McHaffie select items
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A Few Selected Individuals and Topics Using Several Sources
-A round broch was built ca 100 B.C. on a high hill overlooking a large sea loch just north of what became Stranraer, Wigtownshire, according to H. M. Chadwicke's Early Scotland, the Picts, the Scots..., who referred to the broch as Craigcaffie and stated that an expert had excavated the broch and was certain that it was a broch, a high tower of refuge where people gathered, with their cattle, in time of attack. Most of these Pictish brochs are found farther north in Scotland. Dr. George F. Black, the expert on Scottish names, under listing Maccaffie, Machaffie, states that the land around this broch was referred to in a 13th c. charter as Kellechaffe also called Craig Caffie (in the time of Robert the Bruce) and he states that this place name is preserved in the name Machaffie, which he also found in local records as MacIlhaffie. He adds that MacIlhaffie represents Mac- Gille-chathbhaidh, meaning Son of the servant of St. Cathbad. But Dr. Black states under the listing MacFie (MacFie is derived from MacDhubhshith meaning "Son of the Dark Man of Peace") that Machaffie is a form of MacFie/MacDhubhsith/McDuffie found in Galloway.

The lands of Kellechaffe, referred to in the 13th c., came to be owned by a Neilson, and were probably granted to a Neilson. Neilson of Craigcaffie also appears Neilson of Cathcaffie in 17th c. records. Perhaps there is a link between the Neilsons, MacNeils, and the McHaffies, so the Neilson listings may reveal interesting clues. Gilbert Neilson of Craigcaffie was a Covenanter. Another broch was located at Stairhaven, very near Gargerie, and overlooking Luce Bay.

Kell is a word that in pre-Christian times meant burial place. I wonder if the high ground on which the round stone broch Kellechaffe was located was also once a burial place.

The word Cathair led to an interesting study. The people of that long ago day lived in weems, or underground rooms with tunnels (with niches for a watchguard), space for storage, with a stream of water flowing through. They also lived in round stone houses with thatched roofs and apparently were skilled in building unmortared stonework. Dwellings called crannogs were built on wood pilings in lakes with a walkway that permitted a measure of security. The foregoing statements may be helpful in searching for more clues and making comparisons about the origins of the name McHaffie found in s. w. Scotland. It is a search that I find intriguing due to the comments made by Drs. Black and Gillies.

-St. Ninian evangelized among the Picts, and his church and missionary center ca 432 was at Whithorn, Hwite aerne, Quhethern, Hwit earne, in southwestern Scotland (Wigtownshire) reported to be the earliest stone church in Scotland. St. Ninian reportedly did not need an interpreter for his work among the Picts and Strathclyde Britons.

The archaelogical digs at Whithorn are attracting many people. -Duff Dakrich M'Duffe was killed 717 in battle of Kyndealgen, Dalriada, Scotland (western coasts), per Annals of Clonmacnoise (in Ireland). [Source, George Roussos] This man's name seems to indicate a royal person from the rich portion and is earliest use of name like McDuffie that I have yet seen, so this may be the reason for comments regarding the name McDhubshith being "far away beyond those of even our old names."

-Dubside was ferleiginn or Reader of Iona in 1164, per The AFM and Skene suggests (CS., III, p. 363) that the clan may have derived its name from him. [Source, George F. Black, Ph.D.] -Dubsith/Duffie in ca 1210-1240 was 9th chief of clan. [Source, the late George Roussos, historian, Clan MacFie]

-Johannes Macdufthi, "appears as charter witness in Dumfriesshire in the reign of King Alexander II," who ruled between 1214 and 1249 per Dr. Black, who mentioned source is [Chronicles of?] Melros, p. 182. Dumfries is in s.w. Scotland, and near Wigtown. King Alexander II was a descendant of King Kenneth McAlpin. [Black].

