Clan Gunn Chief genealogy and a bit of history, Donald Sage’s Clan Gunn History; being from Thomas Sinclair ‘Clan Gunn Supplement 35, 25 August, 1903
REVIEW
This is a useful column, even if it repeats itself a lot. It’s useful as it has lots of early Gunn genealogy and a bit of history.
KEY PHRASES / IDEAS / PEOPLE / PLACES
· Earl Alexander, Earl George... Adam Earl of Sutherland (Lord Aboyne)... Earl John of Caithness ... Helmsdale... Strath of Kildonan 1516... Mackays... the Earl of Sutherland experienced the treachery of Caithness repeatedly...
· In 1598 the Earl of Caithness sent James Sinclair of Murkle to invade Sutherlandshire... Kildonan... killed 42 tenants of Lord Sutherland ay Liribol... then on to Crissaly in Strathbora where they started stealing cattle but a Sutherland party intervened... The night before the massacre was committed, the Caithness host encamped on the north side of the river Helmsdale opposite to Liribol ... Ross’s view ‘Annals’ Lord Caithness sent James Sinclair of Murkle with a strong party into Sutherland to lay it waste. The tribe of Clan Gunn in Strathully hastened to Strathbora, wher they supported Sutherland at Crissaly...
· In 1590 the same Earl of Caithness came with atsrong party into into Sutherland and penetrated as far sa Backies, near Dunrobin Castle .. they went raiding... got as far back as Kintradwell before people got organised to attack them...500 men headed by Murray of Abercross fought them near Clyne... Sutherlands finally prevailed and conquered ... Night put an end to it... Sutherlands took themselves to a wood where they waited toil daylight then wrested the enemy’s spoils... Ross biew... The Caithnessians fled that night to Caithness... slain on both sides included Murray of Abercross and 16 of the Sutherlanders with Nicholas Sutherland of Forse, Angus M’Tormat and 13 Caithnessians... many wounded and missing included John Gorodon of Kilcolmkil and a brother of William Murray of Pulrossie among the last...
· Retelling of Lord Sutherland family fleeing to Loch Brora on the island story ... dam the Loch... Sutherland’s lot escape at night... Caithnessians have a big party... the 18 men who accompanied the family to the island went into their boat with lots of arrows and discharged them... then ewnt straight to the dam and breached it with their boat... the noise of the dam breaking and the arrows scared the Caithnessians who fled...they thought it was the Gunns returned again to Sutherland... Others ay the Gunns did arrive at Loch Brora to help... Others say Lord Sutherland had sent to them to come from Gelenelg...but that thye arrived a day later than the enemy supposed... since that period they have been allowed to live in Sutherland...Gunns get appellation ‘lifeguards / bosom-friends of the family of Sutherland...
· Robert Gun Achanakin affirms Gunns have lived in Caithness and Sutherland for over 400 years
· LINEAL DESCENT FROM THE CORONER. The Coroner’s eldest son James was succeeded by Big William, John, Alexander, Donald, Alexander, William, William , Morison, nine lineal descendants.
· His 2nd son Robert was succeeded by John, Alexander, John, George, Janet. She espoused to Rev. John Munro Halkirk. Their sons were John. George and David Munro who also have their mother’s surname. George became Sir George Gunn Munro of Poyntzfield and Braemore, to whom his nephews William George and Colonel Innes, the two sons of his brother, succeeded Colonel Innes having issue, altogether nine collateral descendants of Robert, son of the coroner. John Gunn Munro designed of Braemore and Poyntzfield. (George Gunn Munro married an English lady called Mrs Points, a widow... knighted by being the nearest relative of Sir Henry Munro of Novar...by his marriage he bought Ardoch – later called Poyntzfield – no issue... His nephews William George Gunn Munro and Innes Munro succeeded... William died without issue... Innes succeeded and has issue... Having survived his son David he sold Braemore in 1793 to Sir Robert Anstruther... Some time after William Gunn succeeded to the estate...
· The coroner’s 3rd son John had lineal descent of William, Peter, Marcus, Alexander, Patrick, Big Marcus, John in Cattaig, James of Campster his youngest brother. John in Cattaig had 3 sons, Marcus in Dalemore, William in Achlipster, Murdoch in Cattaig, who had issue. Marcus had William and John in Dale, Murdoch ahd Marcus, William and John.
