Wee Drams

Karen Rolfe [Mcmillan, Downie]     Bill and Sarah    Jean C [Stevenson]

Alexander Riehn [McKersie, MacCallum, Wylie, Greenlees, Colvill]

Doug Swisher    John E. Smylie [Smylie, Watson]   Dan Parker

Index

From:    Karen Rolfe     krolfe@eppingforestdc.gov.uk
Mcmillans of Barr, Killean Parish - information request


Dear Sir:
I have sent the attached information request through to the Kintyre Society, regarding any info that is available on Angus Mcmillan, wife Christy Downie, or son Lachlan, all of who emigrated to Killean Ontario Canada in 1847 to farm - if you are able to assist in any way with my request, I would very much appreciate it (but I'm sure you get requests all the time!!!) The specific question is, where exactly is Barr? Is it a farm, or was it a village? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide,
Sincerely

Karen Rolfe
Assistant Conservation Officer
Epping Forest District Council
Civic Offices, High Street
Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ
Tel: 01992 564068
email: krolfe@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

Attached info:

Dear Sir/Madam:
I have been trying to collect some information on my great great great grandfather, Angus McMillan, who resided in 'Barr', Killean Parish, and left there for 'Killean', Ontario, Canada to farm in 1847. I currently live in Essex, England, on an ancestral visa from Canada; and my mother and father are visiting us from Canada in late May. We hope to surprise my dad and drive up to Kintyre (which we have done already last Easter ourselves) to show him the 'Killean' area in Scotland - where his great great grandfather emigrated from to Canada. When we were there last year, I could not quite figure out where 'Barr' is - is it 'Barlea', 'Glenn Barr', 'Barr Water', or something else entirely. We know that Angus McMillan and wife Christy Downie lived in 'Barr' from the birth extracts for Killean Parish for Mcmillans, which I found on the web; specifically a Mary born to Angus McMillan and Christy Downie on Jan 9 1807 and then a Kate born to them Dec 1 1808, both locations listed as 'Barr'. I believe Angus was a miller. Further children born to them were James, Christina, Lachlan (my g.g.grandfather), Donald, Charlotte and Betty - all of whom emigrated to Canada with Angus and Christy in 1847 we understand. So, my real question is, where is 'Barr' - and is it somewhere identifiable on the 1870 maps of the area? Also, would there be anyone by father could speak to about the area when we visit late May, or about the Mcmillan family?

Thank you in advance for any info you can provide.

I replied:

Hello Karen,

I'm sorry to have taken so long to get back to you. My computer is acting up.

Thanks for your email re the Subject. It's always nice to hear from new readers of the Magazine. As you know, the KintyreMag isn't a genealogical publication but I always try to help where I can. To that end, I'll post your query in the next online edition of the Mag and, hopefully, you'll get some info by return.

Barr is, indeed, a place in Kintyre. If you haven't already done so, have a wee look at the following which will give you some idea of its location:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=barr+%2B+glen+%2B+kintyre

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=McMillans+of+Barr

I hope that you can find something there.

Take care of yourself and yours.

Ian

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From: Bill and Sarah  sarahbill@adelphia.net
Travel in Kintyre

Hello Ian,

We have a question you may be able to answer. We traveled to Kintyre from U.S. in September of 2001 (yes over 9/11). It was a fantastic two weeks with the exception of the tragedy in the U.S. We had no problem finding lodging, restaurants, etc. at that time of year in your country. We even got some
genealogy done. It just was not crowded. However, it was a bit chilly. This year we are thinking of returning in June. The question is - are there a lot more folks visiting that time of year that may make it a lot more crowded? Is it easier to find accommodations in the fall?
Thank you for your time,
Bill

I replied:

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your email. Well, it is busier in June than it is in the Fall that's true, but it's never that busy nowadays in Campbeltown that it gets 'crowded'.

My wife, Helen, I and two NC friends of ours will be in Campbeltown from the 19th to 26th June. We have rented a self-catering cottage at Machrihanish for the week for £300.

