docFlowers of the Forest Magda Margaret Mackay Smith y 09
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Flowers of the Forest Magda Margaret Mackay Smith y 09
Flowers of the Forest Magda Margaret Mackay Smith Memories By Jessica Russell, Recording Secretary At 96 years old, she was the Matriarch of the Council body of Clan Mackay, Scotland The clouds seemed to cling to the road that morning and obscured the view as we drove higher and higher up the mountain, shrouding it completely in mystery. We had been driving for a couple of hours, just my grandfather and I, on what seemed an endless road from the foothills into the Blue Ridge Mountains. As we rounded yet another curve, the clouds rose above us and we were pulling onto MacRae Meadows. It seemed the most magical of places to me at eight years old. Huge tents were placed side by side along the field. There were so many people milling about, preparing their tents, their goods and food to sell. Everyone was laughing and talking, greeting each other as if they were long-lost friend or family members. My Grandfather would later comment that they had probably just met, but on the Mountain, everyone is family. I was in awe. My grandfather seemed to know several people in the tents because as we walked around, he’d stop from time to time and greet them – call them by name and sit and talk a bit. While he talked, I’d sit on the grass and watch the events taking place on the field. I was captivated by the dancers, because I too danced but not Scottish dancing. I had never seen it before and it was brilliant and made me want to join in. Time would pass far too quickly and then we were walking again and visiting another tent. At the time, I wondered how my Grandfather knew so many people when I had never seen him attend a Highland Games. I was puzzled, so I asked – being the precocious child that I was. He told me that some of the people he knew because of his travels and through business. Others knew him through mutual acquaintances. He said he was there to honor a friend who had passed earlier that year and thought it was a good time for me to attend my first Games. We spent the day this way, wandering around from tent to tent. It was amazing and overwhelming all at once for me. But it was beautiful and serene even with the many people milling about. We finally had walked almost all the way around the track and my Grandfather walked under the large tent on the upper hill. There he greeted even more people that he seemed to know and proceeded to talk again. From this vantage point, I was able to watch the athletes more fully. I had so many questions, but didn’t want to interrupt his conversation so I just sat enthralled. An older lady must have realized that I had never seen anything like it before because she came over to talk to me. She explained to me what the athletes were doing in the events and how the games actually came about. Being a small child, sometimes you forget to ask important questions and to this day, I don’t know the woman’s name. But she spent a long time with me telling me about the Games Grandfather and the importance that they have to those of Scottish heritage, as well as about Scotland itself. It instilled in me a sense of kinship with people I had never met…and longing for a homeland I had never seen. The day seemed to go on forever, and yet it passed far too quickly now that I recall the memory. It was overwhelming, exhilarating, and mesmerizing all at once to me as a child. But that’s not completely true because even today when I walk up that hill onto the Meadow and look up and see the Mountain…all the tents and people, those same feelings flood through me. It would be eight years later before I’d return to the mountain and since then, I have only missed one or two Games. For the past twenty years, I have seen the mountain disappear in the clouds, but the field remains clear and sun shining down upon it. Experienced torrential rains and wind blowing through, and have heard the thunder echo around the mountain itself as if it were waking and coming to life. Scotsmen and women have even said that it’s the closest thing to home that they have ever found. And it’s still the most magical place. NEW MEMBERS, JUNE - AUGUST John C. McGee Bob Horne Shana Locke Dr. John Garvey Bruce R. McCaw Ellen Morgan Gregory Mackey David Mackey Diane Phimister William LaPorte Douglas Mackay Charles Taylor More than 30 clansmen gathered at the Clan Mackay tent at the Stone Mountain Games in Georgia in 2009 Central Central Central Northeast Western Southeast Rocky Mtn Western Northeast Central Mid - Atlantic Western RENEWING MEMBERS Dianne MacKay Family George W. McKay Family Northeast Mid - Atlantic Page 6 Magda was born on 20 June 1914 in Lerwick Shetland to John Mackay, from Carloway, Isle of Lewis, and Catherine Morrison of Lerwick, Shetland. The family moved to Leith when she was 10 months old – but shortly after their arrival, John’s brother, Angus, was one of the first to be gassed in World War 1 and died, and John felt he had to join up, so his young family returned to Shetland. John took up his Post Office Engineer work again, this time posted to Corstorphine, Edinburgh. The family thrived in Corstorphine and Magda formed lifelong friends and began her connection with St Ninian’s Church. She spent long summer holidays in Lerwick every second year, and later, contact with the Lewis family and friends, for whom she felt an immediate bond. She attended Corstorphine Primary School, finishing 2nd in her class and moved to Boroughmuir High School. She had a good grounding in commercial subjects at Torphichen Street Commercial College and worked happily for 10 years for a Chartered Accountant’s in Rutland Square – travelling to and from by train – knitting and chatting during the 8 minute journey, with everyone dashing back and forth for lunch. She also attended