It's your Electric Scotland newsletter meaning
the weekend is nearly here :-)
You can view what's new this week on Electric Scotland at
http://www.electricscotland.com/update.html and you can unsubscribe to
this newsletter by clicking on the link at the foot of this newsletter.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
CONTENTS
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Electric Scotland News
Scotland on TV
The Flag in the Wind
The Scottish Nation
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
The Misty Valley (A children's story)
Poetry and Stories
Good Words - Edited by the Rev Norman MacLeod
Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in 1876
Book of Scottish Story
History of the County of Bruce
History of Ulster (New Book)
Scotland, the Caribbean and the Atlantic world, 1750 - 1820
Andrew Buchannan of Chingford
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND
---------------------------------
I had a great visit to the Uni of Guelph on Saturday and came away with a
wee collection of old books. Lorne has also offered to look through his
other old books that have missing spines to them or other damage but
otherwise where the book is complete. He's going to put them in a box and
then give me a phone to pick them up. Absolutely a great offer which I've
gladly accepted :-)
I took a few pictures while at the Fall Colloquium which you can see at
http://www.electricscotland.com/ssf/fall2007.htm
Alan McKenzie was in attendance for the inaugrial Jill McKenzie lecture in
honour of his wife who died earlier in the year. The talk was given by
Professor Christopher Whatley (University of Dundee) on "The Union of 1707
on its 300th anniversary". It's intended to make this an annual lecture and
funds are being put aside so they can invite notable people from anywhere in
the world to give this lecture.
While I'm on this subject you'll likely know that the Scottish Studies
Foundation puts a lot of money into supporting the Scottish Studies Dept.,
which is now the "Centre for Scottish Studies", and also helps to purchase
antiquarian books for the McLaughlin Library there. The Centre for Scottish
Studies is the only place in the USA and Canada where you can study for a
Doctorate or Masters in Scottish Studies.
You can become a Member of the Scottish Studies Foundation and thus help
their work. By being a member you get their regular newsletter sent to you
in the post and you also receive in the post the annual edition of the
Scottish Tradition (it's actually got a new Title but I can never remember
it). You can see a few copies of this publication at
http://www.electricscotland.com/ssf/stp.htm
The publication is done by the Centre for Scottish Studies but the
Foundation pays for it to be published.
You can view their membership brochure at
http://www.electricscotland.com/ssf/SSFBrochure.pdf
Thing is that you can donate anything from $20-$99 to become a member. The
basic $20.00 just about covers the cost of membership but we have found a
lot will send in $50.00 or more. Should you feel a bit generous you can send
in $100 and become a Patron and that also gets your name printed in the
newsletters.
While this money goes to the Foundation most of it works its way through to
the Centre for Scottish Studies and Dr. Graeme Morton, the Chair, does in
fact work with other Scottish organisations all over the world. In fact I
met his opposite number from New Zealand recently when he came over for a
visit. At the latest meeting on Saturday we had folk giving talks from
Scotland and the USA.
I'd highly recommend joining the Foundation as they are doing a lot of work
promoting and educating on all things Scottish. Also, as people get their
Doctorate and Masters in Scottish Studies they will often publish books
about their speciality and go on to become professors in Scottish Studies at
other universities around the world.
The fact that you get their annual publication and newsletters means it's
nice to get something you can hold in your hands and read so you do get
great value from your membership.
You can view a couple of videos and see lots of other information about the
Foundation and the McLaughlin library at
http://www.electricscotland.com/ssf/index.htm
As you'll likely know I am leaving my ElectricScotland.com web site to them
as they have also undertaken to ensure that the site will be freely
available for future generations to enjoy.
And so I'd encourage you to join and help with the work they are doing which
benefits us all in the Scottish community around the world. I can't think of
a better way to spend $20, $50, or $100 dollars so do sign up online at
http://www.scottishstudies.com/220categoriesonline.htm
Note when you go to the online page you'll find one button for the standard
subscription but below that you'll find another "donate" button if you wish
to send them some extra money over and above the basic subscription.
On another matter... I'm trialing some new advertising on the site with what
is called a "pop under" advert. This means when you come to the site you
won't see this advert but when you leave it the pop under advert will
appear. As the company is meant to have some major clients like Coca Cola,
GM, etc I thought the adverts might be useful. So... I'm giving this a
months trial to see how it goes. And so if you were wondering where these
adverts were coming from now you know :-) I do like to be up front about
these things and certainly let me know if they become an issue with you.
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do check out
the site for the full versions. You can always find the link in our "What's
New" section at the link at the top of this newsletter and pick up poems and
stories sent into us during the week from Donna, Margo, Stan, John and
others.
