LESS JAW-JAW

Christians and persons of goodwill have been asked to fast and pray for world peace on March 5th. Those who choose to fast are reminded that this does not mean that they should abstain from all food, and that it is not appropriate for children or where there could be any health implications.

But, for those who do fast, please consider donating the money saved to the Church of Scotland HIV / AIDS Special Appeal. All funds raised will be directed to the very great needs of the Third World - hopefully, we are all aware of the great disparity between available resources and the desperate plight of families overseas. Use your credit card at www.churchofscotland.org.uk or put cash or cheques in an envelope at the Post Office for Margaret Walker, Treasurer.


COMPUTERS

In recent days, a file of information has been created which deals with the erratic and often disappointing quality of islanders' internet connections. This information has been passed to Deirdre Forsyth of Argyll & Bute Council and will be referred to an appropriate guru for comment. The details are somewhat arcane, but it is true to say that for some individuals the quality and speed of their connection has reached the level of uselessness. One islander has to go on-line at 5 a.m. to make purchases, and even then has treacle-slow downloads. Another individual has registered 14 bps performance on his 56 bps modem. A third-party, resident and working for many months in Colonsay, has had to abandon attempts to remain in touch by use of a public access terminal. Many (most?) machines have proved unable to update their Norton files or to install the various patches for their WindowsXp, since the connection is terminated after two hours. Everybody has their own theory as to the solution, but hopefully Deirdre will be able to get independent professional advice.

About 25% of users requested tuition and this has now been arranged. Lucy and Kevin have been appointed as "mentors" and have received their training from Argyll College; full details of the scheme will be circulated shortly. In the initial phase, tuition will address basic skills and this will permit more ambitious projects in the future. The course material is attractive and will give participants an excellent grounding - progress will be monitored and, if desired, certificates will be issued as appropriate. The course will be held at the school, where a bank of terminals will be installed. It is recognised that health or other reasons may make it difficult for some islanders to attend every session and such people will not be excluded or disadvantaged; but it will be highly desirable for each person to attend for enrolment.

Persons with technical problems are invited to advise staff at the Service Point; they will log the report and ask the appointed "digital champion" to call round and do his best. Most problems to date have involved internet conections, usually revolving around Email, MSN, Norton or some combination of those things. One or two people have run into more serious problems such as software conflict; it seems that the MSXp patches need to be installed and readers might wish to borrow the special disk that Angela has obtained. Additional copies are to be requested so that the "champion" can improve his service. Anti-surge devices have been provided for all computers - these may be collected at the post Office.


OLD NEWS

Colonsay has featured heavily in the media recently. The withdrawal of postal deliveries and the associated postbus service to Oransay received widespread coverage and was generally deplored; unfortunately the service has not been re-instated as yet but there are active negotiations and it seems possible that a daylight-only timetable may be introduced.

On another front, it has been known for some time that the Ministry of Defence had become involved in a "jobsworth" spat between its own personnel and those of the Health Service. Both sides forgot - as usual - that neither of them has any personnel at all; every last manjack is OUR personnel, they are all heavily paid employees in the public service. They finally painted themselves into a corner with their rule books when they quite simply refused to evacuate a critical case from Colonsay unless our local part-time district nurse travelled in the same SeaKing helicopter. Yes, they point-blank totally refused to come.

Fully trained paramedics were on board and quite obviously this was a very stupid and dangerous piece of tomfoolery by the Jobsworth on duty that night. Meanwhile, additional, fully-trained paramedics employed by the Health Service sat twiddling their thumbs because their own helicopter could not operate in the prevailing conditions. Not surprisingly, this particular story also caught the attention of the media, and with highly satisfactory results. Ass has been kicked, heads have been knocked together and a bit of common sense has been reintroduced. If only these pencil-pushers could now be given a bit of backbone, they might not choose an expectant mother and her unborn child as their victims next time they want to pursue an industrial point.

Finally, a provincial paper carried a lengthy report about a Colonsay "beach barbecue driver" who was convicted on motoring charges at Oban Sheriff Court. One could not fail to notice the prominence given to one quotation: "It is not unusual to see people on Colonsay driving when they have been drinking". That being the case, one must assume that it will not be unusual to see more or all such drivers appearing in the same court. If the case was worth mentioning, a more balanced report of the evidence might have been helpful.



BOAT FOR SALE
Ian Binnie has a new, even bigger boat and therefore has to sell his "Allegro", which has made something in excess of twenty successful trips out to Colonsay and beyond. She is a lovely craft and interested parties should go to:
http://mysite,freeserve.com/victoire25/index.htm



BECOME A TOURIST GUIDE

Would you like to be a Tourist Guide?

The Scottish Tourist Guides Association in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh and supported by Argyll & the Islands Enterprise is offering a training course for tourist guides for the Argyll Islands including Mull & Iona, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Islay and Jura.

The course will include use of web-based distance learning material, local study and a five-day course based in Oban from 7th to 11th April 2003. Assessment will take place on the islands during May/June.

Participants will be charged a nominal fee of £50.