· The coroner’s 4th son Henry’s descendants are not known unless the Hendersons of Caithness dropped the surname Gunn (the normal story about James and Henry and Keith of Ackergill)
· WILLIAM GUNN THE LITTLE. ‘Other descendants are the line of William Gunn the Little, which is divided into two branches. The descent of the one is from Little William’s eldest son Donald the Scholar, who was succeeded by Adam, William, Adam, William Minister of Golspie. Robert minister of Latheron, is brother of Rev. William and has issue.
The other branch began with Little William’s second son William and went on Donald, William, Robert, William, John, David and Alexander. Three brothers Robert the son of John, David and Alexander have each of them issue. Ther are nine descendants of each branch
· Other descendants of the coroner are the line of ‘ClanvicHorish’; the line of George who had 3 sons Donald Robert and John. George was a brother of Alexander Gunn of Navidale and Killearnan. Donald’s line is Donald, Robert and Donald, who has issue. Robert’s line is John, Janet who married John Mackay and has issue. John the third son’s line is George, Hector, George Lieutenant of Marines... (this is a ‘Chief sort of’ line... worth noting now that the Chief can inherit through female lines I am in contact with one of the George Gunn of Rhives sister’s descendants, and I am aware that many female descendants of George Gunn went to the USA and I suspect could be found... see an earlier entry...)
· Further collateral ‘Clanvic-Horish’ (Macheorish); the line of George, next brother of Donald Gunn of Navidale and Killearnan, who had two sons, Alexander of Boroble and William of Achanow, son Alexander with line George and Robert brothers, son William with with line George, Thomas, Elizabeth, Alexander, William, James bombardier British artillery and Donald, two brothers...
· Further collateral branch Clanvic-Horish came from George, son of Donald of Killearnan, commonly called George Corrish with son George, whose sons were Donald and Alexander...
· The main line of the coroner, going back, was William and Morison of Badinloch, brothers; Donald and George of Killearnan, brothers; Alexander and George of Navidale and Killearnan brothers; John of Navidale; William and Little William brothers; William Cattahc; James the eldest son of Coroner Gunn
· The chieftains of the Caithness Robson Gunns of Braemore going back... Innes Munro, William Gunn Munro, 5th John and George Gunn Munro brothers, 4th Janet Gunn Munro (note female inheritance), 3rdGeorge Robson Gunn, 2nd John Robson Gunn 1st Robert 2nd son of the coroner... William Gunn Munro left a ‘natural’ son William Gunn Innes Munro has issue in succession to Sir George Munro of Poyntzfield
· Descendants of John 3rd son of the coroner and chieftain of the Gunns of Bregaul in Caithness were 9thMarcus and William and Murdoch, 8th John, 7th Big Marcus, 6th Patrick, 5th Alexander, 4th Marcus, 3rdpeter, 2nd William 1st John son of the coroner. From Marcus the 9th were sons Marcus and Donald from Murdoch the 9th step were Donald, William and John. From John Gunn the 8th are descended collaterally by his brother James of Campster, the Campster Gunns
· Hendersons ... Henry Gunn... Ackergill story again ...
· LITTLE WILLIAM LINE. Little William, brother of the third MacHamish, grandson of the coroner. They were descended into two families, those of Melbuie and Achnakin. From Little William descended Donald the scholar, from whom descended first the Mealbuies, Adam, William, Adam, William Adam, William and Rev. Robert; and second, the Achnakins William, Donald, William, Robert, William, Robert whose sons were John, David and Alexander; eight descendants of the Meaalbuies and seven of the Achanikins...
· 2nd collateral branch of Gunns were the descendants of George brother of Alexander of Navidale and Killearnan 5th M’Hamish. From George descended Donald, Robert and John, from Donald came John, from John came Donald, from John 2 Donald, from Donald, Robert Antotha and his son Donald.
· There were 5 descendants of Donald, eldest son of George Navidale. The descendants of Robert are Janet Gunn, widow of John Mackay Allanduin and James Gordon’s first wife, the smith once ar Borobol..
· Lieutenant Gunn, RN Assynt, is descended from Hector Gunn merchant Thurso the son son of John, the son of George of Navidale and Killearnan, four descendants
· George brother of Donald of Killearnan 6th M’Hamish had sons Alexander and William. Alexander’s sons were George and Robert. William the 2nd son had 6 sons and 2 daughters namely George, Thomas, Alexander, William, James, Donald, Christina and Elizabeth...
