The Young (Lamont) Family

Paternal Ancestors of Cynthia Ann Young Terhune

NOTE:  Sharon Young Jebavy has posted a website entitled Descendants of John Lamont and Mary Young Lamont (http://geocities.com/charryoung/early.html).  The following information is from that website.  “This is the history of my family as they fled a massacre in Cowal, Scotland, in 1646, settled at Larne, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and made their way to colonial America, beginning in 1737, with descendants migrating all over the United States” (p. 1).

1^st generation 

Gilbert Lamont

Mary Young

In 1646 in Scotland, Clan Lamont (pronounced Lamb-it) found itself under siege by Clan Campbell in their two castles, Toward and Ascog.  Sir James Lamont, clan chief (university educated in Glasgow) signed a peace treaty that guaranteed the Lamonts safe passage from the castles.  But when the castle gates were thrown open to admit the Campbells, a massacre ensued.  Numbers differ on how many Lamonts died that day, but researchers believe as many as 350 Lamont men died and uncounted women and children.  Three dozen Lamont clan leaders were hanged in a tree in the old churchyard that to this day is called Gallows Hill for that event.  John Lamont, son of Gilbert Lamont … was one of the 36 men hanged, along with his brother Duncan. … John’s wife was Mary Young from the Clan Young of Auldbar … Mary Young Lamont fled with her four sons across the 39 miles of ocean from Scotland to a town called Larne in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.  Those who survived the massacre or were somehow able to get away from the Campbells sought any safe haven they could find.  It was common practice by these refugees to change their surnames when they reached safety, fearing that the Campbells would search them down.  Mary Young Lamont’s four sons changed their names.  John, the oldest, took the name Sitlington … the two middle sons took the names White and Green.  The youngest son, Andrew, took his mother’s maiden name of Young for his new surname.  It is assumed that all four boys were young children because if they had been teens or older, they would have been fighting with their father and not left behind with their mother.

Our Lamont family remained in County Antrim and never returned to Scotland.  Brothers John Sitlington and Andrew Young, along with their sons and grandsons, ran a successful agricultural and linen manufacturing business four miles west of Larne for 90+ years.  The linen mill and John’s and Andrew’s homes were still standing in the 1960s, in good condition and being used. … This Scots/Irish Young family was devoted Presbyterian.

 2^nd generation

Andrew Lamont Young

Mary Adair

  Andrew Lamont Young, son of John Lamont and Mary Young Lamont, m. Mary Adair in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, after 1646.

3^rd generation

John Young

Annie Houston

  John Young is the only known son of Andrew and Mary Adair Young, but there were probably others. … He married Annie Houston in County Antrim before 1695.  Annie Houston is from the same family as Texas’ Sam Houston.  There are some entries in Chalkley’s Court References of the Scots/Irish Settlement of Augusta Co., VA, that suggest that John may have come to America with his adult children.  If these references are to this John Young, then it is a certainty that he had a brother James, as James is made administrator of this John’s estate and referred to as John’s brother.  This John died in 1747.  James then died before he could get John’s estate settled.  Research is ongoing.

4^th generation

Robert Young
(1711-1762)

Agnes Crockett
(1715- ?)

Robert Young, born 1711 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, married Agnes Crockett who was born 1715 in County Antrim.  They married by about 1730 in County Antrim, and migrated to America with their three sons, James, Samuel, and John, in 1740, entering at Philadelphia and migrating down into Augusta Co., VA, settling on Back Creek on the north fork of the James River, a few miles west of Staunton.  Robert died in Augusta Co., VA in 1762 and Agnes bought land in what would become Laurens Co., SC.  They had seven sons and two daughters.

5^th generation

Samuel Young
(Between 1730 and 1737)

Jane/Jennet Haynes
 

  Samuel Young, born between 1730 and 1737, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, came to America in 1740 with his parents Robert Young and Agnes Crockett Young and two brothers.  He married Jane/Jennet Haynes in 1755.  They left Augusta Co., VA in the 1770s and migrated either to Laurens Co., SC or to the western NC/east TN area, before going to Kentucky after 1790.  They had five sons and two daughters.