Grace Notes - Memphis Scottish Society

Grace Notes
Newsletter of the Memphis Scottish Societ y, Inc.
Vol. 30 No. 10 • October 2014
President’s Letter
Memphis
Scottish
Society, Inc.
Board
President
Melissa Gibson
901 299-3170
melissa.gibson@memphisscots.com
Vice President
Mary Ann Lucas
901 725-1879
maryann.lucas@memphisscots.com
Treasurer
George Malone
901 385-1938
george.malone@memphisscots.com
Secretary
Becky Trafford
901 385-7628
becky.trafford@memphisscots.com
Members at Large
Sue Malone
901 385-1938
sue.malone@memphisscots.com
Mary Clausi
901 753-9494
mary.clausi@memphisscots.com
Elaine Meece
901 907-6831
elaine.meece@memphisscots.com
It has been an honor to serve as President of the Memphis Scottish
Society for the past two years, and now it’s time for someone else to
have a turn! That is right, it is almost time to elect a new Board of
Directors. The Nomination Committee consists of the Past President
(Joe Lile), one member I will appoint, and one who will be chosen by
the membership at our October meeting. If you are interested in serving
on the Board, please don’t be shy about it. Talk to one of the committee
members and volunteer your time. We have a monthly meeting which
lasts about an hour, and each Board member has, in the past, chaired
one of the events that MSSI hosts each year. The committee will present
a proposed slate of officers at the November meeting, and the election
will be in December. There will be a chance to make nominations from
the floor. The new Board will be introduced at Burns Night and will
begin their term then.
What a nice segue into Burns Night…..Be sure to make your reservations
soon! It will be held at Woodland Hills Event Center again, and will
feature the Wolf River Pipes and Drums and the duo Chambless and
Muse, haggis, a feast with some Scottish fare, a demonstration by the
Scottish Dance group, a silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund, and
more! January 24, 2015 is the date, and there is a reception on January
16 for Patrons and Benefactors.
October Meeting
Ladies and Gentlemen, you are in
for a treat at this month’s meeting.
Our presenter is Graeme Mackenzie,
the Seanachaidh
(historian and
genealogist) for
Clans MacMillan
and Mackenzie.
Graeme very
graciously
accepted our
invitation to
come and speak
to us while he’s
in the States
after a speaking
engagement in Minneapolis and
before the Stone Mountain Games,
where he will be featured.
He will be presenting two
sessions, a condensed 45-minute
talk on Clans, Septs, and Surnames,
and will take a
short break then
will give us a little
more information
and have a question
and
answer
session lasting
approximately 45
minutes. If you
like to leave by 8,
there will be no
problem with that,
but if you want to
hear everything he has to say, in
his Scottish accent, plan on staying
until about 8:45. See you then!
Tennessee Tartan. Created by the Heart of Tennessee Scottish Celebration as a State tartan. Passed by Tennessee Public Acts 1999,
Chapter No.82, Senate Bill No. 73. The source of the tartan 2526 was: Bill Bickford of the Tennessee Tartan Committee.
MSSI Halloween Party
Genealogy in the Gaidhealtachd:
Clan and Family History in the
Highlands of Scotland
The annual MSSI Halloween Party will held Saturday,
October 25, 2014 starting at 2PM at the home of Joe
and Debbie Sellmansberger, 14670 Highway 93 in
Williston, TN. For all of you who have attended previous
Halloween parties at Joe and Debbie’s you already know
that it is the perfect place for an outdoor party.
by Graeme M. Mackenzie (Highland Family History
Society, Inverness, 2013).
“Genealogy in the Gaidhealtachd” distills some of the
knowledge Graeme has gained working for 25 years as
a professional genealogist specialising in Highland clans
and families. He uses examples to illustrate particular
problems from research into his own family and the
families of clients, as well as the experience he has gained
over many years acting as the Seanachaidh (historian &
genealogist) for Clan MacKenzie and Clan MacMillan.