It all depends, of course, on what type of accommodation you need and how much you want to pay. If you want to give me details, I'll be happy to make some enquires for you.

All the best for now,

Ian

As did Bill:

Ian,
Thank you for the speedy reply. As a general rule Sarah and I just travel around with no set itinerary. Last visit we did spend some time at Glen Barr, and Gigha. It's just that there is so much to see that it is difficult to say where one may be at any given time.
Thank you,
Bill

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From: Jean C   jeanc@onetel.net.uk
Kilcalmonell and Kilberry

Hello Ian
Can you advise me? I'm interested in a small number of families called Stevenson who lived in K&K area 18th and early 19th century. Not Kintyre but near enough! Has the Mag ever featured info from K&K?
Jean

I replied:

Hi Jean,

Thanks for your query. I'm sorry that this has to be such a short answer but I'm not replying from my own computer. That's down for an upgrade, at the moment, and I won't have it back until June 30th.

However, have a look through the Surnames and Searchers archives. I think I remember Kilberry being mentioned and definitely Stevenson.

I'll try to answer more fully for you when I have my computer back.

All the best to you and yours,

Ian

And Jean came back:

Thanks Ian. I looked and sure enough there was a query but not the sort of thing I'm looking for. I've done quite a lot of work on the Stevensons but would like to find out their origins. Thought perhaps Kintyre Mag/people might have some info. Would be very interested to hear from you anytime.

 Jean

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From: Alexander Riehn   alexander.riehn@dehner-hotel.com
Genealogical information

Dear Mr Forshaw,

Surfing the Web I've found your homepage telling a lot of things about Kintyre.

Just to introduce myself, I am the managing director of a 4-star hotel in Bavaria including the biggest whisky bar in Germany with 300 bottlings. I organize whisky seminars for our guest as well as tastings. Whisky doesn't belong not only to my job, it is my passion for 16 years now. Since 1992 I am also interested in Scotish history. Since 2000 I try to collect information about every distillery which ever has existed in Scotland with the target to publish a book about that in a few years.

Due to the fact that I have to write an article in the German magazine "Whisky Botschafter" which is sold in Germany, Austria and Switzerland about the history of the Campbeltown distilleries I have nearly finished my research concerning Kintyre. What I still miss are some information regarding five families in Campbeltown who have managed nearly the whole whisky business of the 19th century. I only have some facts from one of my books "Scotch Whisky Industry Records".

Will it be possible for you to give me some more information about the family history (19th century) of:

McKersie
William
Alexander
John
William (the younger)

MacCallum
Duncan
David

Alexander Wylie (cousin?)

Greenlees
Hugh
Robert
James
Daniel
Matthew
William

Colvill
David
Charles
John
Robert

I would be very pleased to get a positive message from you concerning the above mentioned families. You seem to be the right address for such a request.

To make some pictures from the remnants of some distilleries and to gather last information I will stay in Campbeltown next week for two days.

Hope to hear from you soon and wish you a nice weekend.

Yours sincerely
Alexander Riehn
Managing Director
Ringhotel Dehner Blumen Hotel
Bahnhofstr. 19
86641 Rain
alexander.riehn@dehner.de
www.dehner-hotel.com
Tel.: 09090 . 76.0
Fax: 09090 . 76.400

I took great pleasure in replying:

Herr Riehn replied:

Good morning Ian,

The greeting is absolutely correct. Thanks a lot for responding to my mail.

It would be fine if you can post my request in your next online edition of the Kintyre Magazine.

At least on Thursday I will have a little bit of sunshine (so says BBC) and I can take some nice pictures of that what remained from 34 distilleries in Campbeltown.

Again thanks a lot and hope to hear from you in the future may be with some news.

Best regards from Bavaria

Alexander

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From: Doug Swisher doug7777@comcast.net
McKerral Book

Dear Mr. Forshaw,
I have a first edition of Andrew McKerral's 1948 book, "Kintyre in the 17th Century."
In your opinion, is it accurate and well thought of by local persons? Is it a rare book?
Please advise. I'm a stamp collector, not a book collector.

