August 1, 1996 Irish and Scottish Newsletter THANK YOU This edition of the Irish & Scot Newsletter is the 17th time we have published it. In the last 17 months we have had many contributions from our SIG attendees and for that GFS Joyce & GFS JohnO would like to thank each and every one of you. :) There is, however, another "Unsung Heroine" in our midst whose steady contributions and support have helped to make this newsletter what it is today. We are, of course, referring to our very own GFS Linda. Linda's tireless search for articles and tid bits of valuable information make the newsletter more enjoyable for everyone. We have seen to many times that Linda gives all the credit to Joyce and JohnO at the SIG meetings. We the editors want to publicly state that Linda is a very integral part of the newsletter and we thank her for her submissions and value her friendship and support. NAMES OF THE MONTH This month the Irish surname taken from EDWARD MacLYSAGHT's book IRISH FAMILIES Their Names, Arms & Origins, SciPrint Limited, Copyright Irish Academic Press Limited, ISBN # 0-7165-2364-7 is: MacBRIDE, Kilbride MacBride is Mac Giolla Brighde in Irish i.e. son of the follower or devotee of St. Brigid. The name is numerous in Ulster, particularly in Counties Donegal and Down. They are first heard of as erenaghs of Raymunterdoney, Co. Donegal, a parish which includes Tory Island. In the seventeenth century they settled at Gweedore in the same county. Several of the sept were bishops of Raphoe, the most distinguished of whom was John MacGilbride (d. 1440). A branch of the sept was established in Co. Down and in the 1659 census MacBride appears as a principal Irish name in three different baronies of that county. MacBride is also a well known name in Scotland. Though the majority of Irish MacBrides are Catholics four prominent Ulster Protestants of the name are note-worthy, all being of the same family: David MacBride (1726-1778), physician and inventor; John MacBride (1730-1800), admiral in the British navy; Rev. John MacBride (1650-1718), Presbyterian author; and John David MacBride (1778-1868), scholar and head of Magdalen College, Oxford. The miniaturist Alexander MacBride (1798-1852), was born in Co. Monaghan. Sean MacBride (b. 1904), a Nobel prizewinner and former Minister for External Affairs, is the son of the late Major John MacBride (1865-1916), executed after the 1916 Rising, and Maud Gonne MacBride (1865-1953), who was one of the most picturesque figures in the modem Irish political scene. In Connacht the name MacBride sometimes takes the form Kilbride. From Roddy Martine's "SCOTTISH CLAN AND FAMILY NAMES Their Arms, Origins and Tartans", Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh and London, 1992, ISBN # 1- 85158-418-8 DOUGLAS - The first recorded of this name is William de Douglas, who lived in the twelfth century. Grants of land were made to Sir James Douglas, one of Robert Bruce's chief lieutenants. At one time they became the most powerful family in Scotland, and because of their strength and wealth were a constant threat to the Stewart kings. This was the main reason for their title and estates being forfeited in 1455. These Douglases, however, were the ancestors of the earls of Morton, Douglas, Annandale, Moray, Ormond, Angus and Forfar and the dukes of Touraine, Queensberry and Hamilton. Lady Margaret Douglas was the daughter of the Earl of Angus and Princess Margaret Tudor, who had been married previously to James IV of Scotland. She married the Earl of Lennox and their son, Lord Darnley, married Mary, Queen of Scots, and was father to James VI and I. Archibald, 3rd Marquis, was created Duke of Douglas in I703 but, dying without issue in I 774, his marquisate and the earldom of Angus devolved on the Duke of Hamilton, while the Douglas estates, as a result of the celebrated 'Douglas Cause' lawsuit, passed to his nephew and heir of line, Archibald Stewart, Douglas of Douglas, to whom the armorial bearings and the Douglas chiefship were awarded by Lyon Decree 1771; he was created Lord Douglas of Douglas 1790. On the death of the 4th Lord Douglas in 1857, the estates devolved upon his niece, Lady Elizabeth Douglas of Douglas, Countess of Home, whose great-grandson, Lord Home of the Hirsel, became feudal Baron of Douglas. Sir Thomas Innes concluded that it was difficult to say who was chief of the name and family of Douglas, and the situation has not changed to date. The arms and estate are merged with the earldom of Home; and the Duke of Hamilton, although paternally a Douglas, became by marriage with the Hamilton heiress, on taking her name and arms, by the law and custom of Scotland, chief of the name and house of Hamilton (although this is not strictly acknowledged while he carries the family name of Douglas-Hamilton, Lyon not recognizing compound surnames). Sir Thomas indicates that if Douglasdale were eventually settled, with the name and arms of Douglas, upon a younger grandson of Lord Home, he would thereupon as next of blood bearing the name be Chief of the House of Douglas; failing which that position might pass to the next brother of the House of Hamilton resuming the name and arms of Douglas of Douglas. The lands of Drurnlanrig, near Thornhill in Dumfries-shire, were confirmed on the Douglases in 1412 by King James I. Douglas of Drumlanrig rose to become Duke of Queensberry, but on the death of the 3rd Duke, the title passed to the Earls of March, and in 1810 the Dukes of Buccleuch. Threave Castle in Dumfries-shire was built in the fourteenth century for Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway Hand 3rd Earl of Douglas. Aberdour Castle in Fife was owned by the Earls of Morton; Tantallon Castle, near North Berwick, the most impregnable castle in Scotland, was held by the Douglas Earls of Angus. It was taken by Cromwell's General Monck in 1651 after twelve days of continual bombardment. Bothwell Castle, Uddington, was held by the Douglases from 1362 to i859, and Loch Leven Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned, was the property of Sir William Douglas of Loch Leven. HISTORY: The following brief histories for the counties of Ireland are taken from "Irish Records Sources for Family & Local History" by James G. Ryan, Ph.D., Copyright Ancestry Incorporated (USA), ISBN # 0-916-489-22-1 COUNTY KILKENNY A Brief History In the old Gaelic territorial system, this county formed the bulk of the Kingdom of Ossory. The major Gaelic families in the county were the Walshes, the O'Brennans, and the O'Dunphys. After the Norman invasion a number of Norman families settled in Kilkenny and have been associated with the county ever since. These include Archer, Grace, Forestal, Comerford, Cantwell, Shortall, Wandesford, Rothe, Archdeacon ("Gaelicized" as Cody), and Butler. As elsewhere, these Normans became "more Irish than the Irish." The Sweetman family, which is of Norse origin, is also associated with the county. Kilkenny City was probably founded by the establishment of a monastery there in 1052. The Norman invaders built a large castle on this site in 1195. The city acted as the parliamentary seat for Ireland on many occasions from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. In 1366 the English controlled Parliament passed the infamous "Statutes of Kilkenny' in an attempt to prevent the adoption of the Irish life-style by the Normans. These statutes made it treasonable for a Norman to marry an Irishwoman or to adopt the dress, language, or