Norman,
I have a few thing from various sources:
Information from Carroll Carnahan (carnahan58(a)aol.com)
The First Authentic knowledge of the family dates back to 1540, when three
Irish Tribes or Clans named "Carnochan, Carnaghan and Carnathan",
respectively, entered into an agreement to unite for their mutual
protection. According to tradition they had previously lived as most tribes
of the times, praying on their weaker neighbors and levying tribute in
lands, cattle and servants. Their habitation was on the rough and stormy
coast of the North of Ireland, and the wreckage of vessels driven ashore
formed one of their chief sources of revenue: they were even accused of
luring boats ashore by means of false lights. It is said that when these
tribes had no common foe they fought each other, greatly diminishing their
numbers by these perpetual feuds. When the great religious reformation
spread over Ireland, they embraced the Calvinistic faith, uniting in 1540
under the Leadership of James Alexander Carnahan, and they defended their
belief with the same vigor, they had proosecuted their earlier enterprises,
having numerous pitched battles with the soldiers of Mary Tudor (1553-1580)
in the last year of her reign their chief was slain and the clan was almost
exterminated, their goods and lands being confiscated to the crown, and many
suffering imprisonment or death. Of those who took refuge in Scotland, one
group settled in Dumfries the other in Aberdeen. The former branch become
weavers by occupation the latter hewers of stone or stonemasons, owning and
working large quarries. They became people of some importance; one John
Andrew Carnahan being a delegate to the convention in France from which
resulted in the celebrated Edict of Nantes, promulgated in 1598. From this
time little is known of the family up to 1709.
James Alexander Carnahan was born in 1709 in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is said
that he was the direct ancestor of the Carnahans here under consideration.
He is reputed to have been a man of powerful build, standing six foot four
inches in his bear feet and weighting about two hundred and fifty pounds, of
dark swarthy complexion, self- esteemed, and very dedicated in his religious
views. He had fourteen sons and five daughters, the sons James, Hugh, and
John emigrated to America and their families between 1760 and 1770 and
settling in the Cumberland Valley at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The First
Authentic knowledge of the family dates back to 1540, when three Irish
Tribes or Clans named "Carnochan, Carnaghan and Carnathan", respectively,
entered into an agreement to unite for their mutual protection. According
to tradition they had previously lived as most tribes of the times, praying
on their weaker neighbors and levying tribute in lands, cattle and servants.
Their habitation was on the rough and stormy coast of the North of Ireland,
and the wreckage of vessels driven ashore formed one of their chief sources
of revenue: they were even accused of luring boats ashore by means of false
lights. It is said that when these tribes had no common foe they fought
each other, greatly diminishing their numbers by these perpetual feuds.
When the great religious reformation spread over Ireland, they embraced the
Calvinistic faith, uniting in 1540 under the Leadership of James Alexander
Carnahan, and they defended their belief with the same vigor, they had
pursued their earlier enterprises, having numerous pitched battles with the
soldiers of Mary Tudor (1553-1580) in the last year of her reign their chief
was slain and the clan was almost exterminated, their goods and lands being
confiscated to the crown, and many suffering imprisonment or death. Of
those who took refuge in Scotland, one group settled in Dumfriess the other
in Aberdeen. The former branch become weavers by occupation the latter
hewers of stone or stonemasons, owning and working large quarries. They
became people of some importance; one John Andrew Carnahan being a delegate
to the convention in France from which resulted in the celebrated Edict of
Nantes, promulgated in 1598. From this time little is known of the family
up to 1709.
James Alexander Carnahan was born in 1709 in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is said
that he was the direct ancestor of the Carnahans here under consideration.
He is reputed to have been a man of powerful build, standing six foot four
inches in his bear feet and weighting about two hundred and fifty pounds, of
dark swarthy complexion, self- esteemed, and very dedicated in his religious
views. He had fourteen sons and five daughters, the sons James, Hugh, and
John emigrated to America and their families between 1760 and 1770 and
settling in the Cumberland Valley at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
---------------
Notes from my mother-in-law, Opal Carnahan:
ORIGINS OF THE CARNAHANS
The name of CARNAHAN was "Baille Mackarnaghan", or Micharnaghan, meaning
"
The sone of the man where there was a pile of stones in his field". (Place,
Son-stone-field). The Carnahans originally lived in Galloway, Scotland in
Wigton and Kircudsbrightshire (Old Galloway). The land was small silts
along the coast running down toward Ireland, and since it was coastland it
was likely stony, thus the name. During the early part of the 17th century,
during the reign of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), the Carnahans moved to
Northern Ireland, settling in Ulster, Donegal, Antrim and Cavan Counties1.
Alternate spellings/ associated names the CARNAHAN are as followes:
Carnahan Carnochan, Carnighan, Carnathan, (o) Carnahan, o'Cearnachain,
Carnoch, Kernaghan, Cearnachan, Mac Carnochan, Mac Karnachan.
When Opal Carnahan had the family crest investigated, the Corragain Crest
was said to be the one the Carnahans used. I have one paper which states
this, but no other varification.
THE CARNAHANS IN AMERICA
About 1702, during the reign of Queen Anne (1665-1714), there was a law
passed prohibiting anyone from voting unless he as a member of the
Established Church of England. Because of this and of excessive land rent,
when William Pen came through the country looking for people to come to the
New World to settle, the Carnahans came with him. In 1718, Joseph Carnahan
(c. 1680?) settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania coming from County
Caven, Ireland. [originally Galloway, Scotland]. He had five sons:
John
Joseph Jr. (c.1740- )
George,
Samuel
James. There was a James Carnahan listed in Philadelphia in 1719.
The family moved to Westmoreland County in Pennsylvania because of Quaker
disputes,. A John Carnahan was sheriff of the county in 1773. He moved to
what is now Pittsburgh, Pa. In 1776 a John Carnahan was killed by the
Indians and a Fort Carnahan, near Pittsburgh,PA, named for him., but I am
not sure these two Johns are the same.
FORT CARNAHAN
" It must have been at the mouth of Big Spring and not Newville, that
Cookson designed to place the county seat, if this locality was chosen
instead of LeTort's Spring. From here, instead of going up by the high road
through the barrens, to Shippensburg, we shall follow the consequently to
Maclay's mill. This region was prolific in Indian fighters and
Revolutionary war heroes. On the James Jack farm near Green Spring, in
Newton Township, Fort Carnahan was built. It was the center of a number of
sanguinary conflicts. On the opposite side of Consequently was the William
Carnahan tract, and James Carnahan, a brother of William bought land on
Green Spring. From William came the Rev. J. A. Carnahan, a pioneer preacher
in the west, and from James the Rev. Dr. Carnahan, President of Princeton
College." {See Colliers Reference Books, under Princeton.}
..Quotation from Pennsylvania magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 24,
pages 39-40.
In the Revolutionary War and Colonial records, the five sons of Joseph
Carnahan (Jr.?) are mentioned. One of these was Andrew Carnahan
(1762-1839).
Hope you find this interesting and helpful.
Marie Keeler
2334 S. Vine
Wichita, KS 67213
keeler(a)southwind.net