The chapter titles illustrate the main subjects covered:
This year we are planning a “Catfish Fry “. The society
will buy the catfish fillets, hush puppies, drinks and
paper products. We will also have chicken tenders for
those who are allergic to cats. Members are asked to bring
sides, salads and desserts. I promise only locally farmraised catfish will be cooked, none of those “furners.”
There will be fishing for Bass and Bluegill in one of 2
ponds on Joe and Debbie’s farm. You may keep what
you catch or throw them back, but please bring your
own cooler to preserve your catch. Debbie now has
added 5 sheep to her growing menagerie of animals.
Maybe we can get her to give us a lesson on “how to
shear a sheep”.
Getting On the Ancestral Trail; Certificates, Censuses,
and Spelling; Church Registers and Naming Traditions;
Given Names and Nicknames; Surnames and Septs;
Clans and Parent Kindreds; Charter Chests and
Traditional Tales; Emigrants and Explorers; Soldiers,
Sailors, and East Indiamen; Connecting Cousins and
Coming Home to the Highlands.
After we all fill ourselves with catfish and hush
puppies, we hope you will stay for the bonfire and
roasting of marshmallows.
The 21 appendices form an extensive guide to sources
for clan & family history in the Highlands, listing and
locating such things as church registers, valuation
rolls, sasine registers, kirk session minutes, poor law
records, burial grounds and transcriptions, archive
centres, public libraries, clan centres, museums, and
local heritage groups.
So please wear your favorite Halloween costume and
plan for a day of fun, food and fellowship.
Directions to Joe and Debbie’s:
Take Highway 64 E toward Somerville. Merge onto TN385E toward Collierville. Turn left onto Highway 193.
14670 Highway 193 is about 15 miles on the right.
Grace Notes
Grace Notes is the official publication of the Memphis Scottish Society, Inc. It is published monthly.
Like the Society itself, the credo of Grace Notes is
“to foster education and promote understanding
of things Scottish.”
If you have something of interest to readers
of this newsletter, please submit a typewritten
manuscript to the editorial staff. If the article or
notice is very brief (30 words or fewer), e-mail
or just use the telephone. Grace Notes will accept
and publish good quality photographs.
The deadline for all submissions is the fourth
week of each month preceding the month of
publication. Please include a self-addressed
stamped envelope with each submission, if you
want the material returned.
Graeme will have copies of his book available at the
monthly meeting, signed-$25 and orders will taken for
unsigned copies for $20 to be shipped from Scotland.
Editorial Staff
Melissa Gibson
Editor, (901-299-3170)
melissa.gibson@memphisscots.com
Sammy Rich
Publisher, (901-496-2193)
sammy.rich@memphisscots.com
Gavin Anderson
Circulation Editor, (901-485-8270)
gavin.anderson@memphisscots.com
Karen English
Circulation Editor, (901-396-9134)
karen.english@memphisscots.com
info@memphisscots.com
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to foster education
and promote understanding
of things Scottish
Please address all correspondence to:
Grace Notes
The Memphis Scottish Society, Inc.
gracenotes@memphisscots.com
P. O. Box 770028
Memphis, TN 38177-0028
Genealogy in the Gaidhealtachd:
Alison Mason (Highland Archivist, Highland Archive Centre)
This is a very comprehensive and valuable book for
anyone contemplating research into their Highland
forebears. The content is especially helpful for those
researchers who want to find out what Highland
resources are available, and more importantly how and
where to access them. Graeme begins the book with
an honest ‘step by step’ account of how he initiated
the research into his own family beginning back in the
1980’s. Much of this initial work was done before the
availability of on-line resources which
have dramatically eased the modern
researchers’ work. Graeme describes
the possible puzzles which appeared
then, and which still apply now when
carrying out research and he goes on
to provide examples from his own
experience of common issues which
you may encounter while researching
your own family history research
using Highland resources.
his word, were promptly shipped off to the West Indies
in shackles, whence few ever returned.
