Sir James Macpherson Lemoines' Distinguished Family Line

In a previous post, we learned the parents of James Lemoine were Benjamin Lemoine and Julia Ann McPherson. Who was Julia-Ann? She was born on October 16, 1789, in Gaspe Bay, Quebec to Daniel Macpherson and Mary Kelly. On September 10, 1810, Julia Ann married merchant Benjamin Lemonie of Quebec City. They were married on Crane Island by John Jackson, "lecturer of the English Church at Quebec".  Present for the ceremony was her parents Daniel and Mary McPherson, John her brother, and L. Duniere, uncle of Benjamin. The couple moved to Quebec City, the residence of Benjamin. Julia-Ann's life¹ was short, ending on May 16, 1828. She had produced ten children. 

Her father, Daniel Macpherson was born in 1753 at Laggan, Badenoch, Scotland to Lachlan Macpherson of Shirobeg and Mary Mackenzie. The couple emigrated in 1774 with "Alexander, Donald (interchangeable with Daniel), Margaret, and Ann". Lachlan was a tacksman or a tenant in Laggan, Badenoch and was induced to immigration to make room for newcomers. It is speculated the Macpherson family arrived in Philidelphia, USA, but was removed to Canada in 1774.² It is unknown when and where Lachlan Macpherson died. 

You may be rightly wondering how Daniel Macpherson has anything to do with the Macpherson family of Three Rivers? The answer is: Daniel has a lot to do with them. Genealogy lovers have a tendency to mix up Daniel's family with the family of John Macpherson of Three Rivers.  This is largely owing to the similar names of the children between the two families. There is a reason for that. 

You may have noted Daniel Macpherson was born in Laggan, Badenoch, Scotland. His father was the son of Thomas Ban Macpherson of Pitgown and Mary Mackenzie. Thomas Ban Macpherson's line can be traced through John Macpherson of Clunes to John Ewan Macpherson born around 1230. John Ewan was one of three brothers born to the progenitor of all Macphersons: Ewan Baan Macpherson. 

Daniel's line belonged to a cadet branch of Breakachy, the second-largest branch of clan Macpherson. Through Daniel's mother Mary Mackenzie, he was first cousins with Major Charles Macpherson, "chieftain of the Sliochd Iain Macphersons".²  Daniel's mother Mary Mackenzie was the daughter of Reverend John Mackenzie. He had three daughters, all of whom married Macphersons. Mary's sister married Alexander Macpherson, "an officer in the British Dragoons". Alexander's first marriage produced Major Samuel Macpherson of "Major Grant's Company", who was later shot for mutiny by the Black Watch.³ Alexander's second marriage to Mary's sister produced Major Charles Macpherson, chieftain. 

Who exactly was Major Charles Macpherson, "chieftain of the Sliochd Iain Macphersons"?²  He was the grandson of Donald Macpherson of Breakachy, the brother-in-law of Cluny of the '45. Donald Macpherson was married to Christian Macpherson, daughter of Lachlan Macpherson, 4th of Nuide and 11th Chief of Clan Macpherson.

From this we derive -  Sir James Macpherson Lemoine of Quebec did indeed belong to a distinguished line. A line that leads to two sets of chieftains of clan Macpherson.  We will discuss at a later date, how Lemoines' line relates to the Macphersons of Three Rivers.

James Macpherson Lemoine's Family Tree

James Macpherson Lemoine's line
through Mary Mackenzie

The line of Mary Mackenzie's nephew 
Major Charles Macpherson, chieftain

Donald Macpherson of Breakachy
brother-in-law of Cluny of the '45

*Photo Credit: taken in the Highlands, Scotland by the author of this article

*Family Trees made with Family Echo

 © 2022

Foot Notes:

1 Memoir de Familie, 18?, Lemoine, James Mcpherson. Retrieved at Canadiana^↩
2 Daniel Macpherson: Highland emigrant, Loyalist soldier, Gaspesian merchant-settler and Canadian seigneur, Reprinted from Canadian Genealogist, Vol. 6, No. 2, June 1984, Alan G. Macpherson. Retrieved at Daniel Macpherson: Highland emigrant, Loyalist soldier,Gaspesian merchant-settler and Canadian seigneur ^↩
3 Glimpses of Church and Social Life in the Highlands in Olden Times and Other Papers, Chapter III - Parish of Laggan, 1893, Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. Retrieved at Electric Scotland^↩