'Matheson01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Matheson of Attadale, Matheson of Balmacara, Matheson of Bennetsfield, Matheson of Fernaig, Matheson of Lochalsh

                               
Variations of this family's name have included MacMathan, MacMath, Mahon, Mahony, Maddison, MacKiachans, Mathison, Mathieson & Mathewson. 'History of the Mathesons' (p9) reports (that Skene reports) that a manMatheson of Bennetsfield, uscript dated 1450 shows a common ancestry with the Mackenzies as a Matheson (presumed(by us) to be the chief at the time) was Murdoch son of Duncan son of Duncan son of Duncan son of Murdoch son of Kenneth (son of Mathan) son of Kenneth.with the last named "being the common ancestor of the Mathesons and the Mackenzies", his ancestor being "Angus son of Christian son of Adam son of Gilleoin Og son of Gilleoin of the Aird". It is not clear how this could fit with the ancestry shown for the Mackenzies on Mackenzie01. 'History of the Mathesons' (p9) reports that "whether the Mathesons are descended from the Mackenzies or not, we have no doubt that both are descended from the Old Earls of Ross" and "Another authority, with the concurrence, it is understood, of the leading Mathesons of our own time .. (reports that) ... The Mathesons derive their name from the ancestor and founder of the clan, whose name, in ancient Gaelic, is spelt Mathgamna, in more modern Gaelic Mathan, but pronounced Mahan ... (who) must have flourished (around 1228)".
Mathgamma (a c1228)
1. Kenneth
  A. Murdoch
  i. Duncan
  a. Duncan
  (1) Duncan
  (A) Murdoch (a 1450)
  'History of the Mathesons', which indicates that various sources are only partly consistent with each other, is not clear on how Murdoch is linked to the later Mathesons. BLG1863 identifies John Matheson of Lochalsh (d 1537, brother of Donald Bain, see below) as "eldest son of Alister MacRuarie, and tenth in descent from Mathgamma". John is identified by BLG1863 as "eldest son of Alister MacRuarie, and tenth in descent from Mathgamma". 'History of the Mathesons' (p8) reports a source which identifies Alastair MacRuari as the same person as Alexander (or Allaster) MacGorrie, son of Godfrey of Garmaron. We speculate that Murdoch was father of (rather than uncle of or cousin of a generation earlier than) ...
(i) Godfrey Matheson of Garmaron
  (a) Alastair MacGorrie (or MacRuari) of Lochalsh
  'History of the Mathesons' (p8) identifies Alastair's wife as a dau of the laird of Mackintosh but in a note to p8 reports that "that the Laird of Mackintosh, the famous Malcolm Beg, had no son-in-law of the name Alasdair MacRuari, nor of the name Matheson." 'History of the Mathesons' (p15) does seem to confirm that the mother of the following John & Donald was ...
  m. ?? (m2. Angus Macleod of Assynt)
  ((1)) John Matheson of Lochalsh (d 1537) - continued below
  m. ?? (widow of Sir Dugald Mackenzie)
  ((2)) Donald Bain (Ban) Matheson of Caithness
  History of the Mathesons' (p137+) reports that Donald (father of John by a dau of the Earl of Caithness) is sometimes identified as ancestor of the Mathesons of Shiness, Achany and the Lews. However, in a note is written "The Editor disbelieves entirely in the first two personages in the genealogy, viz., Donald Ban Matheson and John Matheson."

 

 

