Wee Drams
* Contents:
Lynley Gilchrist Force
Ramon Jackson
Argie Shumway
Marilyn McNeill Caswell
Argyllshire
Queries / Campbeltown Life
/ Internet Guide
From: Lynley Gilchrist Force LForce1648@aol.com
Dear Sir,
My name is Lynley Gilchrist Force and I
am the daughter of Robert Gilchrist who wrote
you several times via e-mail and was also a subscriber to the Kintyre Magazine
until his death last April when he and my mom were both killed in a car accident.
I am trying to keep all of his geneology work going but I do not have as
many resources as my father did. Recently, a woman e-mailed me hoping to
find my dad with a question about a Margaret Gilchrist
Smith who had married into her family. She needed to know Margaret's
parents' names. I have the information I was given and hope it will provide
any help to anyone who can give me some clues as to what her background was.
Margaret Gilchrist Smith b. c 1700 d. 1736
She died while immigrating to North Carolina with her husband
John Smith and two children,
Malcolm and Jennet.
She previously lived in Knapdale, Argyllshire, Scotland.
I need to know her parents names and birthdates and really any other useful
information that would be of help. I would be so appreciative of a response
back. Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Lynley Gilchrist Force
Titusville, FL 32796
I just found your web editions and they have already proved most interesting. They have also prompted me to post a query on the Kintyre GENWEB page as duplicated below. I've never been closer (on land) than Edinburgh, but have seen the islands of Scotland from ships. I hope to visit soon, particularly now that I have found exactly what my Highland connections were.
My grandmother constantly talked of Scotland, but she concentrated on her Robeson connection which was considered to be Scots. If so, it was probably borders and was more distant from classic Scots ties. I knew her mother was the Highland link, but only in the last year found details and more interestingly to me that it was in the Islands.
Since I reference your magazine here is my query:
Apparently additional information to some dead ends I have, may be available in Kintyre based on references in A. I. B. Stewart, C.B.E., D.L articles in The Kintyre Antiquarian and Natural History Society Magazine :
"In 1756 the Reverend Hugh MacAden on a journey from distant Pennsylvannia found that these Highlanders had no pastor, and he persuaded James Campbell, because of his ability as Gaelic preacher, to settle among them. He did so willingly and soon founded three churches in the vicinity of the modern Fayetteville. James Campbell was licensed by the Presbytery of Kintyre and shortly afterwards emigrated to Pennsylvannia." and "'Loveday, the wife of Duncan McNeill of the Bluff and daughter of Rev. James Campbell, died October 22 1786 aged 33 years. Her children that survived her were Isabella, Grisella, James and infant son Duncan.'" [A FORGOTTEN CAMPBELTOWN; Issue 10 - Oct 1997]
"Neil McNeill of Ardelay in Gigha is the fifth named. His wife was Grizel Campbell, a cousin of Kilduskiand and of Hector's widow, while his daughter Florence married Alexander, Coll's youngest son and Dugald Lossett's nephew. He sold Ardelay in 1738 to John McLachlan in Daill in Islay." and the comment that "All were related directly or indirectly, by blood or by marriage to Hector Macneal the First of Losset." (footnoted: "(a) The MS Genealogy of the descendants of Lachlan Macneal of Tirfergus and (b) The Campbells of Auchinbreck, S.H.S. Highland Miscellany Vol IV") [THE NORTH CAROLINA SETTLEMENT OF 1739; Issue 15 - Mar 1998] Neil McNeill was also known as Neill Du of Gigha.
Neil McNeill's son Duncan married Loveday Campbell, daughter of the Rev. James Campbell. The daughter of Duncan and Loveday, Isabella McNeill, first married Col. Hector McAllister (son of Col. Alexander McAllister and grandson of Coll McAllister) and after his death Thomas Gilmore. Thomas and Isabella's daughter, Mary Gilmore, married Neil McDougald. Neil McDougald was the son of Rev. Allan McDougald and Catherine McLean. Rev. Allan McDougald preached in Gaelic during the early 1800s at the three churches founded by James Campbell. My connection is through Isabella McDougald, wife of D. G. Robeson, who was the daughter of Neil McDougald and Mary Gilmore.
I have two dead ends that someone in Kintyre may be able to solve:
Rev. James Campbell definitely went from Kintyre to Pennsylvania (about 1730) and then to North Carolina. What were his Kintyre origins?
Rev. Allan McDougald may not have come directly from Scotland, but there are indications that he did. I am looking for the old country roots of both. Was he also from Kintyre as I strongly suspect and what were his relationships?