customs of the Irish. The native Irish were also prohibited from Iiving in walled towns. These statutes failed completely in their aims. In the early seventeenth century, when English power had greatly receded in Ireland, Kilkenny City became the meeting-place of an independent Irish government, called the Confederation of Kilkenny, set up in opposition to the English-controlled Dublin Parliament. A general rebellion by those represented at this parliament, which began in 1641 and lasted until 1650, resulted in confiscation of the lands of these rebels and their redistribution to English soldiers and adventurers. The county has very good agricultural soils and had a generally well developed system of agriculture in the early nineteenth century, including a large dairy industry. In the Great Famine, Kilkenny was relatively badly hit. The population in 1841 was 202,400 and in 1861 had fallen to 124,500. There were some 27,000 deaths in the county between 1845 and 1850. The current population of the county is approximately 71,000. The major towns are Kilkenny, Callan, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown, and Castlecomer. The county is still a major dairying area while Kilkenny City now has many industries and is the center of Irish design because of the establishment there by the government of the Kilkenny Design Centre. In regard to records, the county has a long-established local history society, the Kilkenny Archaeological and Historical Society, whose library is a valuable local archives COUNTY LAOIS (LEIX) A Brief History This small county is in the midlands of Ireland and contains the towns of Portlaoise (formerly Maryborough), Effirk, Portarlington, Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, and Durrow. In ancient times the present county was partly in the Kingdom of Laois and partly in Ossory. The county was formed by the English in 1547 and named Queen's County. Its name was changed back to Laois (sometimes also called Leix) in 1922 after the formation of the Irish Free State. The major families in this area were the Moores and O'Dunnes. Other families included the Lawlors, (O')Dowlings, (0')Deevys or Devoys, (0')Dorans, McEvoys, (0')Dempseys, (0')Brophys, (0')Deegans, (0')Tynans, (Mc)Cashins, (0')MulhaUs, and (Mac)Crossons. After the Norman conquest the area was granted to the Fitzpatricks. Although the Fitzpatricks maintained control over a small part of the county, the O'Moores gradually regained power over much of the present County Laois and were undisputed rulers during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The tribes of Laois and Offaly continued to raid the English controlled area around Dublin during this time. As a result, the English decided to invade the counties in 1547. After the successful invasion a major fort was built at Portlaoise on the site of an O'Moore stronghold. This was first named Fort Protector and later Maryborough. Because of continued resistance to English rule and attacks on the fort, it was decided to clear the counties of natives and bring in English settlers. This was begun in1556, making it the first plantation of Ireland. The plantation was fiercely resisted by the native tribes and was only partially successful. The seven families which were most influential in this settlement were those of Cosby, Hartpole, Barrington, Bowen, Hetherington, Ruish, and Ovington. In the early seventeenth century the families of Piggott, Parnell, Coote, Prior, and Pole settled in the county, and later in the century the families Vesey, Johnson, Dawson, Staples, and Burrowes were granted lands in the county. The town of Mountruellick had a considerable Quaker population in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There was also a large Huguenot population in the county, particularly in Portarlington. In1696 this town and surrounding area were granted by King William to one of his victorious Huguenot generals. A colony of Huguenot soldiers were subsequently planted there and developed a thriving town. The county was relatively badly affected by the Great Famine of 1845-47. The population was 154,000 in 1841 and had dropped by 28 percent in 1851. Over 18,000 people died of disease and starvation between 1845 and 1850, and many thousands emigrated. The current population of the county is around 52,000. The following brief histories of the counties of Scotland are taken from "A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland" by Samuel Lewis, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc. ISBN # 0-8063-1256-4 INVERNESS-SHIRE, an extensive county, in the north of Scotland, bounded on the north by Ross-shire and the Moray Firth; on the east, by the counties of Nairn, Elgin, Banff, and Aberdeen; on the south, by Perthshire and the county of Argyll ; and on the west, by the Atlantic Ocean. It lies between 56 degrees 54 minutes and 57 degrees 50 minutes (N. Lat.), and 4 degrees 20 minutes 10 seconds and 6 degrees 35 minutes (W. Lon.), and is about ninety miles in length, and nearly eighty in extreme breadth; comprising an area of 7200 square miles, or 4,608,000 acres, exclusive of the several islands attached to it; and containing, according to the last census, 19,779 houses, of which 19,194 are inhabited; and a population of 97,799, of whom 45,538 are males and 52,126 females. This county, which takes its name from its chief town, originally formed the western portion of the ancient province of Moray, and, prior to the union of the Scottish and Pictish kingdoms under Kenneth II., was inhabited by the Picts, who are said to have had frequent battles with the Danes, by whom their territories were invaded. The town of Inverness is thought to have been the residence of the Pictish kings, and is so identified with the historical events of the county as to render any notice of them here superfluous. Prior to the abolition of episcopacy, the county was part of the diocese of Moray; it is now included in the synods of Moray, Ross, and Glenelg, containing several presbyteries, and about forty-five parishes. For civil purposes, it is under the superintendence of four sheriffs-substitute, appointed by the sheriff, and who hold their courts respectively at Inverness, Fort-William, Skye, and Long Island. The county contains the villages of Fort-George, Fort-Augustus, Portree, Grantown, Campbelton, Kingussie, Beauly, and several others. Under the act of the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., it returns one member to the imperial parliament: the constituency numbers 850. The SURFACE is strikingly diversified by wild and lofty mountains interspersed with deep and narrow glens, and by numerous ridges of hills enclosing valleys of various width and aspect. The mainland is divided into two nearly equal parts by the vale of Glenmore, which intersects it throughout in a direction from north-east to south-west, reaching from the Moray Firth to Loch Eil, and containing a succession of lakes, by the connecting of which the great Caledonian canal has been formed. On both sides of this valley are a number of straths, separated by mountainous ridges, and all watered by streams descending from the heights. The country on the west of Glenmore, between it and the Atlantic, is the more extensive and mountainous, constituting the Highland district; that on the east is the Lowland district, and, though in many parts of wild appearance, is in a better state of cultivation. The coast is indented with a variety of inlets from