Who's your ancestor? (And does it matter?)

I am a direct ancestor if Edward Cuthbert, Cuthberts of Castle Hill, Scotland. James Cuthbert landed in South Carolina in 1737. My great....greandfather lived in the Cuthbert home until the war. I love learning all the things about the time period no matter what family. However, I really do love reading about my direct ancestors stories and history. My family was lucky and we have things from our Civil War home in Beaufort. It makes reasearching and reading stories online feel more real when I have the portrait of my ancestors eyes staring right at me. For me, knowing who my ancestor is helps reading the battles and all the stories easier to follow because of certain names.
Welcome @Smalls347 !

I agree with everything you said !
My Dad's family linage is also Scottish.

However, I caution you not to focus on specific family names.
While normal misspelling over the centuries are the most common, it may be more involved.

For example, my paternal family name in America is spelled Magee, Macghee, Megee, Mackay, Macgee, ect.
Actually we are MacGregors.

It's a long story, but we fought with the royalists against Oliver Cromwell and we lost.
Thus the name MacGregor was once again banned in Scotland for a long time.
But that's for a different forum.

After those times, we sailed over to the Virginia colony and settled in the New World during the 1600's,
( but we still had to hide the name MacGregor for a few years).

:frown:
 
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Welcome @Smalls347 !

I agree with everything you said !
My Dad's family linage is also Scottish.

However, I caution you not to focus on specific family names.
While normal misspelling over the centuries is the most common, it may be more involved.

For example, my paternal family name in America is spelled Magee, Macghee, Megee, Mackay, Macgee, ect.
Actually we are MacGregors.

It's a long story, but we fought with the royalists against Oliver Cromwell and we lost.
Thus the name MacGregor was banned in Scotland for a long time.
But that's for a different forum.

After those times, we sailed over to the Virginia colony and settled in the New World during the 1600's.


:smoke:
Good advice!

You know who else was a MacGregor? Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg--how's that for a surname spelling change?

But--hoot mon!-- the name "MacGregor" was banned on 3 April 1603--before the English Civil War. Rob Roy died in 1734, long afterwards.
 
Good advice!

You know who else was a MacGregor? Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg--how's that for a surname spelling change?

But--hoot mon!-- the name "MacGregor" was banned on 3 April 1603--before the English Civil War. Rob Roy died in 1734, long afterwards.
Very true.

The first time the MacGregor name was banned by "proscription" was over 100 plus years before Rob Roy was born.
Originally, everything goes back to some MacGregors killing a deer for food on Clan Campbell land (which had been once MacGegor land, until " Robert the Bruce" sided with Clan Campbell and gave it to them if they could take it.

That started a chain of events that had it's roots in Highland Clan Wars dating back to the medieval era.

The MacGregor name was restored for a while until the English Civil War and Cromwell.

Our outlaw cousin, Rob Roy was born waaaay after the original MacGregor/Campbell battles.

But again, this is not the forum to discuss Scottish Highland Clan disputes.
( However, I do enjoy discussing that history. Send me a PM if you would like to continue the discussion)

You know who else was a MacGregor? Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg--how's that for a surname spelling change?

Gawd yes !

Such a drastic name change within the MacGregor family was quite common.
They changed their names to anything that would help them survive.
DNA testing is just now starting to sort MacGregor bloodlines.
:smoke:
 
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One of my direct ancestors is Thomas Mackgehee (1645-1727) who was born in Scotland. He was forced to change his name due to the edict against the MacGregors. He emigrated to Virginia with his father Patrick McGregor who was a Scottish chieftain who supported King Charles during the Puritan Revolution and was forced to leave to avoid further persecution. Thomas MackGehee signed his will Thomas MacGregor Mackgehee but later generations kept the Mackgehee name change altering the spelling to today's McGehee. Legend and family lore has it that Patrick McGregor is a direct descendant of King Duncan of Scotland who was killed in Shakespeare's historical tragedy Macbeth.
 
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Welcome @Smalls347 !

I agree with everything you said !
My Dad's family linage is also Scottish.

However, I caution you not to focus on specific family names.
While normal misspelling over the centuries are the most common, it may be more involved.

For example, my paternal family name in America is spelled Magee, Macghee, Megee, Mackay, Macgee, ect.
Actually we are MacGregors.