Scotland on TV
-----------------------
Visit their site at
http://www.scotlandontv.tv
The sport of stone skimming has recently been in the news thanks to an
American, Russ Byars, breaking the world record for skimming with a throw
where the stone touched the surface an amazing 51 times. Scotland on TV
spent an afternoon at the extremely scenic Easdale Island, 16 miles south of
Oban, Argyll, attending the World Stone Skimming Championships. Whilst no
world records were broken that day, competitors of all ages and skill-levels
were welcomed, and a great time was had by all. View our film here
http://www.scotlandontv.tv/?channel=Sports&clipId=1380_SMG1204
And this week, we have also been to visit our good friend Stuart McCallum of
McCallum Bagpipes in Kilmarnock. Stuart spoke to us about the new McCallum
Solo Pipe Chanter, developed by the company with world-renowned solo piper,
Willie McCallum. The video can be seen here
http://www.scotlandontv.tv/?channel=Culture&clipId=1380_SMG1207
We were then treated to a performance by Sylvain Hamon of ‘The Pipe Major
Willie Gray’s Farewell to the Glasgow Police’ using the new Solo Pipe
Chanter
http://www.scotlandontv.tv/?channel=Culture&clipId=1380_SMG1208
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
------------------------------------
This weeks Flag is compiled by Jim Lynch where he covers a whole range of
topics and includes both the Gaelic and Scots language columns. Lots of talk
about a possible UK election as well and how prepared all the political
parties are for it.
In Peter's cultural section he talks about the harvest...
The climax of the farming year is the harvest - hairst in Scots. The
bringing in of the harvest, especially if it was a good one, was a time of
great celebration and ritual. Unlike today, the harvest needed a large
workforce of both men and women in the "good" old days. As the reapers
gathered they drank a toast and the farmer would lay his bonnet on the
ground, lift his stickle, face the sun and cut a small handful of corn. This
was moved sunwise three timesoo around his head and a chant set up as a
blessing on the harvest. Obviously a ceremony stretching back into more
Pagan times. The harvesters worked as a team and a kiss could be claimed
from the girl bandster, who made the bands to tie the sheaves, if the band
broke.
It was working at the hairst which moved our National Bard, Robert Burns, to
pen his first lyric. At the age of fifteen he worked in tandem with Nelly
Kilpatrick at the hairst and wrote "My Handsome Nell" in tribute to the
bonnie lass -
"But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,
And what is best of a',
Her reputation is complete,
And fair without a flaw.
She dresses aye sae clean and neat,
Both decent and genteel;
And then there's something in her gait
Gars ony dress look weel."
But not only farmers are busy with the hairst, now is the season to pick one
of Autumn's most delightful hedgerow fruits - brambles. This week's recipe -
Bramble Wine - requires patience, six months to a year, but is well worth
the wait.
Bramble Wine
Ingredients: 1 gallon brambleberries; 1 gallon water; 2 lb sugar to each
gallon of fruit; a little brandy (optional).
Method: The berries should be gathered on a fine day and must be ripe and
dry. Pick them over carefully and place in an earthware crock. Bruise the
fruit with a wooden spoon and pour the boiling water over it. Cover and
allow to stand for six days, stirring every day. Skim, and strain through
linen or fine muslin. Measure the juice and the proportionate amount of
sugar. Return the juice to the rinsed crock, add the sugar, and stir until
it has dissolved. Cover the crock lightly and leave until fermentation
ceases (a week or longer). Add the brandy if desired. Pour into bottles,
corking them loosely at first; then tighten up and leave for not less than
six months, and preferably for twelve to mature.
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots Wit and
lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
The Scottish Nation
----------------------------
My thanks to Lora for transcribing these volumes for us.
Onto the K's with Kellie, Kemp and Kenmure and also added Leith.
There is an interesting account of...
Sir James Leith, K.C.B., a distinguished military commander, born at Leith-hall,
August 8, 1763. He received his education at Marischal college, Aberdeen,
and, after spending some time at Lisle, occupied in the studies suitable for
a military life, he was appointed second lieutenant in the 21st regiment.
Soon after he was raised to the rank of lieutenant and captain in the 81st
Highlanders. At the peace, in 1783, he removed to the 5th regiment,
stationed at Gibraltar, and was appointed aide-de-camp to Sir Robert Boyd,
the governor. He afterwards served in the same capacity, first to General
O’Hara, and then to General David Dundas at Toulon; and on the recall of the
British forces from that place, he returned to England, being appointed
major, by brevet, in 1794. Having raised a regiment of fencibles in
Aberdeenshire, he proceeded with it to Ireland, where he was employed during
the Rebellion of 1798. He was afterwards appointed colonel of the 13th
battalion of Reserve, and subsequently promoted to the rank of
brigadier-general on the staff in Ireland. In 1808 he was made
major-general.
