General Notes

1  BIRT
2  DATE BET. 1601 - 1636
2  SOUR S32460
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: 15 Feb 2003


June 3, 1646, Clan Lamont (pronounced Lamb-it) having been under siege by Clan Campbell in its two castles, Toward and Ascog. 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. These men were leaders or sons of leaders of Lamont family groups or septs. John Lamont, son of Gilbert Lamont, Baron McGorrie, of Inverchaolain, was one of the 36 men hanged in the tree in the churchyard, along with his brother Duncan. 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, which was the name of a "burn" or small stream on their Scotland estates. The two middle sons took the names White and Green. It has been stated that the White son may have been named William. 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, when they migrated to Augusta Co., VA. The linen mill and John's and Andrew's homes were still standing in the 1960's, in good condition and being used. The linen mill has since had its roof fall in but the stone walls still stand. Amazingly, in the 1920's, both homes were still occupied by descendants of the families who purchased them from the Sitlington and Young families when they migrated to America. We have Irish genealogist Mary Semple, who was a relative through Sir James Lamont's mother, who was also a Semple, to thank for giving us the story of this Young family back in the 1920's. This Scots/Irish Young family was devoted Presbyterian

Sir John, the 14th chief, at that time received a letter from Montrose stating he was commanded by King Charles II who had placed himself in the hands of the Scots Army of the Covenant, then in England, to lay down his arms and he was ordering John to do the same. This was no easy decision for Lamont as the castle was under attack by a large force of Campbells thirsting for revenge for the part the Lamonts had played in the Royalist campaign of terror in Argyll. Campbell of Ardlinglas, the commander of the attacking force, incidentally, was the brother of Lady Lamont. Most of the cadets of the Campbells were represented among it's officers and the Rev. Colin MacLachlan, minister of Lochgoilhead was there in the role of the chosen instrument of divine vengeance. After a fortnight, with the Lamonts cut off by land and sea, the Campbells brought up cannon and bombarded the castle for 3 days. Sir John agreed to parlay and signed a capitulation which guaranteed that he, his brothers, soldiers, wives and children would be allowed to go free with their baggage. The ink was scarcely dry when the Campbells with the excuse, "no capitulations should be kept with traitors to God and his covenant" seized