Alias:<ALIA> McCavish later /Thomson/
The Thomson/McCavis/McTavish line has been researched by Donald Thompson
and Patrick Thompson 9email clantavish1@@juno.com). Their sources include
Lands of Dunardarie The Genealogist New Series, A Quarterly Magazine of
Genealogical, Antiquarian, Topographical, and Heraldic Research, Edited
by H. W. Forsyth Harwood, Barrister-at-Law, Volume XXXVIII, London" G.
Bell & Sons, Ltd., York House, Portugal Street, Kingsway, W.AC>2, Exeter:
William Pollard & Co., Ltd., 1922 and Argylshire, A Contribution to
Argylshire History, Being a Monograph Sketch of the Sweynes of Skipness
and the MacTavishes of Dun-Ardrigh, Knapdale and Elsewhere, their
Ancestors and Descendants by Dr. George D. Mathews, D.D., L.L.D.
(self-published) New York Public Library, Manhattan, NY, New York, USA.
According to their research (Patrick Thompson email dated 4/10/2004):
"Colin MacDuine of Lochow, (Colin Maol Maith-Good bald Colin) the head of
the Clan MacDuine, (through a marriage connection with which the family
known as the Argyll Campbells became land owners in Argyllshire) enabled
King Alexander the First, when disguised as a peasant, to escape from
Dunstaffnage Castle during its seige in 1110 AD. Slain on the capture of
the fortress, he had been married to a niece of the King, by whom he had
one son, Gillespick. On her death he married (1105-1107 AD) a daughter
of Sweyne of Skipniche or Skipness Castle in Northern Kyntyr, having by
her two sons, Taus or Tavis and Iver. From the former of these the Clan
MacTavish claims descent and from Iver - a Scandinavian and not a Celtic
name, the Clan MacIver Campbell of Asknish in Glassarier claims
descent...From Tavish Corr there are secended, it is held, the three
families of Mactavish of Dun-ArdRigh in Knapdale, of Scannish in Cowall,
and of Rudal or Rua-duilh in Glasserie. Tavish Coor or his immedicate
descendants, settled on the edge of the well known Moss of Poltalloch,
and at the foot of a high hill, the second highest in Knapdale, called
Dun-ArdRigh (Note" this peak or hill is also called Cruach Mor or the
Tall Stack), from the presence at its base of the home of MacTavish.
Every person travelling by the Crinan Canal when passing through Dunardry
lock is within two hundred years of the site on which once stood this
castle. Rudal, within whose former limits is the historic Dun-Add, once
the capital of the Dairiad Kings of Argyll, is a few miles to the
east...PLT's NOTES: My research indicates that RUDAL ( or Nether Rudle)
is now known as Rhudle and Rhudle Mill, Argyllshire. There have been
various spellings used for RUDAL, over the years, from the Gaelic
original to the modernized Englist Equivilents. RUDAL is located to the
west of the Moine Mhor Nature Preserve, Argyllshire, as noted on the UK
Crown Ordnance Maps. The old MacTavish estate of Nether Rudal possibly
encompassed a larger area at one time as the two locations noted just
before are now separated and known as distinct plots. It probably
bordered or was close to "Dunardry Lands" at one time.
Patrick Thompson's email also reports: "John McCavish noted in the
potallach Writs as John Thomson. He was a descendant of the MacTavishes
of Nether Rudhil (Rudle/RudalRhudil/Rhudle), Argyllshire, Scotland, a
branch of the Clan MacTavish of Dunardry. At the approx. age of 32-33 he
appears to reside at Kilmichel (Kilmichael-Glassary) where he served as a
witness to the 6 Nov 1633 infeftment at Inverary, (charter of 7 1/2
merklands) of Archibald MacCawis of Tonardarie (aka Archibald MacTavish
of Dunardry), from the Lord Lorne, Earl of Argyll."