For further information and an application form please contact Jennifer Wardle or Helen MacDougall, Tel: 01546 602281 E mail: Jennifer.Wardle@hient.co.uk, Helen.MacDougall@hient.co.uk

Applications to be sent to Jennifer Wardle, Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, The Enterprise Centre, Kilmory Industrial Estate, Lochgilphead, PA31 8SH by 16th March 2003


AN INVITATION FROM NADAIR

INFORMATION DAY - MORNING SESSION

On behalf of the Directors of the Nądair Trust, I write to invite you to the morning session of an Information Day on Thursday 3rd April 2003 at the Corran Halls Small Theatre in Oban. The proposed Agenda is to be posted up at the Post Office, Colonsay.

The session, open to the public and the press, will give an overview of the Nądair programme two years into the three- year programme. Dr Jim Hunter, Chairman HIE will be our keynote speaker and Alan Hobbett, Development Director, Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust will be our guest speaker. There will also be short presentations by several partner groups on project progress so far.

The afternoon session, open to Partners in the Nądair Programme only, will consist of workshops and conclude with the AGM.

A clear advantage of the morning will be the opportunity for everyone to share information and make new contacts.

I hope that you will be able to attend the Information Morning and look forward to your reply using the form below.

Kind regards, Caroline


NATURE NOTES

Nine-foot wide breaks are being created through the whins at A' Chachla Mhor, so as to permit self-seeded oaks to thrive. There are deep drifts of Snowdrops at Torrintuirc, crocus and narcissi in most gardens and Margaret Walker has daffodils in flower.

Geese numbers must be at a record high just now, and the island livestock is looking very well after the very lengthy mild and dry period. Ravens are lining their nests and are behaving very aggressively - the buzzard population has been on the defensive for weeks and has now dropped out of view. Sparrow hawks and other raptors seem to be quite prominent, and there are large numbers of snipe and curlew to be seen. There were six Shelduck at Port Mor the other day, also ducks and mallard. Ringed Plover and Dunlin are plentiful on the Strand and an unusual flock of over thirty greylag geese were noticed actually within the harbour at Scalasaig.

The goats are close to Glassard, and young kids may be seen already. (Please see letter on this subject from Tracy Livingstone, also her article in the Magazine Section, below). Spring lambs may also be seen, beside the Bay road at Kiloran (an ordering facility exists elsewhere on this website).


DHU HIRTEACH LIGHTHOUSE

A poem from the collection of the late Alasdair McNeill.

On summer nights when seas are calm
Thy light gleams soft and clear
A lonely sentinel thou art
To guide the mariner.

When winter storms their raging seas
And breakers o'er thee dash
Still, through the gloom, the midnight drear
Reveals thy warning flash.

And sailors, toilworn, tempest-tossed
Who view thy heartening ray
In renewed vigour set their course
And head for Oban Bay

Fierce blizzards from the stormy north
Upon my window play
Through darkest night, and flashes bright
Shine round me as I pray.

God hold thee with the brave watchmen
Their vigil lone by night.
Whate'er betide, guard thou and guide

The keepers of the light.

Janet McNeill


NOOKS & CRANNIES: The Barge near Port na h-Iłbhraich

Many readers will remember the substantial wooden raft-like structure that was washed ashore at Garvard during World War II. It was quarried for baulks whenever they required until the best were gone - our photograph shows that even in decay the remains are likely to be recognizable for many years yet.



WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY

2 - 4 March: Superintendent Stewart of Strathclyde Police will be visiting Colonsay.

Tuesday 3 March 8pm, Community Council: Air Ambulance Service; Policing - Supt. Stewart; IaaO; Ferry Services; Freight service; Refuse Collection; BT phone box

Wednesday: Ash Wednesday - fast and pray for World Peace.

25 - 27 March: Dentist will be here - appointments on 01688 302105 Badminton, Thursdays 18.00hrs.

Quiz in the Hotel every Wednesday at 9.30 pm.

Take-Away Meals available Monday to Saturday from the hotel.

The Pantry - Winter hours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 2pm
Saturdays 10am to 3pm
Takeaway meals Friday 5pm to 6pm
Evening meals provided but must be booked in advance Tel 01951 200235

Church Service
Please note that services in both the Baptist Church and the Church of Scotland are at the new time of 11.30hrs. Services are held regularly - see notices in the shop and hotel for details.


Advance notice:
May 1st: ELECTIONS

The 14th International Gathering of Clan Macfie is to be held May 14-18, 2003 in Gatlinburg, TN, hosted by the Macfie Clan Society of America. For more information see http://www.macfiesocietyofamerica.com or contact:
Jim McAfee, Macfie Clan Society of America
420 Ash Dr.; Baxter, TN 38544 USA
jgmcafee@tnaccess.com


JOBS:

20 hrs weekly @ £8.65 per hour, computing skills essential, as Service Point person. Contact Diane Clark, in writing.

