I stumbled upon an excellent blog post about how to deal with those “family legends” – some of which are true, some not; some of which are good, some not-so-good. Sometimes it takes a whole lot of tact and diplomacy.
When you interview your family, sooner or later you will encounter a pretty tall tale. The novice researcher gets excited at the possibility of belonging to an exotic ethnicity; the more jaded historian dismisses the stories of war-time heroics out of hand. Neither approach is particularly constructive. In this article, we’re going to walk through how to prove (or disprove) a family legend.
The more research I do into the Kirkpatrick clan, the more I love and respect ‘em. No doubt there were exceptions, but for the most part I’m finding tales of love, strength, dignity and loyalty. Those who knew them seemed to be unwaveringly devoted to them. The Kirkpatricks as a whole lived life with a wicked sense of humour, strong family ties and a mighty work ethic.
My grand-uncle, Samuel T. Kirkpatrick’s “words for posterity” pretty much sum up the family code: “Live life with enthusiasm, with moderation, with service, and sympathy for less fortunate people in the world.”
More examples of the Kirkpatrick viewpoint:
Family legend tells that when many Native children in Canada were being put into residential schools the B.C. Kirkpatricks refused to break up their families in this way. They chose to remain strong family units, teaching their children how to play musical instruments and become industrious, contributing members of society. (Most of us Western Canadian Kirks have at least a smattering of Native blood.)
Another family legend tells of how some of the first American generations went south to Georgia, then came back north again because they were disgusted with the idea of slavery.
Going back even further to old Scotland, we see this about Sir James Kirkpatrick (d. 1804) in Records of the Closeburn Kirkpatricks by Major-General C. Kirkpatrick:
The Dumfries Weekly Journal of the 12th June 1804 described him as “the representative of an ancient and respectable family, which had inherited that estate in succession, for upwards of seven hundred years. Descended from this ancient race, he was inferior to none of his predecessors in that generous spirit and fortitude by which they were distinguished. Mild, gentle and courteous in his manners, he possessed at the same time that firmness and stability of mind which made him tenacious of his purposes, constant in his friendships, and steady in his principles. His principles were no other than the two great sources of human excellence – piety to God, and benevolence to men”. etc.
In another obituary reference to him it was said:- “His publick character was strongly marked by disinterestedness [free from bias or partiality] by generosity and by a firm determined spirit. Possessing in a high degree all the publick and social affections, he was always amongst the first to promote any measure which he considered as of general utility and never suffered his own private interest to stand in the way of what appeared to him to be a publick good. Warm and stead in his friendships, he never deserted those to whom he once attached himself, nor declined any exertions, however inconvenient for himself, that could [be] beneficial to them.
When I was tramping through graveyards in Scotland, over and over again I saw words like “deeply loved” and “we miss thee, dear” on Kirkpatrick gravestones.
But the story that has moved me the most in my genealogical studies so far is the tale of Alexander Richard Kirkpatrick of Dublin, Ireland (1813 – 1891). He was a scholar at Cambridge and was called to the Bar in 1840, according to Chronicles of the Kirkpatrick Family written by Alexander de Lapere Kirkpatrick.
From the book:
Mr. Kirkpatrick was beloved by all who knew him, rich and poor; the grief evinced by the latter at his funeral was very striking, and many and most touching were the tokens received by his family of their affection for him. Whilst on his other properties it was said by both Priests and others that they had never seen such deep and widespread grief, extending even to the children. He was carried to his grave by his own tenants, several of them quite poor, who had come a long distance, and at no small cost, but they looked on him as a Father and a Friend.
Wow. Would that we all could be remembered this way upon our passing.
From the book Records of the Closeburn Kirkpatricks by Major-General C. Kirkpatrick, C.B., C.B.E.:
When the loch [at Closeburn Castle] was drained in 1859, a number of relics were found. Amongst those, was an oak canoe 12 feet long in a good state of preservation. This was sent to the Antiquarian Museum in Edinburgh. The tradition is it was used to carry the dead of the Kirkpatricks across the loch to the family tomb in Closeburn kirkyard.