Throughout the book Graeme includes references, and
provides useful illustrations, photographs and family
trees which add to the flow for the reader as well as
providing handy tips covering many sources and records
such as statutory birth, marriage and death certificates,
census records, Old Parish Registers, Memorial
Inscriptions, Valuation Rolls, Rent Rolls, Sasines, Military
Records, Newspapers and Immigrant
records. Graeme’s research also
highlights the breadth of Highland
material which can be accessed from
additional sources, in particular burgh
records.
There are many appendices at
the end of the book which are
extremely helpful as they provide
a comprehensive guide to the wide
variety of Highland specific resources
which are available to researchers,
and most importantly where and
how these might be accessed. Also
included in the appendices are details
of pre-1855 resources and where they
are located, dates of commencement
for Highland Old Parish Registers
listed by county, as well as details of burial grounds
listed by county and parish which have accompanying
monumental inscriptions compiled. Finally Graeme
provides useful lists of contact details for all relevant
archives, libraries, museums, heritage centres as well
as Family History, Local History and Heritage Groups
in the Highlands.
A substantial section of the book
comprises naming traditions and
patterns, descriptive by- names and
nicknames; lists of name equivalents;
surnames, clan information, septs and
related names. Graeme displays the
vast extent of his own research by
providing numerous examples of
name changes including alternative names, additional
names and patronymics in his own family history
research, all showing that while researchers must be
vigilant to differences between spellings, they should
not rule out an entry purely because it is spelt differently.
(See extract on this page)
Further chapters explore Highland history and
the diaspora and Graeme provides some fascinating
examples from his own research of Highlanders
throughout Asia, North America and the West Indies. One
particular account concerns the treachery after the battle
of Culloden on the part of the Laird of Grant; who after
the battle swiftly sided with the Duke of Cumberland.
He then sought to trick his Jacobite supporting tenants
by promising them protection if they surrendered their
arms to him. The unfortunate 84 men, who took him at
Graeme is quick to point out that he did not want to
duplicate the numerous books on ‘How to Research
Your Scottish Ancestors’ and I believe he has achieved
this goal. However, the content of the book makes it
apparent that Graeme has gained invaluable experience
throughout his many years as a professional genealogist
and family historian. I would recommend this book to
anyone in the process of studying Highland genealogy
and family history or indeed studying any aspect of the
Highland history in general.
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Internationally Acclaimed Scottish Gaelic Artist in Concert!
Since being presented
with the 2008 BBC Radio
2 Folk singer of the Year
Award,theDailyTelegraph’s
prediction that “Julie Fowlis
could be the first Scottish
Gaelic crossover star in
the making” has seemed
increasingly prescient.
Hall, the Mozart Concert Hall,
edinburgh Castle, and the
Glasgow and Dublin Concert
Halls.
Julie still finds time for
collaborations with other
musicians and has recently
worked with artists as
diverse as Bill Whelan, John
McCusker, eddi Reader,
Danu and Salsa Celtica. As
part of the internationally
acclaimed Transatlantic
Sessions 4 series on the BBC,
she has also been honored
to sing with James Taylor,
Martha Wainwright, Stuart
Duncan, Ronan Browne,
Allan MacDonald, and
Liam O’Maonlai(Hothouse
Flowers), among others.
Julie Fowlis is no stranger
to awards and distinctions,
winning Gaelic Singer of the
Year & Album of the Year at
the 2007 Scots Trad Music
Awards. She is most proud
of her award as Scotland’s
Gaelic Ambassador “Tosgair na Gaidhlig”,
bestowed by the Scottish
Oarliament in 2008, the first
person to ever receive this
honor.
In addition to having
on of the busiest touring
schedules in Scotland, Jule
has now delved into the
world of broadcasting. She
hosts ‘Fowlis and Folk’ on
BBC Radio Scotland and
can be seen on television on
Scotland’s new Gaelic digital channel, BBC ALBA.
Since the release of her
award-winning album,
Cuilidh in 2007, Julie has
developed her own sound
with a first-class touring
group including husband
Eamon Doorley, Dublin’s
Tony Byrne, and Highlander Duncan Chisholm. This
formidable line-up has become synonymous with
emotive, expressive and high energy live shows.