-Archie B. Low made the following statement: MacHaffie is the Galloway & Carrick (Southern portion of Ayrshire, but formerly part of the province of Galloway) branch of the clan. It will be noted that it is a fairly perfect Anglicised phonetic version of Mac-a-Phi, which is the Gaelic name of the clan. McDuffies and McDougalls of Argyll were seafaring folk, and during the 13th & 14th centuries, they and their branches in Galloway (McDouall & McDowall are the Galloway forms of McDougall), are frequently mentioned in the English Records as owners of galleys, and they often allied themselves to the English Crown. The McHaffies, therefore, arrived at an early date on the Galloway Coast from Colonsay. They would then, of course, be named Mac-a-phi, which in the course of time took the Anglic forms in use today.

[I believe Mr. Low's statements about this are important. Mr. Low's mother was a McHaffie and he often visited his mother's parents in Drummore, Wigtownshire.] He also stated that one McHaffie was for 25 years Provost of Wigtown.

-Thomas Mcdoffy, 1296, rendered homage; (Bain, II, p. 169). [Source, Black] If he rendered homage to Edward I of ENG it probably indicates he had land in area of border of Scotland and England.

-Kellechaffe/y lands near Stranraer are mentioned in a charter in time of Robert I, 1300s. -Nigel Machoffye in 1420, rector at Kilmonivaig, [n.e. of Loch Linnhe] d. on way after being summoned to the Roman court, and he spelled name also MacDwffye, Makduuhie, Makduwhie. [Source: the late Clan Commander, Dr. Earle D. MacPhee]

-Mariota Mukkevin is found in Rev. William Mackenzie's book History of Galloway. Mariota lived in early 1500s, sued for restitution, Kirkcudbright or Wigtown. [A landowner had required that she and another neighbor give him livestock and was using her peats for building his dyke.]

-Malcolm Makcofee, tenant Colonsay in 1506 per ER., XII, p. 709. [Source, Black] Malcolm Makcofee was Malcolm III, the 19th chief, ca 1490-1520, called Lord Dunevin of Colonsay. [Source, Roussos] Malcolm Makcofee appears on a 1506 lease of Isle of Colonsay by the 19th chief of McPhie-McDuffie clan (1490-1520). Malcolm Makcofee, "Malcolm III," was called Lord Dunevin of Colonsay. Dunevin was the name of his fort home on an island in a loch on Isle of Colonsay. -Archibald McKofee, tenant on Isla in 1506 per ER., XII, p. 709. [Source, Black]

-M'a ffeith, 1512 (Dean of Lismore), Middle Gaelic [Source, Black] Both the ' and the space in this name indicate that something has been left out, either a letter or a sound.

-Murdoch Macdufie. The magnificent 6 ft. gray tombstone, rectangular, marks grave of Murdoch Macdufie on Isle of Oronsay, and stone has elaborate carvings of flora and fauna, a sword and galley ship, and inscribed in Latin, and I think would be translated: "Here lies Murdoch Macdufie of Colonsay who d. A.D. 1539 and Mariota MacLean caused me to be made." Mariota was Murdoch's wife and she had other tombstones made.

-Murdoch M'Duffyhe. Murdoch IV, 23rd chief, ca 1549-1593. Sir Donald Monro, the Dean of the Isles, refers to him in 1549 "ane gentle capitane callit M'Duffyhe" and later writes "McDuffithe of Colonsay." One of greatest of clan's chiefs. [per Roussos]. McDuffyhe, laird, mentioned in `Description of the Western Isles of Scotland" by Donald Monro, High Dean of the Isles. [Source, Belinda Mahaffy]. Gentle at that time meant well-born.

-John McCaffe, 1540 king's messenger, ALHT VII p. 440, (Annals of Lord High Treasurer), [Black]. In that year, James V visited the Hebrides. McCaffe was therefore living some of the time in Edinburgh. James V d. 1542.

-John Haffie was among men of Kirkcudbright approving request of Sir Thomas Mackclellane of Bombey on 24 March 1570 to build a castle at Kirkcudbright [it appears that a notary subscribed the name John Haffie. Name usually appears M'Haffie or McHaffie at Kirkcudbright, Wigtown, etc., in 1680s], according to William Mackenzie's History of Galloway publ. 1841 by John Nicholson at Kirkcudbright. Sir Thomas promised he would protect the town. Bombie Castle's four walls still stand in Kirkcudbright in 1993. I have seen the pages containing this information. [Archibald Buchanan Low first found this decades ago, and recalled the year that the permit was signed 1492, but was hospitalized and unable to check the date, and he may have found another reference to McHaffie in 1492.]

