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In this chapter I'm including several pages from the Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene, a book published in 1887 that was written by William Forbes Skene, D.C.L., LL.D Scottish Historian, Archaeologist, Author, Celtic Scholar and Her Majesty's Historiographer for Scotland.
As a way of background, I'm including pages from the Preface and Introduction as well as several pages concerning the Genealogy of Alexander and John Skene. However, I suggest that Alexander and Lilias' offspring read Dr. Skene's Memorial in its entirety which is available online as well as in written form. And, I make this suggestion because when writing the Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene Dr. Skene placed a great deal of weight on the family papers in the Charter Chest of our Scottish Forefather Alexander Skene that he had personal access to.
And, because Dr. Skene placed a great deal of weight on the family papers in Alexander Skene's Charter Chest I want to take a moment and include what another well known and respected Historian wrote concerning the reputation and credentials of Dr. Skene as a historian, archaeologist, scholar and Historiographer Royal for her Majesty the Queen.
For example a Biography of William Forbes Skene as recorded in Volume 52 of the "Dictionary of National Biography" written by Sidney Lee, English historian, biographer and critic published in London in 1897 verifies the validity and magnitude of Dr. Skene's work.
According to Lee the renowned Williams Forbes Skene was not only a Scottish Historian, Archaeologist, Author and Celtic Scholar he was "Her Majesty's Historiographer for Scotland". Dr. Skene also received an award from the Highland Society for a book he published in 1837 on The Highlanders of Scotland, their Origin, History, and Antiquities. In 1868 he published The Four Ancient Books of Wales and in 1869 Dr. Skene printed an Essay on the Coronation Stone of Scone originally read before the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He edited The Chronicles of the Picts and Scots (1867) for the series of Chronicles and Memorials published under the direction of the lord-clerk register of Scotland, and a critical edition with a translation of the chronicles of John of Fordun and his continualtors (1871) for the series of Scottish Historians published by Edmonstone & Douglas. He published in three volumes (1876-80) his chief work, "Celtic Scotland: a History of Ancient Alban: History and Ethnology - Church and Culture - and Land and People. He received honorary degrees, from the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford (in 1879). And, in 1881 Dr. Skene was appointed Historiographer Royal for Scotland. And, it was the request of the "New Spalding Club" that Dr. Skene wrote the Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene that was published in 1887.
Following are pages 336, 338, 339 and 340 from the "Dictionary of National Biography" by Sidney Lee:
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Lee's biography identifies William Forbes Skene as someone whose work is considered to be of great importance and weight - not someone who is writing just to be writing. Which brings me back to the importance of Dr. Skene's book Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene published in 1887.
Needless to say, that Dr. Skene was Her Majesty's Historiographer for Scotland in itself speaks volumes. Without a doubt William Forbes Skene is a man whose writings are authoritative. He was more than qualified to have written the "Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene". And, as a Scottish Historian he wrote the Memorials based on "Family Documentation" that the various Skene families had preserved in their Charter Chest including that of my forefather Alexander Skene of Newtyle. In addition to the family Charter Chests, Dr. Skene relied on other private documentation that was readily made available to him as well.
The New Spalding Club of Aberdeenshire, Scotland: The fact that William Forbes Skene wrote the "Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene" at the request of the Council of the New Spalding Club of Aberdeen who asked him to undertake to compile a history of the ancient Aberdeenshire family of Skene of Skene is significant. In fact, the Clan Skene was originally a part of "The Robertsons of Struan" also known as "Clan Donnachaidh" who are unquestionably the oldest family of Scotland, being the sole remaining branch of the Royal House which occupied the Scottish throne in the 11th and 12th century." The goal of the Spalding Club was to publish "Scholarly" work. They did not publish just to be publishing.
In other words, if anyone had reliable knowledge of the history and genealogy of the Skene family of Scotland, including that of my Scottish Forebear Alexander Skene, it would be Dr. William Forbes Skene who as a Skene himself was very familiar with the other Skene families as well as his own families well documented ancestry.
On page 1 of the Introduction Skene of Skene Dr. Skene points out that my forebear Alexander Skene was the compiler of a manuscript that contained the coats of arms of all the principal Scottish families.
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And, on page 3 Dr. Skene states the following about Alexander Skene:
"His position, his literary character, and his connection with the family of Skene of Skene necessarily give great weight to his account of the family, and especially to that period when he must have been personally cognisant of the facts he narrates."
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Needless to say, Dr. Skene had the upmost respect for my forebear Alexander Skene and Alexander's account of the Skene family including the origins of the name Skene. When writing the Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene Dr. Skene was able to go into great detail as to the origins of the name Skene because of the wealth of documentation that he found in the Charter Chests of several different Skene families especially the Charter Chest of my forefather Alexander Skene who according to page 3 of Felicia Skene of Oxford A Memoir by E. C. Richards published in London in 1902 Alexander Skene had dedicated himself to the genealogy of the Skene family.