the sea, forming salt-water lochs, several of which, on the south-west, separate it from the county of Argyll; and in addition to the districts of Badenoch, Lochaber, Glenelg, Glengarry, Arisaig, Moydart, and Strathglass, into which the main land is naturally divided, the county contains the Isle of Skye, part of Lewis, North and South Uist, Benbecula, Barra, Eigg, Eriskay, Bernera, and others of the Hebrides. Among the mountains are, Ben-Nevis, which has an elevation of 4370 feet above the level of the sea; Mealfourvonie, which rises to the height of 3600 feet; and Scarsough, 3412 feet. The chief rivers are the Ness and the Spey. The river Ness issues from Loch Ness, in the valley of Glenmore, and taking a north-eastern course for a few miles, falls into the Moray Firth, forming the harbour of Inverness, to which town it gives its name. The river Spey has its source in Loch Spey, in the district of Badenoch; and flowing eastward with great rapidity, and receiving numerous tributary streams in its long and winding course through the strath to which it gives name, it passes the village of Rothes, and diverting its course towards the north, falls into the Moray Firth at Garmouth. Of the smaller rivers, the Beauly, the Foyers, and the Garry only are deserving of any particular description. The Beauly has its source in the confluence of the rivulets Farrar, Carrick, and Glass, which give their names to the straths they flow through: after a course of about eight miles between rocky and precipitous banks, in which it makes some beautiful falls (the chief one being at Kilmorack), it runs into Beauly Firth. The Foyers rises in the mountainous district of Badenoch, and after a course of ten miles through a tract of country abounding in romantic scenery, joins Loch Ness. In its progress it makes some highly-picturesque cascades. At one part, its waters form three successive descents together from a height of above 200 feet into a pool beneath, beyond which the stream, flowing along a narrow rocky channel, falls from an elevation of more than 1212 feet in one unbroken sheet, which, after heavy rains, has an impressive grandeur of effect. The river Garry has its source in a small lake of that name, nearly in the centre of the county, and passing through the strath of Glengarry, runs into Loch Oich. The principal rivers, and also their tributaries, abound with salmon. In this county the lakes form a very important feature: the chief of them are, Loch Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy, which are situated in the valley of Glenmore, and connected with each other by the Caledonian canal; Lochs Laggan, Treag, and Ericht, in the south; Lochs Affarie, Benevian, Clunie, and some others, in the north; and Lochs Morir, Quoich, Arkaig, and Shiel, in the western part of the county. The salt-water lochs, or inlets from the sea, in the mainland, are Lochs Moidart, Nevis, Hourn, and Beauly. Of the lands not more than the one-twelfth part is under cultivation, the remainder being either covered with heath, or in mountain pasture. The soil on the level grounds near the sea is chiefly clay alternated with loam, and in some parts a fine rich black mould. In some of the straths, also, between the mountain ridges, the soil is extremely fertile, except in those parts where, from the rapidity of the mountain streams, beds of gravel accumulate. The arable lands are in a good state of cultivation, producing excellent crops of wheat, barley, oats, &C. : great quantities of potatoes are raised. The system of agriculture has been very much improved, and considerable tracts of waste land have been drained and brought into cultivation: the farm houses and offices, also, are generally substantial and well arranged; but the cottages of the labourers are very indifferent. Many of the farms are of course in pasture, and the breed of cattle and sheep has of late been an object of considerable attention: the cattle, which may be averaged at 50,000, are principally of the Skye or the Kyloe breed; the sheep, of which from 120,000 to 130,000 are pastured on the different farms, are of the Linton and. Cheviot breeds. The horses, previously to the increase of the sheep-pastures, were of the Old Highland breed; but the number has been greatly reduced, and those which are now reared, chiefly for purposes of husbandry, are of various kinds, according to the choice of the different proprietors, who breed them only for their own use. Considerable numbers of swine have been lately reared in several parts, the Highlanders having in a great measure overcome their wonted prejudices against that kind of food; and the stock has been improved by the introduction of the Chinese breed. The whole county appears to have been at a remote period covered with woods; and in most of the mosses, some of which are very extensive, there are found trunks of trees. In Glenmore and Strathspey are not less than 15,000 acres of natural fir, exclusive of 70,000 acres of modern plantations of firs and larch; and in other parts of the county are most extensive and flourishing plantations of fir, larch, beech, plane, and oak, of which last there are some carefully-preserved woods at Lochiel and Fasfern. The substrata are principally limestone, freestone, and granite: the limestone abounds in many places, yet, from the scarcity of fuel, little of it is burnt into lime, which for agricultural purposes is chiefly imported. Slate of durable texture is quarried, and great quantities of it are shipped off: a quarry of grey slate was opened at Aultmore, but of too porous a texture for roofing. Marble of every variety of colour, and of excellent quality, is found in Ben-Nevis and in most of the islands; and common granite, of which the hills principally consist, is extensively quarried. A dark-coloured granite occurs in many places, in large blocks with scarcely any fissures, and is much esteemed for ornamental buildings; and a variegated kind of granite, with black, white, and red spots, which sparkle in the sun, is found in Badenoch. Freestone of a reddish colour, of compact texture, and susceptible of a high degree of polish, is met with on the lands of Lovatt; but no sandstone occurs in the county. There are some indications of coal; but the only mineral worked is lead-ore, of which there are mines in Ben-Nevis, at Inverskaddel, near Loch Arkaig, Glengarry, and other places. Black-lead, of good quality for pencils, is also found, but is not wrought: there is clay for bricks and tiles along the coast. In this county the gentlemen's seats are, Castle-Grant, Dunvegan, Castle Mc Leod, Erchless Castle, Fasfern, Lochiel, Beaufort, Belladrum, Rothiemurchus, Kinrara, Farraline, Belville, Glengarry, Dalchully, and others. The principal manufactures are those of hemp, thread of various colours, kelp, bricks, and tiles; and some branches of the woollen manufacture, chiefly for domestic use, and confined to private families. The several bleaching and print fields, tanneries, breweries, and distilleries; and at Inverness, and other places on the coast, a considerable trade is carried on in the exportation of cattle, sheep, wool, timber, and slates, and in the importation of coal, lime, flour, oatmeal, groceries, and other articles for home consumption. There are valuable salmon-fisheries on the rivers; the herring-fisheries, also, employ a number of the inhabitants on the western coast of the county. Facility Of communication is afforded by several good roads that have been