Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-05
INTERESTING HISTORY,
Secretary Dan Lamont Comes From q Great
Historic Clan Of Scotland.


Secretary Dan Lamont Comes From Great
Historic Clan Of Scotland.
From The scottish-Amsricsn.
Col Lamont's name properlv prooonneed
simply suggests what il Is. that OF one of the
Oldest clans in the Highlands Of Scotland. The
Lannon'S were lords Of Co~ai long before the
Campbells set their foot upon its sod. They
owned the soil when Alexander II raised Argyll
into sheriffdom in 1871. Although never as
any time very large one. the clan was we'll
represented among the hills and valleys Of
Cowal and the shores and cottages Of Butte
History relates that during the invasion of
Cowal BY the conquerins Campbers their leader
invited number Of gentlemen Of the clan
Lamont to banquet, and basely and with .
treschery scarcely psralleled in the annals of
Highland warfare, slew them in cold blood.
Although the great MacCallum Nor reigus in
Argyll, the chief OF the ancient family Of La
mont still holds his own. and amid the relics
OF former greatness supports the honor Of bis
clan. The name Of Lamont is perpetua,ed
among the geographical landmarks of the dis
trict Arid Lamont lie familiar to mariners as
the Null of Cantyre, and Butte has its Lamont
Point and its Kerry Lamont Lannon'S are
still to be found in Cowal and Butte as thick as
office-seekers' in the United States and there is
not the slightest danger Of their being mis-
taken. in the Highlands at all events, either for
Yankees or Frenchmen.
During the reign of terror which marked the
conquering march Of the more powerful Camp
bells. small party of Lannon'S, aided by a
daughter or niece Of the chieftain to whom
they were related, emigrated to the Island of
Viva, where they found friends among the
brave and warm-hearted inaccuracies. The
graves OF generations OF Viva Lannon'S are
still to be seen on the lonely Isle Of Gometra.
which NAV be called an annex Of Viva One of
the last of the Viva Lannon'S. Angus by name.
took up his abode early in life in the sacred Is
land OF Iona During the first part of the
present century he acted, under the patron
age of the Duke Of Argyll. as custodian of the
ruins During the queens visit to the High
lands IN lS4S he was pronounced bv Prince Al
bert the handsomest Highlander he had met.
and the graces Of his person were only sur,
passed by the courtilness Of his manners and
the elevated tone and culture of his mind. He
gas Gaelic poet Of q high order and as n
Celtic scholar versed in the Evolutionary lore O,
the Western Hebrides had few equals. He died
in 1856. aged about so years.
Col Lamont comes Of an old and honored
race OF Butte MacLaumars, and his ancestors
for many generations lie sleeping in the old
kirkyards of Fort Bannatyne and Rothesav
Lad any ignorant Sassenach or New York re-
porter dared to tell the coioners great-yreat-
grandfather that he was of French extraction.
and that his proper name was Lamont. the
perforated his iow-country stomach with his
skein-dhu and ordered his piper 10 play a
plbroch over his remains. The name is pro-
nounced by English-speaking Highlanders Lsb-
mont. with the accent on the first syllable,
Lammont or Lawman. The Gaelic name is
Macl-auman, pronounced Machk Leumau,
Ecu having a sound similar to that of the past
participle Of the French verb 'avoir"-to have.
The Lannon'S are said to have sprung from
the ancestors OF clan Rory, now extinct, the
great Somerlid and the more sanity Albanian.
This clan was classified by the late MIR. Skene
OF Edinburg. acknowledged to be the highest
authority upon clanships of his day, as first
among the Siol Quinn, descendants of Conn of
Q hundred battles. the most ancient family of
clans in the Highlands In the Siol Quinn
stood shoulder to shoulder the Mac Rows the
and the MacDougals Mr.. Skene
placed the Lannon'S in the third grand division. !
or family, that Of Siol Eachern. Siol Gilleyray
including the clans NeilI, Lachlan and Evan. |
holding second place. In the Sio Eachern were
but two clans-the Lannon'S and the Campbells |
OF Craignsh, originally MacEacherns. The |
Lannon'S in the brave DAYS of old were Mac /
Erachers. They took the surna ne OF Lamont |
from their ancestor Laumanus. grandson of
Duncan MacEracher. who granted the lands of
hilmore near Lochgilp. to the monks Of Paisley. /
Hence MacLaumsn, the son OF Lauman or Lau-
nanus.
Col. Lamont is the first of his clan to achieve |
Instruction and prominence in the United |
States, although others have acted well their
part In the battle of life. How far the possess
non OF so great and suggestive e front name /
IS Daniel may have had to do with it am not /
prepared to say. There is a good deal in a 1
name. On their native heath the Lannon'S are /
all Donalds and Hectors and Dugalds and Col !
ms and Fans and Anguses. That the American |
,hieftain OF the MacLaumanuses in the high \
position to which he has been called will u,,hod
he dignity and honor OF his clan goes without 4,
aging. Let him not forget that its badge is /,
ne crab apple, its crest a dagger and its motto |
Ne parcas nee spernas," which being literally /
means:
Never kick Tammany man when he is |
town."