In the Peninsular war, General Leith served with much distinction, and at
the head of the 59th regiment acted with great intrepidity at the battle of
Corunna. In September 1810 he was appointed to the command of a corps of
10,000 men, with which he was engaged in the battle of Busaco, and at the
head of the 9th and 88th regiments, made a brilliant and decisive charge
upon the enemy. While the troops remained within the lines of Torres Vedras,
General Leith obtained the command of the fifth division, which he held
throughout the Peninsular campaign. Being attacked by the Walcheren fever,
he was compelled to return for a short time to England for the recovery of
his health. He rejoined the army after it had taken possession of Ciudad
Rodrigo; and at the siege of Badajos he headed the troops in the memorable
escalade that, in spite of a most destructive fire from the enemy, finally
led to the capture of that important place. He also distinguished himself as
a brave and skilful general in the battle of Salamanca, where his division,
the fifth, was prominently engaged, and sustained a heavy loss. During a
tremendous charge, while in the act of breaking the French squares, he
received a severe wound, which eventually caused him to quit the field. With
his aide-de-camp, Captain, afterwards Colonel, Sir Andrew Leith Hay, who was
also severely wounded, he was carried to the village of Las Torres, and
thence they were removed to the house of the marquis Escalla, in Salamanca,
where the victory over the French was celebrated with great rejoicings.
The prince regent conferred on General Leith the insignia of the Bath, “for
his distinguished conduct in the action fought near Corunna, and in the
battle of Busaco; for his noble daring at the assault and capture of Badajos
by storm; and for his heroic conduct in the ever-memorable action fought on
the plains of Salamanca, where, in personally leading the fifth division to
a most gallant and successful charge upon a part of the enemy’s line, which
it completely overthrew at the point of the bayonet, he and the whole of his
personal staff were severely wounded.” He was also rewarded with several
other marks of royal favour, and the privilege was granted to him and his
descendants to use the words “Salamanca,” and “Badajos,” in the family
armorial bearings. From the Portuguese government he received the military
order of the Tower and Sword.
In April 1813 General Leith’s wound obliged him again to retire to England.
Soon after rejoining the army, he had the command of the storming party at
the siege of San Sebastian, when he conducted the attack in a truly gallant
style, and though severely wounded, continued to cheer forward the troops to
the assault, exposed all the time to a most murderous shower of round shot,
grape, and musketry, from the enemy. At length he fainted from loss of
blood, and was reluctantly carried from the field.
On his return to England, Sir James Leith was appointed commander of the
forces in the West Indies, and governor of the Leeward Islands, and arrived
at Barbadoes June 15, 1814. By his prompt exertions, the French islands of
Martinique and Guadaloupe, which had declared for the emperor Napoleon, on
being apprised of his return from Elba, were overawed and kept in
subjection, the latter being obliged to surrender to his troops; and as a
reward for his services on this occasion, the privy council voted £2,000 for
the purchase of a sword to him, and he afterwards received from the king of
France the grand cordon of the order of Military Merit. Sir James Leith died
at Barbadoes of fever, after six days’ illness, October 16, 1816.
You can read the rest of this entry at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/leith.htm
You can read the other entries at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/index.htm
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Have made a start at this huge publication which will likely be with us for
a few years. The first volume I am dealing with is the one on Aberdeen.
There are some 85 parishes in this volume and a write up on each.
This week have added...
Parish of Pitsligo at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/pitsligo.htm
Name.—The name of this parish was derived from the estate of Lord Pitsligo,
of whose lands it was originally composed, and signifies in Gaelic "Hollow
Shell."
Extent, &c.—This parish contains about 9 square miles, is of the figure of a
trapezoid, and one of the most compact in Buchan. The extent of coast is
about 4 miles. The shore on the eastern half, extending from the burgh of
Rosehearty to the confines of the parish of Fraserburgh, is partly sand and
partly rock, loose and flat; the western half, extending from Rosehearty to
the confines of the parish of Aberdour, consists of high and bold rocks,
full of fissures of great extent and depth.
The parish is bounded on the north by the Moray Frith for a distance of four
miles. It abounds in springs of the best quality, and also in mineral
springs highly impregnated with iron.
It is also noted that...
Agriculture.—The agriculture of this parish stood long in a backward state,
compared with the husbandry of the south of Scotland; but since the
conclusion of the American war in 1782, improvement has proceeded with
singular rapidity; and while the rent-rolls of proprietors have been much
augmented, the circumstances of the tenantry have been ameliorated in a
proportional degree. Almost the whole of this parish is enclosed by
substantial stone dikes, and there is ample material for enclosing the
remainder, which is progressing rapidly.
The late Sir William Forbes, grandfather to the present Sir John S. Forbes,
set the first example in this respect, not only by enclosing many fields on
his own estate at his own expense, but by introducing a clause in the
general articles of his estate,—"that all his tenants should be entitled to
payment of sixpence per ell of stone dike as soon as an enclosure was
completed, the remainder of the value to be paid at the expiry of the
lease." The consequence is, that nearly the whole of his valuable property
in this parish is now well fenced.
