(The first 9 pages of the book)

 

CHRONICLES

 

OF THE

 

KIRKPATRICK  FAMILY

 

 

BY

ALEXANDER de LAPERE KIRKPATRICK

 

------------------------------------------------------------

Transcribed from a copy provided by the US Library of Congress

Edited and transcribed by John P. Kirkpatrick

For the same purpose cited by Alexander de LaPere Kirkpatrick, Genealogical Research

Transcription Copyright Ó 2001 John P. Kirkpatrick

Note:  Spelling and language conventions used at the time are preserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CETTE CHRONIQUE

 

DE  LA

 

FAMILLE  KIRKPATRICK

 

EST  RESPECTUEUSEMENT

 

DEDIEE  PAR  L’AUTEUR

 

A  SA  MAJESTE

 

L’IMPERATRICE  EUGENIE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRINTED BY

THOMAS MORING DE LA MORE PRESS

52 HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, W.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREFACE.

 

______

 

 

To cherish the memory of those who have gone before, should be to all a sacred duty, and a perusal of these simple annals may recall to our minds the virtues of past generations and the good they have done in their day ---

 

“Lives of great men all remind us,

We can make our lives sublime

And departing leave behind us,

Footprints in the sands of time.”

 

            Now it is always interesting and satisfactory to possess some authentic records of our forbears, and to this end I have collected from old Family Papers and Letters, fast falling into decay, from Dr. Clapperton’s MSS., 1784, kindly lent me by the Rev. W. R. Bedford, and from various other sources, many facts connected with the lives of past Kirkpatricks, which otherwise might ere long have been forgotten.

 

            These Chronicles have no claim to literary merit whatever, in fact the various documents, and authorities, are merely strung together and allowed to tell their own tale.

 

            Many of the Kirkpatricks, in years gone by, have brought honour to their country and kindred, and it is for the present and future generations to emulate them, remembering the while Ben Jonson’s lines ----

 

                                                                                           “Gentility

                                      Is but an airy and mere borrowed thing

                                    From dead men’s dust and bones and none of ours

                                    Unless we make or keep it” ----

 

ALEXANDER de LAPERE KIRKPATRICK

                                                                        Coolmine House, Clonsilla.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

_______

 

                                                                                                                        PAGE

PART I.   The Chronicles of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburne, and                       

                 Kirkmichael.                                                                                                9-14

                 William Kirkpatrick, Last Lord of Kirkmichael                                          14

                 William Kirkpatrick of Conheath                                                      15

                 William Kirkpatrick of Malaga                                                                15-16

 

PART II.  George Kirkpatrick of Knock, 1671-1738                                                  17

                 Alexander Kirkpatrick of Drumcondra and Coolmine, his

                Life, diary, 1714-1791                                                                              18-21

                Family Bible, Will -                                                                                    22-23

                Alexander Kirkpatrick of Coolmine, 1791-1818                                    23-26

               Alexander Kirkpatrick of Coolmine, 1796-1878                         27-28

               Alexander Kirkpatrick of Coolmine                                                               28

               Alexander Kirkpatrick of Drumcondra’s Children                                   29-30

               Francis Kirkpatrick of Rathmoon                                                 31-32

               William Kirkpatrick of Donacomper                                                         33-34

               The Children of Alexander Kirkpatrick and Marianne

                Sutton                                                                                                         35-36

               The Kirkpatricks of Canada                                                                      36-38

               The Children of Alexander Kirkpatrick and Mary Anne

               Rutherford                                                                                                   38-39

              George Brownly Kirkpatrick                                                                            40

 

PART III.  Pedigree of Sir James Kirkpatrick, Baronet, The House

                 Of Closeburne                                                                                          41-44

 

PART IV.  Pedigree of Her Imperial Majesty The Empress Eugenie           45

 

PART V.  Pedigree of Alexander Kirkpatrick, Esq., of Coolmine                46

 

PART VI.  Precis of Pedigree of the Rutherford Family                                47

 

PART VII.  Precis of Pedigree of the Robinson Family                            48-50

 

PART VIII.  Precis of Pedigree of the Alley Family                                                51-52

 

PEDIGREE                                                                                                                53-54

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE  CHRONICLES

OF  THE  KIRKPATRICK  FAMILY.

__________

 

PART I.

 

THE origin of the Kirkpatrick family is lost in the mists of by-gone centuries.  The ancient tradition of the first Lords of Closeburn had it they were descended from the giant Fin Mac-Cual, King of the Fians or Fenians, and son of Cumal.  Finn Mac-Cual is most vividly remembered in Irish Legends.  A great gap at Glendaklough is called the “giants-cut” to this day.  Under the waters of the lake he kept his treasure of gold, guarded by his Irish wolf-dog Bran, who killed an English diver who came to steal it.  Finn also fought a great battle at Ventry, which lasted three hundred and sixty-six days, in the end he killed all his enemies.