John Matheson of Lochalsh (d 1537) - continued above
m. ?? (widow of Sir Dugald Mackenzie)
1. Dugald Roy Matheson of Lochalsh
  m. _ MacRa (dau of Rev. John MacRa, son of Christopher)
  A. Murdoch Buidhe (yellow haired) Matheson of Lochalsh, Fernaig & Balmacarra
i. Roderick Matheson of Fernaig (a 1602)
  m. ?? (dau of Donald Mor MacIan MhicFhionnlaidh (Finlayson))
  a. John Matheson of Fernaig
  m1. Anne Roy (dau of Alexander Roy, natural son of John Glassich (Mackenzie) of Gairloch)
  (1) John (Ian Mor) Matheson of Bennetsfield, Easter Suddy, Applecross, etc. (d 1715)
m. Mary Macrae (dau of Rev. Donald Macrae of Dornie by Isobel, dau of Murdoch Mackenzie of Hilton)
  (A) Alexander Matheson of Bennetsfield (d 1754)
  m. (1705) Isobel Mackenzie (dau of Roderick Mackenzie of Avoch)
  (i) John Matheson of Bennetsfield (d 21.02.1768)
  m1. Elizabeth Mackenzie (d 1760, dau of William Mackenzie of Belmaduthy)
  (a) Margaret Matheson (b c1731, d 1811)
  m. Andrew Miller of Kincurdy (b c1719, d 1809)
  ((1)) Elizabeth Miller (dsp 1833)
  m. Michael Miller of Kincurdy (d 1826)
  (b) Jean Matheson
  m. Charles Baird of Aberdeen
  ((1)) Patrick Baird had issue (3 daughters)
  m. Wedderburn
  ((2))+ other issue
  (c) Elizabeth Matheson (dsp)
m.William Paterson in Aberdeen
  (d) daughter (d unm)
  m2. Christina Gordon (dau of John Gordon, son of ?? of Letterfield by Jean,dau/heir of John Gordon of Achimeath)
  (e) Colin Matheson of Bennetsfield (b c1763, d 1825)
  m. (1784) Grace Grant (dau of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston by Henrietta, dau of James Grant of Rothiemurchus)
  ((1)) John Matheson of Bennetsfield (Captain, dsp 05.1843)
  m. Ann Arthur (dau of Rev. Robert Arthur of Resolis)
  ((2)) Patrick Matheson (d 15.01.1835, Major) had issue
  m. Hannah Mills Butler Orde (sau of Major James Orde)
  ((3)) Charles Mackenzie Matheson of Berbice
  m. Margaret Fraser (dau of Simon Fraser of Kilmorack by Maria, dau of Colonel Barclay of New York (cadet of Urie))
  ((4)) Christina Matheson
  m. W.R. Spalding
  ((5)) Jane Gordon Matheson of Kincurdy, Ross
  m. Robert Milne-Miller (minister of Aboyne)
  ((6)) Elizabeth Rupert Fraser Matheson
  m. Donald Charles Cameron of Barcaldine (d 1849)
  ((7)) Martha Matheson
  m1. Hugh Junor of Essiquibo
  m2. Archibald Brown (minister in Demerara)
  ((8)) Helen Matheson (b c1799, d 1883)
  m. William Bell (surgeon)
  ((9))+ other issue - Alexander Gordon in Berbice (d unm 1819), others (d young)
  (f) Catherine Matheson
  m. Alexander Gillies of London
(g)+ other issue (d unm) - John (d 07.12.1805, Captain), Maria
  (ii) Donald Matheson (4th son)
  m. Margaret Miller (dau of John Miller of Kincurdy)
  (iii) James Matheson (6th son)
  m. Mary Macrae (dau of John Macrae of Dornie by Anne, dau of Alexander Mackenzie, 3rd of Applecross)
  (a) Catharine Matheson probably of this generation
  m. Alexander Matheson of Dornie (d 1828, schoolmaster)
(iv)+ other issue - Roderick (dsp), Alexander in Edinburgh (dsp 1739, WS), Kenneth (had issue)
  (B) Isobel Matheson
  m. Kenneth Mackenzie of Alduinny (son of John of Applecross)
  (C) Mary Matheson
  m. Donald Murchison of Auchtertyre
  (2) Alexander Mor Matheson
  m. Annabella Mackenzie (dau of Murdoch Mackenzie, son of Hector of Fairburn)
  m2. _ Cameron of Caillort, Lochaber
  (3) Farquhar Matheson had descendants in Glenshiel
  (4) Murdoch Matheson of Glas-na-Muclach
(5) Roderick (Ruari Beg) Matheson (dspm)
  ii. Dugald Matheson of Balmacara (a 1631, Chamberlain of Lochalsh)
  Dugald's elder sons were twins. There were arguments as to which came first. Even though the midwife "maintained" that John/Ian was the first-born, it appears that Murdoch initially prevailed.
  a/b. John 'Ian Og' Matheson 'in Lochalsh' (a 1644)
  m. ?? Mackenzie (dau of John Mackenzie of Hilton)
  b/a. Murdoch Matheson of Balmacara
  m1. Christian Clerk (dau of Rev. Donald Clerkor Clark of Lochalsh, widow of _ Maclennan)
  m2. ?? Mackenzie (sister of Roderick Mackenzie of Davochmaluag)
  c. Dugald Og Matheson
  (1) John Matheson
  (A) Roderick Matheson had descendants in Kirkton of Lochalsh
  (B) John Matheson (4th son) had descendants in Plockton
  (C)+ other issue - Donald, Kenneth, Murdoch, Dugald 'Beg' (dspm)
  iii. daughter
  m. Eachaiann Cam Mackenzie (son of Hector Roy Mackenzie, 1st of Gairloch)

Main source(s): 'History of the Mathesons' by Alexander Mackenzie (2nd edition by Alexander Macbain, 1900) with a little input/support from BLG1863 ('Matheson of Ardross')
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