Notes for Jean Gow Watson Barbour: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Though the clan Kennedy has several interesting American connections, it is not thought to originate from Ireland, like the late President Kennedy's family, but from the Celtic lords of Galloway, that far south-western peninsula which is the nearest crossing point to Ireland.
Like the Irish Kennedys, the Scottish clan have close links with the United States. The clan chiefs, the Earls of Cassilis, at one time owned a substantial part of New York City, while after World War 11 General Eisenhower was given a apartment for his permanent use in the magnificent Culzean Castle. Built for the 10th Earl of Cassilis by Robert Adam in the 18th century, on a site associated with the Kennedys for hundreds of years, the castle now has an Eisenhower room dedicated to the General's career.
The Kennedys dominated all the south-west of Scotland, from Wigtownshire up to Ayrshire, even before John Kennedy of Dunure and Cassilis married the heiress of the Carrick Earls.
Their grandson strengthened their power in the 15th century by marrying the daughter of King Robert 111 and was made Lord Kennedy. His younger brother became one of Scotland's most important medieval churchmen. As Bishop of St. Andrews, he founded St. Salvator's College and acted as an adviser to King James 1I throughout his reign. When the King was accidentally killed by a cannon in 1460, the Bishop advised his widow on the education of the young James 111. After the powertul prelate's death in 1465 there was a palace revolution in which the Boyds, aided by the Bishop's brother, Lord Kennedy, held power as regents until the King came of age.
But it was not until James IV's reign that the 3rd Lord Kennedy, soon to die with his King on the battlefield of Flodden, was made Earl of Cassilis. Later Earls were more ruthless in their quest for land and power. The 4th Earl of Cassilis was notorious for having roasted the Abbot of Crossraguel over a slow fire in his castle of Dunure to force him to surrender the titles to the abbey properties. The Abbot survived, but the Earl got what he wanted.
Just as merciless was the 17th-century 6th Earl, whose wife fell in love with Johnnie Faa, the gypsy king whose ancestors had been granted the right to rule their tribe by James V in 1540. The ballad of Johnnie Faa describes how she "threw' off her gay mantle for a plaid so that she could follow the gypsy laddie". But the Earl caught up with the eloping lovers, hanged Johnnie Faa before the Countess' eyes, and imprisoned her in his Castle of Cassilis for the rest of her life.
Archibald, the 11th Earl, was a naval officer who fought in the American War of Independence but still found time to buy some prime real estate in New York. His son, the 12th Earl, was created the Marquis of Ailsa in 1806, taking the title from the rock in the Firth of Clyde, Ailsa Craig, within view from his sumptuous new Castle of Culzean.
The present chief, Archibald, the 7th Marquess of Ailsa, whose heir is the Earl of Cassilis, lives at Cassilis House, Maybole, in Ayrshire.
The clan motto is Arise la fin- "Consider the end". The badge is a dolphin.
TARTAN The distinctive Kennedy tartan has yellow and purple stripes against a green background.
Source: Blackie, Lorna. "Clans and Tartans - The Fabric of Scotland", New York, 1987 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
More About Jean Gow Watson Barbour: Died 2: April 1991, Oakville, Ont..1 Fact 1: April 25, 1991, Passed away at Oakville Trafalgar Hospital in her 69th year.. Fact 2: April 29, 1991, Buried at Farrington Burial Ground and officiated by Rev. Fred Demaray. Fact 3: April 24, 1991, Mom had neck surgery at Hamilton General Hospital and contacted pneumonia in the.
More About Jean Gow Watson Barbour and John Lindsay Stanners: Marriage 1: February 11, 1945, Kinross, Scotland. Marriage 2: February 11, 1946, Galashiels, Scotland.1
Children of Jean Gow Watson Barbour and John Lindsay Stanners are:
Jean Gow Watson Barbour (b. February 13, 1923, d. April 25, 1991)
Notes for Jean Gow Watson Barbour: