Ferchar ‘Fearchair mic’ MacNeil

• Preferred Name: Ferchar ‘Fearchair mic’ MacNeil^[1]
  
• Gender: M
  
• Birth: ABT 1140 in Barra, Inverness-shire, Scotland at LATI: N6.9667 LONG: E7.4833
  
• Death: 1191 in Ardlamont, Argyll, Scotland at LATI: N6.25 LONG: E5.25
  
• Burial: 1191 in Argyll, Scotland at LATI: N6.25 LONG: E5.25
  
• FSID: GC4C-SY2
  
• Clan Name: with note: Description: ancestor of the Lamonts
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  Notes for Fearchar (descent of the Lamonts): family of Lamont possessed all Cowal and part of Argyle proper, the latter bounded in the south by Lochgilp and Lochcrinan, extending northward by east of Lochawe to Braevallich and across to Braeleckan on Lochbyne - on records before the death of Alexander III in 1285.
  
  Ferchar, had two sons, Malcolm, father of Laomainn, and Duncan, ancestor of the MacSorleys (Mac Somhairle) of Glassary in West Cowall, the majority of whom later assumed what became the mutual clan-family name of Lamont. The Lyons of Glamis in the Strathmore district of Angus descend, according to tradition, from a scion of the Lamonts of Cowall. John the son of Lyon (Johannes fihius Leonis) and Hugo the son of Lyon (Hugo filius Leonis) were members of an inquest on the lands of Rostinot in 1321—1322. John Lyon had a charter of lands in Perthshire ca. 1342—43 from David II. Another John Lyon (or "Lyoun") appears, possibly the son of the former, as clerk and secretary to David II. He was known as the "White Lyon," which suggests an epithetic allusion to the "White Lyon on Blue" of the arms of the Lamonts, his own arms being a reversal of those colors. He was later granted the thanage of Glamis as a free barony by King Robert II ca. 1371—72, and soon afterwards married the king’s daughter. This family later became barons of Glamis (1445) and earls of Strathmore. Some small broken clans in Angus are recorded as petitioning to "be allowed to take the name of Lyon, and be counted clansmen of the Strathmores."
  
  Clan Lamont
  The first chief of the Clan Lamont was Ferchar ('a friend of the trees' in Welsh), who flourished about 1200 AD. A grandson, Laumun, was the first to use the name which has since become hereditary.

• m. BEF 1179 in Scotland

1. Malcolm MacFerchar - Lord of Cowall, b. 1181 in Glassary, Argyll, Scotland, United Kingdom     d. 1235 in Scotland, United Kingdom

1. Title: Clan history
   Note: Electric Scotland's Classified Directory Lamont It is an old and accredited tradition in the Highlands, that the Lamonds or Lamonts were the most ancient proprietors of Cowal, and that the Stewarts, Maclauchlans, and Campbells obtained possession of their property in that district by marriage with daughters of the family. At an early period a very small part only of Cowal was included in the sheriffdon of Upper Argyle, the remainder being comprehended in that of Perth. It may, therefore, be presumed that, on the conquest of Argyle by Alexander II, the lord of Lower Cowal had submitted to the king, and obtained a crown charter. But, in little more than half a century after that event, we find the High Steward in possession of Lower Cowal, and the Maclauchlans in possession of Strathlachlan. It appears indeed, that, in 1242, Alexander the High Steward of Scotland, married Jean, the daughter of James, son of Angus MacRory, who is styled Lord of Bute; and, from the manuscript of 1450, we learn that, about the same period, Gilchirst Maclauchlan married the daughter of Lachlan MacRory; from which it is probable that this Roderic or Rory was the third individual who obtained a crown charter for Lower Cowal, and that by these intermarriages the property passed from his family into the hands of the Stewarts and the Machlauchlans. The coincidence of these facts, with the tradition above mentioned, would seem also to indicate that Angus MacRory was the ancestor of the Lamonds. After the marriage of the Steward with the heiress of Lamond, the next of that race of whom any mention is made is Duncan MacFercher and "Laumanus", son of Malcolm, and grandson of the same Duncan, who appear to have granted to the monks of Paisley a charter of the lands of Kilmore, near Lochgilp, and also the lands "which they and their predecessors held at Kilmum" . In the same year, "Laumanus", the son of Malcolm, also granted a charter of the lands of Kilfinnan, which, in 1295, is confirmed by Malcolm, the son and heir of the late "Laumanus" (domini quondam Laumanis). But in an instrument, or deed, dates in 1466, between the monastry of Paisley and John Lamond of Lamond, regarding the lands of Kilfinan, it is expressly stated, that these lands had belonged to the ancestors of John Lamond; and hence, it is evident, that the "Laumanus", mentioned in the previous deed, must have been one of the number, if not indeed the chief and founder of the family. "From Laumanus", says Mr Skene, "the clan appear to have taken the name of Maclaman or Lamond, having previously to this time borne the name of Macerachar, and Clan Mhic Earachar". The connection of this clan with that of Dugall Craignish, is indicated by the same circumstances which point out the connection of other branches of the tribe; for whilst the Craignish family preserved its power it was followed by a great portion of the Clan Mhic Earachar, although it possessed no feudal right to their services. "There is one peculiarity connected with the Lamonds", says Mr Skene, "that although by no means a powerful clan, their genealogy can be proved by charters, at a time when most other Highland families are obliged to have recourse to tradition, and the genealogies of their ancient sennachies; but their antiquity could not protect the Lammonds from the encroachments of the Campbells. by whom they were soon reduced to as small a portion of their original possessions in Lower Cowal, as the other Argyleshire clans had been of theirs". The Lamonds were a clan of the same description as the Maclauchlans, and, like the latter, they have, not withstanding "the encroachments of the Campbells", still retained a portion of their ancient possessions. The chief of this family is Lamond of Lamond. According to Nisbet, the clan Lamond were originally from Ireland, but whether they sprung from the Dalriadic colony, or from a still earlier race in Cowal, it is certain that they possessed, at a very early period, the superiority of the district. Their name continued to be the prevailing one till the middle of the 17th century. InJune 1646, certain chiefs of the clan Campbell in the vicinity of Dunoon castle, determined upon obtaining the ascendency of the period, to wage a war of extermination against the Lamonds. The massacre of the latter by the Campbells, that year, formed one of the charges against the Marquis of Argyll in 1661, although he does not seem to have been any party to it. An interesting tradition is recorded of one of the lairds of Lammond, who had unfortunately killed, in a sudden quarrel, the son of MacGregor of Glenstrae, taking refuge in the house of the latter, and claiming his protection, which was readily granted, he being ignorant that he was the slayer of his son. On being informed, MacGregor escorted him in safety to his own people. When the MacGregors were proscribed, and the aged chief of Glenstrae had become a wanderer, Lamond hastened to protect him and his family, and received them into his house. Another Account of the Clan BADGE: Luidh Cheann (octopetala) dryas. PIBROCH: Spaidsearachd Chaiptein Mhic Laomainn. LamontAMONG the clans of the West Highlands which appear to be able to claim actual descent from early Celtic stock, Clan Lamont may be considered one of the most assured. There is some reason to believe that the Lamont chiefs were originally a branch of the great house of O’Neil, kings of Ulster in early times. The hand surmounting the old Lamont crest is pointed to as being undoubtedly the "Red hand of Ulster," and the Lamont motto, " Nec parcas nec spernas," is also pointed to as indicating the close relationship, while the documents of early times which refer to the Chief as "The Great Lamont of Cowal" seemed to indicate a relationship with the Ulster title of "The Great O’Neil." The name Lamont appears to date from the middle of the thirteenth century. One feudal charter of that time was granted by "Laumanus filius Malcolmi, nepos Duncani, filius Fearchar," conveying lands at Kilmun and Locbgilp to Paisley Abbey, while another, dated 1295, is by " Malcolmus filius er haeres domini quondam Laumani." It is from this Lauman that the later chiefs take their name, and are styled Mac-Laomainn. Before the date of these charters the chiefs are said to have been named Mac’erachar from their early ancestor, Farquhar, grandfather of Lauman, who lived about the year 1200. In any case, from a very early time the Lamonts appear to have possessed the greaser part of Cowal, and the ruins of several of their strongholds still remain to attest their greatness. The beginning of their eclipse may be dated from the middle of the fourteenth century. In 1334, when Edward Baliol had overrun Scotland, basely acknowledging Edward III. of England as his suzerain, and when, as a consequence of the battles of Dupplin and Halidon Hill, it had looked as if all the labours and victories of Robert the Bruce had been in vain, Bruce’s young grandson, Robert the High Steward, suddenly turned the tables. From hiding in Bute he escaped to Dunbarton, raised his vassals of Renfrewshire, and stormed the stronghold of Dunoon. This was the signal for the Scots to rise, and before long Scotland was once more free. Among those who helped the High Steward on this occasion, was Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow, and when Robert the Steward became King Robert II. in 1371, he made Campbell hereditary keeper of his royal castle of Dunoon. From that day the Campbells used every means to increase their footing in Cowal, and before long a feud broke out between them and Clan Lamont, the ancient possessors of the district, which was to end, nearly three centuries later, in one of the most tragic incidents of Highland history. One of the first episodes of the feud took place in the year 1400. The King’s court was then at Rothesay Castle, and from it, one day, three young lords crossed over to hunt at Ardyne in the Lamont country. As a sequel to their excursion, they tried to carry off some of the young women of Cowal; at which four sons of the Lamont Chief came to the rescue and slew the ravishers. A garbled account of the incident was carried to the court, and as a result, the King confiscated the Lamont territory in Strath Echaig, and conferred it on the Campbell chief. Forty years later another incident occurred in which the generosity of the chief of Clan Lamont was turned to account by his enemies. Celestine, son of Sir Duncan Campbell the Black Knight of Lochow, had died while being educated in the Lowlands. It was winter, and by reason of the deep snows, Campbell professed to find it impossible to convey the body of his son through the mountain passes to Loch Awe. He accordingly asked permission from the Lamont chief to bury his son in the little Lamont kirk at Kilmun on the Holy Loch. Permission was granted in terms thus translated from the Gaelic: "I the Great Lamont of all Cowal do give unto-thee, Black Knight of Lochow, the grave of flags wherein to bury thy son in thy distress." Soon afterwards the Campbell chief endowed the burial-place of his son as a collegiate church, and from that day to this Kilmun has remained the burial-place of the Argylls. In 1472 Colin, Earl of Argyll, obtained a charter of further lands about Dunoon Castle, including the West Bay and Innellan, and the stronghold of Dunoon appears forthwith to have become a chief seat of the Argylls. Still the Lamonts appear to have been willing to act the friendly part to the Campbells. In 1544, when Henry VIII. was seeking to annex Scotland by forcibly obtaining possession of the infant Queen Mary, and when, to support the enterprise, the Earl of Lennox sailed with an English fleet up the Firth of Clyde, the Lamonts mustered to help the Campbells in defending the stronghold of Dunoon. On that occasion Lennox lan