Clan Davidson

Clan Davidson Crest badge Crest: A stag’s head erased, proper - a stag on a silver field, one foot lifted, with an argent, silver arrow through the neck. The stag usually is natural colored with gold horns. Motto: "Sapienter si sincere", translated as "Wisely if sincerely" Profile Plant badge Red whortleberry Pipe music Tulloch Castle

Chief Alister Davidson of Davidston Chief of Clan Davidson Historic seat Tulloch Castle

Septs of Clan Davidson Davis, Davey, Davie, Davison, Dawson, Day, Dea, Dean, Deans,[1] Deason,Dey,Dow, Kay, Key(s), MacDade, MacDaibhidh, MacDaid, McDavis, MacDavid, MacDevitt, Slora and Slorach Allied clans Clan Mackintosh Chattan Confederation Rival clans Clan Cameron

Clan Davidson is a Highland Scottish clan. The clan was also part of the Chattan Confederation.^[2]

History

When the power of the Comyns began to wane in Badenoch, David Dubh of Invernahaven, Chief of Davidsons, having married the daughter of Angus, 6th of MacKintosh, sought the protection of William, 7th of MacKintosh, before 1350, and Clan Davidson became associated with the Chattan Confederation.

Still another source relates that the Davidsons are descended directly from a son or grandson of Ghilliechattan Mor, founder of Clan Chattan. The manuscript by one MacLauchlan dating from the year 1467, which is generally held as the most authoritative source on the Davidsons' origins, states that David Dubh was one of two sons by Ghilliechattan Mor, Dhai (David) Dhu, the other being Muihrich, or Murdoch, Mhor who founded Clan MacPherson.

In the 18th century we find important families like the Davidsons of Cantray and the Davidsons of Tulloch. The latter family came into possession of the lands and castle of Tulloch, near Dingwall, in 1762, when Henry Davidson purchased the estate from his cousin Kenneth Bayne.

Clan wars

Davidson. A Victorian depiction of the clan painted by R. R. McIan.

The Battle of Invernahoven 1370 or 1387. The Clan Cameron numbering approximately 400 men were returning home with the booty they had acquired after a raid at Badenoch. They were overtaken at Invernahavon by a body of Clan Chattan Confederation led by Lachlan, Laird of Macintosh. The Clan Chattan forces consisted of the MacKintoshes, Davidsons and Macphersons. As a result of a disagreement as to whether the Davidsons or Macphersons would occupy the right wing which was the post of honour, the Macphersons withdrew in disgust from the army. The combined numbers of the Clan Chattan confederation had outnumbered the Camerons but with the loss of the Macphersons the Camerons now had a greater number. The battle resulted in a defeat for the Clan Chattan Confederation (Mackintosh and Davidson). It is said that an ally of Cameron known as Charles MacGilony led the clan into battle and is believed to have changed the outcome of the day with his uncanny ability as an archer. At this point, possibly the next morning the Macphersons changed their minds and decided to rejoin the Chattan confederation attacking the Camerons with such vigor that they changed the victory into defeat, and put the Camerons "to flight" towards Drumouchter, skirting the end of Loch Ericht, and then westwards in the direction of the River Treig. The MacKintoshes later claimed that the Macphersons were coaxed into the battle by a man from clan Mackintosh who turned up at Macphersons camp pretending to be from Clan Cameron and calling the Macphersons cowards. The Macphersons then attacked the Camerons camp making a dreadful slaughter of them, even killing the Cameron's uncanny archer Charles MacGilony at a place now called Charles's Valley, or in Gailic Coire Thearlaich.

The Clan Davidson were led by Chief Sir Robert Davidson at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 where he was slain.

Jacobite uprisings

During the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite Uprisings, Many members of the Clan Chattan Confederation supported the House of Stewart and rallied the Chattan Confederation to the Jacobite cause, of which many Davidson's took part.

Notable members of the Clan Chattan Confederation including many Davidson's were convicted and transported to the North American colonies.^[3]

American Revolutionary War

Many of these Jacobite convicts upon gaining their freedom settled in the Piedmont Mountains of North Carolina and raised families, leading the English by the time of the American Revolution to declare the area a Hornet's Nest of rebels.

Notable amongst the many Davidsons fighting the American Revolutionary War was Brigadier General William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), a North Carolina militia general during the American Revolutionary War who was killed in action at the battle of Cowan's Ford. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

Clan Seat

Until Duncan Davidson VI of Tulloch died in 1917 the seat of the chief of Clan Davidson was at Tulloch Castle. This was originally the seat of the Clan MacBain but the Davidsons took over the castle after they claimed the lands.^{[citation needed]}

Clan Chiefs

• Alister Davidson of Davidston, New Zealand, 1998-
• Duncan Davidson of Davidston, New Zealand, 1997-1997
• 1917-1997 Vacant and disputed.
• Duncan VI of Tulloch, Deceased 1917.

Legacy

• Davidson High School (New South Wales) was established in 1972 in honour of a governor of New South Wales and the uniform and crest were based closely on that of the clan's.

See also

• Chattan Confederation
• Scottish clan
• Davidson High School (disambiguation)

References

1. ^ http://www.scotclans.com/whats_my_clan/scottish_clans/d_list2.html
2. ^ Davidson History Retrieved on 2007-12-03
3. ^ Bound for America: The Transportation of British Convicts to the Colonies, 1718-1775 by A. Roger Ekirch
4. ^ William S. Powell, Ed., Dictionary of North Carolina Biography (The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill: 1991), Vol. 2, pp. 27-28.
5. ^ Charles B. Baxley, “Battle of Cowan’s Ford”, SCAR, Vol. 3, No. 2, February 2006, p. 3.
6. ^ Chalmers Davidson. Piedmont Partisan: The Life and Times of Brigadier General William Lee Davidson. Davidson: Davidson College, 1951.
7. ^ O’Kelley, Patrick. Nothing but Blood and Slaughter: The Revolutionary War in the Carolinas: Volume Three 1781. Booklocker.com. 2005.
8. ^ Muster Roll of 5th NC Division at Valley Forge

External links

• Clan Davidson Association
• Clan Davidson Society in Australia, Inc.
• Clan Davidson Society (USA)
• Clan Davidson, Electric Scotland [1]