|
Arms Assumed:
Arms assumed 1995, Ft. Benning, Georgia.
Further Registration:
American College of Heraldry, June 1996 #1391
Further Certification: The
Cronista Rey de Armas, 17 January 2001 Folio #133-136
The basis of the arms is the ancient
battle flag of Ulster. The Chief embattled was added to the design to
represent participation in three wars. The bombs represent the two
battle stars won by the armiger in the Gulf War. The crest represents
the different aspects of the armiger's history- the ties to Ireland,
military academy, and the large number of writers and poets in his
family.
The armiger maintains
that the first known member of his family was Hugh "McShane" O'Neill
of Killetragh and Glenconkeyne, Ireland. This Hugh is believed to be
the great grandson of Conn Bacach O'Neill and was pardoned and granted
lands in 1608 for his part in the 9 Years War.
Following the departure
of his cousin Hugh (the Red) O'Neill, the family changed their name
from O'Neill to that of McShane, after the clan living in the
Loughinshollin region of Ulster. The name McShane was kept as the
surname until 1839 when John McShane immigrated to the United States
and like his cousin the McShane-O'Neill baronet, Johnson of New York,
permanently anglicized the name from the Irish "son of John" to
Johnson.
Major Johnson holds a
BA from The Citadel and an MA from Princeton University. He is married
to the former Kathleen Eleanor Henninger, and they have two children,
James Riley III and Vivienne. He heads the Clan McShane Society and is
a member of the Army-Navy Club, The Montana Club, and the Veteran
Corps of Artillery. |