You can read the rest of this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/pitsligo.htm
On the index page of this volume you can see a list of the 85 parishes and
also a map at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/volume12.htm
The Misty Valley
------------------------
By Margo Fallis
A new children's story from Margo which is in three books and is a Halloween
story which of course comes in at an appropriate time of the year :-)
We have now completed all three books which you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/stories/mistyndx.htm
Poems and Stories
----------------------------
John sent in an account of his Scottish Weekend in Winnipeg at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/henderson/winnipeg.pdf
Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kindly typed in for us by Nola Crewe
Craig, Gawin at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/kent/craig_gawin.htm
Gardiner, John Lee at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/kent/gardiner_johnlee.htm
Other biographies of this area can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/kent/
Good Words - 1860 Edition
---------------------------------------
Edited by Rev. Norman MacLeod
You should note that as this is a weekly publication you'll find larger
articles are continued week by week.
This week have added articles on...
The Fate of Franklin (Pages 113-116)
The Moon's Invisible Side (Pages 116-118)
Reflections of a Rifle Volunteer (Pages 118-120)
Lady Somerville's Maidens (Pages 121-123)
Methodism in the Far West, and it's Oldest Apostle (Pages 123-127)
Christ's Appeal to Common Sense (Pages 127-128)
Here is how the Reflections of a Rifle Volunteer starts...
What business has a rifleman to reflect? No man in this island has so much
reason to reflect as we have. When I lift my eyes from this table, covered
with peaceful literature, and catch the gleam of my sword-bayonet resting
against the corner of the room, it is natural that so unaccustomed a sight
should stir some unusual questionings in the mind. It is not the mere
irruption of martial exercises and ideas into the ordinary tenor of our
life. It is not the hours subtracted from other pursuits and devoted to the
dulness of drill; nor the hours joyfully yielded by these pursuits to the
holiday splendour of parade. Those for whom we write have too great a value
for their time, and too strong a sense of the responsibilities imposed by
youthful strength and manly vigour, to squander them on the fopperies of
merely mimic war. We have become volunteers earnestly. If we had not done it
in earnest, we should not have done it at all.
What, then, is our earnest purpose? It is the saddest and sternest of all
duties that can be imposed upon a man—so sad, so stern, that many a pure and
nobly-tender soul has withdrawn with horror from the task, as involving
something of an overbold and sacrilegious impiety. Men talk of wars and
victories lightly and easily. Fools and fops banter about the technicalities
of homicide. But were the reality of even one death of a human being by the
armed hands of his brother brought home to our imagination, how would the
heart shrink and quiver in the bitterness of anticipatory remorse! Yet it
were the merest cowardice and self-deceit on the part of the thousands of
Christian men who are now, in every direction, arming and training for the
defence of their country, to turn away their eyes from the result which they
are making such exertions to provide for. If there is no invasion, there
will be no fighting. But if there is—if all this drilling and training and
talking is to have any result, what is that result to be? For some of us it
will be this—to send a bullet through the heart of some fair-haired French
boy, whose mother and sisters shall look for him long in vain among the
darkened vineyards and skies that for them are bright no more. To some of us
a night shall come when, in lying down to sleep, we shall have to think of a
Life which our hands have violently torn from time, with all its rich
enjoyments and strange responsibilities, and sent in anguished bewilderment
into that outer world from which no life returns. That is a death: and what
is a battle but an aggregate of deaths?— when Hades opens her mouth, and is
not satisfied; when the vast gates of the unseen turn upon their groaning
hinges perpetually, as one immortal after another passes through, and the
whole spiritual world rocks and trembles at the unwonted convulsion.
You can read the rest of this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/goodwords/goodwords67.htm
You can read the other articles at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/goodwords/index.htm
Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Am adding a variety of articles from this publication and this week have
included...
On the Tree Mallow
I actually find these accounts most interesting and they often reveal some
interesting information for genealogy folk as names of people are often
mentioned in these articles. Here is how this article starts...
Having, on the 4th May 1870, exhibited a specimen of the highly promising,
but hitherto neglected, bunch grass of British Columbia in the Edinburgh
Corn Exchange, the young spring growths of which measured at that early
period from 3 to 3½ feet in height, I was invited to show it the same day at
a conference— between the Directors of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture
and a number of paper-makers from the surrounding districts— "on the
practicability of growing a useful material at home for the supply of the
paper manufacturers, as a substitute for esparto grass." In reply to
inquiries that were there made, I stated that if the straw of ordinary corn
crops, and that of our stronger growing native grasses, such as the common
reed {Phragmites communis), the reed canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea),
and others, possessed sufficient tenacity for paper-making, I believed that
the bunch grass (Elymus condensatus) would prove equally suitable; and that
a greater weight per acre of material could be got from it than from any of
the forementioned. In this opinion I am now more fully confirmed, from my
original plant, which was reared from seed in 1866, having since annually
yielded very dense close crops of both barren or leafy, and fertile or
seed-bearing stalks, which in each of the past six years measured from 9 to
9| feet in height. Having thus been led to look out for "paper-fibre
plants," I have now several highly promising exotic kinds under trial,
besides that indigenous one which forms the subject of the following
communication.