            Joyce’s History of Ireland says: --- “In the times of Cormac --- (King of Ireland) flourished the Fianna Militia, in the service of the monarch they were commanded by the renowned Finn Mac-Cual.”  Some accounts relate this hero lived before the flood; but it is probable he flourished in the 3rd century; legend says he was killed in battle, near the Boyne, A.D. 283.  his chief residence was on the hill of Allen, Co. Kildare.  Ossian, the renowned poet was his son, and he was Father of “Oscar, the brave, the gentle.”  His descendants, the tribe of Alsani, migrated to Scotland.  Perhaps it was some fierce chieftain of these who listening to the teaching of St. Patrick about A.D. 390, took the name of “Cella Patricii,” the Church or Cell (the churches being in those days very small) of Patrick, to commemorate his acceptance of the true faith, when he renounced the false gods of his kindred.

            Nisbett relates how “the Kirkpatrick’s held lands in Nithsdale and Galloway in the Ninth Century,” certainly the name is the prefix of four parishes in Scotland.  Then we hear of the powerful Lord Cospatic in Cumberland, who after the fatal day of Hastings, A.D. 1066, received the fugitive Edgar Atheling, the Saxon heir to the English Crown, kindly, and gave him shelter, a deed of mercy for which he was rewarded by a grant of lands from Malcom III.

            William the Conqueror’s victory brought a host of his supporters and friends into England, and to strengthen his dynasty he gave them the sequestered estates of the Saxon Lords.  Amongst those who were thus rewarded were --- Robert de Bruis, jardine, Pierre de Bailleul, Comyne, Le Sieur de jeansville, Le Seigneur de Fescamps, all mentioned by the Norman Chronicler.  The three first were given lands in the North of England; Cumberland and Lowthian being claimed by both English and Scots at that time.  As Mr. C. L. Johnstone in his interesting work, “The Historical Families of Dumfrieshire, and the Border Wars,” remarks: ---

            “Here the Norman settlers intermarried with the Maxwell’s, Murray’s,

              “ Carlyle’s, Kirkpatrick’s, Graham’s, Fergusson’s, and other families in

              “ Annandale, who aftger Cumberland finally became English, formed an

              “ efficient barrier against any encroachment from the South.”

 

            Jardine writes: ----“The Kirkpatrick’s are a Celtic family, found very early in Scottish History and like the Jardines have required no other title than ‘Chevalier’ to give luster to an ancient name.”

            However the first of “that principal family” as Nisbitt styles it, on authentic record is *Yvone Kirkpatrick who flourished during the reign of King David I., proving the rights of fishing to the Monks of Abbeyholm.  There is no date to this document, but the said Robert died A.D. 1141.

            The friendship between the Bruce’s and Kirkpatrick’s can be clearly traced for more than two centuries, through the stormy vicissitudes of Scotland’s History.

            The second Yvone de Kirkpatrick’s second wife was the Lady Euphemia Bruce, daughter of Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale.  Yvone got a confirmation charter of the estate of Closeburne (Cella Osburni), which formerly belonged to his forbears from King Alexandeer II., this charter is dated 12 August, A.D. 1232.

            In Dr. Clapperton’s MSS. Dated A.D. 1784, he remarks that this Yvone lived to a great age, and notes his friendship with the King, and Bruce.

            There are no records of Adam, Lord of Closeburne, but Stephen, Lord of Closeburne in the Chartulary of Kelso is styled “Stephanus dominus Villae de Closeburni, filius et haeres, A de, de Kirkpatrick.”

            In the “Ragman’s Roll” amongst those mentioned as having in A.D. 1296 sworn fealty to Edward I are Stephen de Kirkpatrick, and Roger de Kirkpatrick, the latter is supposed to be of the Torthorwald branch of the family ---- Stephen second son, Duncan married in A.D. 1280, Isobel, the daughter and heiress of Sir David Carlyle of Torthorwald, who owned estates also in Anandale and Kirkpatrick-Fleming, she brought him the lands of Torthorwald as her dowry.

            Duncan is mentioned by Blind Harry the ministrel, in the following lines

 

                        “Kirkpatrick that cruel was and Keyne”

                        “In Isdail wood, that yer had been”

                        “With Englishmen he could not weill accord”

                        “Of Torthorwald he baron was and Lord,”

                        “Of Keyne he was to Wallace mody near.”

 

This last line shows a kinship with that great patriot who was basely executed in London, 23rd August 1305, by order of King Edward I.

            Duncan and Isobel had a son, Umfray, Whose son Robert was taken prisoner in the battle of Dupplim, 1333.

            Dr. Clapperton, says the Kirkpatrick’s of Kirkmichael, “had an undoubted write to quarter the arms of Thorthorwald since they married the heiress of that estate,” however, I can find no record of this marriage.

            These arms were “a saltier and chief gules, the last charged with three “besants of the zivet.”

            This was cut, he writes, on a stone brought from the old castle of Torthorwald and built into the east gable of the Miller’s House, near it.

            In A.D. 1249, we find a Humfrey de Kirkpatrick was a witness to a grant of lands and advowson of Ecclefechan to Sir Robert Burce and his heirs.

            The father of the great Bruce seems to have been English in his sympathies, for he had fought with Edward I. in the Holy Land, and it is possible some of  the family  went with  Richard I.

--------------------------------------------

* i.e. Ewen; one of the Kings of the Picts was Eogan, the same name.