It's a long story, but we fought with the royalists against Oliver Cromwell and we lost.
Thus the name MacGregor was once again banned in Scotland for a long time.
But that's for a different forum.

After those times, we sailed over to the Virginia colony and settled in the New World during the 1600's,
( but we still had to hide the name MacGregor for a few years).

:frown:
I am a direct descendant of the McGehee family you are speaking of in your post. My McGehee line begins with Thomas Mackgehee (1645-1727) who emigrated to Virginia with his father Patrick McGregor. If our research is correct we are distant cousins then. Welcome to the family!
 
My GGGrandfather, Joseph Piner was a private in the 3rd North Carolina and fought at Antietam. His regiment was one of many that entered and fought in Miller's Cornfield. He was wounded at Antietam but not sure when. His North Carolina pension forms lists September 18 as date he was wounded. Not sure if that is correct or not but it doesn't matter when just that he was. Will visit the battlefield this weekend and see Miller's Cornfield.
Regards
David

1633567778805.png
 
One of my direct ancestors is Thomas Mackgehee (1645-1727) who was born in Scotland. He was forced to change his name due to the edict against the MacGregors. He emigrated to Virginia with his father Patrick McGregor who was a Scottish chieftain who supported King Charles during the Puritan Revolution and was forced to leave to avoid further persecution. Thomas MacGehee signed his will Thomas MacGregor Mackgehee but later generations kept the Mackgehee name change altering the spelling to today's McGehee. Legend and family lore has it that Patrick McGregor is a direct descendant of King Duncan of Scotland who was killed in Shakespeare's historical tragedy Macbeth.

Well my friend, we are cousins.

Thomas Mackgehee is our mutual ancestor !

The latest DNA results are starting to strongly suggest Thomas' original name was James MacGegor.
( A son of Patrick MacGregor)
This matches with so many old family bibles from Virginia to Texas.

My branch left Virginia and moved into the North Carolina Colony during the 1700's.
Duplin and Sampson counties to be exact.

It's hard to follow the "trajectory" of all of them.

After the American Revolution, they scattered all over the place.

:bounce:

My branch ended-up in the new Mississippi & Louisiana territories .
The rest moved on to Texas.

Thomas MacGehee signed his will

If we're thinking about the same last will & testament, that is a fascinating document !
 
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Well my friend, we are cousins.

Thomas Mackgehee is our mutual ancestor !

The latest DNA results are starting to strongly suggest Thomas' original name was James MacGegor.
( A son of Patrick MacGregor)
This matches with so many old family bibles from Virginia to Texas.

My branch left Virginia and moved to the North Carolina Colony during the 1700's.
Duplin and Sampson counties to be exact.

It's hard to follow the "trajectory" of all of them.

After the American Revolution, they scattered all over the place.

:bounce:

My branch ended-up in the new Mississippi & Louisiana territories .


The rest moved on to Texas.




If we're thinking about the same last will & testament, that is a fascinating document !






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_MacAlpin
My branch of the McGehees moved to Prince Edward County and stayed there for at least a couple of generations. Jacob McGehee, one of Thomas MackGehee's sons moved there where he started his family where they stayed for at least a couple of generations.
One of his daughters named Eleanor married into the Carters who lived there and eventually one of my direct Civil War ancestors
Captain James Peyton Glenn of the 18th Virginia Infantry married a lady after the war named Salathiel Carter. The Glenns have a interesting Scottish family heritage. Family lore and legend lay claim to Robert Bruce as one of their ancestors and the Glenns lived at Stirling in Scotland where William Wallace one one of his greatest victories at the battle of Stirling Bridge.
 
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Of course it matters. If it didn't, the question wouldn't be asked.

My grandfather told me the civil war stories his father had told him about when he was in The War. My son has told the same stories in his National Guard unit. I have my great-grandfather's photograph on the wall, from 2 years before he died, proudly displaying his UCV badge.

It "doesn't matter" when you bought a photo on ebay and tell stories you read in some published diary.
 
I thought I might eventually trace my ancestor and find one who fought in the British Civil War.

Don't give up !

Although I don't think there's a "fold three" type of database for the English Civil War, it amazing what one kind find when searching
"in depth" within one's family history.