19hrs weekly in term time, clerical assistant at Primary School - see details in post Office

ACCOMMODATION

Weekends (only) s/c flat in Oban (linen provided) available to folk with Colonsay connections - contact Ishbell on 07979 947589


SNIPPETS

The Chief-Inspector of Police will be in Colonsay 3 - 5 March; Charlie and May were guests aboard MV "Hebridean Princess" for a pre-season dinner last week; Argyll Bute are giving discounts of up to 50% on commercial rates - in EUROS!; the new houses are on the verge of allocation - allegedly there will be many disappointed applicants unless folk are prepared to share; the new by-pass for the avenue at Colonsay House is now in operation; a magnificent new tractor has arrived for Machrins, and an awesome tracked vehicle for Kiloran ("frustrated export order for Iraq"); new resident Mrs. Graham-Stewart will be moving into Smiddy in mid-March; disabled-access has been installed at the hotel; Oronsay has a fine new pier:



TOPICAL LETTERS

For convenience of readers, letters now appear in two sections. Anything to do with current events appears here, and letters to do with the Magazine section or historical research etc. will appear at the end of the Magazine section.

Having received the recent development company news letter I am curious to know the difference between the board of directors acting on the community company's behalf and the board of directors becoming a trading company on the communities behalf? Is the newly formed trading company not a charity? And if so, what are the implications to the community in terms of the profitability of the two interests mentioned (ie. the coal and the petrol community petrol schemes)? Yours Lucy Johnstone.


There will be a group of us (I hope) in Colonsay in August, all keen to find out as much as we can about the goats on Colonsay. If the whole group cannot attend it will be myself and Dr Raymond Werner (who knows EVERYTHING about feral goats!) - he actually converted a landowner on Mull - the landowner was selling the hunting rights to the goats to Austrians, the landowner is now starting up a heritage centre with the native goats as the 'star' attraction...so things can work out well sometimes.

I wonder if you could help with a couple of points in the meantime?:
· have you noticed if all the goats are black/dark brown?
· have you noticed if any have 'reddish' cheeks?
· have any 'white' goats been noticed in the past, I do remember someone telling me that a white 'Sannen' was released into the herd from a domestic holding...is this true do you know?

· The reason the Billys move to Balnahard bay during the year is due to peregrinating from one traditional home range group of females to another (an open system). I did notice only one female and goatling in the Balnahard area during my visit, have you ever noticed a small group in that area?

At present as an estimate, how many Billys, Nannies, goatlings (approx 1 year old) and kids (born this year) do you think are on the island at the moment?

I would really appreciate any help you can give us on this matter...
my kindest regards, Tracy Livingstone

Editors' note: It would be very helpful if any reader could answer these queries as I am unable to give an accurate response. Many thanks.


Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to you with an inquiry rather than with any information for the genealogical section of your website. I apologize for this, but perhaps you might be able to help me.

I am looking for the birth and death dates of Barbara Mary Colonsay McNeill, daughter of Captain Ronald Frank Rous McNeill (Baron Colonsay?). Her second marriage in 1962 was to George Reginald Ward, 1st Viscount Ward of Witley; her first marriage had been to Michael Langhorne Astor. I have tried different editions of Burke's and Debrett's but cannot find dates for her. In particular I am interested in finding out more about her habits as an art collector, but any information you might be able to pass along would be greatly

appreciated. With many thanks,
Victoria S. Reed
Friends Curatorial Research Associate
Princeton University Art Museum


Dear Kevin:
I firstly want to thank you for the Corncrake. I look forward to it every two weeks, You, in a way, got me interested in my families genealogy and brought me in contact with many of my cousins. I had no idea I had so much family in Canada, mainly around Gladstone, Manitoba. Because of the internet my family tree has ballooned to over 1200 people and still growing. My wife and I still want to get to Colonsay in the next few years. This is just a note to say thank you for your hard work.
Don Beck Jr.
San Antonio, Texas


The Magazine Section


SEARCH ENGINE

SEARCH

Instructions are supplied, but two hints may help:
1. When using phrases, enclose them in quotation marks. For example, [lifting stone] will get you every instance of [lifting] or [stone] but ["lifting stone"] will get you what you want.
2. When you see the results, they may seem unlikely. This is because many documents (e.g. each issue of The Corncrake) are in reality just one single "page", covering many unrelated topics. No problem! Open the page, then go to the "Find (on this page)" option at the top of your screen, on a drop-down menu presented by the second button from the left. Type in the word you seek and hey-presto, it is highlighted for you. Note that you must give the page time to load (an issue of The Corncrake takes up to a minute), also that there may be more than one example on the page, so use the "Find (on this page)" function again to check that you have not missed anything.



The Wild Goats of Colonsay

The Wild Goats of Colonsay - Spanish or Scottish origin?
By Tracy Livingstone

Introduction

I visited Colonsay from the 6th - 9th December 2002 in a bid to discover whether the wild goats that wandered the island originated from the Scottish mainland, or indeed as local tales told, they in fact were descendants from goats carried by the Spanish Armada fleets that were wrecked of the Scottish coast in the waters surrounding the Hebridean islands…the stories of old tell us that these Spanish goats swam ashore and arrived on Colonsay and Jura where they successfully bred until the present day. So, the question is, are they Spanish or Scottish?

