Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Inc.

Reception Honoring the Receipt of Letters Patent
Granting a Coat of Arms to the
CATAWBA VALLEY SCOTTISH SOCIETY

Historic Rural Hill Farm
Center of Scottish Heritage
4431 Neck Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
www.ruralhillfarm.org

Thursday, June 8, 2006, 10:30 AM

On Thursday morning, June 8, 2006 the Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Inc. of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina was presented with a Letters Patent Document granting a Coat of Arms to The Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Inc. from Robin Orr Blair, Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, Writer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIs Signet, Lord Lyon King of Arms.

This public unveiling was made at Historic Rural Hill Farm, the home of Revolutionary War patriot, Major John Davidson. Romilly Squire of Rubislaw, O.St.J., D.A., FSA Scot., F.R.S.A., S.H.A., Baron Bailie of Plean and Rathdown, Acting Secretary of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, and Chairman of the Heraldry Society of Scotland, traveled from Scotland to make this special presentation to the local historical organization.

Receiving the Letters of Patent Document for The Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Inc. were Richard Hembree Taylor, President Emeritus, Keets Farquhar Taylor, Executive Director of Rural Hill Farm-Center of Scottish Heritage, Bob Deaton, Chairman and Founding Director of the Catawba Valley Scottish Society.

Romilly Squire noted that this is the First and Only Coat of Arms granted to a Non-Profit Corporation involved in presenting a Scottish Highland Games anywhere in the World.

Scottish Games are held throughout the world to include Scotland, the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and even in Indonesia.

The Letters Patent note that the Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Inc. is a duly registered non-profit corporation in the State of North Carolina, and that the objects of said Society are to promote projects and activities providing education on the culture and heritage of the Scots and Scots-Irish peoples and their contribution to the cultural development of the United States of America and, in particular, to provide venues for such activities.

The Letters of Patent Document concludes with:

KNOW YE THEREFORE that We have Devised, and Do by These Presents Assign, Ratify and Confirm unto the Petitioners the following Ensigns Armorial … upon the 105th page of the 81st Volume of Our Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, and by demonstration of which Ensigns Armorial the Incorporation is, amongst all Nobles and in all Places of Honour, to be taken, numbered, and accounted as an Incorporation Noble in the Noblesse of Scotland.

Those in attendance were Jenny Michael, representing United States Senator, Elizabeth Dole, Mayor Kim Phillips of Huntersville, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Commissioners, Parks Helms, and Brad Pearce, Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Commission, along with 50-60 guests and visitors.

Support groups that were represented were the Loch Norman Pipe Band, the Scottish American Military Society, the Second South Carolina Continental Line, American Revolutionary War reenactment unit, the 78^th Highlander Regiment reenactment unit, the American Legion Post 86, and the hospitality staff of the volunteers of the Catawba Valley Scottish Society.

Coat of Arms Presentation