formed throughout the interior; and the great Caledonian canal, which intersects the county from north-east to south-west, passing through the valley of Glenmore for more than sixty miles, and connecting the German Ocean with the Atlantic, offers means of inland navigation for ships of considerable burthen, and facility for the conveyance of produce of all kinds. The annual value of real property in the county is 182,064, of which: 161,499 are returned for lands, 17,894 for houses, 2596 for fisheries, and 75 for quarries. Among the various remains of antiquity are the ruins of ancient fortresses consisting of stones of enormous size, placed together without cement of any kind. They are generally of circular or elliptical form, containing, between two concentric walls, a considerable interval supposed to have been used for keeping military and other stores: the area within the inner wall, which alone was pierced with windows, is thought to have been occupied by the garrison. Of these fortresses the three most perfect are at Glenelg, Castle-Spynie, in the district of Aird, and Dun-da-law, in Badenoch. On the summit of Craig-Phadric are the remains of a vitrified fort of elliptical form, of which the longer diameter is 220 feet, and the shorter little more than half that length; and near Fort-William are the remains of a similar fortress, called Dunghairdghall. Upon the cast bank of the river Lochy are the remains of Inverlochy Castle, a square structure with circular towers at the angles, surrounded by a ditch enclosing an area of 7000 square yards. On the summit of a precipitous rock that divides the channel of the Lochy, are the ruins of Tor Castle; and on a projecting rock on the west side of Loch Ness, are the remains of Urquhart Castle, which was taken in 1303 by Edward 1. of England, who, exasperated at the obstinate and protracted defence, put the governor and the whole of the garrison to the sword. The roads of Glenroy, consisting of three parallel lines on one side of the river, opposite to three similar lines on the other, are most probably natural, though some suppose them to have been made for the purpose of hunting. There are several Druidical remains; and in the Firth of Beauly are some ancient cairns, two of which, larger than the rest, rise above the surface of the water, and have been found to contain beams of timber, and human bones. KINCARDINESHIRE, or The MEARNS, a maritime county, in the cast of Scotland, bounded on the north-west by the river Dee and part of Aberdeenshire, on the east and south-east by the German Ocean, and on the south-west by the county of Forfar. It lies between 56 degreess 46 minutes and 57 degrees 7 minutes (N. Lat.), and 2 degrees 1 minute and 2 degrees 45 minutes (W. Lon.), and is about thirty-two miles in length, and twenty-four in extreme breadth; comprising an area of 380 square miles, or 243,444 acres; 7620 houses, of which 7304 are inhabited; and containing a population of 33,075, of whom 15,829 are males and 17,246 females. The county is supposed by some to have derived the name Mearns (which is proper only to a particular portion of it) from Mernia, brother of Kenneth II; but, with greater probability, others deduce it from the Vernicones, by whom the district was inhabited in the time of Ptolemy. Few events of historical importance are recorded: it is conjectured that the battle between the Caledonians under Galgacus and the Romans under Agricola took place here. Prior to the abolition of episcopacy, the county was included partly within the archdiocese of St. Andrew's, and partly within the dioceses of Aberdeen and Brechin; it is at the present time chiefly in the synod of Angus and Mearns, and comprises the presbytery of Fordoun, in that synod, and part of the presbyteries of Kincardine O'Neil and Aberdeen, in the synod of Aberdeen. With the counties of Aberdeen and Banff, it constitutes the Eastern or Aberdeen circuit for justiciary and civil purposes, and the courts are held in the former county twice a year, in spring and autumn. It contains Stonehaven, which is the county town; Bervie, or Inverbervie, which is a royal burgh; and the villages of Gourdon, Laurencekirk, Johnshaven, Aucbinblae, and Fettercairn. Under the act of the 2nd of William IV., the county returns one member to the imperial parliament; and the Kincardineshire burgh of Bervie is associated with Montrose, Forfar, and Brechin, in the county of Forfar, these four burghs forming the Montrose district, represented in parliament by one member. The number of parishes in Kincardineshire is nineteen. The SURFACE near the coast is tolerably level, though varying in elevation. The Grampians occupy the central, western, and northern parts of the county; and from their base the land subsides towards the south-east, into what is called the Howe of the Mearns, forming a continuation of the vale of Strathmore, and between which and the sea there is a tract of swelling ground. The Howe is a beautiful tract of champaign country, about fifty square miles in extent, richly cultivated, embellished with plantations, and sheltered on the north by the Grampians, and on the east by the hills of Arbuthnott and Garvock, which are from 500 to upwards of 800 feet high. In this county the principal mountains are, the Strath Fenella, detached from the Grampian range by a narrow vale from which it takes its name, and about 1500 feet in height; Cairn-a-Mount, which is 2500 feet; the hill of Fare, 1800 feet; Clachnabane, which attains an elevation of 2370 feet, and is crowned with a mass of rock resembling an ancient fortress, rising abruptly from eighty to 100 feet above the surface; and Mount Battoch, the highest point of the Grampian range in the county, and which has an elevation of 3465 feet. The principal river is the Dee, which has its source in Aberdeenshire, and after intersecting this county for about eight miles in a course from west to east, forms its northern boundary for fourteen miles, and falls into the sea at Aberdeen. The other rivers are, the North Esk, which is formed at the top of the sequestered valley of Glenesk by the junction of several mountain streams from Forfarshire, and, after forming the boundary between the Mearns and that county for about twelve miles, falls into the sea three miles to the north of Montrose; the Bervie; the Cowie; and several smaller streams. The Loch of Drum and Loch Leys, the former partly in Aberdeenshire, are the only lakes worthy of notice, being each about three miles in circumference. About one-third of the land is arable, and in good cultivation; one-eighth capable of being cultivated with advantage, and the remainder rough fell and mountain pasture. Much of the cultivated land is highly fertile; the districts comprehending the Howe of the Mearns and the southern portion of the coast are very productive, and the system of agriculture in an advanced state of improvement. Great attention has been directed of late years to the mechanical improvement of the soil by draining and subsoiling, to the experimental application of manures, and to the rearing, and improvement by crossing, of live stock; for the promotion of which important objects, and for the extension of the knowledge of chemistry as applied to agriculture, two societies exist in Kincardineshire. The cattle are generally of the Angusshire breed, which, however, is in many parts of the county giving place to the cross or to the pure Tees-water breed: the number of cattle is on an average 