The tales that tell us of their escapades with wrecked ships and spectacular swimming feats to get ashore was something that has always puzzled me. In my understanding, domesticated Spanish goats were kept on board ships of the Armada fleet below deck in the storage holds. Here the goats would have been used for milk production and ultimately for their meat and hide if required. The goats would no doubt have been securely tethered and the hold would also have been securely closed to stop any attempt of them wandering around and causing mischievous damage to the ship. If we just look at these facts alone, if a ship ran into trouble and started to sink, the goats would have had no hope at all of survival, they would have been tethered and I doubt whether any sailor of that time would have taken the time to untie them, bring them up onto deck and thus help save them from a perilous death. My own belief is that these goats perished when a ship went down. Even if we look at the presumption that some did get into the water free of a tether, the fact that goats detest water, and are proud stubborn beasts I doubt they would have mastered any swimming technique to save them from the icy Scottish waters. We as humans have a basic instinct to swim not sink, goats I am afraid my attempt a little but I believe they would not have survived, not only the shock of such an event, but the water temperature and weight of heavy water on their fleeces would have dragged then down even quicker. So, if the goats did not come from the Spanish Armada, where did they come from? And how did they get onto the Islands? I believe they came from the highland clearances. I will discuss this more in depth later, but to understand where I get this idea from, it would be first an idea to actually learn a bit more about Scottish goats, Spanish goats and their origins, lifestyles and appearances to offer some support to my theory.

[Editor's note: there was a chart of goat genealogy here, but the HTML looked like a bit of a challenge. it suggested that:

Goats as we know them originate from the Bovidae family of mammals.

Bovidae (Hollow horned)(Antiodactyla -even toed mammal) lead down to CAPRA (Goat)

Then there are four lines, Capra Pyrenaica ,Capra Hircus , Capra Caucasia, Capra Falconeri

Evidently the second of these led to the Origins of the domestic goat (bezoar or pasan) - found wild in Greece and Pakistan, divided into two types:

Capra hircus aegagrus (Wild Persian) and Capra Hircus Blythis (wild goat of Afghanistan)

These led to the First breed to be domesticated]

Origins
Goats are essentially creatures of heights, adapted to leaping and scrambling from one precipitous ledge to another. Their feet are beautifully adapted for this, with small hooves able to draw close together and balance on tiny areas. They are amenable and versatile. They are gregarious and friendly. They are often contrary, but life is never dull when there are goats around as I am sure the population of Colonsay would agree.

Goats have been closely associated with man since Palaeolithic times. The caves in Charente in France bear testimony to this relationship, with bas-relief carvings dating back 16,000 years. There is no evidence that they were domesticated until Neolithic times, over 10,000 yeas later. The ancient Egyptians kept them, they were common in Biblical times and there are few societies which have not been involved with goats to some degree. This does not mean they have always been popular. As a species they have been maligned and, on occasion persecuted. This has not diminished with modern times, in fact in some respects certain practices have got worse. There is a trend in certain religious communities at present to indulge in the delicacy of 'smokies'. This entails the goat having its hair and skin burned off while still alive to produce as smoked carcass. Another favourite past time is the hunting of prime male Billy's (male) adults for sport. This causes distress to entire herds, with nannies (females) and kids (young goats) going into hiding with fear having witnessed the male's slaughter and head being removed from the body for sporting trophies. This in turn results in herds disappearing, with no males available for reproduction the herd goes into decline. There is nothing worse than witnessing the death of a male Billy goat - many which are slaughtered are aged 6+ and have had to endure a lot to get to this stage of maturity, all for an often ill-aimed and untrained marksman/hunter to shoot it, maim it, not even with a clean shot and remove its head whilst the animal many times is still alive - and this is the 21st century? I ask you, is this what the rich have to do for fun, we have technology - go and buy a computer hunting game, but leave the real things alone. I have to highlight that I am not against the humane culling of any breed of animal if overpopulation, disease or any other valid reason is provided. But for fun and a bit of a laugh, I am afraid the reasoning behind this escapes me.

Let us get back to the question in hand……goats as I have mentioned have been an important part of many cultures history. The enclosure movement in 17th - 19th century England and Wales deprived large numbers of cottagers of their grazing rights and common land. Although the long-term effect was to increase overall agricultural production, the landless peasantry lost their main sources of milk and dairy produce as goats and other livestock were turned off the commons.

In Scotland the Highland clearances had a similar effect; where the crofters were usurped, their goats were also displaced. Many of these animals reverted to the wild, either forming new herds of wandering, feral goats or adding to those already in existence.

An important stage in the history of goats in Britain was the formation of the British Goat Society (BGS) in 1879. its aims were to counteract the general prejudice against goats and to spread more accurate information about them. It encouraged cottagers to keep them again and to set about improving and developing the dairying qualities of goats.

The most recent innovation by the BGS is the CAE herd monitoring scheme, which tests goats to ensure their freedom from the virus infection CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis). It is important to note that most people in our society think of goats as dairy animals, but on a world scale they are primarily meat and hide animals, with milk as an added bonus.