ceilidhs and the Clan Mackay meetings with her father, as well as playing tennis and socialising with her Corstorphine base. Magda was a member of the Clan Mackay Society from at least 1930 according to the membership card in her papers. She was active on the social committee before and during World War 2 and an active member of the Clan Mackay Council from her return to Edinburgh in 1952 During World War 2, she was part of the St. Andrews Ambulance Association and undertook regular shifts with the Tuesday Nighters. Just before the war, she had met John Smith from Back, Isle of Lewis, and while he was away for the entire war, they corresponded and married in September 1945. In 1946, they moved to Alloa, where John had been an apprentice and was later employed. Their children Fiona and Sheila were born during these years, which were very happy, having a home of their own and a peaceful setting after the bustle and drama of the war. They moved to Clydebank in 1950, and Magda enjoyed the steady contact with the Mackay and MacArthur cousins in Glasgow. In 1952 John took up a post in Edinburgh and the family settled in Corstorphine. Always a very sociable person – Magda was involved with St Ninian’s, the Clan Mackay, numerous highland associations, country dancing, the Liberals and, the Women’s Rural. The family always enjoyed holidays – mostly Crail and Lewis when the girls were young, and finally Magda made it back to ‘my land’ – Shetland - several times. She and John also started to travel abroad – the first trip on a National Trust Cruise to Norway. This was followed by trips farther a-field, including Kenya when Fiona was working in a mission hospital there. She also travelled with Clan Mackay groups to Sutherland and in 1994, aged 80, to the Atlanta Georgia Stone Mountain Games. Her Clan Mackay associations broadened her world contacts and she maintained correspondence and phone calls with America, Canada, Australia and South Africa. There were also many phone conversations with local Mackays about all and everything. She and Marion Wellwood very much enjoyed rehashing the meetings and discussing who would bring the tea and biscuits to the next one. She was a good friend to many and had interests and opinions in all things. She lived to a great age with a good group of neighbours, who kept a watchful eye on her – reinforced by meetings for over 40 winters of the Lampacre Ladies. A good life – thoroughly lived - she died peacefully at home on 29th July 2010 with her daughters at her side. Clan Mackay USA wishes to pass on our heartfelt condolences to Magda Mackay's family. We know that Magda will be sorely missed by Mackays all over the world. Manu Forti Above: Magda’s last outing in June, 2010 at a Mackay Council lunch to present Honorary Membership to Eliot Rudie—historian and active supporter of the Strathnaver Mueum at Farr and the site of the Mackay Room. She is talking to Helen Mackay and Sandra Mackay Upper Left: Magda at age 25. Right: Magda in 2009 at age 95 having a cup of tea and some biscuits. Page 7 Clan Mackay Highland Games & Festivals Listings September - November 2010 MM-DD-YYYY REGION STATE 11-5-2010 ROCKY MTNS AZ 9-4-2010 9-18-2010 10-2-2010 WESTERN WESTERN WESTERN CA YOUR MACKAY HOST GAMES Michael McKay mckaymi@msn.com and Norma Brinkmeyer Dean and Barbara Mackay blmackay76@charter.net and Ken Bain klbain@sbcglobal.net and Craig Morgan 831-338-6000 Tucson Celtic Festival and Highland Games Rialito Park, 4502 N. First Ave., Tucson, AZ www.tucsoncelticfestival.org San Francisco Caledonian Club Games Alameda County Fairgrounds 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton CA 94566 www.caledonian.org CA Dean and Barbara Mackay blmackay76@charter.net Fresno Scottish Games Roeding Park 890 W. Belmont Fresno, CA 93728 www.fresnohighlanddance.com CA Dean and Barbara Mackay blmackay76@charter.net and Craig Morgan 831-338-6000 Santa Cruz Scottish Games San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz, CA. www.santacruzscottishgames.com Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Festival and Highland Games Stanley Park Rodeo & Fairgrounds Estes Park, CO www.scotfest.com St. Andrew's Society Scottish Festival Goshen, Connecticut www.sasct.org/festival.html Scotland Connecticut Highland Games Edward Waldo Homestead 96 Waldo Road, Scotland, CT www.scotlandgames.org 9-9-2010 ROCKY MTNS CO James White jhalwhite@msn.com 10-2-2010 NORTH EAST CT Mark Bain mackaypr@yahoo.com 10-10-2010 NORTH EAST CT James Bain jwbccb@comcast.net and Mark Bain mackaypr@yahoo.com Stone Mountain Highland Games Stone Mountain, Georgia www.smhg.org 10-15-2010 SOUTH EAST GA Douglas and Teresa McCoy dmccoy19@bellsouth.net and John and Belinda Allen allen_belinda@bellsouth.net 9-11-2010 MIDWEST IN Ed Reef FSA Scot, edward.reef@yahoo.com Columbus Scottish Festival, Bartholomew County Fair Grounds, Columbus, IN. www.scottishfestival.org KS Leslie Dietrich lesliedietrich@hotmail.com and Elizabeth Smith e2smith@yahoo.com McPherson Scottish Festival Lakeside Park, McPherson, KS www.macfestival.org 9-25-2010 CENTRAL YOUR CLAN MACKAY U.S.A. SOCIETY OFFICERS 10-23-2010 SOUTH EAST NC Stephen & Jessica Russell scotsfire@embarqmail.com Gathering of the Clans and Scottish Games Waxhaw, NC 28173 www.wshg.org 9-4-2010 NORTH EAST NY Douglas MacKay nh.clanmackay@gmail.com 9-17-2010 CENTRAL OK 10-2-2010 CENTRAL TX 11-12-2010 CENTRAL TX 9-4-2010 10-23-2010 MIDATLANTIC MIDATLANTIC VA VA Amy Miller aamiller78621@yahoo.com David B. McKay mckay9298@yahoo.com Marilyn Hays: sayhey@nc.rr.com MID ATLANTIC OPEN POSITION NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Charles E. McKay charlesemckay@msn.com MID WEST Ann McDonough annamcdonough@yahoo.