In July 1870 I spent some days near Kildonan, in the south of Arran, when I
was much struck with the gigantic size and showy appearance of the many fine
tree mallows which were there grown for cottage-garden ornamentation, and
had become naturalized in some waste places. Two of the former were found to
measure fully 12 feet in height, while few were under 9 feet. In a long,
hedge-like belt of the latter I came upon a continuous mass of fibre,
stretched among a thick growth of grassy herbage, which turned out to be the
only remains of a large mallow plant that had fallen or been broken down the
previous season, and all else of which had rotted away. This fibre I took
with me, along with a sample of fresh bark; and having subsequently secured
specimens of the matured plants, as well as a supply of the ripe seeds, I
handed a portion of each to David Curror, Esquire, secretary to the Chamber
of Agriculture, who had the bark tested for its fibre properties by Messrs
A. Cowan & Sons, of the Valleyfield Paper Mills, Penicuik; and the seeds
analysed by Dr Stevenson Macadam. In a note which Mr Curror sent me, dated
21st November 1871, he stated, "the results are. that the stalks are worth
L.5 per ton for paper-making; and the seeds as valuable for feeding as
linseed cakes."
Messrs William Blackwood & Sons, of Edinburgh and London, having kindly
transmitted a plant, and sample of the green tree mallow bark to Messrs J.
Dickinson & Co., of the Nash Paper Mills, Hemel-Hempstead, for their opinion
as to its properties, they stated, in a letter, dated January 1873, "that
the bark of the plant contains a large proportion of fibre well adapted for
paper-making purposes, and possibly also for the manufacture of common
cordage." They estimated the market value of the bark at about L.8 per ton,
and, by way of encouraging an experiment, offered to take two or more tons
at that price. They also kindly inclosed a specimen of "half stuff "
prepared from the bark, and " showing the fibre to be of fair strength even
when highly bleached." Messrs William Tod & Sons, of the St Leonard's Paper
Mills, Lasswade, having made some experiments on a limited scale with the
dried bark, were so well pleased with the results that they offered, "at
least, L.10 per ton for it," that being the price they were then paying for
esparto grass, or about the same as the forementioned, L.5 per ton offered
by Messrs Cowan for the stalks, the bark and woody matter in these being
each nearly equal in weight. Mr Henry Bruce, of Kinleith Paper Mills,
Currie, having expressed a desire to experiment on a largish scale with the
mallow bark, his manager applied for from 1 to 5 cwts. of it—which quantity
I was unable to supply. This application, and the preceding offers, induced
me to undertake the aftermentioned culture of the tree mallow in the Island
of Bute, in which I was obligingly assisted by Charles Duncan, Esquire of
Woodend, Rothesay.
You can read the rest of this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/agriculture/page24.htm
You can get to the other articles at
http://www.electricscotland.com/agriculture/index.htm
Book of Scottish Story
--------------------------------
Kindly sent in to us by John Henderson
The Book of Scottish Story
Historical, Humorous, Legendary, Imaginative
by Standard Scottish Writers Published by Thomas D. Morison, 1896
This week we have the stories of...
My First Fee from the Edin. Literary Journal
The Kirk of Tullibody from Chambers's Edin. Journal
Here is The Kirk of Tullibody for you to read here...
The parish of Tullibody, in Clackmannanshire, now united with Alloa, was,
before the Reformation, an independent ecclesiastical district. The manner
in which it lost its separate character is curious. In the year 1559, when
Monsieur D'Oysel commanded the French troops on the coast of Fife, they were
alarmed by the arrival of the English fleet, and thought of nothing but a
hasty retreat. It was in the month of January, and at the breaking of a
great storm. William Kirkaldy of Grange, commander of the congregational
forces, attentive to the circumstances in which his enemies were caught,
took advantage of this situation, and marched with great expedition towards
Stirling, and cut the bridge of Tullibody, which was over the Devon, to
prevent their retreat. By this manoeuvre, the French found themselves
completely enclosed. They were driven to an extremity which obliged them to
resort to an extraordinary expedient to effect their escape. They lifted the
roof off the church of Tullibody, and laid it along the broken part of the
bridge, by which means they effected a safe retreat to Stirling.