This is a useful column, even if it repeats itself a lot. It’s useful as it has lots of early Gunn genealogy and a bit of history.
KEY PHRASES / IDEAS / PEOPLE / PLACES
· Earl Alexander, Earl George... Adam Earl of Sutherland (Lord Aboyne)... Earl John of Caithness ... Helmsdale... Strath of Kildonan 1516... Mackays... the Earl of Sutherland experienced the treachery of Caithness repeatedly...
· In 1598 the Earl of Caithness sent James Sinclair of Murkle to invade Sutherlandshire... Kildonan... killed 42 tenants of Lord Sutherland ay Liribol... then on to Crissaly in Strathbora where they started stealing cattle but a Sutherland party intervened... The night before the massacre was committed, the Caithness host encamped on the north side of the river Helmsdale opposite to Liribol ... Ross’s view ‘Annals’ Lord Caithness sent James Sinclair of Murkle with a strong party into Sutherland to lay it waste. The tribe of Clan Gunn in Strathully hastened to Strathbora, wher they supported Sutherland at Crissaly...
· In 1590 the same Earl of Caithness came with atsrong party into into Sutherland and penetrated as far sa Backies, near Dunrobin Castle .. they went raiding... got as far back as Kintradwell before people got organised to attack them...500 men headed by Murray of Abercross fought them near Clyne... Sutherlands finally prevailed and conquered ... Night put an end to it... Sutherlands took themselves to a wood where they waited toil daylight then wrested the enemy’s spoils... Ross biew... The Caithnessians fled that night to Caithness... slain on both sides included Murray of Abercross and 16 of the Sutherlanders with Nicholas Sutherland of Forse, Angus M’Tormat and 13 Caithnessians... many wounded and missing included John Gorodon of Kilcolmkil and a brother of William Murray of Pulrossie among the last...
· Retelling of Lord Sutherland family fleeing to Loch Brora on the island story ... dam the Loch... Sutherland’s lot escape at night... Caithnessians have a big party... the 18 men who accompanied the family to the island went into their boat with lots of arrows and discharged them... then ewnt straight to the dam and breached it with their boat... the noise of the dam breaking and the arrows scared the Caithnessians who fled...they thought it was the Gunns returned again to Sutherland... Others ay the Gunns did arrive at Loch Brora to help... Others say Lord Sutherland had sent to them to come from Gelenelg...but that thye arrived a day later than the enemy supposed... since that period they have been allowed to live in Sutherland...Gunns get appellation ‘lifeguards / bosom-friends of the family of Sutherland...
· Robert Gun Achanakin affirms Gunns have lived in Caithness and Sutherland for over 400 years
· LINEAL DESCENT FROM THE CORONER. The Coroner’s eldest son James was succeeded by Big William, John, Alexander, Donald, Alexander, William, William , Morison, nine lineal descendants.
· His 2nd son Robert was succeeded by John, Alexander, John, George, Janet. She espoused to Rev. John Munro Halkirk. Their sons were John. George and David Munro who also have their mother’s surname. George became Sir George Gunn Munro of Poyntzfield and Braemore, to whom his nephews William George and Colonel Innes, the two sons of his brother, succeeded Colonel Innes having issue, altogether nine collateral descendants of Robert, son of the coroner. John Gunn Munro designed of Braemore and Poyntzfield. (George Gunn Munro married an English lady called Mrs Points, a widow... knighted by being the nearest relative of Sir Henry Munro of Novar...by his marriage he bought Ardoch – later called Poyntzfield – no issue... His nephews William George Gunn Munro and Innes Munro succeeded... William died without issue... Innes succeeded and has issue... Having survived his son David he sold Braemore in 1793 to Sir Robert Anstruther... Some time after William Gunn succeeded to the estate...
· The coroner’s 3rd son John had lineal descent of William, Peter, Marcus, Alexander, Patrick, Big Marcus, John in Cattaig, James of Campster his youngest brother. John in Cattaig had 3 sons, Marcus in Dalemore, William in Achlipster, Murdoch in Cattaig, who had issue. Marcus had William and John in Dale, Murdoch ahd Marcus, William and John.