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Michelle Sandelier mcs.nervp@myfairpoint.net NORTH EAST Douglas A. MacKay nh.clanmackay@gmail.com HONORARY PAST PRESIDENT David R. McKay mckay48161@sbcglobal.net ROCKY MOUNTAIN James White jhalwhite@msn.com Capital District Scottish Games Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, NY www.scotgames.com Tulsa Scottish Games, Tulsa, OK www.tulsascottishgames.org Cowtown Celtic Festival, Rogers Memorial Center Fort Worth, TX www.cowtownceltic.org Salado Scottish Clan Gathering & Highland Games, Central Texas Area Museum 423 S Main St. (P.O. Box 36), Salado, Texas www.ctam-salado.org Virginia Scottish Games, Sky Meadows Park, 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, VA (540) 592-3556 www.vascottishgames.org/index.html Richmond Highland Games & Celtic Festival, The Meadow Event Park, 13111 Dawn Blvd. Doswell, VA 23047 www.richmondceltic.com Page 8 COMMISSIONERS BY REGION / STATE CENTRAL REGION ARKANSAS Elizabeth Smith e2smith@yahoo.com OKLAHOMA Leslie Dietrich lesliedietrich@hotmail.com SOUTH DAKOTA We need Commissioners for Ron McKay these states; buckskinnervnv@hotmail.com KANSAS, MISSOURI, IOWA MID-ATLANTIC REGION VIRGINIA David B. McKay mckay9298@yahoo.com We need Commissioners for these states PA, WV, DE, DOC, MD MID-WEST REGION NATIONAL TREASURER Mary Ann McKay mamckay1@msn.com SOUTH EAST Don McGee Pamcgee1234@aol.com OHIO INDIANA Gene & Ann McDonough Edward E. Reef, FSA Scot annamcdonough@yahoo.com edward.reef@yahoo.com RECORDING SECRETARY Jessica Russell scotsfire@embarqmail.com WESTERN Dean Mackay Dean_MacKay@Dell MICHIGAN Laura Trombley lajetr@earthlink.net 2010 AGM This year the Clan Mackay USA, Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on August 7 at the St. Andrew's Society of Detroit Highland Games, Livonia, MI. Ann McDonough, RVP for our, MIDWEST region and her husband Gene, hosted the event. This year there were no voting items for the Executive Board. Discussion centered around the 10 per cent drop in our membership since last year. WEBMASTER Mark Ian Bain mackaypr@yahoo.com Stephen & Jessica Russell scotsfire@embarqmail.com Leslie Dietrich lesliedietrich@hotmail.com Amy Miller aamiller78621@yahoo.com NATIONAL PRESIDENT Mark Ian Bain mackaypr@yahoo.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Mackay Banner OPEN POSITION If interested, please contact bannereditor@clanmackayusa.org NC Katherine L. Gee saintedwes@gmail.com EXECUTIVE BOARD SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR Cheryl McKay Mackayscholarship@clanmackayusa.org SOUTH EAST MS CENTRAL Charles E. McKay charlesemckay@msn.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Melvin E. McKay melracen@mindspring.com 10-1-2010 SOUTH EAST ELECTED OFFICERS APPOINTED OFFICERS: Highland and Islands Games on the Gulf Coast 15321 County Farm Road, Gulfport, MS 39503 www.highlandsandislands.org/ Scotland County Highland Games Laurinburg, NC www.schgnc.org 11-13-2010 REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS & CHIEFS OF COMMISSIONERS The minutes of the meeting can be found on page 9. PUBLIC RELATIONS Mark Ian Bain mackaypr@yahoo.com CONTACT US: Submit any articles for ‘The Banner’ to : bannereditor@clanmackayusa.or SEANACHAIDH & GENEALOGIST Kenneth Bain klbain@sbcglobal.net Clan Mackay 2nd Quarterly Financial Report January 1 to June 30, 2010 INCOME BUDGETED ACTUAL Dues-Family 8000 3066 Dues-Organization 100 0 Dues- Family Lifetime 900 300 Dues- Lifetime 1000 0 Interest from CD 300 EXPENSES All Games Other Expenses BUDGETED ACTUAL 3260 1968.35 7835 729.08* TOTAL EXPENSE FOR YEAR 11095 PROJECTED GAIN -(LOSS) -795 2697.33 -400 SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT Cash In Bank 1/1/2010.. 1377.57 Material Sales................. 248.00 Service Fee….…….……. -60.00 Balance in Bank ……… 1625.99 (3/31/2010) * Advertising costs shared 50/50 with Clan Mackay Canada. This covers two prominent ads in The Highlander and The Scottish Banner. Manu Forti ! We need Commissioners for these states; ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN NORTHEAST REGION CONNECTICUT, RHODE ISLAND & MASSACHUSETTS James Bain Mark Ian Bain jwbccb@comcast.net mackaypr@yahoo.com VERMONT & NEW HAMPSHIRE We need Commissioners for these states; Douglas Mackay MAINE, NEW JERSEY, NY nh.clanmackay@gmail.com ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION COLORADO NEVADA James & Annalee White Alberta R. Owens jhalwhite@msn.com sisoo@cox.net Doug McKay We need Commissioners douglasmackay@msn.com for these states; Michael McKay NEW MEXICO, WYOMING, mckaymi@msn.com IDAHO WESTERN REGION CALIFORNIA OREGON Dean and Barbara Mackay Morgan Tucker blmackay76@charter.net mlmtucker@comcast.net Russell McKee WASHINGTON ahmruss@sbcglobal.net Doug Staudt Craig Morgan dcstaudt@gmail.com 831-338-6000 ALASKA We need Commissioners for Rodney Kay rodkay@live.com CALIFORNIA and HAWAII SOUTHEAST REGION FLORIDA GEORGIA Dr. Donald H. McGee H. Douglas and Teresa McCoy Pamcgee1234@aol.com dmccoy19@bellsouth.net James MacKay IBILDE2@aol.com John and Belinda Allen allen_belinda@bellsouth.net ALABAMA Katherine L. Gee saintedwes@gmail.com Peggy and Tom Crowder pmc24@att.net NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA Jessica Russell Lanny McKay scotsfire@embarqmail.com mackaycommunications@gmail.com We need Commissioners for; Page 5 LOUISIANA MISSISSIPPI TENNESSEE Remembrances of Times Past You listened ! 