The natural behaviour of goats in the wild is to eat scrubby material at a certain height. This is thought to give them some protection from being infested with internal parasites, which are usually found in greater concentrations at ground level. You can observe part of this behavioural pattern when you feed hay to domestic goats; if any should fall on the floor, they will not eat it. [Thear, Katie - 'Goats and Goatkeeping' 1988, Merehurst Ltd]

Goats in Scotland

Improved agricultural methods began to filter into the Highland area of Scotland from about 1750, and their most successful application took the form of breeding the improved Border sheep on the Highland hills. Looked at from a national point of view, this enterprise provided a meat surplus for export to the south about four times as great as that available from an area worked by the traditional methods. Looked at from the landlord's point of view, the border shepherds offered rents five to ten times as great as those they could hope to extract from their clansmen. From the point of view of the mass of the highland population, the new methods meant that a shepherd and his dog and six hundred sheep could profitably occupy an area that previously supported a crafting township of about a hundred souls - in brief it meant mass unemployment.

In England the population was rapidly multiplying in the industrial cities; at the beginning of the nineteenth century new industries and the Napoleonic wars were draining the countryside of men and forcing up the need and demand for meat and wool. The woollen industry, a principal contributor to a national prosperity, was cut off from its Spanish raw-wool market and faced with disaster. Many Highland landlords shelved their sentiments and their clansmen together and accepted the sheepmen's rents and a pat on the back for patriotism. The highlanders were cleared from the more fertile glens and hill grazings, cattle, ponies, goats and all some were left to face the cold an unrelenting wind of economics.

Many of the evicted crofters were re-establishing on poor ground on the sea-shore, bereft of extensive hill razzings. Crops and the sea gave them a living. Tiny patches fertilized with lime-rich shell sand and seaweed and cultivated by hand with immense labour stood between these families and starvation. This was no place for a goat, and any goats retained on holdings of this kind would have to be tethered to preserve the crops.

During the more violent clearances, the greater part of the goat population must have been left to run wild on the hills. Domesticated habits always sit lightly on the goat, even the most inbred and highly selected modern dairy strains being perfectly willing to turn feral if given a suitable environment and opportunity. The term feral is used here to emphasize the fact that 'wild' goats in Britain are not 'wild' in the sense that red deer are 'wild'. - they are, as the botanist would say, 'escapees'. The distinction is of some importance, for the survival of 'wild' goats is not altogether dependant on their adaptation to their environment, but partly on a continuous supply of 'escapes'. Consequently the existence of these 'wild' goats is not proof that goats can thrive under wholly natural condition in this country.

There must originally have been a great stock of 'wild' goats of this kind on the newly acquired sheep ranges. But goats commence their breeding season when the hours of daylight decrease and the hours of darkness increase at a certain critical speed. This critical rate of change is of course reached earlier in the year the nearer you go to the land of the Midnight Sun. over the Highlands of Scotland the breeding season starts in July and August, and the kids are born in January and February to the feral goats - and only the very toughest and luckiest can survive the inhospitable welcome the Highlands offer at that season. Moreover the goat does not like the wet, and in a climate such as that of the Scottish Highlands the feral goat population is very much limited to the number of dry beds available on a wet night. Feral goat communities are still widely distributed in the Highlands of Scotland, must the numerical strength of each is fairly small and static.

Over wide areas of Highlands and islands the crofters were not ordered or forced to make way for the sheepmen. Whether the slow attrition of poverty, hunger and discomfort was a kindlier fate that that suffered by the victims of the great clearances is doubtful; the result was very similar. Looking down on the ruins of abandoned croft houses standing among the head-high brackens that cover the old arable land, it is hard to tell today whether the desert was created by sudden violence or perennial poverty.

The goats on the uncleared crofts were directly affected by the call of emigration which drew away the human population and, in a different way, by the advent of sheep breeding and the vhange ver from subsistence agriculture to a crop-marketing economy. The tendency of the domesticated goat to turn feral, evinces itself at two seasons - at the onset of the breeding season in August-September; and at kidding time, if there is adequate natural feeding available. The fall of the human population released the goats to freedom and its perils. [Mackenzie, David - 'Goat Husbandry' fifth edition 1992, Faber and Faber]

Therefore it is my thinking that during these violent clearances, many crofters sought refuge on the surrounding Hebridean islands, taking with them in their small boats, their main food source - goats. Thus we have the populations on Colonsay and Jura that we have today. To me this is a more logical and realistic explanation than 'magic swimming Spanish goats'.

If you compare the following photos of mainland Scottish feral goats, and Spanish feral goats, it is quite clear the origins of the Colonsay goat are Scottish and not Spanish. We should note the horn shape, face structure, fleece colouration, build and fleece thickness. However, final analysis to prove this theory correct would ultimately depend on DNA testing.

Myself and an expert in the field will be visiting Colonsay again in April to research the goats there in much more depth. If anyone on Colonsay has a keen interest or knowledge of the goats that would be helpful to us we would be delighted to hear from you!

