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From: "Thomas W Bennion" <>
Subject: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Mackinnon of Mishnish
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:02:51 -0500


I am trying to identify some of the descendants for Sir Lachlan Mor MacKinnon (1628-1700) and his 2nd wife, Marion MacLeod.
They had a son, John MacKinnon, referred to as John MacKinnon of Mishnish, born about 1680.
He married Ann Macdonald (d/o Donald, 14th of Clanranald), 1718.
They had a son, John MacKinnon, Jr., referred to as of Mishnish and Chebogue. His date of birth I have seen referred to as "about 1735", but I am wondering if "about 1719" would be more likely.

This John MacKinnon, Jr. (of Mishnish and Chebogue) married (according to record at the FHC), Jean, daughter of James Paterson, of Woodside, on 22 August 1739. They had several children, all born in Scotland. Jean apparenly died in Scotland, and John, who, according to Memoirs of Clan Fingon, by Rev. Donald D. MacKinnon, "At the close of the memorable struggle with the French for the possession of Canada in 1763, went to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and in 1767, when the lands of the township were granted, received five shares, and his four sons, John, Jr; Martin, Norman, and James, minors whom he had left in England, received one share each." In the same source, it states that John married again (probably in Halifax) and had two more sons, Robert and William.
This John MacKinnon, Jr. (born about 1739 or 1719) died 7 January 1774 in the Tusket Island Sluice, Nova Scotia, Canada.

According to "The Memoirs of Clan Fingon", John, the son of John, Jr., son of John and Ann, entered the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment, and died Major of the regiment previous to 1818. My question is, is it this John MacKinnon (referred to as Major John Mackinnon, of the 63rd Regiment), the Major John MacKinnon that married Lady Margaret Affleck?

I have been reading "The Raccoon Sporran", by Bill Crowell, which is about the life of Colonel Ranald MacKinnn, brother to John MacKinnon, son of John Mackinnon and Ann Macdonald. In this book are published letters exchanged by Colonel Ranald MacKinnon and his nephew John MacKinnon, which speaks of his nephews marriage to "the widow of Admiral Afflect" and her name is given as Margaret. The problem I am having is these letters are dated in 1783, and according to the following sources, Margaret Burgess (later Lady Affleck) married as follows:

From: Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, Fourth Series, Vol. IV, edited by W. Bruce Bannerman, p. 315: William Smythies, son of William Smythies and Anna Dorothea Carleton, was born 18 July 1753 and baptized at Alpheton 5 September, his sponsors being Palmer Smythies, George Health, and Hasler Affleck; surgeon in the Army, died 1781 or 1782. He married Margaret Burgess at New York 18 April 1777, and there died. She survived her husband and married 2ndly Sir Edmund Affleck, 1st Bart., 14 May 1788. In Burke's "Peerage" Lady Affleck's christian name is incorrectly given as Mary instead of Margaret.

In The Complete Baronetage, by George Edward Cokayne, reprinted, Gloucester, 1983, Vol. v, p. 221, it is stated that Margaret Burgess married, 1stly, William Smithers, of Colchester, Essex, England; 2ndly Read-Admiral Sir Edmund Affleck, on 14 May 1788; and 3rdly, Major John MacKinnon on 15 August 1792.
It further states that Major John MacKinnon gained the rank of Major in the service of the 63rd Foot, and that he lived at Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

From: Naval Sailing Warfare History (sources sited: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and Commissioned Sear Officers of the Royal Navy, by David Bonner Smith):
Edmund Affleck, Date of Birth: 19 April 1725, s/o Gilbert Affleck and Anna Dolben; died 19 November 1788. Married 1st, Esther Creffield (d.1787); married 2nd, 14 May 1788, Margaret Smithers (nee Burgess)

From: The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier & John Brooke:
Affleck, Edmund (1725-88), of Fingringhoe Hall, nr. Colchester, Essex, b. 19 April 1725, 9th s. of Gilbert Affleck, M.P., and bro. of John Affleck (q.v.), m. (1) Esther (d. 15 Dec. 17878), da. of John Ruth, wid. of Peter Creffield of Ardleigh Hall, nr. Colechester, s.p.; (2) 14 May 1788, Margaret, nee Burgess, wed. of Rev. William Smithers, vicar of St. Peter's, Colchester, s.p. cr Bt. 10 July 1782, with sp. rem. to heirs males of his fa.
Affleck was on active service 1778-83, most of the time in American waters, and, in 1782, was created a baronet for his part in the action off Dominica. He was abroad at the time of his elected for Colchester, and "totally ignorant of his having been set up as a candidate". The election was managed by Richard Rigby (q.v.), who obtained a promise of Government help not exceeding 1,500 or 2,000 pound at the most. Affleck was defeated by Christopher Potter (q.v.), but returned on petition.
He did not take his eat until 23 Jan. 1784 and then cannot have played a prominent part in debates as he was still marked absent in Stockdale's list of 19 Mar. 1784. On 26 Mar. he wrote from Colchester to John Robinson asking for his interest at the approaching election. He was returned head of the poll.
He was classed by William Adam in May 1784 as 'doubtful', and does not appear in any division list for this Parliament. Two speeches by him are recorded, on 5 May. 1787 and 29 Apr. 1788, both testifying to the conduct of naval officers with whom he had served. He died 19 Nov. 1788.

I would appreciate any light that can be shed on this family.

Thanks,
Linda Bennion (North Carolina)

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