2010 Mackay Society, USA Scholarship Awarded By Corlann Gee Bush “Corky”, Montana Commissioner Many thanks to those members who notified us that they would like to receive their Banner by email instead of by regular post. Madelynne Cable was awarded the 2010 scholarship to attend the Braemer School of Highland Dancing. Congratulations “Maddie” ! It hadn’t seemed real. We had boarded our Clan MacKay tour bus the day after the Edinburgh Gathering; we had been on the road for three days. We had visited Dun Robin, even looking into the family rooms of the current Laird. Some had talked to him. We had climbed to the ruined Castle Varrich and realized the truth of Gavin’s immortal words, “if you can see Castle Varrich, Castle Varrich can see you.” I knew intellectually that these castles, indeed most of the lands we had crossed, had once been in MacKay hands and were now owned by the Sutherlands. But the dispossession of MacKays from our ancient homelands had not seemed real until I saw the sun dial in Lady Sutherland’s garden in Tongue. By subscribing to ‘The Banner’ by email, you’ve saved us a bit of the printing and postage costs. We truly appreciate that! In this email edition we’re trying something new to make it a bit more exciting for our online readers. We call it ‘interactive media’. As you read the various articles online, you will notice some text is bold. By clicking on this bold text, you will be linked to a safe and secure website that offers more information on the topic. For example, by clicking on this sentence you will be linked to the Clan Mackay USA website. Give it a try now! We hope our online subscribers enjoy this feature and that it broadens your Clan Mackay Banner experience. It is not a very prepossessing sun dial. Its lines are pitted; the dial is stained by bird droppings; the copper is weathered and discolored. It has not been washed. But the armature stands true; it still keeps the time. And the words “Manu Forti” are etched on its face. Clearly. Indisputably. Our online Banner is in full colour and you can magnify each page up to 400% or more so you can really get a good view! If you would like to try getting our Banner by email for a while (you can always switch back), just send us an email to; BannerEditor@clanmackayusa.org. Thank you very much! It was the only thing I had seen on the trip that was MacKay—not a record or a recollection or a ruin. A thing itself. Someone, a wife for her laird perhaps, had caused it to be made and set on this sunny spot. MacKays had truly been here in this place. The weather-beaten sun dial had measured out the days of real people, my ancestors. This place had been ours. Mark Bain, Interim Banner Editor 2010 Annual General Meeting Minutes AGM held at the Detroit Scottish Highland Games sponsored by the Detroit St. Andrew's Society. Location: Livonia, MI. Here was proof. And it had not been removed. All these years when many a Sutherland owner could so easily have done so, no one had ordered it to be broken and carted away. I burst into tears. That weather-beaten sun dial was the touchstone to my heritage. It was there before the gambling and the dissipation; the Clearances and the cruelty; the diaspora and the societies. Here it was: the simple, original reality of Clan. I hope it stands there still, boldly declaring to whom it belongs, patiently measuring out the hours until our return. Meeting began at 2:00 pm and ended at 2:45 pm, held in the clan tent. There were no voting elements specified in the agenda, thus, no legal quorum was called. Rosslyn Chapel Revealed backs. The rest is history as they say. By Mark Bain, Acting President Recently, the steel canopy covering Rosslyn Chapel for the last 14 years was removed. The restoration of the Chapel built in 1446 is progressing nicely and the ugly scaffolding that hid this architectural masterpiece is now gone. Once upon a time, the King of France attempted to have all the Knights Templar rounded up and put on trial for heresy. He was really angry that these Monks in hair-shirts had more money than him. France was fighting England (again) and he needed the money to fund his mercenaries. Some Templars escaped to Scotland and took their treasure with them. th It was Friday the 13 , 1307. The omen was started. These Warrior Monks were welcomed in Scotland and in 1314, a certain Robert de Brus used their cavalry expertise in a little battle called Bannockburn. Just the unfurling of the Templar Banner that day was enough to send shivers down the English This is the Chapel that had American Maize carved into its walls fifty years before Columbus shouted “land-ho” at America. Oh, yes, and it also contains a plethora of Masonic imagery which many believe was started by the Templars when they had to become a secret society to stay healthy. What day did they take the steel scaffolding down? Take a wild guess…pick a date in August… Page 4 Discussions: - 10% drop in membership since last year - suggestions to increase potential members - Have Commissioners plan more informal social gatherings within each state - Request the attendance of the Regional VP at these social gatherings - Stress the benefits of our newsletter, “The Banner”, to potential members. Describe its historical significance and it’s content as a way for all Mackays to remain connected. - Stress the importance of our Clan Mackay family database and encourage potential and current members to submit their family tree for helpful analysis for all members. Very few clans offer this service Respectfully submitted, Ann Allen McDonough, Esq. Midwest Regional VP Clan Mackay, U.S.A. In attendance: Myself, Liam Neary & spouse Signed August 19, 2010 Madelynne’s letter to the Scholarship Committee; August 16, 2010 My name is Madelynne Jeann Cable, I am 12 years old and live in Shelton, Connecticut. I have been doing Scottish Highland Dancing for almost 2 years with the Callanish School of Celtic Arts and have achieved many things. I attended the Braemar Summer School of Highland Dance and Kilt Making in Troy, New York. I am a beginning level dancer, but I have grown from earning sixth place to second place and I only need 2 more stamps to move up to Novice level. I really enjoyed camp. It was my first time going to an overnight camp. I met a lot of good new friends and improved my dance technique. I also enjoyed learning choreography, which I have never done before. I am so joyful for getting this award from the Clan MacKay Society Scholarship Committee. It means so much to me. I am a blood relative to a Mackay; my mother’s