Friday, February 18, 2011

Scottish Blood in my Family Tree

So I'm doodling around in ancestry.com as I like to do in the evenings, slowly working on my family tree. My Mom's side is a Dutch branch and my Dad's side are longtime Maryland-area settlers. So I'm tracing back my dad's side, and a lot of branches peter out.

Then I find James Murray (1665-1704), grandfather to the second wife, Mary Hanson, of my Revolutionary soldier ancestor Major Thomas Rutter (okay, bragging a bit, there).

James Murray was born in Scotland. He is the great grandfather of the wife of my 6th great grandfather. James came to this country sometime before 1676, apparently due to a political-religious dispute. I'll pin that down later.

Then I read this: "James was born 1665 in Tullebardine, Scotland. The LDS ancestral file lists his father as John Murray, the Marquess of Atholl, and his mother as Jane McClean. Both of these people were descended from the Kings and Queens of Scotland, England, and much of Europe. The Morays or Murrays, of Tullebardine, were one of the most powerful of the Highland families of Scotland."

Jesus. Do you mean to tell me there is royalty in my family history?!

So I keep digging. Suddenly the record becomes well documented, though we're going farther and farther into the past and all the other branches of my family tree have faded away.

Then I find SIR--yes, SIR William Tullibardine Murray (1535-1583). Dude's got a frickin' family CREST. THERE'S A BLOOMIN' SCOTTISH NOBLEMAN IN MY FAMILY TREE. Sir William Tullibardine Murray is the 6th great grandfather of the wife of my 6th great grandfather.

So I scamper to Wikipedia. Lo and behold. "The Dukes of Atholl belong to an ancient Scottish family. Sir William Murray of Castleton married Lady Margaret, daughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (see Earl of Atholl). Sir William was one of the many Scottish noblemen killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His son Sir William Murray lived at Tullibardine in Perthshire. The latter's grandson, Sir John Murray, was created Lord Murray of Tullibardine in 1604 and Lord Murray, Gask and Balquhidder and Earl of Tullibardine in 1606."

I'm the scruffiest, laziest, most slobular person I know...but...but...I have a tiny teeny drop of noble Scottish blood?

Good Christ.

No wonder I feel such affinity for Ypsilanti Scottish poet-farmer William Lambie--I am his brother in having (a bit of) Scottish blood!

I ain't saying this to be a braggy-pants. I also found a slaveowner in my ancestry, which was less then delightful.

Some Quakers, too, which was, in contrast, awesome. But JEEZ!

Lemme wrap my brain around this and do more research and I'll report additional exciting findings, as I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat. :D

3 comments:

  1. Double-checking the bloodline.

    Sir William was married to one Lady Agnes Graham. Their child was...

    John Murray (1550-1613), who married Catherine Drummond. Their child was...

    William Murray (1574-1628) who married Dorothea Stewart. Their child was...

    John Murray (1605-1642) who married Jean Campbell. Their child was...

    John Murray (1631-1703) who married Jane McClean. Their child was...

    James Murray (1665-1704) who married Jemima Morgan. Child:

    Keziah Murray (1688-1718) who married Jonathan Hanson. Child:

    Jonathan Hanson (1710-?) who married Sarah Spicer. Child:

    Mary Hanson (1739-1758) who married Major Thomas Rutter. Child:

    Thomas Jr. (1763-1817) who married Mary Polly Graybill. Child:

    Thomas Graybill Rutter (1790-1857) who married Louisa. Child:

    Philip G. Rutter (1826-1862) who married Aurora Johnson. Child:

    Charles Rutter, who married Sarah Winks. Child:

    Charles Edward Rutter (1882-1947) who married Clara Belle Kemp. Child:

    Mae Aurora Rutter, the grandmother I never met (1904-1954) who married Charles Benjamin Franklin Bien. Child:

    My dad.

    I'll be double-dog-dipped. There is in fact a bloodline.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ida De Namur (1073 - 1133)
    relationship to you: 23rd great grandmother of wife of 6th great grandfather

    Freskin LeFleming (1107 - 1172)
    Son of Ida

    William Freskin DeMoray (1139 - 1204)
    Son of Freskin

    William DeMoravia (1164 - 1195)
    Son of William Freskin

    John DeMoravia (1190 - 1225)
    Son of William

    Malcolm Moray Murray (1220 - 1280)
    Son of John

    William Murray (1255 - 1297)
    Son of Malcolm Moray

    Andrew Murray (1284 - 1332)
    Son of William

    William Murray (1279 - 1352)
    Son of Andrew

    John MURRAY (1327 - 1358)
    Son of William

    Walter--= Murray (1335 - 1390)
    Son of John

    Sir David Murray Tullibardine (1359 - 1446)
    Son of Walter--=

    Sir David Murray, Earl of Tullibardine (1400 - 1452)
    Son of Sir David

    Sir William Murray Tullibardine (1432 - 1459)
    Son of Sir David

    Sir William Murray Tallibardine (1441 - 1525)
    Son of Sir William

    Sir William Murray Castleton (1470 - 1513)
    Son of Sir William

    Sir William Murray Montrose (1495 - 1562)
    Son of Sir William

    SIR WILLIAM Tullibardine MURRAY (1535 - 1583)
    Son of Sir William

    John Tullibardine Murray (1550 - 1613)
    Son of SIR WILLIAM Tullibardine

    William Murray (1574 - 1628)
    Son of John Tullibardine

    John Murray (1605 - 1642)
    Son of William

    John Murray (1631 - 1703)
    Son of John

    James Murray (1665 - 1704)
    Son of John

    Keziah Murray (1688 - 1718)
    Daughter of James

    Jonathan Hanson (1710 - )
    Son of Keziah

    Mary Hanson (1739 - 1758)
    Daughter of Jonathan

    Thomas E (Major) Rutter (1732 - 1807)
    Husband of Mary

    Thomas, Jr. Rutter (1763 - 1817)
    Son of Thomas E (Major)

    Thomas Graybill Rutter (1790 - 1857)
    Son of Thomas, Jr.

    Philip G. Rutter (1826 - 1862)
    Son of Thomas Graybill

    Charles Waggaman Rutter (1857 - 1887)
    Son of Philip G.

    Charles Edward Rutter (1882 - 1947)
    Son of Charles Waggaman

    Mae Aurora Rutter (1904 - 1954)
    Daughter of Charles Edward

    Carl Edward Bien (1927 - )
    Son of Mae Aurora

    Laura Bien

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey!

    So we are distantly related I think (your great-something grandmother Keziah was the sister of my great-something grandmother Zipporah Murray). I'd be really interested to see what you find. I am new to researching this side of my family, and ran across a tree on ancestry.com that has their (Zipporah's and Keziah's) ancestry traced backed generation after generation on virtually every side of their family. I have no idea if the research is valid or not, but I have had a great time starting with the oldest generations and going backwards trying to find proof of the connections. Several lines trace back to a king or queen, and since they all intermarried back then, there are relations to many of the English and Scottish monarchs. The only snag that I found so far on a very brief internet search is that on peerage.com they list a different wife for John Murray than Jane McClean. Other websites and sources name Jane as his wife, however, so I have no idea. Anyways, email me at lmitts@gmail.com and I'll give you the name of the tree. I don't want to post it and have people start checking it out and harassing the person if they think something is wrong on it. :) Talk to you soon! Lindsey

    ReplyDelete