Weldon/Ellis/Kennedy/Engelhardt/Graeffe Family Home Page:Information about Hugh Kennedy
Hugh Kennedy (b. 1698, d. 03 Nov 1764)
Notes for Hugh Kennedy:Reverend Hugh Kennedy obtained a M.A. from the University of Glasgow in March 1714 and became Chaplain the the family of Archibald Douglas of Cavers. In May of 1737 he moved to Rotterdam. in 1762 he was awarded Doctor of Divinity at the university of Aberdeen.
It has been held traditionally that the Kennedy branch of the family was descended from Sir Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure, eldest son and heir of the founder of the Cassilis line, through his fourth son, John. This John Kennedy had an estate in Blairquhan and died before 1473. His descendants held land in Kircubrightshire, Wigton and Ayrshire until 1621. The Scots Ancestry Researcher states that it is plausible, particularly from the use of names in the family, that Hugh Kennedy is descended from a younger son of this line.
Hugh Kennedy married Margaret Scott on 16 March 1722 in Torthowald Church, Havers, Scotland. They had 10 children. The first seven were all baptised in Scotland and the two youngest girls in Rotterdam. Margaret Scott was the second sister of Walter Scott of Crumhaugh, Harwick. Walter Scott is recorded as a merchant in Hawick in 1718 and in 1758 is in the Register of Deeds, eebles, taking out a loan. It has not been possible to verify the family tradition that it was a close relative of Margaret Scott who taught the famous novelist, Sir Walter Scott to read when he was a boy.
Of the ten children, Archibald and Hugh may not have lived very long. But in Dutch Colonial Archives, we can follow the careers of Charles, Walter and Robert. As young men, these three brothers went out to Surinam, the Dutch colony in South America, to make their fortunes. Robert returned to England and was dead by 1758. Charles married Anna Cartharina Arnaut (or Arnaud) in 1751.She was the daughter of Francois Arnaut and Helen Jesdorph and had been born in Surinam in 1723. In Visserszorg she owned a plantation of 500 acres with 30 slaves. Charles is recorded as having similarly large coffee plantation with 101 slaves. They had no children and Charles was dead by 1758. His wife remarried to Jacques Roux who took over the plantation.
Hugh Kennedy is recorded as being born in the North of Ireland of Scottish parents according to the "Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae", which lists the Sucession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation. The Reverand Hugh Kennedy obtained an M.A. fromthe University of Glasgow in March 1714 and became Chaplain in the family of Archibald Douglas of Cavers, licensed by the Presbytery of Jedburgh 1720, ordained to the Parish of Torthowald, 1721 and transferred to Cavers in 1723. From there he moved to Rotterdam in May 1737. In 1762 he was awarded Doctor of Divinity at the University of Aberdeen. The Consistory of Rotterdam, who possess a portrait, wrote highly of him s "A theologian who stood high and was frequently consulted by his brethren in the Ministry, both Dutch as well as English and by private Christians; all of whom gave great deference to his opinion." He published many books of Sermons, both in English and Dutch, and other theological works, including in London 1752 "A short Account of the Rise and Progress of a remarkable Work of Grace in the Untied Netherlands". He turned down several invitations to return to the Ministry in Scotland and died in Rotterdam on 3 November 1764.
This information was gathered by Joyce Hand and Richard Ellis. Many thanks.
More About Hugh Kennedy and Margaret Scott:
Marriage: 16 Mar 1722, Torthowald Church, Havers, Scotland.
Children of Hugh Kennedy and Margaret Scott are:
- Hugh Kennedy, D.D., b. 12 Nov 1727, d. date unknown.
- Anne Kennedy, b. 15 Mar 1724, d. date unknown.
- Archibald Kennedy, b. 05 Jun 1726, d. date unknown.
- Charles Kennedy, b. 27 Apr 1729, d. 1758.
- Rachel Kennedy, b. 27 Dec 1730, d. 03 Jun 1800, Tillydron.
- +Walter Kennedy, b. 09 Jul 1732, d. Est. 1775, London.
- Robert Kennedy, b. 29 May 1735, d. 1758, England.
- William Kennedy, b. 29 Mar 1737, d. date unknown.
- Beatrice Kennedy, b. Est. 1738, d. date unknown.
- Jane Kennedy, b. 1740, d. date unknown.