maiden name is McKay. Our family is very involved in our Scottish heritage and I am proud to be Scottish. Again, I am so grateful to receive this scholarship. I treasure it dearly and appreciate the fact that your committee selected me. Sincerely, Madelynne Jeann Cable This year there was only one scholarship recipient. The Scholarship Committee would like to remind everyone that the information for the 2011 award is now available on the Mackay Society, USA webpage, as well as from all Regional VP’s. Applications for next year will be accepted from now until July 1, 2011. For more information and to download the application form, please visit: www.clanmackayusa.org/forms/Scholarship_Program.htm or contact; Cheryl McKay, Scholarship Chair 5461 Poplar Drive Monroe, MI 48161 734-457-1772 mackayscholarship@clanmackayusa.org Page 9 Clan member in London finds Mackay Roots Judge Hugh McKay (15 Jun 1826 - 28 Apr 1917) by Michael Munro by Mel McKay, Membership Chair I had been for sometime tracing my Scottish “Munro” ancestry, and the name “Mackay” had long been in the family and had been passed down several generations. From what I knew at the beginning the Mckay name had come from my great grandfather John Mckay Munro (b.1890) who had been a Lieutenant in the Black Watch in WW1. However I would soon find that the name Mackay had appeared in several generations of my family line even before John. Hugh McKay, Sr., born in Scotland, immigrated to the United States in 1850. Shortly after arriving in New York, he moved to Woodstock, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada. He married Sarah M. Clarke 29 Jan 1827-07 Jul 1899) of New York in 1851. Sarah had ten children, Angus, William H., Hugh, Mary L., James Elmer, Walter, Elmer E., Ellen, Ida, and Musetta. Hugh was a merchant, postmaster, and Bailiff. In 1869, Hugh and Sarah loaded up their family and moved to Fort Scott, Kansas. The railroad was extended west to Fort Scott in 1869, and that may be the reason they stopped there. In Fort Scott, Hugh was a merchant, a coal dealer and a farmer, having two separate residences listed on the 1870 census, possibly a house in town and also a farm. Lead was discovered in the spring of 1877 in Cherokee County, in the southeastern corner of Kansas, about fifty miles south of Fort Scott, and just a couple of miles from the Missouri state line. Hugh McKay quickly moved south to the area. Two rival mining companies quickly formed town sites, Empire City and Galena. The two towns were built next to each other, only being divided by Short Creek. Within a matter of weeks, thousands of prospectors had arrived in the area seeking quick fortunes. Empire City elected officials, with Hugh McKay being elected Judge, a position he would hold for twelve years. He also served as the Empire City Postmaster. Since thousands of miners were looking to make a fortune, many merchants arrived to sell goods to them. The miners had to have something to do when not working, and many saloons, pool halls, and houses of ill repute were built. It has been said that most of the scum on earth were located in Empire City and Galena in the late 1870’s. The road that connected the two towns together, across Short Creek, was named Red Hot Street. The crime and killings got so bad on Red Hot Street, that the Doctors and Undertakers started sleeping during the day so they could work at night. In the first two weeks after Empire City was formed, Judge Hugh McKay heard nine murder cases. After retiring as Judge in 1889, Hugh McKay once again became a merchant, as well as being a miner, along with most all of his sons. At one time, Hugh McKay, Sr., and sons Hugh Jr., and Angus owned the McKay and Sons Crusher and Concentrator Company. In 1905, the town of Empire City was absorbed into the town of Galena. For a short period in the mid 1910’s, Hugh McKay lived in Arizona with a daughter. Using census, birth, marriage and death records mainly from the Scotland’s People website (ed. www.Scotlandspeople.gov.uk) I traced my ancestry further back to my 3rd great grandfather Mackay John Scobie Munro (b.1812) and his parents (my 4th great grandparents) Alexander Munro and Barbara Mackay whose eight children had all been born between 1796 and 1812 in the village of Armadale, parish of Farr, Sutherland – Mackay country. The 1811 census has survived for Farr Parish and it records two Alexander Munros in that township. One of them had six males and three females in his household and was employed in trade. This matched the number of males that were in my ancestor’s family at the time. This Alexander Munro was described in 1811 as a boat builder and innkeeper and the Marquis of Stafford and George Gunn, his factor, evicted him from Armadale in 1829. I thought that it might be an idea to contact the Strathnaver Museum to see if anyone locally, knew of Alexander Munro and Barbara Mackay’s large family and also the Inn that was mentioned. To my surprise Irene Ross who works at the museum kindly replied and told me that they did have some information on the Inn in Armadale. The article mentioned that it was ran by Alexander Munro and his wife Barbara Mackay – my ancestors, it also mentioned one of their sons Donald Munro (b.1802) who I had also previously come across in my research as the elder brother of my 3rd great grandfather Mackay Munro. Of note Donald later moved to Australia and his son James was a Prime Minister there. The remains of the Armadale Inn, parish of Farr, Sutherland, - Mackay country Online viewers can click here for a special newspaper account of the fight at Armadale Inn in 1821. With special thanks to Michael Munro. Hugh McKay, Sr. died in 1917 and was buried in Oak Hill cemetery, Galena, Cherokee County, Kansas. His wife, Sarah M. (Clarke) McKay and nine of his ten children are all buried in the same cemetery. In June of 2010, My Mother, Etta McKay Mays and