Such a dilapidation of the church caused the Tullibodians to proceed to the
adjacent kirk of Alloa, and in a short time the parish ceased to be
independent. The burying-ground round the ancient place of worship, now
repaired, still remains; and on the north side of it, where there had been
formerly an entry, there is a stone coffin, with a niche for the head, and
two for the arms, covered with a thick hollowed lid like a tureen. The lid
is a good deal broken, but a curious tradition is preserved of the coffin.
It is related that in early times a young lady of the neighbourhood had
declared her affection for the minister, who, either from his station or
want of inclination, made no returns. So vexed was the lady on perceiving
his indifference, that, in a short while, she sickened, and at last died of
grief. While on her deathbed, she left it as her last request, that she
should not be buried in the earth, but that her body should be placed in a
stone coffin, and laid at the entry to the church ; which was done, and to
this day, the stone retains the name of the "Maiden's Stone."— Chambers
Edinburgh Journal, 1832.
My First Fee can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story9.htm
The index page of the book where you can read the other stories is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
The History of Bruce County
-----------------------------------------
By Norman Robertson, published in 1906
This week sees us adding histories of the various townships and villages...
Township of Arran
Village of Tara
Township of Brant
Walkerton
Township of Bruce
Village of Tiverton
Township of Carrick
Which you can see at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/bruce/
Here is how the "Township of Carrick" chapter starts which includes an
account of John Hogg, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, as the first
settler...
[The title of Earl of Carrick was one borne by Robert the Bruce, and now by
the eldest son of the Sovereign of Great Britain.]
Extract from the Report of County Valuators, 1879.
"This we found to be the best adapted township for stock and dairy farming
of any in the county, on account of its numerous springs, and its soil,
which is mostly loam mixed with limestone, which is better for grazing and
root growing than stiff clay. There is a strip of very rough, gravelly land
running through it, termed '' The Forty Hills,'' which is very inferior
land, but the balance of the township is mostly ordinary land. It has the
best outbuildings of any township in the county, and has a large amount of
village property. Its average price per acre is $35.25."
Extract from the Report of County Valuators, 1901.
"There is a great deal of very good land in this township, and there is
considerable quantity of the roughest land to be found in the county. The
latter applies to the south-western portion of the township, nevertheless
the settlers seem to be very industrious and prosperous, even in the worst
sections. Land is selling readily and at good prices. The township is well
watered with spring creeks, and stiff clay is not to be found. The
facilities for making roads are good, gravel is abundant, and as a result
good roads prevail. Buildings and fences are good and farms well kept and
clean. Carrick has good railroad facilities, and is also close to the county
town. The Elora Road, running diagonally through the township, causes a
number of gores in each concession. The rate per acre is $39.13, of which
the village property is $4.30 per acre."
The township of Carrick was settled with greater rapidity than possibly any
other township in the county. There were several reasons for this. The
lands, being Crown lands, were to be had at a lower price ($1.50) than
School lands. Then a rumor got abroad regarding the quality of the soil, to
the effect that this township contained the choicest farm lands that were
opened for sale in this district, a fact sufficient in itself to explain why
settlers entered with a rush.
In 1850-51 A. P. Brough laid out the Elora Road from the north-west corner
of Carrick down to the township of Maryborough, staking out the lots in
Carrick on concessions "C" and "D" on each side of the road; the rest of the
township was surveyed in 1852 by J. D. Daniel. Prior to survey several
squatters had entered and taken up lands in the northerly part of the
township. Among these were John Hogg, [As the first settler in Carrick, John
Hogg deserves a short biographical sketch. John Hogg was a native of
Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1844 he came with his parents, to Canada, being at
that time fourteen years of age. The family settled in the county of
Renfrew. In 1850 John Hogg came to Bruce. After working in the vicinity of
Walkerton he, in the following year, squatted on land which, when the survey
was made, proved to be lots 18, on concessions 13 and 14, of that township,
for which lots he subsequently obtained a patent. On entering the bush, of
money he had little, and his outfit consisted of little beyond an axe and a
few necessary cooking and eating utensils. His bed was but a pile of hemlock
brush spread out on the usual single-posted bedstead. (This backwoods
bedstead was always found in the corner of the shanty, the walls of which
supported three corners so that only one post was needed.) The staple
article of his diet at first was potatoes. After he had grown wheat he had
to take it to Durham to be ground. He relates that on one occasion, after a
long and tedious journey with a yoke of oxen, he reached Durham without any
money, so he could not go to the hotel for a meal. By and by a bag of his
grist was filled up and he proceeded to relieve the pangs of hunger. The
process of baking was as follows : The top of the bag was thrown down,
exposing the flour, some water was poured into it and the two were mixed
into a batter; this was kneaded roughly into dough in the form of a scone
and placed upon the top of the stove used for heating the mill, and baked,
first on one side, then on the other. It required the digestion of a
backwoodsman to digest such an article of diet. Mr. Hogg took an interest in
the municipal matters of the township and was deputy reeve in the years 1864
and 1865. He was prominently connected with the Walkerton Presbyterian
Church. He was married in 1857 to Miss Bell, who survived him. His end came
on February 1st, 1902.''] Andrew Hutton, Louis Fournier and John Toran-jeaii.