The entire history of the British Isles ( including the separate histories of England, Ireland, Scotland ) are so danm complex and convoluted that I've never understood how the many distinguished UK historians can even sort everything out !

:biggrin:
 
Don't give up !

Although I don't think there's a "fold three" type of database for the English Civil War, it amazing what one kind find when searching
"in depth" within one's family history.

The entire history of the British Isles ( including the separate histories of England, Ireland, Scotland ) are so danm complex and convoluted that I've never understood how the many distinguished UK historians can even sort everything out !

:biggrin:
They have a range of genealogical sites just as we do--also genealogical societies and library collections. They network more than we do which helps also. I don't do British genealogy but the site I hear a lot about is Find My Past (subscription). There is a free site called Free BMD ("BMD" means births, marriages [and] deaths). Another free site (very useful) is GenUKI; I think that it is part of the international genweb project. I don't have any of these sites bookmarked but you can google your way into them.

Yes--there is something equivalent to Fold 3. I used to get advertisements from it but, as I never used it, they gave up on me. I can't recall the name but I'm going to search for it.
 
They have a range of genealogical sites just as we do--also genealogical societies and library collections. They network more than we do which helps also. I don't do British genealogy but the site I hear a lot about is Find My Past (subscription). There is a free site called Free BMD ("BMD" means births, marriages [and] deaths). Another free site (very useful) is GenUKI; I think that it is part of the international genweb project. I don't have any of these sites bookmarked but you can google your way into them.
Thanks.

I was not aware of such sites.

I will try to find these sites!
 
Yes--there is something equivalent to Fold 3. I used to get advertisements from it but, as I never used it, they gave up on me. I can't recall the name but I'm going to search for it.
I can't find that site right off--HOWEVER, googling <british military records> brings up more than I knew of. Also, there's a summary that states that Find My Past has a terrific collection (caveat: it is Find My Past that says so!).
 
I thought I might eventually trace my ancestor and find one who fought in the British Civil War. At least two branches of my grandparents arrived here before you chaps had your scuffle.
We’ve had so many civil wars in Britain that most people with Brit ancestors would likely have some connection to a ‘scuffle’, I actually like your description, ‘scuffle’…the scuffle of the Roses or the English civil scuffle’. It’s actually quite a sensible sounding British type of description, how about a quick scuffle followed by tea and biscuits.
 
They have a range of genealogical sites just as we do--also genealogical societies and library collections. They network more than we do
Gawd yes !

The UK "wrote all the books" on genealogical research !
We have only 245 years of history, they have over 2000 years .

I should have been clearer, I was referring to a specific site about the English Civil War.
(Cromwell v. the Royalists).

But thanks again for the links.

As I'm sure you know, the English Civil War was not confined to just England.

Forgot to add, I can't even keep up with the current Royal Family's offspring.
I guess Queen Elizabeth has a Royal recorder to help sort out her Great Grand kids as well.

:smile coffee:
 
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The UK "wrote all the books" on genealogical research !
I don't know--but I'll bet that they didn't. What is important is not the length of a country's history but the time for which it followed organized research. At a guess, I'd suspect that goes to countries in which land ownership was tied into family relationships (such as Scandinavia). Both the Dutch and the Spanish have long ties with the study.

The earliest British group that I know of is the Society of Cymmrodorion (Welsh, founded 1751--and that's less than 100 years before the earliest American Society). But there could be earlier ones (as I said, I don't do British genealogy).

Then there are several wonderful scenes from the ancient Greeks (the Iliad comes to mind) in which opposing warriors paused in their struggle to compare genealogies. Now that's BC!
 
I don't know--but I'll bet that they didn't. What is important is not the length of a country's history but the time for which it followed organized research. At a guess, I'd suspect that goes to countries in which land ownership was tied into family relationships (such as Scandinavia). Both the Dutch and the Spanish have long ties with the study.

The earliest British group that I know of is the Society of Cymmrodorion (Welsh, founded 1751--and that's less than 100 years before the earliest American Society). But there could be earlier ones (as I said, I don't do British genealogy).

Then there are several wonderful scenes from the ancient Greeks (the Iliad comes to mind) in which opposing warriors paused in their struggle to compare genealogies. Now that's BC!
You understand this topic "Waaaaay better" than I ever will !

I was only taking about the English Civil War.

The Vikings or ancient Greeks never entered my mind.
 
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