I spent a week in Empire City and Galena doing research on Hugh McKay and his family. For many years, Empire City and Galena were some of the roughest gunslinging towns in the old west. They are both ghost towns now, even though people still live there. Historic Route 66 runs right through the middle of Galena. Some of the original buildings still exist. Standing in the middle of Main Street, in a mostly deserted town, with historic buildings on both sides of the street I could almost picture Judge Hugh McKay walking down Red Hot Street. The sun glistening on his badge, with rifle in hand, a tall cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes, spurs clicking and duster flying in the breeze. Judge Hugh McKay was my Great Great Grandfather. His son, Hugh McKay was born in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, and his son, Virgil Hugh McKay, my Grandfather, was born in Galena, Kansas. Page 10 The article which Irene Ross sent me told of a fight in 1821 at the Inn between a group of locals who had been drinking whiskey. Irene also put me in contact with Margaret Ross, a local with great knowledge of the area both of whom I am most grateful to as they went to the trouble of taking some photos of the ruins of the old Inn and sending them all the way to London to me. A contemporary account of the fight at the Inn is available in the National Archives for Scotland but I have not yet seen it. Ken Bain Helps Member Dear Sir, It was such a pleasure talking to you the other evening. My name is Donna Mae McKee Howes and I have been a member of The Mackay Banner for many years. I live now in Golden, CO. where my husband Daniel and I have lived since our marriage and graduation from the Univ. of Wisconsin June 1949. He a mechanical engineer and I am an Art teacher, retired. He also was a Navy Veteran servicing in the South Pacific in WWII. He passed away May 2008. We have three children and now our family numbers 25! Enclosed is a picture of Dan and Me. 82 - 80 yr. This letter is written to tell you of my excitement in a conversation with Seanachaidh, Ken Bain; who after sending in my McKee pedigree has informed me he could trace my family back eleven generations to Lord Alexander and Lady Kathyon McKee; he born in 1530! This was seven generations more than I had! Who knows with this wonderful service, maybe in time, we could go back further. Ken is doing a great service for all of us interested in the history of our forefathers. Many thanks to him! Is there another trip planned to Mackay Country in the future? Sincerely, Donna McKee Howes (Ed. Note: the letter was sent to Mark Ian Bain, Acting President of Clan Mackay USA.) We welcome member’s letters and emails. Send your letters to : Mark I. Bain, 8 Watkins Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 , or email to President@clanmackayusa.org ) Clan Mackay Genealogy Project I have visited Scotland several times but have never been as far north as Mackay country. I hope to go there some day and visit the home of my ancestors. Next time you’re at a Clan Mackay tent ask for our six-generation pedigree chart Fill it in and who knows what could appear! Cheers, Online viewers can click here for direct access to the chart and instructions. Michael Munro, London, UK Page 3 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES Grandfather Mountain By Ken Bain, Seanachaidh, Clan Mackay USA Third and final series of three articles as told to Mel McKay. Membership Chair When starvation set in, the factors went thru the motions of sending meal for relief, but made the people pay 50 shillings per boll (about 6 bushels) for food that was supposed to be given in charity. Those who had no money were obliged to give up their remaining cattle and crops in exchange for the meal. LADY ELIZABETH SUTHERLAND AND KEN BAIN, CLAN MACKAY USA. AT TONGUE HOUSE 2009 The evictions and burnings continued. A monument exists in the area of the onetime village of Rossal in Farr Parish where Donald MacLeod's statement appears on a plaque which states that he personally observed 300 houses in flames in the area in a very short time span. The conflagration lasted 6 days. He said, "The cries of the women and children, the roaring of the terrified cattle, haunted at the same time by the yelping dogs of the shepherds, amid the smoke and fire....altogether presented a scene that completely baffles description. It is required to be seen to be believed". He said that every method was used against the crofters except the sword, which he said would, in his opinion, have been merciful by saving them from what they would afterwards have to endure. Many who could not or would not leave the country were allowed to locate on small allotments of land on the sea coast, but the boggy nature of the land and moors and the small size of the allotments rendered them unfit for any useful purpose. Some tried fishing or kelping, but this generally was a failure, and what little money was made was paid back in rent to the landlord. Many were killed by falling from the cliffs and rocks, being swept into the sea and otherwise drowned in an attempt to procure food. Even under conditions of great privation where every attempt was made to get rid of all Gaelic speaking highlanders, the Mackays were so stubborn that they By Etta McKay Mays could not be brought to beg, rob or steal. The people who remained in Sutherland became a race of paupers. Where famine occurred on a wide scale in 1836, relief was given in fairly good quantities in all areas except Sutherland because those responsible for the charities were told that the landowners were providing relief, which was completely untrue. Even when some "Charity" was ordered by the Duchess of Sutherland, as soon as she left the area, the people were forced to pay not only their rents, but for the meal, potatoes, seed oats and barley given them supposedly in the form