Jule Fowlis has released six critically acclaimed
recordings for the Shoeshine, Machair, and, Macmeanmna
labels, and has been a guest artist on numerous
others.
Julie has grace the stage at notable venues around
the world including the Barbican, the Queen Elizabeth
SEE GEORGE!
This is a reminder that dues should be paid this month. In
this age of rising prices on everything, you will be glad to note
that our dues have not changed in several years. $25.00 for
families and $20.00 for individuals is still quite a bargain!
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The Memphis Irish Society invites M.S.S.I. members and their guests to
Memphis’ first (known) CELTIC NEW YEAR CELEBRATION!
This event will happen on
Saturday, November 1 (Celtic New
Year’s Day), at Unity Church of
Practical Christianity, 9228 Walnut
Grove Road in Cordova. There
will be several traditional features,
including bobbing for apples, a
feast, and the all-important bonfire.
This was a very auspicious time of
year for the ancestors of the Gaels,
and there will be a lesson on its
significance, the various traditions,
and how the holiday changed over
the centuries. This is a secular event,
and all are welcome to attend,
but reservations are necessary
(to get a nose count for the feast).
The image on the left shows the Hill of Tara, the ancient
seat of the High Kings of Ireland. It was on this hill that
the Irish would light the first bonfire on New Year’s Eve
(October 31). As nearby watchmen saw its light, they
would light their bonfires, and so it would spread across
the entire island. New Year’s Day was the first of the
month of November, or Samhain in Modern Irish. We’ll
be lighting our own New Year’s fire for our celebration,
and hopefully no one nearby will notice, especially the Fire
Department. Not to disappoint, but our fire won’t be as
big as the one in the image above. We were just trying to
impress you with a large-scale exothermic reaction from
lignified plant matter.
For more information or to make reservations, contact
Mary Ann Lucas at StarCntyDown@aol.com or 901-7251879.
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The Madison Scots present
top competitors in several different countries around
the world. Hard working and very disciplined, this
group is loyal to all the rules of Highland Dance and
will perform on stage with grace and style.
Tennessee Scottish Festival
A Gathering of the Clans
SGT. W.K. SINGLETON PIPES AND DRUMS
It is with great honor that we bring to you the
wonderful Arts, Heritage, and Culture of Scotland.
Many gracious thanks to our Participants and Sponsors
in their support to make this event possible.
This is an all volunteer group that performs
throughout the Mid-South. The band is associated
with Detachment 476 of the Marine Corps League
in Memphis, TN. Take time to visit their booth and
get to know the history behind their presence. They
also offer lessons in piping and drumming during
scheduled practice.
A Rain or Shine Family Event. No Pets Please.
October 11 - 12, 2014
Saturday 10am-5pm: Sunday 10am-4pm
Casey Jones Village Amphitheatre
56 Casey Jones Lane, Jackson, TN. 38305
$5 person per day
CELTIC FEST
SEVEN NATIONS
The pronounciation for the new group is “Feckless
Farr Darrig” rather than how it appears (Gaelic).
Please feel free to spread the word, thx! The
beneficiary(s) of the event this year is the new TN
Veterans Cemetery going in at Parkers Crossroads.
RIFA will still be receiving a food donation as well.
Blessings! Sue Bates
Seven Nations has been touring full-time since
1994 with successful stops in Europe, Canada, Puerto
Rico, and virtually every state in the US. They’ve
recorded a number of albums with over a quarter
million units in sales. In addition, they’ve played at
the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the New
Year’s Eve performance at Scotland’s Royal Mile for
some 40,000 people.
The five member band melds guitar and vocal
elements of American Pop and Rock with Highland
Bagpipes and Fiddle.
Visit their website at SevenNations.com for music
and videos that will Tame Yer Haggis and Rock Yer
Kilt!
COLIN GRANT-ADAMS
Colin Grant-Adams’ stimulating stage performance,
fine guitar work and stirring vocals make him one of the
most popular and versatile Celtic musicians in America
today. His repertoire ranges from the traditional music
of Scotland, Ireland and bluegrass music of America,
to his highly acclaimed original compositions included
on his eight album recordings.
