[Revised entry to appear in the 5th edition of Volume 9]
KENNEDY
of LEANACHAN
The date and circumstances of the settlement of those of the surname Kennedy in the Lochaber district is the subject of various long-standing traditions. All concur that they descended from an Ulrich Kennedy but whereas one tale narrates that he fled his native Ayrshire to evade capture for various crimes in the 16th century, another recounts his having been one of the warriors of the Fionna who was forced to flee Ireland for Lochaber some time in the 9th century. A further legend records that there having been a marriage between a daughter of Kennedy of Dunure and a Campbell of Argyll, the Chief of the Kennedies placed clansmen nearby to ensure the safety of the bride. Tradition also asserts that those Kennedies acquired the lands of Lionachan or Leanachan “in return for the aid of their swords in the ways of the Keppoch chiefs” but there is no evidence for any that. Instead, the first to appear in extant records were Duncan Kennedy, eldest lawful son Hugh Kennedy of Leanachan beg,[1] who was infeft in the lands of Leanachan beg upon wadset charter to him by the Marquess of Argyll on 20 February 1659, and Angus Kennedy of Leanachan mor who, upon a second wadset charter bearing that same date, was infeft in the lands of Leanachan mor and half of the lands of Auchnaschiane, to which infeftments John Kennedy in Leanachan mor and Finlay Kennedy in Leanachan beg were witnesses.[2] Although a degree of kinship existed between all of those persons, the precise relationship between them cannot be determined, however, further evidence proves Angus Kennedy of Leannachan mor to have been senior amongst them and was generally regarded as their Chief. He was ordered on 2 September 1669, to present himself before the Privy Council in Edinburgh as a Highland landlord and give a bond of assurance for the good behaviour of his kinsmen and all of those under him. That was repeated on 18 July 1672, when Aeneas, Lord MacDonald, was ordered to exhibit him in Edinburgh for that purpose, which was undertaken on 15 August following.[3] He was included as one of the “heades and branches of families” who was summoned on 10 October 1678, to “come to Innerlochy and give band to the commissioners of Councell betwixt and the twenty day of November next”[4] and in that same capacity he was ordered in 1681, to appear before the Privy Council in Edinburgh annually on the second Thursday of July.[5] He died before October 1683 and was father of,
Neil Kennedy of Leanachan mor, succeeded his father and is named in a decreet obtained by James, Earl of Perth, on 25 October 1683, against certain of his tenants for spoilation.[6] He was included with Coll MacDonnell of Keppoch, Martin MacMartin of Letterfinlay and others in a complaint to the Privy Council on 28 August 1684, as persons who “daily infest, trouble and molest the peace of the Highlands and particularly the lands and dwellings of the Laird of McIntosh, by daily incurions thereon and committing thefts and depredations.”[7] He married Isobel, daughter of Donald gorm MacDonald, 1st of Clianaig, and from him descended :
Angus Kennedy of Leanachan, was born in 1763 and married on 26 February 1803, to Grace Cameron,[8] (she survived him and died on 9 March 1853 aged eighty-three[9]). He died at Leanachan, on 4 September 1839, aged seventy-six,[10] and had issue;
- John Kennedy of Leanachan, baptised on 29 January 1804, and succeeded his father at Leanachan in 1839. He died s.p.there on 3 July 1850.[11]
- Kenneth Kennedy of Leanachan, born at Leanachan, on 8 September 1805, and succeeded his brother at Leanachan in 1850. He died unmarried, at Ardencraig, Bute, on 12 April 1859.[12]
- Donald Kennedy, baptised on 22 December 1808 and settled at Melbourne, Australia. He married a daughter of Captain Shannon, and died s.p. at Melbourne, on 29 February 1864.[13]
- William Kennedy, baptised on 23 July 1810 and, following his studies at the University of Glasgow, he became a physician in Fort William. He married at Camuiskie, on 27 February 1838, to Isabella, eldest daughter of Captain William Cameron, 79th Highlanders,[14] and died s.p. at Fort William, on 12 February 1851, during an outbreak of Typhus.[15]
- Duncan Cameron Kennedy of Leanachan, (see below).
- Margaret Kennedy, born on 19 October 1814 and married at Leanachan, on 10 July 1849, to Ewen Cameron, surgeon at Druimnasalle.[16]
Duncan Cameron Kennedy of Leanachan, born on 15 November 1815 and married at Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, in March 1855, to his sister-in-law, Jemima, youngest daughter of Captain William Cameron of Camisky,[17] (she was born on 27 December 1827 and died at Glenstriven House, on 18 December 1863[18]). He died at South Kensington, on 3 November 1888,[19] and was father of,
- Grace Cameron Kennedy, born on 7 March 1856.
- Wilhelmina Jane Kennedy, born on 2 May 1858 and died at Bedford, on 17 March 1929.[20]
- Angusina Joanna Kennedy, born in 1860 and died at Torquay, on 21 April 1909.[21]
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[1] Duncan Kennedy was succeeded at Leanachan beg by Alexander Kenndey who was in possession of those lands by 1695 [RD4/79/1005].
[2] Argyll Sasines, Second Series, Vol. 17, ff. 287 & 289.
[3] RPC Third Series, Vol. 3, pp. 73, 553 and 564.
[4] RPC Third Series, Vol. 6, p. 43.
[5] RPC Third Series, Vol. 7, p. 82.
[6] RPC Third Series, Vol. 8, p. 580.
[7] RPC Third Series, Vol. 9, p. 132.
[8] OPR – Kilmonivaig.
[9] Blairour Inscriptions.
[10] Blairour Inscriptions.
[11] Blairour Inscriptions.
[12] Blairour Inscriptions.
[13] Edinburgh Evening Courant, 4th June 1864 edition.
[14] Inverness Courier, 7th March 1838 edition.
[15] Blairour Inscriptions.
[16] Inverness Courier, 19th July 1849 edition. She is then styled the only daughter of the late Angus Kennedy.
[17] Greenock Advertiser, 9th March 1855 edition.
[18] Greenock Advertiser, 26th December 1863 edition.
[19] Blairour Inscriptions. See also: Inverness Courier, 20th November 1888 edition.
[20] Blairour Inscriptions.
[21] Inverness Courier, 27th April 1909 edition.