of charity. Even money collected at church doors for the poor was withheld, the ministers saying that the people could not expect to get meal and money too. Nowhere in the North Highlands were such atrocities practiced as they were in Sutherland, but Sutherland served as a model for successfully clearing the land of its original inhabitants to the sea shore or into the sea, to spots of barren moors and bogs, and to Canada, Australia and the United States. In his letters, Donald MacLeod stated that he had endeavored to show the cruel expulsion of the people, principally of Mackay origin from their native hearths. He said few instances are to be found in modern European history and scarcely any in Britain of such wholesale extirpation with such revolting circumstances. The Clearances continued thru the 19th century, although after the trial of Patrick Sellar, the wholesale burnings and terrible violence abated somewhat. The trial of the crofters on Skye for their resistance to the evictions there in the late 1800's finally stopped the unilateral evictions of tenants from their lands. The forced evictions in Sutherland and especially in the Mackay stronghold of Strathnaver were undoubtedly the most terrible of the highland clearances. No one will ever really know the total cost in human life, misery and abject poverty. It was one of the blackest pages of Scottish history. In the final analysis, those of us who are descendants of the survivors can thank God for our proud, stalwart ancestors who left their beloved homes to begin a new life in a new world. From them came their legacy of honor, perseverance and quiet courage. Without them, we would not be who we are today. It has been said many times that freedom is not free. We who enjoy it owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to many, and perhaps foremost among them are the great Mackay Highlanders whose names we bear today. Page 2 In the late 1960’s, my Daddy (Virgil Hugh McKay) said for several years that he would like to go to Grandfather Mountain to the Scottish thing. My Daddy, Virgil Hugh McKay was born in Galena, KS. His Father, Hugh McKay, Jr., was born in Canada, and his Father, Hugh McKay, Sr., was born in Scotland in 1826 and migrated to the U.S. and into Canada in 1851. Hugh McKay Senior and Junior and their families migrated to Kansas in 1869, where both of them would become Sheriffs and the entire families were miners. In 1970, I was working full time, and we loaded up in my car because my daddy didn’t have a car in good enough shape to take us. We went up on Sunday morning, and parked in the trees where the camping is now. We went to the main entrance gate and got our tickets. We sat on the ground just to the side of the reviewing stand, like everyone else. We didn’t know any of the few thousand people there. Sometime that morning, an announcement was made over the intercom that anyone with Mackay ties was invited to meet in the little bleacher section just in front of the entrance gate at an appointed time. My daddy was the only member of the family to go to the meeting, as the Father was the head of the household, and they were the ones who conducted the business. When he returned to sit with the family, he said several men were at the meeting and plans were made to organize the Mackay clan at the Grandfather Mountain Games in July, 1971. In 1971, we borrowed a pop-up camper and camped for 15 dollars total for as many nights as we wanted to stay. We went up on Friday, as the games were only on Saturday and Sunday. That was the beginning of new traditions for our family. We camped for many years to come. We went from a pop up camper to an old school bus which was the envy of everyone on the mountain, including the boy scouts who were in charge of camping. We were always the first camper parked at the entrance, and the workers used our school bus camper as their lounge area. That year, Clan Mackay Society, North America was organized with several of the men as the leaders. We became very close to several of the different Mackay clan families. Nancy McKay and I feel as close as sisters. Chris, Mel, Sam, III felt they were in charge of most everything as we camped, and Sam, Jr was in charge of the games on the field, so they had full run to do pretty much as they pleased. The kids would go out and sit on the field and watch the professionals compete. We joined as charter members with a family membership, listing Virgil Hugh McKay, wife Thelma McKay, daughter, Etta McKay, and grandchildren, Chris and Mel McKay. Up until a certain time, the annual meeting was always held during the Grandfather Mountain games as per the by-laws. The visitors from Scotland said we had picked the perfect spot for the annual meeting as they felt they were coming back home to North Carolina. The annual meeting and supper was held in different places, as close to the mountain as possible. Shady Lawn restaurant, in Newland was the first meeting place. Etta would stay on the mountain and take care of the kids who could roam as they pleased, as someone was always looking out for the kids who were running around. The meeting was also held at the Baptist Church in Newland, the Daniel Boone Inn, in Boone, Newland Christian Church. Then Momma (Thelma McKay) and I (Etta McKay Mays) began cooking the meal for the supper. We provided a greater variety of food, mostly home grown vegetables, at a more reasonable price, and did not have to be in a rush. We would eat and then have the annual business meeting. We felt as though we were going to a family reunion as we got to see people from all over the US who made arrangements to be there, as the second weekend of July was the place to be if you were a true Mackay. We didn’t have the modern means of communication as we have today, and we knew we would see the same people as last year, as well as meet some new Mackay’s every year. Chris