Jamie's descent from King Robert III

Each of three panels focuses on one agnatic (Y-chromosome) lineage.

  1. the origin of the royal STEWART / STUART lineage of Scotland.
  2. a BLAIR / COCHRANE lineage of Scotland, includes an interesting change of surname.
  3. an ALLAN / ALLEN family Scotl. --> Ulster --> VA --> KY --> IN --> etc..

 
 

This panel shows the origin of the House of Stuart.

I get much of my Stuart blood from James I's sister, Princess Mary, who had five husbands. (I'm descended from four of them!)

Another interesting feature of this panel is that King Robert II had two different sons named Robert. The older son was actually christened John, but took his father's name when he acceded to the throne. The other was Robert Earl of Fife. (Both the recent King Johns in Britain had had unfortunate reigns, so the name is regarded as inauspicious for Kings.)

The agnatic ancestry of the Stuarts is interesting. This page traces that line back to their mutual ancestor with Neanderthal man!

The name ``John Blair of Blair'' (or ``John Blair of that Ilk'') passed father-to-son for five generations, and suddenly we see a line of ``William Cochranes.'' This may seem odd. Alexander Blair didn't change his name just because he was disappointed he wasn't the sixth ``John Blair of Blair'' :-)
It was part of his dowry contract, and he did become Chief of Clan Cochrane.

(Alexander may have been brother rather than son of the fifth John Blair of Blair.)

As shown, at least six people in this Blair/Cochrane lineage married spouses with alleged ``Stuart blood.'' Shown elsewhere is the pedigree of Alexander's father-in-law, William Cochrane, Clan Chief, who also shows several different Stewart descents.

With the rise of the Stuart dynasty, Scottish nobles were granted land in northern Ireland, but often felt unwelcomed by resident Catholics. After his brother James was killed in religious strife, Robert Allan emigrated to America, settling in western Virginia.

Here I show only two of Robert's five sons. Three of the sons served in the Revolutionary War as field officers, John as Major. (Robert Jr. was a private.)

With Montgomery's help, Robert Polk Allen founded Allen Dale Farm, but it passed to his nephew, John Polk Allen (1810-1887), and followed a uterine descent thereafter.

Allens of Allen Dale and Allen County

Elsewhere I have a List of 500 agnatic descendants of Robert Allan (and there must be many more). This panel shows only a few of these descendants, including my line and the several ``James D. Allen''s who have turned up. As I write this (July 13, 2002) Baby Boy (whose name I conceal to protect his future privacy) said his first word: ``Hi Dad!''

Major John Allen, Robert's oldest son, married Ann Polk, possibly born in Ireland with Mary Ann Cochrane as mother. After Major John's death, his widow rafted up the Ohio River with many of her children and grandchildren, settling in Shelby Co., Kentucky. The descendants of Anne Polk are called the ``Allen Dale Allens.'' The line of Robert P. Allen (1767-1834) may have died out (I show two sons, a daughter and a grandson but nothing further -- HELP!) and Allen Dale Farm passed to a uterine descendant of Robert Polk Allen's nephew, John Polk Allen (1810-1887). The present Allen Dale owners may not be particularly concerned whether Anne Polk's alleged Stewart ancestors are valid or not: -- Susanne ferch Sue married a descendant of the restored Bourbon King Charles X de France.

Colonel John Allen (1771-1813), after whom Allen County, Kentucky is named, is certainly the most famous Allen shown here; he and his brothers and nephews figure prominently in early Kentucky history, although again the surname ``Allen'' tended to disappear quickly (e.g. Colonel John had only daughters).

Outside my own web-site, I've not seen a book or genealogy that explicitly shows Colonel John Allen as my ancestor's grand-nephew, but I explain why there's no doubt.

My descent from Major John and Ann (nee de Pollok) Allen is via their daughter Martha, but I am also an agnatic descendant of Robert Allan. My line traveled Scotland --> Ulster --> PA --> VA --> KY --> IN --> KS --> CO. (I show John W. Allen's older brother Robert N. Allen on the above chart as a reminder to myself: he may have led the movement of my Allens from Kentucky to Indiana, though the details are murky.)

Does Anne Polk have Stuart Blood? Prove It !

I show connections of descent from Princess Margaret Stuart to the Blair/Cochranes, recent database additions, including line to Margaret's sister, are not shown. On the other hand doubtless some indicated connections are wrong. (I also indicate some lines from Colin Campbell, Earl of Argyll.)

The real question is whether Anne's father is the same Thomas de Pollok who married Mary Ann Cochrane and, if so, was she the mother of Anne (some 40 years younger than Mary). Help, please!

Y-chromosome of British Crown

King James VI himself was not an agnatic descendant of the earlier Kings of Scotland; he inherited the crown from his mother, Mary Queen of Scots. However by that time the Stuarts were ubiquitous in Scottish nobility and the father of James VI was Henry Stuart Lord Darnley, son of Matthew, son of John, son of Matthew, son of John, son of Alan, son of John, son of Alexander, son of Alexander, son of Alan, son of John, son of Alexander the Fourth Lord High Steward. This makes Queen Mary a ninth cousin (once removed) of her Consort, but who's counting?

The following list traces the Y-chromosome source for the British monarchs of the last nine centuries.

Most of the agnatic shifts involved uterine descent of the crown. Robert II Stewart was a grandson of Robert I; Henry II was a grandson of Henry I; Henry VII's mother was agnatic descendant of Edward III; George I was a great grandson of James I; etc. (I read that George I Hanover ranked only 52nd in the succession order on the death of Queen Anne, but the first 51 heirs were ruled ineligible for the throne because they were Roman Catholics!)

          Begin.           Allen.           Pedigree.           Index of Individuals.           Sources.           Explanation.           Resume.           Contents.           E-Mail.          
 
Copyright 2002, JDA