These men squatted on their lots in the summer of 1851. Shortly after the
survey was finished the rush to locate farm lots commenced. Although the
lands were not in the market, and were not offered for sale until the "Big
Land Sale," held in September, 1854 [See Appendix K.] long before that date
every lot in the township was squatted upon.
Early in 1853 the inflow of settlers into Carrick commenced. Prominent among
those who took up land in the township in this year were Wm. Dickison,
Edward Hickling, Wm. Thomson, who settled in the north-eastern part of the
township; Angus, Robert and John McPhail, Samuel Clendening and his sons,
Thomas, William and Charles; Robert A. Morden, Abraham Johnston, Charles,
Thomas and Frederick Jasper, Alexander and Donald McKay, Robert Wills and
Arthur Deacon, who settled nearer the centre of the township. The first
settlers to take up land in the vicinity of Mildmay were Robert Young, James
Grey, Thomas Liscoe, Andrew Dunbar and his son James, Joseph Young, Samuel
Carr, Adam Johnston, James Clark, James Butchart, John Reddon and his
brother-in-law, John Campbell, Alex. McLaren and Thomas B. Taylor. These
were followed by John, Peter and Thomas Shennan, who settled at Balaclava.
The south-western part of the township shortly afterwards received its
pioneer settlers, among whom were Anthony Wynn, Thomas McMichael, Henry
McDermott, George, John and Thomas Inglis, James and Adam Darling. It may be
safely stated that all of the foregoing entered the county by way of the
Durham Road, as the Elora Road was not chopped out until the summer of 1854,
the work being done by Joseph Bacon, as mentioned in Chapter V.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/bruce/chapter24.htm
And the other chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/bruce/
The History of Ulster
------------------------------
From the Earliest Times to the Present Day by Ramsay Colles (1919)
This is a 4 volume publication and in the Publisher's Note we read...
No apology is required for producing a history of Ulster planned on a scale
sufficiently liberal to allow of a thorough treatment of the subject. The
Province's magnificent record and the greatness of her achievements in so
many spheres of activity have long clamoured for such a work; and it is in
answer to the call that the present History of Ulster is now published.
The work was begun and was far advanced towards completion before the war.
After the outbreak of hostilities, the issue was necessarily postponed and
preparation for it interrupted. Just as this long period of enforced delay
was drawing to a close, the gifted author's death occurred. It is matter for
deep regret that he should have been deprived of the legitimate satisfaction
of seeing the publication of the work which he had undertaken with
enthusiasm and to which he had devoted years of zealous labour. It has been
left to another pen than his to record, as a fitting close to her story, the
honourable part which, true to her traditions, Ulster has played in the
momentous struggle for the liberty of, the world.
I suspect when completed along with the other 4 volumes of the Scotch-Irish
in America we'll have a really good amount of material on the Scots-Irish.
I now have the first 5 chapters up for you to read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/ulster/
Scotland, the Caribbean and the Atlantic world, 1750 - 1820
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a newish book and I have failed to get in touch with the author of
it. I have thus taken the liberty of including the Introduction to the book
which on its own is very interesting.
As it says on the back cover...
This is the first book wholly devoted to assessing the array of links
between Scotland and the Caribbean in the later eighteenth century. It uses
a wide range of archival sources to paint a detailed picture of the lives of
thousands of Scots who sought fortunes and opportunities, as Burns wrote,
'across th' Atlantic roar'. It outlines the range of their occupations as
planters, merchants, slave owners, doctors, overseers and politicians, and
shows how Caribbean connections affected Scottish society during the period
of 'improvement'. The book highlights the Scots' reinvention of the system
of clanship to structure their social relations in the empire and finds that
involvement in the Caribbean also bound Scots and English together in a
shared Atlantic imperial enterprise and played a key role in the emergence
of the British nation and the Atlantic World.
You can read the Introduction at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/caribbean.htm
You can purchase the book through amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/Scotland-Caribbean-Atlantic-1750-1820-Imperialism/dp/0719071828
Andrew Buchannan of Chingford
-----------------------------------------------
Some time ago I got some of the text of this book to put up on the site. The
author subsequently sent me a copy of the book which includes many pictures
and also genealogy and so I have now made this available on the site as 6 x
.pdf files.
The purpose of this book is to bring together a number of documents and
reminiscences on the life and family of Dr. Andrew Buchanan, 1807 - 1877,
who lived in New Zealand from 1857 to 1873.