Felicia Skene of Oxford: A Memoir by E. C. Rickards: This particular book published in London in 1902 that was written by Edith Richards who was a personal friend of Felicia Skene and verifies that authors like Edith Rickards as well as other respected members of the Skene Clan like Felicia Skene a Scottish writer, philanthropist and prison reformer were also in agreement with Dr. Skene's work. Felicia was the sister of William Forbes Skene and the daughter of James Skene who is remembered among other things for his deep bond and friendship with Sir Walter Scott author of Ivanhoe and whose writings were influenced by Felicia's father James Skeens.
In her book Ms. Rickards makes note that Alexander Skene had devoted himself to the study of the ancestry of the Skene family and that his study of the lineage and family background of the Skene family is authoritative.
The following is a quote from page 3 of the above mentioned book wherein Ms. Rickards points out that based on his studies my forefather Alexander Skene bears witness that the origins of the name Skene is derived from the weapon known as a Skein. |
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chap.i] A GREAT FRIENDSHIP 3
by Felicia in 1899, called "Sir Walter Scott's First Love," she touchingly relates the story oi the poet's love, what it had been, and what it ever was to him as long as life lasted. Scott's death, thirty years before that of James Skene, was one of the deepest griefs that Felicia's father had to bear. It was a strong proof of the profound impression made on him by that friendship, that shortly before his death, in his ninetieth year, he was convinced that the poet came to see him, and sat with him a long time talking over the old happy days together. If hereditary influences count for much, Felicia had all the advantages which descent from the high-minded and cultivated families of both parents could bring her. The history of the Skene family goes back to an early period, as far as the eleventh century. The old legend, on the authority of one of its members, Alexander Skene, who in 1678 devoted himself to the study of the pedigree, was that a son of the founder of the family, the Laird of Struans, had his first donation from the king for killing "ane devouring wolfe in the forest of Aberdeen." The legend is preserved in an old MS. " King Malcolm Kenmore being ' fiercely purshewed by a devouring woulfe,' ... a second son of Donald of the Isles perceiving the fierceness of the woulfe with his open mouth
4 FAMILY HISTORY [PART I.
coming upon the king, wrapt his plaid about his left arme, and thrust in his mouth, and inter posed himself to the furie of the wyld beast, rather than have his prince in hazard ; and then with his right hand, drew his Skene, and under his arme that was in the mouth of the woulfe, struck in his Skeine at his head, and cut off his head and delivered it to King Malcombe, for the quhilk Malcome gave him the lands of Skene, and caused him to be called Skene of that ilk, as lykways the great Laik or Loch of Skene, being sax miles of circuit, well plenished with fresh water fishes, Elk Bulls and croched Cows on the sides thereof, who have but on ear or lug, and gives exceeding mutch milk, and are never seen to Bule, but its vulgarly reported that these Elfe Rules come out in the night season, and return with a great Bulying in the Watter." There is a picture of the old skean or dirk in the family chest of charters, and it is believed that from the time that the lands were erected into a barony, in 1817, the dirk was used as a symbol of investiture. The Skenes soon developed into a large clan. Some dozen branches are described in Mr William Forbes Skene's history of the family. Our concern is only with the Skenes of Rubislaw, the first of whom was George, the son of David of the Mylne of Potterton. He attained to the dignity of Provost of Aberdeen in 1676, and was afterward knighted as Sir George Skene of Fintray.
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Ms. Richards' account is in agreement with various other accounts including that of Dr. Skenes' account that the name Skene is derived from the Irish dirk skeine or skene as described above.
According to the Skene historians, the origin of the name Skene dates all the way back to the eleventh century when a younger son of the Robertsons of Struan saved the life of King Malcolm by killing a wolf with a "Skene", a small Irish/Scottish dagger. And, this particular young man was rewarded for his heroism with lands named after the Skene weapon and his heroism was and continues to be commemorated on the chief’s shield which shows three wolves’ heads impaled on skene's (daggers). And, this particular young man whose name was changed to Skene became the Patriarch of the Skene family from which all males can trace their lineage back to.
Back to the William Forbes Skens's "Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene": Following are the several pages from the Memorials including the pages that reference Alexander, Lilias and John Skene that I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.
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My Notes: Dr. Skene acknowledges the work of Alexander Skene |
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My Comments: It is of the greatest significance that my Scottish Forebear understood and wrote in Hebrew and this is discussed further in the section detailing the life of Alexander Skene.
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My Comments: Dr. Forbes makes the statement concerning the work of my forefather Alexander Skene:
"His position, his literary character, and his connection with the family of Skene of Skene necessarily give great weight to his account of the family, and especially to that period when he must have been personally cognisant of the facts he narrates". |
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My Comments: Note Dr. Skene's reference to Alexander Skene |
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My Comments: Note the reference to the "Hospitallers or Knights of St. John of Jerusalem and as such Johan de Skene would have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. And, this year in 2019 I will once again stay at the Mount Zion Hotel in Jerusalem that was originally a hospital built by the "Hospitallers Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. |
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My Comments: Note the reference to Alexander Skene's Charter Chest |
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My Comments: Note the reference to Alexander Skene as Magistrate of Aberdeen and the books he has written. |
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My Comments: William Forbes Skene is only one of several historians that identify John Skene as a Quaker and Governor of New Jersey.
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