Email enquiries: nativegoats@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone Enquiries: 07855 914272

 
Scottish and Spanish feral goats

CLAN McFEE - Suivez la Piste

Jerry D. McAfee has sent us a fascinating document about the McAfee line to USA via Armagh; very likely it will provoke correspondence, which we will be happy to publish. Even if only to be ready for such correspondence, it is well worth a look, so please use this link:

Possible Descendants of John McAfee, Sr


He has also supplied information on the line leading to Kentucky, which can be seen here:

Notes for JAMES MCAFEE, SR:


Finally, Jerry has given me the 131 page document of which the following is an introduction. Email The Editor to receive a copy. Extract begins -

The report was put together by Brenda SHAW WOODS, P.O. Box 1013, Mt. Washington, KY 40047 Kybrenda@aol.com

I have no proof as to the way these lines go, I've put documentation in where I have it. This is only a suggestion as to the way some of the lines go. I put this report together as a way to view all of the MCAFEE lines at the same time, and to compare them in hopes of finding connections. If you have additions or corrections please let me know.

McAFEE is of the Celtic Origin, The Mc or Mac means "Son Of" The name McAFEE and other spellings is most likely a variant of the the name MACDUFFIE, Which was what the descendants of DUFFIE. McAFEE family is known in the United States as Scotch Irish Descent.

The MacDuffie Clan, was located on the Isle of Colonsay (off the west coast of Scotland) from very early times until the middle of the 17th century. About 1645 Malcolm MACDUFFIE/McAFEE, the last chieftan of the clan, was killed. One of this line was probably John McAFEE who then went to Ireland about 1672 form Glasgow, Scotland. John Married a Elizabeth MONTGOMERY in Glasgow, before they together went to Ireland. They settled in County Armagh, Ireland and had a son they named John McAFEE (will refer to as John 2).

John 2 was born about 1673. John 1 and John 2 both severed in the Revolution of 1688 under King William and fought at the Battle of Boyne in 1690.

John 2 married Mary RODGERS about 1700 and had the following children John, James, Malcolm, William and several Daughters.. At least this James son of John 2 came to America about 1739

Most likely all the American McAFEE's descend from the above Clan, it's not known to date how they all fit together, so I'm placing them in the report as son's of American McAFEE in order to print and read about all of the McAFEE families in American in hopes of sorting them out. I'm always looking for additions and corrections. This info has been collected by me since 1998 and I'm trying to note where the info came from and who is researching each line in hopes of connecting family members and connecting the McAFEE line together.

The McAFEE families are of the pioneering, who must have possessed great determination and drive to strive for a better life for their families.

The names of McAFEE's listed as serving during the Revolutionary War were:
Captain Samuel, Captain William, Lieutenant Lionel, Daniel, George, James, Robert, and Jospeh of Virginia
Archibald, Daniel, Edward, Henry, James, John, Matthew, Neal and Robert of Pennsylvania
Robert and James of Kentucky
James, Azariah, and Ezekiah of North Carolina

Many others served with the Colonial forces during the Revolutionary War.
You will see the following male names in the McAFEE family over and over again
John, Malcolm, Matthew, William, James, Samuel, George, Thomas, David, Jospeh and Robert.

The Coat of Arms of the McDUFF Clan of which the McAFEE family is believed to be a branch of is a lion, gules, surmonted by a fesse, azure, CREST is a demi lion, rampant, gules, Motto Pro Rege

Brenda Woods
P.O. Box 1013
Mt. Washington, KY 40047
kybrenda@aol.com




SELKIRK SETTLERS

The year 2003 marks the 200th Anniversary of the arrival of the Selkirk Settlers to the community of Belfast, Prince Edward Island.

The "Selkirk Settlers" were a group of Scottish colonists brought to Prince Edward Island in 1803 by Thomas Douglas, the 5th Earl of Selkirk. These Highland men and women sailed on three ships: the Polly, the Dykes, and the Oughton. The Polly arrived on August 7th, the Dykes (on which Lord Selkirk traveled) disembarked on August 9th, and the Oughton arrived on the 27th.

About 400 of the approximate 800 colonists brought by Lord Selkirk settled in the Belfast area. Most of these settlers had been passengers on the ship Polly.

From August 7th through August 10th, the Belfast Historical Society, in conjunction with the Caledonian Club, will host the 200th Anniversary and the Annual Highland Games at the Lord Selkirk Provincial Park in Eldon. Over this four-day extended weekend, planned activities include: genealogy workshops and lectures, displays and exhibits, concerts, traditional highland athletic competitions, piping competitions, reenactments of the Selkirk Settlers arrival, highland dance competitions, guest speakers, and kilted classic golf tournaments.
Additional information may be found on our web page at:
http://www.islandregister.com/skye/skye2003.html


We invite you to come celebrate this great event with us.
Linda Jean Nicholson MacKenzie
Event Coordinator
Belfast Historical Society
RR 1
Belfast, PE C0A 1A0
Canada
902-659-2209