He has been called "Andrew Buchanan of Chingford" after residences of that
name in England and New Zealand.
This book includes information on his family, his ancestors and a list of
his descendants. The main sources of information are various publications
which are referenced in the text. Unpublished sources include letters, and a
diary kept by Andrew Buchanan in 1865 and 1873. Handwritten notes from an
old family bible have been reproduced in full.
You can read the text already up and also get to the 6 .pdf files of the
book at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nz/buchanan_andrew.htm
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
--------------------------------------------
The October edition is now available for you to read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft/index.htm
A real letter from your editor...
Dear Friends,
If you are new to Beth's Newfangled Family Tree, perhaps a little
explanation is necessary. If you are a long-time reader, you may still enjoy
reading this little letter.
This publication has been in existence for, I think, maybe 17 years with a
hiatus of one year exactly. I think, because the last longtime has gone by
in a complete blur and I sometimes - in fact most of the time - am
astonished to realize (a) How long someone has been my friend (b) How long I
have had this or that little widget and (c) how old I have become while time
was merrilly whooshing by.
But, for readers of this publication, whether in the 8 1/2 x 11 zeroxed
version that was its beginning or the sort of sophisticated print edition
that had - at it's most - over 90,000 press run or the last incarnation
before this, that was an Internet publication, the one thing I am always
sure of is that whatever version, BNFT is written not like a regular
newspaper which is written to strangers, but as if it were being written to
a circle of friends.
Once, long ago, I had one of my friends say, 'You know, if I didn't know you
did your paper, I would know you did it anyhow.' I was just tickled several
shades of pink, blue and even a few tartan colors! Several times I've had
folks write and say things like, 'Boy, I could make something GOOD out of
that paper if I could just get a'hold of it and write it like a professional
newspaper.'
What the latter don't realize, is that this is NOT intended to be, nor ever
was intended to be a 'regular newspaper or magazine.' This is written to
friends about friends. There is enough bad news in the world for most
anyone....but they won't find much of it in our pages although many times
there are sad things to report.
We are 'the hometown newspaper' of the worldwide Scottish community and the
genealogical community too - although they are many times and most times for
our purposes, one and the same.
We write about things that matter to us. We care if someone is ill or has
passed away or needs our help. We're proud of our youngsters for their
accomplishments and proud of our peers who do grand things.
So, I hope you enjoy Beth's Newfangled Family Tree. It is a small miracle
that it still exists at all and would not exist without the kindness and
generosity of my friend, Alastair McIntyre of Electric Scotland. Thank you,
Alastair!
This is a way for me to do what I love and earn a few needed dollars with
which to feed Brendah Sue Louise and Ruby Lou Begonia (of the horse
persuasion), Narra The Wonder Cat and her cohorts, Sylvester, Bicket and
Peggie Hairy - not to mention the 'barn cats' and neighboring dogs who come
to enjoy the outside cat buffet.
This paper fills a proven need in the worldwide Scottish community for us to
know what we are all up to. I hope it gives you ideas of things to do and
events to plan...I hope it gives you a chuckle now and then. (I would love
to write like Dave Barry or Ludlow Porch, but can only write like Beth, I'm
afraid.)
It's a fact, that I have no living blood-family of my own...and I think all
of you that know me, know that I consider you all to be my true
family....for which I thank you.
It's a fact, that readers of this publication have been with me through
enough years so that we have pretty much run the gamut of 'things that
happen to you in life.' The readers of this publication, all the way back to
1989 when it began, have shared not only the scary times, but the happy
times, the sad times and all of the joys and heartaches that we all have
during our lives. I thank you all. This magazine would not exist at all
without you.
This publication costs you nothing - but I hope you will patronize the
advertisers and please thank them for supporting BNFT.
I am so delighted that I will never have to ask you for postage money -
although I do miss hearing from my readers - so, if you'd like to drop me a
note, that would be lovely - no checks needed - just a note telling me how
YOU are!
I must ask you not to be shocked when you see me in the next little while at
Games. I am liable to be walking with my trusty 'Howard' aka a walking
stick. Seems I have had one horse wreck too many and my creaky left hind hip
is to be replaced by a shiny new one (I've ordered a Titanium Sport Hi Miles
model). The surgery will be October 25 at Oconee Memorial Hospital in
Seneca, South Carolina.
I will be fine and will take the laptop to the hospital so I can work all
the time except when they whomp me on the head for the surgery..
Sweet Tom will be here and will see that I am fed and watered and don't lack
for anything...so, it won't be long until I am back to Geezette Loping down
the road. My kind neighbors and friends here will feed horses and cats for
me...so, all will be well. Please don't worry about me.
Love,
Beth
And that's all for now and hope you all have a good weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
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