Eighteenth Century Church Letters from Southend Parish
by
Janet Morrison of North Carolina
It is the policy in the Presbyterian Church, USA today to send proof of church membership when a member of a congregation seeks to move their membership to another church. This practice apparently has deep roots in the Church of Scotland.
A number of families from Southend and Campbeltown immigrated to the community around Rocky River Presbyterian Church in Mecklenburg County, (present-day Cabarrus County) North Carolina, USA in the 1700’s. Many of them brought their church letters with them. The texts of a couple of those letters have survived for more than two centuries. Some of the readers of the online Kintyre Magazine might find the wording of the letters to be interesting.
One of the letters was brought to North Carolina by Alexander McLarty, Sr. He was born in Kintyre in 1730. His father was John McLarty. Alexander brought his wife and children to the Rocky River area in 1773. The name of his first wife is unknown. Their 17- and 15-year-old sons, Archibald and Alexander, Jr., accompanied him and his second wife, Barbara McNaught, to America. Incidentally, Alexander McLarty, Jr., married Jenny Morrison in 1776 in North Carolina. Jenny was the daughter of James Morrison, who had immigrated from Campbeltown around 1750.
“Southend of Kintyre
North Britain
29 July 1773
These certify all whom it may Concern:
The Bearer, Alexander McLarty, a married man, and family have lived in this parish from their infance and have always behaved themselves civilly, soberly, and honestly, free from scandal, church censure, so they may be received into any Christian Society where Providence may order their lot.
Written by order of the Session, Day and Place above mentioned.
David Campbelle, Min.
James Doig, Ses. Clerk”
Nine years later, Barbara Caldwell arrived at Rocky River from Southend, bringing a church letter
with her. Others in the Caldwell family had preceded her to Rocky River. In 1766, my
great-great-great-great-grandfather, John Morrison (born in Campbeltown and a brother of the James
Morrison mentioned earlier) bought some land on the head branches of Reedy Creek in
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina from a John Caldwell. It is thought that Barbara Caldwell was
the daughter of John Caldwell and Margaret Bain, who were married in Campbeltown on June 17,
1750. Barbara’s brothers, Daniel and Robert, came to America prior to the American Revolution.
They went by wagon from what was then Mecklenburg County, North Carolina to Charleston, South
Carolina (a distance of more than 200 miles) to meet their sister, Barbara, and their brother John’s
widow and young son when they arrived on the ship from Kintyre. The younger John Caldwell died
on the voyage to America. A Southend church letter is said to also exist for John Caldwell and his
wife, Jean., It is said to bear the same date as Barbara’s letter. There is a word that looks like
“May” between the word July and the year in Barbara Caldwell’s letter. Except for that, the letter
is entirely legible. Miss Caldwell’s church letter reads as follows:
“These certify that the Bearer hereof Barbara Caldwell, a young unmarried woman, was born brought up in this Parish, that she always behaved herself modestly & decently, & now that she is about to leave her Native Country we recommend her to the friendly reception & kind Protection of Individuals or of any Christian or Civil Community, among whom Divine Providence may order her Lot. Attested at the Church of Southend in the County of Argyle, Scotland, N.B. this twenty second day of July May [?] 1700 Eighty two by
John Reid For David Campbell Minist
Charles Pator Sess. Clk.”
Barbara Caldwell married William Andrew in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on April 16, 1792. Three of their children died as infants and Barbara died in 1800. She, the three infants, and William Andrew (who died in 1806) were all buried in the Spears Graveyard of Rocky River Presbyterian Church.
Barbara Caldwell’s brother, Robert, married Phoebe Morrison in North Carolina. She was a daughter of Robert Morrison (youngest brother of John and James who were mentioned earlier) immigrated from Campbeltown about 1750 and his wife, Sarah. So Phoebe was a first cousin of Jenny Morrison, wife of Alexander McLarty, Jr. There are many examples of first and second generation Kintyre immigrants marrying each other in North Carolina.
Note:
If other Kintyre Mag readers have knowledge of church letters from Southend or the Lowland
Church in Campbeltown, I would be interested in hearing from them at morrison@dialpoint.net.
Page 2: Eighteenth Century Church Letters from Southend Parish
Page 3: The Ralston Correspondence - Part Two
Page 4: The Lowland Church of Campbeltown from its Foundation in 1654 till the Disruption. - Part One
Page 5: Heather McFarlane's Page - Dalintober
Page 6: HMS Campbeltown // Genealogy of Peter Johnson
Page 7: Betty McNiven and 'The Flight'.
Page 8: By Hill and Shore - Part Two