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

The former lying-in hospital at Oban was converted to an hotel by an Austrian consortium which is now inclined to part with it. As we understand it, this valuable property is to be disposed of by a form of lottery. Tickets are £6.00, 10 Euros or US $10 and the odds (according to the Colonsay pier parliament) are 2.5 times better than Lotto and the winner gets a chance to live in Oban! Details of this glittering opportunity may be found by searching for Kimberley Hotel, Oban on Google, then "search within results" on the word "draw". The draw is scheduled for 13 May 2003 and will be broadcast live on the Internet. To go straight there, try this:

http://www.kimberley-hotel.com/game


Otherwise, get rich the hard way. Follow this link to see the AIE grants approved in January - it is full of ideas that might well be worth consideration here in Colonsay.
ARGYLL & THE ISLANDS ENTERPRISE


Regulars

Readers Write


NOTICE:
Any correspondence relating to current events will hopefully be found in the first part of the "Corncrake" after the News section. Items in connection with history, genealogy etc. will appear here.




Back to the Munn File for Sharon, here is what I have on Angus Munn :

Angus Munn (2.John2, 1.John1) b. CA 1774/1775, Argyll Scotland, m. 10-Dec-1803, in Colonsay and Oronsay Parish Argyll, Margaret McNeil, b. CA. 1784, Argyll Scotland, d. 21-Feb-1871, Little Sands Prince Edward Island, emigrated, 1806 on the Spencer.

Angus died 27-Jul-1837, buried: Wood Islands Pioneer Cemetery P.E.I., Emigrated, 1806 on the Spencer. Angus appears on the Spencer passenger list as Angus McMunn age 31.

Children:
i Catherine (Kati) Munn b. 1805/1806.
ii Dorothy (Dolly) Munn b. CA. 1817.
iii Duncan Munn b. 4-Sep-1820.
iv Isabella (Bella) Munn b. 17-Mar-1825, Wood Islands Prince Edward Island, 29-Aug-1837, Belfast Presbyterian Church P.E.I., d. CA. 1889/1891. According to family bible she died unmarried at the age of 65.
v Effy Munn b. 14-Nov-1827, Wood Islands Prince Edward Island, 29-Aug-1837, Belfast Presbyterian Church P.E.I., m. Archibald? Crawford. The Royal Gazette, 23-Apr-1850, reported the wedding of Euphemia Munn and Archibald Crawford.
vi Donald Munn.
vii Flora Munn.
viii Ann Munn m. (Male) Blue.
ix Mary Munn.
x Sarah Munn m. (Male) Smith. Sarah was a Mrs. Smith and died at the age of 24 years. Possibly died prior to 1846.

Another good source for information is the Island Register :
www.islandregister.com
One can spend hours at this website!
Mae Saunders
Halifax NS

Hi my name is Steven Dorchak and I was reading the section "readers write" and my family name caught my eye.

I too am related to the Munns and have been researching the family. My gr. gr. gr. grandmother, Sarah Munn was married to Hector Munn who was the son of James Munn and Elizabeth McMillian.

Mae, if you could email me I am hoping you might have some information on Sarah's father Neil Munn.

Thank you, Steven Dorchak,
Creswell, Oregon USA
Stevenjdor30@aol.com


From: Dan & Linda Neel

I have located Thomas(b. 1718) and Sara(b. 1722) Neel who apparently sailed from Kintyre for Willmington in about 1740-'41. They may well have been from Colonsay or Jura.

The "ee" spelling was in place at the time of their departure, but cannot locate that particular spelling to any certain location in Scotland. Any help would be most appreciated.
Thanks, Dan Neel
danlinda@wmonline.com


Harvey Schmidt seeks comments:

There's a bit of a debate going on this side of the great pond about two different John McNeills. One was born 1800, son of Neil & Peggy (Currie): the other b. 1802, son of Rodrick & Pegy (McLean). My impression for several years has been that I am descended from the latter John, who came to PEI in about 1820. I base this thought largely on the 1878 obituary for my ancestor, which stated that he was in "his 76th year."

A number of people over here, however, maintain that that John stayed (& died) on Colonsay, and married Mary McMillan in 1827--no information as to when and where he died. One of the parties espousing this view informed me that she has a "marriage record" of John & Mary that supports her view. The copy of the OPR that you kindly sent me some time ago shows only the date of that marriage and the parties' names.

So, my question is: are you aware of any more informative records available on Colonsay--or elsewhere (Edinburgh?)--(e.g., a marriage certificate showing parents of the parties)? I'm a bit skeptical (but am always willing to be converted if the facts warrant it). [Sorry - no more detailed record is known or likely to exist - Editor].

The "other faction" here reckon that "my" John was in fact Neil & Peggy's son, and that the whole family emigrated to PEI on the Economy in 1819. They all apparently "set up shop" in Lot 65, near the West River, southwest of Charlottetown. That concerns me some, as I know that my ancestor lived in Lot 51 (New Perth)--about 30 miles east of Charlottetown--from 1841 onwards. (He purchased a 100-acre farm there, which he left to two of his sons.)