15,000, of which 6000 are milch-cows. The number of sheep is about 124,000, of various breeds, but chiefly the black-faced. There are no minerals of importance: limestone is found, but it is very rarely quarried for any purpose; granite is the prevailing rock in the northern, and red sandstone in the southern section of the county. Various gems are found in the mountains and in the rocks, the principal of which are the topaz or Cairngorm. The seats are Arbuthnott House, Dunnottar, Fetteresso, Fettercairn, Inglismaldie, Crathes, Blackball, Kirkton Hill, Tilquhilly, Lauriston, Mount Cyrus, Inch Marlo, Thornton, Drumtochty Castle, Fasque, Durris, Ury, Johnston, Glenbervie, Muchalls, and others. The manufactures are neither important nor extensive; they are chiefly of coarse linens and canvass, and some branches of the cotton manufacture. At Laurencekirk, the highly-esteemed snuff-boxes of wood are made. Facility of communication is afforded by the Aberdeen railway: there are good roads in various directions, some of which are turnpike; and a road over the Grampian hills has been made, and is kept in good repair. The annual value of the real property in the county is 134,341, including: 3858 for fisheries. There are vestiges of Druidical monuments, Roman encampments, and royal residences; the most venerable ruin in the county is that of Dunnottar Castle, the ancient seat of the Keiths, earls-marischal of Scotland, romantically situated on the summit of a lofty rock boldly projecting into the sea. CONTRIBUTIONS: I found this, and thought it might be of interest to you all! :) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A New Online Research Resource from the National Archives and Records Administration Washington, D.C. . . .The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announces a new pilot online service, the NARA ARCHIVAL INFORMATION LOCATOR (NAIL). NAIL, funded through the support of Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, is an online, interactive database available via the World Wide Web. It provides unprecedented access to NARA's vast holdings; users with access to the Internet can now search many descriptions of NARA's holdings online for key words or topics, and then can retrieve digital copies of textual documents, photographs, maps and sound recordings. Hypertext links connect series descriptions NAIL contains a great deal of information about a wide variety of NARA's holdings. Initially focused on audiovisual material, NAIL contains descriptions of 2,500 still picture series and 20,000 still picture items; 85,000 films and videos; and 8,500 sound recordings. Select sound files and about 1,000 photographs, many of them digitized in a partnership with the University of Nebraska press, are online. Many descriptions and select sample documents relate to the American West: * The House of Representatives territorial papers collection, 1810-1872, documenting America's expansion westward * The Senate Subcommittee on Indian Affairs files, 1928-1953, illustrating the culture, environment and governance of 20th century Native American tribes * More than 300 petitions sent to Congress in the 19th and early 20th century reflecting America's opinions on Native Americans, polygamy, suffrage and other issues of the day * Audio excerpts of an interview with the last surviving Confederate veteran * 100 maps and charts vividly tracing America's expansion westward * Descriptions and photographs of the Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane papers, as well as the Ingalls family homesteading records, showing students and fans alike the real story behind the Little House on the Prairie * Criminal case files for 50,000 individuals tried at Fort Smith in the Western District of Arkansas in the late 1800s revealing America's outlaw past. Some of these cases, including those for the Starr Gang and Wyatt Earp tried by the famous "Hanging" Judge Parker, are reproduced online. * files for the more than 50,000 Americans who enrolled in the Five Civilized Tribes between 1898 and 1914, which help genealogists trace their Cherokee, Creek or Seminole roots NAIL was developed in response to a customer survey undertaken in Nebraska in 1994. The study concluded that citizens want information about NARA's holdings and services online, and wish to be able to access digital copies of selected documents online immediately. The study also pointed out the need for NARA to present agency-wide information to the public in an integrated manner. The NARA web site and NAIL are the first steps in developing a nationwide information system for our Federal and Presidential holdings. Such initiatives are an integral part of NARA's newly-developed strategic plan and will revolutionize the way the NARA serves its customers. Although NAIL contains more than 200,000 descriptions, it represents only a limited portion of NARA's vast holdings. In a democracy the records that constitute our archives belong to the citizens. This initiative is an important first step to bringing the National Archives to citizens no matter where they are. I was catching up on reading newsgroups today, and found this. URL: http://midas.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/civreg/ ################################################################# # This posting contains a copy of a tutorial document held on # # the GENUKI web server. It will be posted at regular intervals # ################################################################# Civil Registration ------------------ The records at St Catherine's House in London only covers England and Wales. The records of births, marriages and deaths for Scotland are held at: The General Register Office for Scotland New Register House Princess Street Edinburgh EH1 3YT The records of births, marriages and deaths for all of Ireland up to 1921, and for Eire since 1921 are held at: Register General Joyce House 8/11 Lombard Street East Dublin 2 Records for Northern Ireland since 1921 are at: Oxford House 49/55 Chichester Street Belfast BT1 4HL Wales was largely conquered by the English in the 14th Century, and was officially united with England in 1535. King James VI of Scotland inherited the throne of England (as James I) in 1603, but the two countries remained separate entities until the Act of Union in 1707 forming 'Great Britain'. Ireland had been claimed by the English Kings since the 12th Century but was not officially joined to Great Britain until 1801. Ireland was given independence in 1921 as the Irish Free State (later called 'Eire'), but the counties of Ulster opted out and (as Northern Ireland) remain part of the United Kingdom. So, today, the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' includes 'Great Britain', which in turns includes England, Scotland and Wales. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are 'Crown Dependencies' which are technically outside the United Kingdom and have their own local legislatures. This is course is the official version. You will find many people referring to 'England' when they actually mean 'Britain' or the 'UK'. Changes For This Version (1.1 - 1995/07/31) Added location of Irish and Scottish records. Added explanation of the relationship between the various parts of the country. Revised the prices quoted. St Catherine's House -------------------- Civil Registration of births, marriages and deaths started on 1 July 1837 in England and Wales. This was later expanded in 1927 to also include still births, and adoptions. These records are held at: The General Register Office, St. Catherines House, 10 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP You cannot however see the registers themselves, but you can look at the indexes for the events and having found the relevant reference you can then buy a certificate which hopefully contains the information you want. Prices for full certificates of birth, marriage or deaths are currently: 6.00 Pounds If ordered in person at St Catherine's House. The certificate will be posted (First Class Post), or may be collected after 4 working days. 20.00 Pounds For a priority service, for collection next working day at St Catherine's House. 15.00 Pounds If ordered by post from Southport, or 12.00 Pounds if you can supply the exact reference from the St Catherine's index books. The certificate will be sent by post in about 4 weeks. 25.00 Pounds For a priority service from Southport; telephone orders accepted (with credit card) for despatch next working day. 22.00 Pounds if the full index reference supplied. If you are unable to get to St. Catherine's house in person, it is possible to employ an agent to do this for you. The usual charge seems to be about 8 pounds when you have all the reference details. You can usually find the name of an agent by looking for an advertisement in one of the periodic magazines. The postal address for St. Catherine's house certificates is different: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, General Register Office, Postal Applications Section, Smedley Hydro, Southport, Merseyside PR8 2HH Phone 0151-471-4524, (for the priority service) Fax 0151-471-4368 You can also get copies of certificates from the local registration office, which originally recorded the event. You can find their address in the telephone directory under Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths . The charge here is a much more acceptable 5.50 pounds, even for a postal application. The disadvantage is that the local offices maintain their own indexes and so the St. Catherine's house index reference is no good to them. You usually have to supply more information. Some offices require the exact place of birth, for birth certificates. For a marriage certificate the place it took place, e.g. the name of the church, is essential as these are indexed by place. If there are 50 churches that a district covers the staff cannot search 50 indexes for you. St. Catherine's House Indexes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One of the first things that you will do in your research, is to consult the St. Catherines House indexes. There are separate indexes for births, marriages and deaths, filed in date order. Each year is split up into quarters with for example all events registered between 1 Jan and 31 Mar held in the index labelled March. Remember it is upon when events were registered, which for marriages is normally the same day as when the marriage took place. However births may be registered up to 6 weeks after they occur, so a December birth is likely to be indexed in the March volume for the following year. If you go to St. Catherine's house, you will be looking at the original index books. These are quite heavy, large and the older ones hand-written so don't go smartly dressed! The other option is to consult a microfilm copy of the index. The microfilm copies are held at a number of sites throughout the country, usually at libraries or local record offices, and at LDS Family History centres. However there is a normally a heavy demand to consult them, and you will normally have to book well in advance. For example the waiting time at the Greater Manchester record Office is at least 8 weeks. Some sites not have a complete set of indexes but they normally cover the 19th century. Index format ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The detail on the index records varies slightly, depending on whether, its a birth, marriage or death. For example a birth record looks like: Surname Name(s) or Registration Vol Page of parent sex of child District SANDHAM Cicely Sarah W. Derby 8b 493 In addition from Sept 1911 the mother's maiden name is also included. A marriage entry is of a similar form: Surname Forename(s) Registration Vol Page District Cross James Haslingden 8e 213 Haighton Ellen Haslingden 8e 213 These are examples from before March 1912 when the surname of the spouse also appears in each entry. These are actually examples from the 4th quarter of 1870, and in this case both surnames had to be searched to find the correct entry. When you start searching, you soon find it is quickest to find the uncommon name first and only when it is found look for the other in the same quarter. In this case Ellen Haighton is an uncommon name, whilst there were a number of James Cross's in each quarter. Once you have found the entry you want, write it down exactly as it is written, as you must have it exactly correct if you apply for a certificate from St. Catherine's house. Do not forget to write down the year and quarter as well. In fact it can save a lot of effort to have a separate sheet of paper for each individual search you are making. Write on it whether it is a birth, marriage or death that you are searching for. Then carefully mark on it each year and quarter as you search it and note down all the likely references in full, even if they are not the exact ones you are looking for. You will normally find that when searching the indexes you are trying to find a number of different items of information, in a limited time and probably in cramped conditions. If you have a complete record of your searches then if you have problems and have to resume your search later you will not have to repeat any work. This can be especially frustrating if you have to wait some time before you can book a session on a reader. Once you have the index entry you will then need to obtain a certificate to get any more information than you had when you started. The only exceptions to this are: * Age at death from June 1866 * Mother's maiden name in births from Sept 1911 * Spouse's surname in marriages from March 1912 * Age at death from 1969 Contents of birth certificate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * District and sub-district where birth was registered. * The place of birth. Either a street in a town but maybe just the name of the village in the country. * Day, month, year of birth. * Name of the child, or just the sex if no name had been chosen at that time. * The name of the father and his occupation. This field is normally blank for a bastard child. * The name of the mother and her maiden name. * The date of registration. * The name and address of the informant and either their signature or their mark. * The name of the registrar. * Any name given at baptism and entered after then being reported to the registrar. Further reading ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * St. Catherine's House, Eve McLaughlin, FFHS * Basic Sources for Family History, Andrew Todd, FFHS * Beginning Your Family History, George Pelling, FFHS * District Register Offices in England and Wales, E Yorkshire FHS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION From the Eastman Genealogy Newsletter, Monday July 15, 1996 - Archivist of the United States' Plans For the Future John W. Carlin, the Archivist of the United States (head of the National Archives and Records Administration) has released a ten year plan for dealing with