With thanks and best regards,

Doug Swisher
Jacksonville, Florida, USA

I replied:

Hi Doug,

Like yourself, I'm not a book collector so my opinion on a 1st edition of the book would be no good to you. I will, however, post your query in the next online edition and see if any of the readers comes up with a better answer.

Stay well,

Ian Forshaw

And Doug came back:

Thanks very much. Down the line, I might agree to swap it for stamps or coins, as it belongs "home" where local folks may enjoy it.

Doug Swisher

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From: John E. Smylie Jesmylie@aol.com
Smylie Family: Kintyre to North Carolina, 1775

Dear Ian Forshaw:

I have enjoyed reading the entire Kintyre Mag series and am writing to request that you include my family's interest in an upcoming issue.

My name is John Smylie. I descend from James Smylie and Jane Watson, immigrants from Upper Barr in Kintyre who arrived in North Carolina in 1775. They sailed with two children, a daughter, Jeannet, and a son of unknown name who died at sea. James' unmarried brother, William, was also on the voyage according to tradition, and a third brother, John, reportedly missed the boat and remained in Kintyre.

James Smylie and Jane Watson settled on Drowning Creek (also called Lumber River) as the Revolutionary War began. They remained in Richmond County until about 1808, raising a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, and acquiring much land. When their children matured, the whole family with their in-laws moved to Southwestern Mississippi, most settling in Amite County.

I am now tracting my direct descendants of James and Jane Smylie through six generations, and plan to write a family history telling each generation's story in the context of U.S. history. The records of their story are available in many locations in the States. But our knowledge of he Scottish background needs more detail. Perhaps some of that detail can be provided, if at all, by descendants of the family who remained in Scotland.

We suspect James Smylie's ancestors came to Kintyre from the lowlands after the seventeenth century plague. And we assume he was related to Matthew and Nathaniel Smylie, members of Argyll Colony (1739) who settled on the Upper Cape Fear river. James and Jane's marriage appears in Campbeltown Church records, as does the christening of daughter Jeannet.

Ian MacDonald was a great help during two visits to Kintyre, showing us cemetery stones at the old Killean church, and taking us directly to Upper Barr. We have participated regularly in the symposium sponsored by the North Carolina Scottish History Society, publishers of Argyll Colony Plus.

My hope is that if you mention these interests in an upcoming issue of Kintyre Mag, they will come to the attention
of other family descendents who might be willing to share more knowledge of Smylies and Watsons who remained in Scotland.

My e-mail address is jesmylie@aol.com, and my postal address is 7035 Marching Duck Drive, 506E, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210 USA.

Many thanks.

John E. Smylie

It was a pleasure to reply:

Hello John,

Thank you for your interesting email. I will be very happy to post your query in the forthcoming edition of the Magazine. I know that, if any of the readers have any info for you, they'll get in touch. They're a great bunch of folks.

All the best for now,

Ian

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From: Dan Parker  cen60999@centurytel.net
About Angus Martin

Ian:

My name is Dan Parker, and I'm a writer living in the United States. I was wondering if you could tell me how I could reach Angus Martin, preferably by e-mail. I see that he wrote a piece for The Kintyre Mag
called "By Hill and Shore."

In Angus' story, he wrote, in part: “Having found, over the years, many messages in bottles along the Kintyre shores, we decided, in the summer of last year, to try the game ourselves."

This interests me because I am writing a book full of true stories of messages in bottles. I would be highly interested in hearing from Angus about the messages in bottles he and any friends of his have found. It's
possible I would include at least one of the messages in the book. I'm hoping he still possesses the actual messages and the bottles.

Can you help me get in contact with Angus, preferably by e-mail? I also would welcome a phone number and/or a mailing address.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Dan Parker
P.O. Box 235
Port Aransas, Texas
USA

Phone: 361-749-5738

I replied:

[I have forwarded Dan's email to Angus]

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