Descendents of Flora Macdonald

ihenderson73 · Post by **ihenderson73** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:19 am

Hi there

I am in the process of researching a family legend which says that my family is directly descended from Flora Macdonald. I'm very sceptical about the whole thing, particularly since this was apparently proved in the 1920's by my long-dead Great aunt.

I've managed to get my own family tree back to 1800 in Arran, and have now drawn a blank, so I thought I might try and research Flora's descendents.

It is my understanding that Flora and her husband Allan had seven children, but does anybody know of any resource available that could tell me what became of those seven children?

TIA

Ian

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:15 am

Hi Ian
Have you had a good Google? there may be some leads to follow from that, or even better, find out what books there are on the subject.

http://www.rampantscotland.com/famous/blfamflora.htm
Flora died at Kingsburgh on Skye in 1790

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_MacD ... acobite%29
Flora MacDonald had a large family of sons, who mostly entered the army or navy, and two daughters. She died at Kingsburgh on the Isle of Skye in 1790, at the age of 68. There is a statue to her memory in Inverness, Scotland.
Decendants
Flora Macdonald has descendants in many families, including the Shields family into the Harrell Family, in which is currently her youngest reported descendant.

http://home.att.net/~hbridges/jasmcd.htm
I've not looked at the above one too carefullly, but Flora seems to get a mention.

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **Liz Turner** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:00 pm

Hi Ian

I've been reading up a bit on Scottish history and in particular two books by James Hunter. One of these:- A Dance Called America, shows clearly that Flora and her husband Allan MacDonald, emigrated for a period to North Carolina from Skye. They obviously had some money (estimated that Allan MacDonald took assets of around £1,000 with him to America) because they purchased an existing plantation and house. They "moved their children and eight servants plus the furniture, books and other possessions they had been able to transport from their home near Loch Snizort". If you are interested in the book, the ISBN number is 1-85158-8070-8.

They arrived in the Cape Fear area of North Carolina just as the demands for independence from Britain were reaching a peak in the mid 1770s. According to this book, Allan MacDonald offered his services to the crown rather than to the "rebels". Some time after the revolution, Allan and Flora MacDonald returned to Scotland. I'd certainly recommend the book A Dance Called America, which gives some really good insights into the reasons why tens of thousands of Scots left home for the new world.

Liz

ihenderson73 · Post by **ihenderson73** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:58 pm

When I visited the family mausoleum of Flora Macdonald, on the Isle Of Skye, I transcribed the text from the monument there:

"In the family mausoleum at Kilmuir lie interred the remains of the following members of the Kingsburgh family viz. Alexander Macondlad of Kingsburgh, his son Allan his Sons Charles and James, his Son John and two daughters and of Flora Macdonald who died in March 1790 aged 68 - "A name that will be mentioned in history and if courage and fidelity be virtues mentioned with honour she is a woman of middle stature soft features gentle manners and elegant presence" so wrote Johnson.
Such was the inscription of a marble slab erected over this burial place by Colonel John Macdonald FRS of Exeter who died 16 August 183, youngest and most distinguished son of Flora and Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh every fragment of this memorial has been carried away by tourists.
In grateful memory these words are now restored by Major Reginald Hendry Macdonald OBE (Retired) a great-great grandson of Allan and Flora 1955"

From this, I am taking it to mean that Flora and Allan's children were called Charles, James, John and two (un-known) daughters. John was the youngest and died in 1831. The Reginald Macdonald who erected the replacement memorial may have been the great grandson of Colonel John.

Does anyone know any more?

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:01 am

Hello Ian,

There’s some information on Flora descendants spread over about 20 or more submissions to the WorldConnect site http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ They might be useful but you’ll probably have to tread warily.

The same applies to an Ancestral file and a Pedigree Resources File you may be able to get something useful from at familySearch. Just search the submission etc. http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/ ... _form=true

A Google search for "descendants of flora macdonald" only brings up about 10 results but there’s mention in those of early deaths of sons etc. and other people researching the same etc.

A search for her combined with other keywords in GoogleBooks http://www.google.com.au/books?hl=en in the “full view” versions will bring up some early material but not necessarily anything sufficiently specialised.

The same applies to “17th & 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers” and “British Newspapers 1600-1900” available via this link viewtopic.php?t=11449

If there’s no complete list out there it could be a case of putting fragments together but it should be an interesting exercise.

Hope this helps,
Alan