agency shortages of storage space, the ever-present budget problems and the use of modern technology to store old records. Carlin plans to consolidate archival holdings in a few repositories and to "reduce the number and consolidate the holdings of federal records centers, and continue development of records centers' systems for quickly receiving and answering record requests." Carlin also states: "We will provide electronic access to the descriptions of records captured in our life-cycle systems." The words "electronic access" are most interesting. The published plan is addressed to the employees of the National Archives but is available to the general public on the National Archives' Web site. It is interesting reading for genealogists or anyone else interested in the preservation of federal records for future generations. To read about this plan, look at: http://www.nara.gov/nara/vision/video.html and http://www.nara.gov/nara/vision/naraplan.html and http://www.nara.gov/nara/vision/naraplan.html#preserve.html. ================================================================ - Library of Congress/Ameritech Digital Library Competition The following is extracted from an announcement by the Library of Congress: The Library of Congress is sponsoring an open competition to enable public, research, and academic libraries, museums, and archival institutions (except federal libraries) to add their collections of primary resource materials relating to the history and cultures of the United States to the National Digital Library. This competition is being funded with a gift of $2 million from the Ameritech Corporation. The Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition will run for three consecutive years beginning in 1996-97, with the expectation that eight to ten awards in the range of $50,000 to $75,000 will be made annually. All libraries, archives, historical societies, and other repositories in the United States (except federal libraries) that hold primary resource materials in American history and culture are invited to apply. The fundamental purpose of the Competition is to encourage a wide variety of institutions to add primary materials to the accessible digital inventory of Americana collections. All these materials should be both of genuine historical and cultural importance and of the broadest possible interest. The National Digital Library is a collaborative effort among major research institutions and the academic and philanthropic communities to create large multi-media collections of unique historical collections in electronic formats. Once available online, linked with increasingly comprehensive American Memory collections at the Library of Congress (at present more than 150,000 digital items online with an equal number in production), these materials become a resource for schools, public libraries, and research institutions across the United States and worldwide. The goal is to have 5 million items in digital form by the year 2000--a comprehensive record of Americana materials of broad interest and educational value. The complete announcement goes on for many pages. If you would like the details, look at: (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/award/). Existing historical collections on the Library of Congress World Wide Web server may be found at: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem ON THE INTERNET New Website: 3rd Irish Genealogical Congress In September 1997 the 3rd Irish Genealogical Congress will be held in Maynooth, Co. Kildare under the sponsorship of seven respected genealogical societies. For the details, please see their website which has just gone online at http://www.genealogy.org/~igc/. Mike St. Clair Site webmaster st-clair@genealogy.emcee.com Subject: nationwide e-mail & residential phone directory on web (Yahoo!) "Yahoo! and Four11 create easy access to e-mail directory "Four11, an online directory containing 5.5 million e-mail addresses, is now available a feature called People Search on the Yahoo! site. You can send someone an e-mail message directly from the site by clicking on their address. People Search also provides a nationwide White Pages directory of 95 million residential telephone numbers and addresses, as well as a directory of 25,000 individual home pages. People Search is located in the Society and Culture category at the Yahoo! site () under the People sub-category." -Ragan's Interactive PR ************************************************* Subject: Re: Preserving Originals Bob Mattson wrote: Hello Bob, I'm in the process of organizing pictures, letters, newspaper clippings, certificates, etc. into files folders, but I am worried about the condition of some of the material. I lost the both my parents and my fathers only sister (unmarried) in the course of 1 year and 3 months. In the process of cleaning out their homes, settling estates, and care taking for the ones still living, but failing in health, over at distance of 250 miles, I'm sure I threw out many things Ill regret, but you do what you have to do. But enough of that. I need some advice about preserving originals. I'm considering 1) magnetic plastic photo albums, 2) leaving them as is and storing them in a safety deposit box, 3) others? help! If I make copies, should I store the originals or the copies in the safety deposit box? I've listed below what I'm most concerned about at the moment: newspaper clippings- yellowed with age, folded, some with tears marriage, birth and other certificates folded letters, some with envelopes old pictures (1980s to 1910s) Any advice, or stories about your experiences would be greatly appreciated. > Thanks, I have placed an article under this text one you should read. You will be a lot wiser about the subject. You also can contact the write for more info. If you don't want your genealogy gone to waist you should give/donate it to a genealogical archive (society) so they can take care of the preservation.. First you must of course make a copy of everything for yourself. Another thing you can do, is publish it in books on acid free paper. Books last very long and are very handy for looking up. Give then also some to different archives. In the more archives it is, the lest chance there is, it would be lost. Of the newspaper clipping you better make some copies. Otherwise the paper will crumble to dust and you have nothing left. I have still clippings from 1933 and I wouldn't touch them. Time has done it's works and they are very fragile. Good luck with it. ---------------------------------------------- --Linda Beyea/ MY TIME Document and Photo Preservation FAQ by Linda L. Beyea The preservation and conservation of family documents and photographs is a topic which interests many who research genealogy. Not only do those sources often provide valuable research information, but most of us have documents and photos that we know we should take proper care of, but we are not sure how. n an effort to answer, How do I? I have compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions regarding preservation. A few of the questions and answers concern simple conservation procedures. Often when one has an item in need of treatment, the advice offered is take it to a conservator. However, in all honesty, the majority of the time the item is not worth the expense nor the effort of professional treatment, and there are some simple techniques that you can try at home. PLEASE BE ADVISED that any treatments you perform on an item, you do at your own risk. DO NOT attempt to treat or repair a valuable or very fragile item; in that case, do seek the services of a professional conservator. 