The Moodie's and some royal name dropping

I have been diverted away from letters to understand the family tree and have loved the exploration.

I feel a little like Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole.....

• Our grandmother, Ina Moodie Phillips was born 1898 in Umtata and was descended from the Moodie's of Melsetter, an ancient family. 

Nanny Ina

The first written record of the family seems to date from about 1470, when William Mudie appears in a list of Scottish bishops as Bishop of Caithness. 

How about some royalty in our family!

I know it is a stretch but the Moodie line were descended from Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland (1274-1320), via the Stewart Kings James I to V, and then James V’s son John the first Earl of Moray, and then via the daughter of the fourth Earl of Moray, Lady Margaret Stewart, who married Alexander the first Lord Duffus (Ruvigny).

They also claim links to the Kings of Norway.

Got to love it - this family tree is in the book I have of the 1820 Settler Families.

• Nanny Ina's mother was Caroline Emily Moodie (“Daisy”) b. 1870 and d. 1904 in Umtali, Rhodesia, who married Capt. William Henry Boothby Phillips in the Holy Trinity Church, Kokstad in the 1890s. William was involved in the Cape Mounted Rifles, and his son, Nanny Ina's brother,  Charles Moodie Ralph Phillips (born 1896 in Umtata) was always known as “Polo” as he was born during a polo match.

Daisy Moodie, married Major William Phillips 

• Caroline’s brother was Harry Moodie, who was a Commissioner in Rhodesia.

• Caroline's father was John Bell Moodie b. 6 Feb 1836 in Graaff Reinet, the sixth son of Donald Moodie, who had 14 children. He married Anne Emily Hallett. Died 11 July 1876 in Pietermartizburg.

• Lt. Donald Moodie RN, b. 25 June 1794, 5th child and 3rd son of of James Moodie, who married Eliza Sophia Pigot in Albany, Eastern Cape. Sophia was a descendant of Lord George Pigot. Donald died on the 27 August 1861 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. His oldest brother was Benjamin. 

Benjamin Moodie of Melsetter in the Orkneys had been forced to sell the family estate. This was finalised in 1818 fetching only slightly more than half of the trustee's valuation. In 1817 he left for the Cape Colony with 3 ships and 190 "mechanics and artisans" (Burrows). The men were indentured to him but he recovered little of the costs that he covered them for. He settled to farm near Swellendam on the farm Grootvadersbosch (which is still there by that name). He was a member of the Legislative Council of the Colony, and was generally an active and successful member of the community.

Donald Moodie

• James Moodie 9th Laird of Melsetter, b. 12 February 1757 in Melsetter, Orkney Islands, UK, was Donald's father. James Moodie married Elizabeth Dunbar daughter of Thomas Dunbar of Grangehill and his wife Janet Dunbar, who was the first daughter of Sir William Dunbar of Hempriggs and half-sister of Sir Benjamin Sutherland Dunbar. James died 28 June 1820 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

James Moodie

Extract from the 'Book of Moodie'(text left as is)

http://archive.org/stream/moodiebookbeinga00ruvi/moodiebookbeinga00ruvi_djvu.txtMajor 

The Moodie Book, Marquise de Ruvigny, (1906, privately printed)

James Moodie, ninth Laird of ^lelsetter, J.P., aforesaid, eldest 

son and heir of the preceding, was born and baptized at Melsetter, 12th Felamary 
1757, succeekd his father 17G1), Captain and ^Lajor of the bst Battalion Sth 
Orkney Fencil)l.'s from 1798 to 17^)S. ?Ie married Elizabeth, eldest daughter 
of Caiitain Thomas HunViar of Grange Hill, I'v his wife Janet, dau'diter of Sir 
William DniiViar of Hempriggs, st.'Cond Bart. [S.], and *-)nly child of her mother, 
Elizabeth, sister and heir of Lovodick Dunbar of WestHeld, last Heritable Sheriff 
of Moray, and by her, whi) died in 179S,'- he had issue : — 

I. Bt.njamin Moodie, younger of Melsetter, his successor. 

II. Thomas Moodie, Lieutenant, 11th Kegiment, Bengal Native 
Infantry, H.EJ.C.S. Being distinguished for his proficiency in 
the Hindostani, Persic, and Aral)ic languages, he was appointed 
assistant to the agent of the Governor-Genera! of Bundclcund, 
and rendered good service to the Company and was highly 
comnienddl for las conciliating manner to the natives. He died 
at Culpee, 27th April IS 24, .s.|\ 

III. Donald Moodie. See ]\roodie of South xVfrica. 

Reference, Moodie Ancestral Committee:

http://godawn.webs.com/familyinformation.htm