-M'Hivey, 1578, was landowner per M'Kerlie, Lands and Their Owners in Galloway, I p. 239. [Black]

-Margaret McIlhaffie, parish of Daylie, Ayr, 1615. [A. B. Low]

-Thomas McHaffie in Drumlash, parish of Kirkmichaell, testament registered 1647. [A. B. Low]

-1650 McKilhaffys mentioned in Morton's "Gleamings from the Mountains" p. 225, 415, Covenanting Times. [A. B. Low] I have no more information on this.

-Only 6 McHaffie/Mahaffy taxpayers in IRE on Hearth Roll Tax List, 1663. [Source, Bob Mahaffey]

-Ewin McAphie alias Vic Condachie ordered to appear before Privy Council 1681, RPC., 3. ser., [volume] VII, p. 82. [Source: Black] [Dugal, John, and Neil McConochie, Covenanters, were all three Argyllshire men, banished 1685]. NOTE: See John McHaffie in Gargerie, Oct 1684, in list of Privy Council items.

-1684, Several Mahaffie/McHaffie heads of various named households in Kirkcowan parish, including: James, William, Mart., Agnes, and there were several in the large Gordon household.

-McHaffine, McIlhaffie, Mahaffie, Mahalfie, Milhaffie, all found in 1684 parish lists. [Black]

-Thomas McHaffie, Covenanter, was shot and killed by soldiers in Jan 1685 after being dragged from sickbed out into the road. Thomas is buried at Straiton, Carrick, Scotland, s.e. of Ayr (and n. of Wigtownshire). Thomas McHaffie's two tombstones, one very old and another one placed beside it in 1824, in Straiton cemetery, bears the inscription. More about Thomas is given in Martyr Graves of Scotland, including the fact that he was the son of John McHaffie in the Largs farm, about 1/2 mi. east of Straiton.

I have found no other mention of William McHaffie, martyr, mentioned by MacPhee in The mythology, traditions and history of the McDhuibshith-MacFie Clan.

-McGuffie is considered a sept of MacFie, and the arms of one of that name display a black boar's head.

-John McGuffock of Rusco and his wife Janet McGowan were Covenanters, fugitives, and I believe lost their property ca 1685.

-William Holmes McGuffey, Ph.D., wrote The McGuffey's Readers, 1836, which have sold over 140 million copies, making the books among the top sellers of all times. The books were so widely used for so many decades that this man is considered one of the most important influences on Americans. William was the son of Alexander, who with his parents ("Billy" and Anna McKittrick McGuffey) and two sisters, emigrated from Wigtown to Pennsylvania in ca 1775. Dr. McGuffey's brother, Alexander Hamilton McGuffey, was also an educator and wrote books for grades 4 and 5, I believe. William H. McGuffey taught at several universities in Ohio, and then at the University of Virginia for over 25 years. The readers are still in print. The version after 1836 was not made by Dr. McGuffey.

-George William Gordon McHaffie of Corsmalzie, Wigtownshire, 1800s, had arms, going back several generations (as indicated by differences on the arms), three gold boars' heads on azure, with a crescent on a bend, and a border, and his crest was a demi-savage, with motto `Dread God'. He registered a name change to George William McHaffie-Gordon with the Lord Lyon, 1880s. Gordons have arms with three gold boars' heads on azure. I believe a Gordon heiress married a McHaffie. One source shows arms with motto, "Bydand."

-McHaffie crest, Scotland, a demi-griffon, gules, no motto, in Fairbairn's Book of the Crests of the Families of Great Britain...

-McHaffie is considered a sept of MacFie. MacFie crest is a demi-lion, gules. -Several McHaffies have been found in early 18th c. colonial America, and many more by Revolutionary War according to my research and that of numerous others. The home built by Melville F. McHaffie of Stilesville, Indiana, US, is on the National Register of Historic Homes. Some homestead cabins in Tennessee and Missouri have been preserved.

-John McHaffie in Australia, 19th c., gave the name Flagstaff to spot which later became known as Rhyll.

-Other McHaffies have emigrated more recently.