was four the first year and Mel was two. I have met very few of my Mackay family, and this has always given me what I feel are closer ties to my Mackay heritage. Various clan members would always say that they had been to other games throughout the year, and the other gatherings just weren’t the same. Grandfather Mountain games are special. The games must be experienced as an event that is much more than just games on Saturday and Sunday.. The games now start with the Calling of the Clans on Thursday night, but for many who camp, the event starts up to a week prior. We all look forward to seeing you in July of 2010 at Grandfather Mountain for the 40th anniversary of Clan Mackay. Page 11 Page 11 The Mackay Banner A Publication of the Clan Mackay Society USA, Inc Issue 3 2010 We’re looking for articles. For more information please contact bannereditor@clanmackayusa.org. Col. Tim McCoy Rancher, Soldier, Actor, TV Host by Andrew A. Betts, Member Col. John Fitzgerald McCoy was born of Irish/Scots in Saginaw, MI April 10, 1891. His father was police chief there. McCoy became a major motion picture cowboy star in the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s who earned a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was elected to the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (1973) in Oklahoma City and was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame (1974). He left St. Ignatius College in Chicago after seeing a wild west show there and found work on a Wyoming ranch. He became an expert horseman and roper, competing in rodeos. He ranched in Hot Springs County, Wyoming for 30 years. In January 2010 he was inducted into that County’s Hall of Fame. He developed extensive knowledge of culture and languages of Native Americans and became technical advisor to Hollywood moguls, bringing hundreds of Native Americans to perform in epic Westerns. The first was The Covered Wagon (1923). "The Real McCoy" MACKAY FISHING TRIP IN ALASKA ! The 2011 Alaska Highland Games will be held on June 25th in Eagle River, Alaska. I am planning a fishing trip down the Kenai River for salmon and trout on Thursday, June 23rd, and have seven seats left in the boat. If you are interested, the preliminary itinerary is; - - June 22 – Arrive Anchorage, drive to Cooper Landing June 23 – Fish June 24 – Drive to Eagle River, spend remainder of day shopping in Anchorage June 25 – Alaska Highland Games Participate in the march of the Clans. Concert in the evening. June 26 – Depart Anchorage for home. If interested please contact me at the information below. Reservations have to be made by November 1st for a June fishing trip. I will coordinate lodging and local transportation – all I need now is to know how many would be interested and I will take it from there. Rodney H. Kay AK Commissioner P.O. Box 771902 Eagle River, AK 99577-1902 Email: rodkay@live.com is an idiom used in much of the English-speaking world to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article", e.g., "he's the real McCoy". It is a corruption of the Scots "The real Mackay", first recorded in 1856 as: "A drappie o’ the real Mackay," (A drop of the real Mackay), referring to the whisky created by Messrs. Mackay, Edinburgh. MGM signed him to star in a series of Westerns. In all, he made 92 movies including The Law of the Range with Joan Crawford. (1928) His movie career was twice interrupted by service in the U.S. Army—first in World War I where he rose to rank of Brevet (short term) Brigadier General, at age 28, the youngest ever to date to reach such rank. He reenlisted for World War II where he rose to rank of Col in Army Air Corps, serving in Europe and earning several decorations. He also served in Wyoming between the wars as Adjutant General and in the Reserves. In 1935, he left Hollywood to tour with the Ringling Brothers circus and his own wild west show which folded in Washington DC with substantial financial loss. There is a huge model of the Ringling Circus and Col. McCoy’s Wild West show wagons, animals and characters in the Pioneer Museum in Linden, WA He returned to films in 1940 for the Rough Rider series which ended in 1942 with the death of his partner Buck Jones. Off and on, he appeared on TV and movies until 1965 (Requiem for a Gunfighter.) In 1942, he ran for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate from Wyoming but lost. During the campaign, he established the first state-wide radio hookup in Wyoming broadcast history. McCoy hosted a TV show in Los Angeles in 1952 called The Tim McCoy Show for children in which he provided authentic history lessons on the Old West and showed some of his old movies. He won an Emmy for the show but refused to accept the award. He was competing against “Webster Webfoot” and declined the award saying “ I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit there (at awards show) and get beaten by a talking duck.” He was first married to Agnes Miller, daughter of a famous British stage actor. They had 3 children. They were divorced in 1931. McCoy kept a portion of the Wyoming ranch called “Eagle’s Nest” which was later sold. He then married Inga Arvad in 1945 and they had two sons (Ronald and Terence). She died of cancer 1973. Arvad was a controversial Danish reporter investigated in early 1940’s for possibly being a spy. She was photographed beside Adolph Hitler as his companion at the 1936 Olympics. Col. Tim McCoy died January 28, 1978 (aged 86) at Ft. Huachuca, Sierra Vista, AZ. He was then returned to his birthplace in Saginaw, Mt. Olivet Cemetery. A DVD is available called Col. Tim McCoy’s The Silent Language of the Plains (Round Top Records, LLC, Thermopolis, Wyoming ISBN 978-0979697012 ), as well as other hardback and paperback books too numerous to list here. Look for the many web-interactive features in the online edition of this Banner. Clan Mackay Festival Listings Inside!