· The coroner’s 4th son Henry’s descendants are not known unless the Hendersons of Caithness dropped the surname Gunn (the normal story about James and Henry and Keith of Ackergill)
· WILLIAM GUNN THE LITTLE. ‘Other descendants are the line of William Gunn the Little, which is divided into two branches. The descent of the one is from Little William’s eldest son Donald the Scholar, who was succeeded by Adam, William, Adam, William Minister of Golspie. Robert minister of Latheron, is brother of Rev. William and has issue.
The other branch began with Little William’s second son William and went on Donald, William, Robert, William, John, David and Alexander. Three brothers Robert the son of John, David and Alexander have each of them issue. Ther are nine descendants of each branch
· Other descendants of the coroner are the line of ‘ClanvicHorish’; the line of George who had 3 sons Donald Robert and John. George was a brother of Alexander Gunn of Navidale and Killearnan. Donald’s line is Donald, Robert and Donald, who has issue. Robert’s line is John, Janet who married John Mackay and has issue. John the third son’s line is George, Hector, George Lieutenant of Marines... (this is a ‘Chief sort of’ line... worth noting now that the Chief can inherit through female lines I am in contact with one of the George Gunn of Rhives sister’s descendants, and I am aware that many female descendants of George Gunn went to the USA and I suspect could be found... see an earlier entry...)
· Further collateral ‘Clanvic-Horish’ (Macheorish); the line of George, next brother of Donald Gunn of Navidale and Killearnan, who had two sons, Alexander of Boroble and William of Achanow, son Alexander with line George and Robert brothers, son William with with line George, Thomas, Elizabeth, Alexander, William, James bombardier British artillery and Donald, two brothers...
· Further collateral branch Clanvic-Horish came from George, son of Donald of Killearnan, commonly called George Corrish with son George, whose sons were Donald and Alexander...
· The main line of the coroner, going back, was William and Morison of Badinloch, brothers; Donald and George of Killearnan, brothers; Alexander and George of Navidale and Killearnan brothers; John of Navidale; William and Little William brothers; William Cattahc; James the eldest son of Coroner Gunn
· The chieftains of the Caithness Robson Gunns of Braemore going back... Innes Munro, William Gunn Munro, 5th John and George Gunn Munro brothers, 4th Janet Gunn Munro (note female inheritance), 3rdGeorge Robson Gunn, 2nd John Robson Gunn 1st Robert 2nd son of the coroner... William Gunn Munro left a ‘natural’ son William Gunn Innes Munro has issue in succession to Sir George Munro of Poyntzfield
· Descendants of John 3rd son of the coroner and chieftain of the Gunns of Bregaul in Caithness were 9thMarcus and William and Murdoch, 8th John, 7th Big Marcus, 6th Patrick, 5th Alexander, 4th Marcus, 3rdpeter, 2nd William 1st John son of the coroner. From Marcus the 9th were sons Marcus and Donald from Murdoch the 9th step were Donald, William and John. From John Gunn the 8th are descended collaterally by his brother James of Campster, the Campster Gunns
· Hendersons ... Henry Gunn... Ackergill story again ...
· LITTLE WILLIAM LINE. Little William, brother of the third MacHamish, grandson of the coroner. They were descended into two families, those of Melbuie and Achnakin. From Little William descended Donald the scholar, from whom descended first the Mealbuies, Adam, William, Adam, William Adam, William and Rev. Robert; and second, the Achnakins William, Donald, William, Robert, William, Robert whose sons were John, David and Alexander; eight descendants of the Meaalbuies and seven of the Achanikins...
· 2nd collateral branch of Gunns were the descendants of George brother of Alexander of Navidale and Killearnan 5th M’Hamish. From George descended Donald, Robert and John, from Donald came John, from John came Donald, from John 2 Donald, from Donald, Robert Antotha and his son Donald.
· There were 5 descendants of Donald, eldest son of George Navidale. The descendants of Robert are Janet Gunn, widow of John Mackay Allanduin and James Gordon’s first wife, the smith once ar Borobol..
· Lieutenant Gunn, RN Assynt, is descended from Hector Gunn merchant Thurso the son son of John, the son of George of Navidale and Killearnan, four descendants
· George brother of Donald of Killearnan 6th M’Hamish had sons Alexander and William. Alexander’s sons were George and Robert. William the 2nd son had 6 sons and 2 daughters namely George, Thomas, Alexander, William, James, Donald, Christina and Elizabeth...