The 3rd Baronet [Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick] had the family coat of arms carved over the gateway of the tomb, with the Grierson fetlock impaled (his wife’s coat of arms; the addition conforming to heraldic custom).
The words engraved on the stone, read;- “vanitas omnia vanitas” [vanity, all is vanity], and inside, on the walls over the gateway, is inscribed:-
“Nos, nostraque Morte dobemus
Majoribus posterisque
De Closeburn Baronetus
Extratruendum curavit. 1742″.
“Sic transit gloria mundi”.
Signifying, Sir Thos. Kirkpatrick Baronet of Closeburn caused this to be created A.D. 1742.
“We and our relatives
have all to die.”
Thus earthly glory passes”.
Hardly an original thought, but a true prophecy, for his house went up in flames six years later, and he lost all his possessions.
Detail of one of the engravings on the Kirkpatrick mausoleum at the old Closeburn kirkyard.
This is the same mausoleum I wrote of in this post – the one of the skull wearing glasses!
When I first began researching my family history, I was brought again and again to John and Carol Kirkpatrick’s website. Although the homepage needs a serious facelift, it’s what’s inside the site that makes a visit worthwhile.
Judging by the surname list and the name index, this site must have hundreds, if not thousands of pages of fabulous information. With it, I was able to take my family tree back several generations from where our records ended. I found my grandparents’ information onsite and even emailed John to give him my own information, which he added.
From what I can tell, this site is constantly evolving and being updated as visitors contribute information. With it, I have been able to find where my tree joins with distant cousins’ trees, for instance, or with someone’s whom I’ve met through this blog. The notes give interesting stories and background info and sources are scrupulously named.
One caveat is that it doesn’t look as though the site is being updated any longer. Pages are starting to look dated and my last email to them has remained unanswered for some time. Still, for the sheer volume of Kirkpatrick information, jpkirkpatrick.com is a priceless resource.
Kirkpatrick family researchers have read the story many times about how Sir Roger Kirkpatrick aided Robert the Bruce in killing Comyn in Greyfriars Church. But could we have spun the story just a little? Could it be the that great Bruce was in fact an opportunist and that things didn’t happen exactly the way we have handed the story down through the ages?
The records are pretty explicit about how our family crest was given to us by the Bruce in gratitude for our loyalty (the Kirkpatrick and Bruce families had been close for generations), and perhaps the words “Mak siccar” were actually uttered by Sir Roger, but what about the circumstances surrounding the murder itself?
Undiscovered Scotland, in its article on Robert the Bruce, paints a slightly less than flattering picture:
By the end of 1305 there were signs that Edward I believed that Bruce was plotting against him: but Bruce’s repeated switching of sides meant he was also little trusted by many in Scotland. Bruce, it seems, was planning to seize the arguably vacant crown of Scotland for himself. His main obstacle in Scotland was John III Comyn. On 10 February 1306 the two met to discuss their differences in the safe and neutral Church of the Grey Friars in Dumfries. It seems they disagreed, either because both wanted the Scottish crown for themselves, or because Comyn refused to lend his support to Bruce’s planned uprising against the English. Robert Bruce drew a dagger and stabbed Comyn in front of the high altar of the church. Bruce fled the church, telling waiting comrades outside what had happened. One of them, Sir Roger Kirkpatrick, went back in and finished off the seriously wounded Comyn.
It is unlikely that Bruce had gone to the meeting intending to murder the leading member of the most powerful family in Scotland: and certainly not in a place that caused revulsion in an age well used to savagery. But the die was cast and Bruce had no choice but to press on with his plans, in very different circumstances to those he had hoped for. His first move was to take the strongholds of the Comyns in Southern Scotland. His second was to confess his crime to the Bishop of Glasgow and receive absolution, on condition that as King he would be suitably respectful of the church. There is strong evidence that Bruce’s plans – the murder of Comyn aside – were supported in advance by many in the Church in Scotland.