I have no information on Neil McNeill other than that his father was Hector McNeill and mother was Elizabeth McTavish. Stewart's THE NORTH CAROLINA SETTLEMENT OF 1739 indicates the relationships are well known locally. I would appreciate clarification.
From Neil McNeill on I have fairly solid information. The intermarriages between the families immediately before and after the 1739 move to North Carolina are complex and interesting. I would appreciate anyone having the Kintyre side of those connections getting in contact with me.
Ramon G. Jackson
4305 Markwood Lane
Fairfax, VA 22033-3639
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From:
Argie Shumway
shumway@itsnet.com
Dear Sir: I am so excited....for years I have looked for my John Fairley. Family stories say that John left from Campbeltown with his family, his wife Margaret Stewart and their children. One of their sons was Alexander Fairly, who married Effie McLaurin and these people were my dear family. I went to Campbeltown, but I didn't know where to look for what. I just enjoyed knowing that I thought John was from there.
Today, I found written by Frank Bigwood "Two Lists of intending Passengers to the New World, 1770 and 1771". [webedition 11 - page 9] My heart is full. Table 2 Voyage to North Carolina: Passengers in the Hold Jno ffairley Thank you!
Argie Shumway.
And again.......
Hello to you and thank you for your reply. I love this E-mail business.
I can't believe that we can communicate so speedily.
And thanks for your offer to have someone show us around. That would be dandy
and very helpful. After we retire and our
Meghan, grand daughter get a little older, I
trust that life will bring us back to Scotland. I have so very much to be
grateful for to my family roots with Scotland. I have line after line that
goes in that direction. Fairly,
McLaurin,
McLaurine, McCall,
Stewert, Cameron,
Buchanan, McCune,
Sterling,
McSpadden,
Galbreath, Miller,
Thompson, Blair,
Ketchledge, these are the ones I know a little
about...I would like to come and stay for a while. We have toyed with the
idea of trading houses for a summer. I have known some people who have done
that with success. We live in a town called Provo, Utah...which is not far
from the S.L.C. Family History Library, which should be of interest to a
researcher of facts....I suppose I am a digger of information to validate
my feelings and love of my people. I love to go where they lived, walk where
they walked and try to feel their lives just a little bit and I have a desire
to pass that love to the next generation so that they don't lose track of
their past and the families who lived before. We are part of those families
and what they thought and did. Well, you can see I feel very passionately
about all this.
Yes, a jigsaw puzzle it is! Yes, you have my permission to post in the
next edition on the Wee Drams page. A little additonal information:
Alexander Fairly of Kintyre, born abt. 1753,
Married. 2 May 1791 to Effie McLaurin of Appin.
Alexander's father was John
Fairly, born about 1715 Married about 1747 and died about 1798 in
Richmond Co., North Carolina. John Fairly Married
Margaret Stuart or
Stewart, who was born about 1719 and died 20
Aug 1781. When Alexander died, a newspaper mentioned
that he was from Kintyre. I found that John
Fairley was on the Edinburgh (ship) in 1770. And again I am thrilled
with that bit of information. Yes, post my E-Mail. I would hope that there
are other Fairleys out there looking for bits
and pieces to this great puzzle. What ever Ca' canny means I like it.
And Ca' canny
Argie Shumway
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From Marilyn Caswell
Greetings from Washington State and a MacNeill descendant via Campbeltown, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. I am traveling to Scotland in May to search out ancestral sites and reading this magazine has provided a great deal of background information. I'm hooked on it! My question is "How can I see pre-1997 issues"?
A bit of info......my 4th great grandfather was John McNeill, son of Malcolm and Euphemia MacAlister McNeill/MacNeill. John was born in 1750 in Campbeltown and left Scotland in 1770 on the ANNABELLA for the Island of St. John, now Prince Edward Island. Although I was born in the States, I love the sound of bagpipes and can truthfully say that every time I hear them every hair on my body stands at attention! Am I a true Scot? Keep up the great work on your magazine and when I am there in May, I plan to subscribe so that I can feel closer to my roots.
Marilyn Macneill Caswell of Ocean Park, Washington
Page 2: Mink - A Disaster
Page 3: Maceacherns Cross, Kilkerran Cemetery, Campbeltown
Page 4: Sheriff Court, Tarbert, 1683
Page 5: A Song for St. Clair on His Departure
Page 6: Rathlin // The Tory Hunters
Page 7: A Wedding at Kilchousland
Page 8: By Hill and Shore - from Mr. Angus Martin
Page 9: Daniel Kelly // Aedanus Scotorum Rex // The Auchenhoan Axe Hoard