Colin Grant-Adams performs in folk clubs, festivals
and concert venues across Great Britain, Europe and
the United States. His performance is delivered with
a touch of humor, mystical stories and sing-along
songs leaving the crowds asking for more.
THE GLENGARRY HIGHLAND DANCERS
We are proud to present The Glengarry Highland
Dancers! Hailing from our very own state of Tennessee,
the teachers and students of this school are considered
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Thursdays
Wolf River Pipes & Drums,
7:00-9:30 St. Luke’s Lutheran
N. Germantown Pkwy.
753-9494 for info.
Sgt.Singleton Pipes & Drums
5:00-7:00 Bartlett Baptist at
Yale and Whitten Road.
Gordon Abernathy - 412-6846
www.sgtwksingletonpipesanddrums.org
Scottish - Celtic
Radio Shows
C a l e n d a r o f E ve n t s
Sundays
NEAC Pipes&Drums
1:30-4:00 @ 1st Pres. SW Dr.
Jonesboro, AR exit 45
Tuesday October 7
Julie Fowlis Concert, 7:00 PM
Buckman Hall St.Mary’s School
Monday October 13
MSSI Monthly Meeting
Jason’s Deli. Poplar/Highland
6:00 -Dinner, 7:00-Program:
Graeme MacKenzie: Genealogy in the Gaidhealtachd:
Thursday October 23
MSSI Board Meeting
5:30 p.m. - St. Luke’s Lutheran
Germantown Pkwy
Burns Nicht 2014 Meeting
6:15 p.m. St Luke’s Lutheran.
Saturday October 25
MSSI Halloween Party
2:00 p.m
Sellmansberger’s home
14670 Highway 93
Williston, TN
Sundays, 6-7 p.m.
“The Thistle and Shamrock”
WKNO-FM 91.1
Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1
p.m.“Strands of the Celtic
Knot” Robert Campbell, host
WEVL–FM 89.9
Sun and Mon 6 p.m. and
Fridays, 7 p.m.
“The Thistle & Shamrock,”
WMAV–FM 90.3
October 05: Lowlands
From shipyards and farmlands
to mills and mining villages, the
Scottish Lowlands have been
a hive of activity for centuries.
Tour the musical landscape with
Archie Fisher, Deaf Shepherd,
and Alison Kinnaird.
October 12: New Fall Sounds 1
Join Fiona as she explores the
latest batch of releases, hearing
what’s new from established
artists and uncovering
the emerging talent.
October 19: New Fall Sounds 2
More new recordings reveal the
latest from established artists and
emerging talent.
October 26: Tales for
All Hallow’s Eve
Hear music for the season and
spine-chilling Scottish tales
narrated by host Fiona Ritchie.
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November 2: Brittany
Intoxicating melodies from
Brittany fill the air this week,
with Breton bands Kornog and
Skolvan, vocalist Annie Ebrel, and
the father of contemporary Celtic
music in Brittany, Alan Stivell.
November 09: Jazz
Luka Bloom and Karan Casey are
best known for traditional and
contemporary folk song. Hear
them and others working with
jazz artists to craft a different style
of music.
Publisher’s Pick:
Tales for All Hallow’s Eve on Oct.
26th should hold you spellbound
for the hour sufficiently, but if you
need to lighten your spirits up,
you might prefer to hear the new
sounds of Luka Bloom and Karan
Casey as they seek to jazz things
up a bit.
Don’t you wish
we had corner
grocery stores this
cute in Memphis?
My friend and
p h o t o g r a p h e r,
Scott Sherman was
gracious enough to
give us this picture
of this storefront in
Edinburgh. Thank
Scott for this great
shot. He told me the
man on the inside
was really trying
to ham it up for the
camera. How fun.
All of the dates
that are normally
on this page are
inside so turn the
page and you will
be in the know!
Grace Notes
The Memphis Scottish Society, Inc.
P. O. Box 770028
Memphis, TN 38177-0028
www.memphisscots.com