioned as to how far he is an independent source.)
I think what I have are two drafts of this tree, and note it’s based on the Rev. Alexander Sage. So this family tree is based on original documents from one of the main Gunn historical sources but added to by a person deeply interested in Gunn history
So, why do I think my tree is the ‘Aeneas Gunn Edinburgh’ tree? Because, in no particular order,
1. Look at what Sinclair says of the Corrish line and compare it with the Corrish here. They are basically identical. Given the Corrish line is otherwise ignored by the history books (for example, see Sinclair pages 177-178 and 184-185) it suggests this information is from the same source. (Sinclair quotes 'Thurso' page 183 'It is well known that the Rev. Alex Sage of Kildonan ... has adjudged the chieftaincy to George Gunn, Corrish')
2. The tree has many lines with ‘alive in 1868’ which matches Sinclair’s date.
3. The longest family line on these trees is the one which leads down to include Aeneas Gunn (and his family) in Edinburgh. It comes from the William “Bheg” line. Obviously an author will chase his own line in most detail. The “William Bheg” line will be the subject of my next entry.
4. It is quite logical that such a tree turns up in Melbourne in the 1960s as Aeneas Gunn’s brother was the Rev. Peter Gunn, who emigrated to Australia. His son was Aeneas, who died in 1903 in the Northern Territory but whose famous wife, Jeannie, lived on in Melbourne to the early 1960s.
Now, I can’t prove it’s the tree, so let’s just say it’s a decent possibility. And if it’s possibly true then there are some interesting possible Chief (and / or cadet) lines here which need to be explored. (The idea that no new knowledge will ever be found about the Chief lines is just wrong.)
Some of the detail from his tree will be found under 'General genealogy' for those whose links to the old 'Chief' lines are remote.
Why do I think they are his trees?
Firstly one needs to consider the ‘Appendix’ of Thomas Sinclair’s The Gunns (1890 edition), which includes information which he has not assimilated into the main text.
He says (page 133) ‘By the favour of Mrs Janet Leslie Gunn, Langley Lodge, Wick relict of Rev Robert Innes Gunn, Free Church of Scotland, Keiss a manuscript is available, entitled “History of the Clan Gunn, From the earliest period to the present date, Compiled from the most authentic sources, By Aeneas Gunn, writer Edinburgh.” It is dated Edinburgh, April 1852, nine years before Calder’s “History of Caithness;” but the major portion seems to have been composed about 1868 ... This Edinburgh solicitor was a son of Aeneas Gunn, Tacher Farm, the son of William in Ascaig, Kildonan. In Wick churchyard there is a tombstone erected by John Gunn, Jamaica, to his mother Catherine Innes, wife of Aeneas Gunn, Tacher. She died on 7th August 1831, aged 59. Her son George, a doctor of medicine, died in Jamaica on 1st February, 1826, at the age of 25. Another of these brothers was William of the Inland Revenue. A family tree of the Gunns, by the late Aeneas, junior, this historian, was prepared in 1870, as an improvement on another he made in 1868, both of which have useful items...
(Page 147) ‘A genealogy is appended ... George settled in Corrish, and his two sons, Alexander and George, were tenants in Kildonan Parish. Alexander had William, Donald and Robert (all living in 1812) and the other son George had Thomas Gunn, who went to India, Alexander William and James.
For the genealogy, the author expresses himself indebted to a MS history of the clan by Rev Alex Sage, Kildonan, lent by Rev. Alex Gunn, Watten.’
(The link between Sage and Watten is worth noting; Mark Rugg Gunn is inclined to view it as important (page 165) that Gunn of Watten and Sage are similar in views. I am slightly suspicious that Watten may merely have accepted Sage as he held his papers, and that Watten should be questioned as to how far he is an independent source.)
I think what I have are two drafts of this tree, and note it’s based on the Rev. Alexander Sage. So this family tree is based on original documents from one of the main Gunn historical sources but added to by a person deeply interested in Gunn history
So, why do I think my tree is the ‘Aeneas Gunn Edinburgh’ tree? Because, in no particular order,
1. Look at what Sinclair says of the Corrish line and compare it with the Corrish here. They are basically identical. Given the Corrish line is otherwise ignored by the history books (for example, see Sinclair pages 177-178 and 184-185) it suggests this information is from the same source. (Sinclair quotes 'Thurso' page 183 'It is well known that the Rev. Alex Sage of Kildonan ... has adjudged the chieftaincy to George Gunn, Corrish')
2. The tree has many lines with ‘alive in 1868’ which matches Sinclair’s date.
3. The longest family line on these trees is the one which leads down to include Aeneas Gunn (and his family) in Edinburgh. It comes from the William “Bheg” line. Obviously an author will chase his own line in most detail. The “William Bheg” line will be the subject of my next entry.
4. It is quite logical that such a tree turns up in Melbourne in the 1960s as Aeneas Gunn’s brother was the Rev. Peter Gunn, who emigrated to Australia. His son was Aeneas, who died in 1903 in the Northern Territory but whose famous wife, Jeannie, lived on in Melbourne to the early 1960s.
Now, I can’t prove it’s the tree, so let’s just say it’s a decent possibility. And if it’s possibly true then there are some interesting possible Chief (and / or cadet) lines here which need to be explored. (The idea that no new knowledge will ever be found about the Chief lines is just wrong.)
Some of the detail from his tree will be found under 'General genealogy' for those whose links to the old 'Chief' lines are remote.