The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-18

very best thanks for the loan or the 'life
Of William Mckinley" president of the
United States? We have read 1t through
and found 1t most interesting. Mr. Nc
Kinley Is a worthy subject for a biog-
raphy, and Mr.. Robert r. Porter has done
justice to his subject. l beg also 10 ex-
press through you my thanks to your
worthy brother for the pleasure 1 have
had In reading the book.
Probably Mr.. Mckinley does not know
that his ancestors were closely connected
with this district; and I believe annie"
was the home of the first family of that
name. have a genealogy of the presi-
dent traced back to Macduff, Thane of
Fife. who slew Macbeth. 1t is written and
vouched for by Edward A. Claypool,
Chicago genealogist.
descendant Of Macduff held high mill
tary rank under Malcolm ~. and his son
was known as Mac-an-toisch, Gaelic tson
of the chief or foremosD. and was chief
Of the MacIntoches. Ultimately the line
Of descent became Farquharsons, sons of
Farquhar (MacIntosh), and possessed es-
tates in the Braemer district of Aberdeen
shire
The twenty-first in the line of descent
from Macduff was Finiay Farquharson,
called Finlay Nor from his great size and
strength. He was killed at the battle OF
Pinkie while bearing the royal standard,
September TO- 1547. He had four sons. who
LOOK the maine NIT liitdy VI ntd>ichet"|'
which is In English McKinlay Though
they dropped the clan name. the McKin-
lays kept the motto of the Farquharsons,
1--WE force nae friend We fear nae foe"
The eldest son of Finlay Nor. William.
who died in the reign OF James vi. uoof-
1929 had four sons who settled at the
annie" "a corruption OF the Gaelic for
Ford of the Deer''). John was his eldest
son. and Donald, who was born at An
ME-" was known to be his, Williams,
grandson. Donald's son John. born about
1645 had three sons. Donald, born l0os'
James the Trooper and John, born 1919.
This is where the president line breaks on
from the annie McKinlays. James the
Trooper went TO Ireland, where the spell
ing of his name was changed to Mekin-
lev, as the Irish pronounce it. His de-
scendants went to America, and the presi-
dents descent has been traced in Mr. Por-
ter's book on that line OF course, ] cam
not say whether the connection with Mac
dun is correct, but my mother, who was
a McKinlay had a tradition. which had
descended through many generations, tnat
the McKinlays were originally Farqunar-
sons from Braemer, and had been tenants
In "Annie" since 1t became the property
Of the Strings OF Kerr by marriage about
the time of the Reformation. the ola
churchyard Of St. Brides. situated ON this
farm beside the River Leny. has been the
burvfnr place OF all the annie" Mckin-
laws. and contains the tombstone OF John,
brother az James the Trooper. This - the
Inscription on III Here lies John Mchin-
law and Elizabeth Ferguson. who died the
soth day of August. 1882, In the hfty-third
year az his age" For seven generations
~. eldest son OF the annie branch was
named John and six of them were buried
IN Al Brides My grandfather was last
NJ the name who was tenant or ANNIE.
He died in 1872 His widow. four sons and
two daughters emigrated 10 Iahana'
where their descendants are stiii scat
tered about. His eldest son. Jonn. vas =
lieutenant in the Ninety-second Highland
80 ana was wounded at the battle OF
ouatre-1 Bras usl5). and his son John died
,,rnnarriea some years ago In New Zea-
land NV mother was the eldest daneh-
"a, and married Robert McLareh' VINO
had been tenant In Stank at the FOOT OF
per edi. hut took Annie after the Nc
y..,,a,,s ,aft Five of my brothers went
~ America One IS a farmer In Michigan
~ s A.. and two others have farms IN
Ontario. $50 q,
There was originally chapel al ~.
pride's. Sir Walter Scott introduces u IN
the Lady of the Lake" The marriage
nartv was Issuing from the chapei uoor
unsn the "nery cross the signal Tor me
s,ansmen 70 muster, IL put into the bride
srnor,'s hands. and Norman has to leave
~. bride MARY of Tombea) 10 speed
v,ith the signal TIL ne meets someone VINO
viii carry II on. Tombea, hui, now
mart OF .Annie" farm. was once fenanted
nv many crofters. My mother. VINO was
born In 17s4. remembered me Eaole or ehe
chanel standing when she was girl
haya heard n story of my great-grand-
father. John McKiulay, at the time Of the
az Ii~ laird. Stirling OF Ke!r, who had
ioaninrs 70 the side Of the Stewards.
wrote 20 him to ask II he could raise
few men for the pretender. McKsniay.
having read the letter. locked Il up and
wsrt ont 40 visit his neighbors quite IN
an ordinary way. and In tho course OF
conversation inquired what they thought
~ Prince Charles claim. He found that
they were entirely opposed 70 The move
men. and had no Idea OF Joining or
supporting 1t In any way He returned
home therefore. and basing nrst burned
the lalrt's letter. he set out on his pony
for Kelr house. near Dunb,ane. where
he had an interview with the laird. and
sold him he could not hope for any men
from the Annie district, and. at the
same time advised him not 70 entangie
himself with the rebellion. Having accom-
p,ished the object Of hts journey. be re-
turned horne and said no more about the
matter. After the rebellion. the laird of
Kelr vsas tried for his share In u and
narrowly escaped losing his head. II Me-
Kiniay had not been SO prudent and
cautious about the lairds letter. Il would
have supplied the positive evidence needed
70 condemn him.
The MeKinlays were quiet, intelli-
gent and shrewd race Of men. J was
told By a relative OF ynlns who has seen
the president that there II a strong re-
sembIance between Sim and one Of my
unclcs who left Annie" myself can
see in the portrait 81 President McKin-
.ey's father a striking likeness 10 the
McKiniays have known
I am afraid this accoun; Is somewhat
long, but have tried 20 condenEs as
much as possible.
I enclose photograph OF ST. Brides
churchyard. with kind regards.--yohrs
sincerely, ROBERT MI4ARE<.
The writer Of this letter Is a shrewG.
intelligent old gentleman Of % years.
whose Integrity cannot be doubted.
JAMES TODD. J. p.
THOMAS RITCBIE. J. p
Callander, Jan. .. 1900
Gnod Eiah story Ernnl India