1. I have several old letters and certificates that I want to preserve. What can I do? The key to preserving your paper documents is to keep them in an acid-free, humidity-controlled environment. Your paper documents need protection from a variety of elements which contribute to their deterioration--namely: light, heat, humidity, acids in papers, plastics, and adhesives, other objects, pollutants, and pests. You can store and preserve your paper documents in a few different ways. You can organize and file your documents in acid-free folders, and keep them in an acid-free box. Or you could place your documents in archivally safe plastic sleeves and keep them in an album or binder. Another popular alternative is to encapsulate a document between two sheets of polyester film. Regardless of how you choose to store your documents, NEVER STORE THEM IN AN ATTIC OR BASEMENT. Extreme temperature and humidity changes cause rapid deterioration. Store your items in a room that is comfortable to you, with stable temperature and humidity. 2. Can I store my documents in those plastic protector sheets that fit 3-ring binders? Plastic enclosures are safe for documents ONLY if they are made of polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene. Other plastics are not chemically stable and will release damaging acids over time. Especially dangerous is PVC (polyvinylchloride) commonly found in store-bought binders; it emits hydrochloric acid over time. 3. Is there any problem with putting more than one document in the same plastic sleeve? No, but documents should be interleaved with acid-free paper to prevent acid migration from one document to another. Acid-free paper that is buffered will also counteract the formation of more acids in the future. 4. Is it okay to laminate a document? Lamination is not considered a safe conservation technique because the process may potentially damage a document due to high heat and pressure during application. Moreover, the laminating materials themselves may be chemically unstable and contribute even more to the deterioration of the document. Lamination also violates a cardinal rule of conservation, and that is to only apply treatments that do not alter the item and which can be reversed. 5. I have some old newspapers that I would like to preserve. What's the best way to do it? Since newspapers are made of highly acidic paper and deteriorate so quickly, you should always photocopy the information you want from them onto acid-free paper. You can then store the original paper in an acid-free box, or mount clippings in an archival scrapbook. Clippings could also be stored in acid-free file folders, interleaved with acid-free paper. If you want to frame the clipping, you should frame the acid-free copy rather than the original clipping. 6. What about the ink used in copiers and printers? Is there an archival ink that can be used as an alternative? The inks used in photocopiers and printers are moderately durable. To date there is no alternative ink available for use in a copier or printer. It is a good rule of thumb to photocopy any document you wish to preserve onto acid-free paper. If you then keep the original and copy away from light, heat, humidity, etc. the document should last for several generations. Incidentally, there are archival inks for use on paper: Pigma ink comes in a pen, and Actinic ink comes bottled for use with a quill pen or in an ink pad. 7. I have an old wedding certificate that has been stored rolled up for many years. It is quite brittle. How can I safely unroll and flatten it? Often when paper objects have been stored rolled for many years, they become quite brittle. In order to safely unroll your certificate, moisture needs to be restored to the document (known as humidification). Placing your document in a humid environment for several hours should make it more flexible, allowing you to carefully unroll and flatten it. Watch out for ink on the document that might bleed (don't humidify it if the ink will run). You may have to experiment with the level of humidity and the amount of time you leave the document exposed; monitor to make sure it does not get saturated. Attempt to carefully unroll the document while it is still humid; do not proceed if it resists or begins to crack or tear. You could then flatten it by placing the document between two pieces of blotting paper, and then place a heavy object on top for a few days. 8. I have a suitcase full of old family photographs. Some of them are fading, and I would really like to preserve them. Any suggestions? The same rules which apply for the safe storage of paper documents generally apply to photos. Again, there are a number of options for preserving your photos. If you prefer an album, archival albums have acid-free components such as scrapbook style pages, picture-pocket pages made of one of the safe plastics, etc. Store-bought albums with magnetic pages are typically highly acidic and dangerous to photos. Besides albums, there are acid-free boxes made to accommodate between 500 and 1000 prints. These boxes come with acid-free envelopes and sleeves for negatives. Finally, photographs can be encapsulated in polyester film just like paper documents. 9. What is the best way to store negatives? Should color negatives be stored the same as black and white? There are a variety of storage options available. The best choice depends on the number of negatives and ones preference. Negatives can be stored in acid-free envelopes--paper or plastic--and placed in an acid-free box made for negatives and prints. There are also clear plastic sheets which hold various size negatives which can then be put in a binder. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommends non-buffered storage for color prints and negatives, and buffered storage materials for black and white prints and negatives. Nitrate film should be stored in buffered materials. 10. My grandmothers photo collection was glued on that old black paper that photo albums were made of. How can I get the photos out of the album? The safest and recommended approach is to carefully try to lift the photos off of the album page with a tool called a microspatula or a small spatula. Slip the microspatula under the edge of the photo, and carefully move it back and forth. The ease with which the photos come up may vary depending on the humidity level. Dry conditions may make prints and backing brittle, easier to lift. Or humid conditions may soften the adhesive and ease removal. Experiment with it, but DO NOT force the photos so that they tear. If you cannot lift them, cut away the black paper around the photo. If photos are on both sides of the page and you cannot cut around, interleave the pages of the album with acid-free paper and store the album in an acid-free box. The questions and answers in this article have been provided by MY TIME. We invite you to send us your preservation questions. We would also like to send you a FREE CATALOG of preservation materials and books that we offer. For a free catalog, or if you have any questions contact: MY TIME, PO Box 8247, Warwick, RI 02888; (401) 941-1073; e-mail: linmt@aol.com. Rob Konings Genealogic Homepage Family Koning Groningen/Oost-Friesland Homepage : Http://web.inter.NL.net/hcc/Rj.koning/index.html Email address : mailto:Rj.koning@net.HCC.nl