Anyway, I've bent your ear enough for one day. Hope all is well there. Best wishes, Harvey

Our readership will almost certainly be able to shed light on this issue - please write - Editor

I've been looking for McDuffie information from Argyll in general, more specifically Jura and Islay. The Argyle Patentees sailed from Islay in 1738, 39, and 40. Years ago I was told that they were likely McDuffies from Northern Island, but it appears that at least one of them was married on Jura (Margaret McDuffie to Dougall Thompson) in 1720, and three other McDuffie males were married to Campbells, a prominent name in Argyll, but I haven't encountered too many Campbells in Northern Island. My guess is that the males left Colonsay for Islay, to work in the whisky factories, and then sailed for New York. A very strong feeling, based on familt tradition is that two of them were brothers, Alexander McDuffie, who married Anna Campbell and had 5 children when they embarked, and Archibald McDuffie, who married Catharine Campbell, and took their two children with them.

The Argyle Patent was headed by Captain Lauchlin Campbell, who went back to Scotland in the 1740s to lead a company of Argyll men in the civil war. This also indicates that the patentees were from Argyll. I'm trying to figure out an approach from the Campbell side. If you have any suggestions as to where I might find information. I put a file on line, on rootsweb, that has the descendents of Archibald McDuffie, d.before 1764, and am thinking of doing the same for Alexander, though I only know what happened to one of his sons. If you have any thoughts on an approach or a source, I'd appreciate knowing. If the Clan has a reunion in 2005, I hope to spend a couple of days looking for information, and hope to lay out a logical approach before I arrive.

Thank you, Dick Ledyard
Knoxville, TN, USA

We have not had much comment in the corncrake about the Argyle Patent and readers may wish to comment now. It would be surprising if the Duffie contingent had come from Ireland; a quick glance at the Index of the Book of Islay identifies about a dozen McDuffie heads-of-household as main tenants, the very class of people who would have been keen to go. No doubt Captain Campbell's contingent is well researched so we must hope for enlightenment - Editor

Could you post a question for me, on the corncrake.

Is there is any one out there that knows that their family left Colonsay for Canada around 1850s? I don't seem to be able to find the name of the ship my folks left on for Canada. Angus MCPHEE died on the way and they were quarantined on the Isle of Groose, Isle Que, Canada; but perhaps they might have left from Colonsay to Ireland, then on to the new world? thanks John T. MCPHEE [Texas]


Hello,
My great great grandfather, Henry Paint (1830-1921), sometime MP in the Dominion Parliament for Richmond County, Nova Scotia, married Christina St Claire McVean (1824-91). Christina's mother, my great great great grandmother, was born Anne Dockendorf, according to family information of Colonsay, who emigrated to Nova Scotia.

I find another Dockendorf on your Register: 1815 Pictou SHAW, John 1796-1879, m. Charlotte Dockendorf DW,AR

According to a letter from Henry Paint, written in July 1918:

"The name/surname of your Scotch grandmother was Ann Dockendorf [of] Colonsay, Argyllshire, who died in 1850, on her tomb stone in Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax. Her husband Donald McVean was a merchant of Glasgow [who] emigrated to Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, in 1815 and died at Halifax in 1840; tombstone in the old Cemetery Halifax.
"The ship landed the family at Sydney, Cape Breton, where they resided until they moved to P.E. Island. About 1850 I met some old gentlemen from Sydney who told me Flora McVean (your mother¹s sister) was the best-looking young woman they had ever seen. She died in 1852 marks her grave in Camp Hill Cemetery. Good and true devout Christian girl."

I wonder if anyone knows how these Dockendorfs fit in?

I find members of the McVean family were already in Prince Edward Island; one Peter McVean, born in Perthshire in 1738, settled there with his third wife, and died there in 1818.

And again the German Dockendorff name occurs in Prince Edward Island at the same date. We know one Jacob Dockendorff settled near Bristol, Maine, in the mid eighteenth century, and two of his children moved to Prince Edward Island about 1790. The connections with Colonsay were strong, and the Dockendorfs married McNeills, perhaps from Colonsay, in Prince Edward Island. Perhaps suppose some descendant moved back, for a while at least. According to family tradition, they were attracted there because their uncles had overwintered at Port La Joi (the original French settlement dating to 1720, by the harbour of Charlottetown), before they were killed in the capture of Quebec.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes, Nicholas Mander


We will be happy to receive more letters and, as always, the editor would like to hear from anyone who might wish to contribute. Individual articles on news or local events will always be welcome.
Contact

the Editor - byrne@colonsay.org.uk


Editorial Policy

Corncrake is published to keep all our friends in touch with life on the island. Contributions are invited and welcomed.
Fortnightly editions will carry details of coming events, special offers etc. Please send letters and proposals for specific articles to
the Editor
Brief genealogical and related queries are also welcome from Colbhasachs overseas, as are obituaries and family traditions relating to Colonsay emigrants.
This publication will hopefully develop to reflect the interests of the readership so please feel free to make your contribution. The magazine section needs articles on flora, fauna, geology, fishing, crofting etc.