And this segment from the fabulous A History of Scotland series from BBC tells a similar story.
So, which is it? Did Sir Roger voluntarily and impulsively state “I make sure” before finishing off Comyn? Or did the Bruce send him in afterward, possibly at the urging of the clergy, to do the dastardly deed? And does it really matter? After a faulty start, Robert the Bruce went on to become one of Scotland’s great heroes who did much to garner her independence from England.
When I was in Scotland I found an old mausoleum that had some carvings around the inside wall. One of them was of a skull that seemed to be wearing glasses. I have searched the ‘Net and can’t seem to find an explanation – does anyone know anything about this type of carving?
Around the walls there was also an inscription that said in Latin, Sic Transit, Gloria Mundi, which apparently means, “And so the glory of this world shall fade.”
Interesting puzzle, no? Any input would be welcome! By the way, the mausoleum was apparently erected in 1742.
Well, the longer I keep this blog running, the more I realize that the majority of the visitors here are looking for solid information on research into the Kirkpatrick family history. I say, good on ya! There is so much misinformation out there and I want to help you (and me) figure out what’s true and what’s not.
To that end, I’m thinking of forming a “community” for us here – a place where we can discuss our research and share our branches of the family tree. You wouldn”t have to be a genealogy buff to participate – do you know your own branch and the place where you live? You do? Then you’re in! Of course, if you can offer tidbits of research that may help us all figure out where we’re from, you would be welcome to share that, too.
I would be interested to hear if there is a call for that kind of thing. Are you interested?
One of the things I really wanted to see when we were in Scotland last year (and which will be on my must-see list for our next visit) was Rosslyn Chapel. This gorgeous structure has become the topic of much debate and even some controversy over recent years. The St. Clair family (now more commonly known as Sinclair) began work on the chapel back in 1446.
One of the first St. Clairs to settle in Scotland was allegedly “William the Seemly.” He is said to have brought a portion of the True Cross or ‘Holy Rood’ to Scotland, according to the Rosslyn Chapel website. Wikipedia says that in a later generation, William Sinclair, Second Earl of Caithness, was “the person reputed to have brought Enochian Magick to Scotland.” Whoa!
Believe it or not, there is a Kirkpatrick connection to Rosslyn, found in the marriage of Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick to Margaret Sinclair, daughter of the famous St. Clairs. Here is what Alexander de Lapere Kirkpatrick has to say in his Chronicles of the Kirkpatrick Family, published in the 1800’s:
Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn [son of Henry, who married Dame Elizabeth Grierson, daughter of the Baron of Lagg] m. Margaret Sinclair, dau. of the Lord of Rosslyn, d. 1515, succeeded by his only son, Thomas…
There sure were a lot of Thomas Kirkpatricks back then – and Rogers!
More about Sir Thomas is given in Records of the Closeburn Kirkpatricks, written by Major-General C. Kirkpatrick in the early 1900’s. He says:
Thomas was taken prisoner at the battle of Solway Moss 1542. He married Dame Margaret Sinclair, daughter of the second Earl of Caithness [the Enochian Magick guy mentioned above]. According to sasine record he was succeeded by his son Roger.
But here’s where it gets confusing. The Chronicles, quoted above, says that our Sir Thomas died in 1515 and Burke’s Landed Gentry of Scotland agrees. But this quote says he was captured in 1542, which would have been impossible if he died in 1515, and Kirkpatrick of Closeburn (unknown author) says it was Sir Thomas’ son, another Thomas, who married Margaret Sinclair:
Sir Thomas, who, on the 22nd June, 1515, got a Brief from the King’s Chancery to be served heir to his father, married Margaret Sinclair, daughter of the second Earl of Caithness, who was killed at the battle of Flodden, 1513, and sister of the third Earl who was killed in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession of the Orkney islands, to which he alleged a claim…
Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick was one of that convention of Prelates, Earls, and great Barons, appointed to meet in Edinburgh, 24th June 1545, (Keith’s History) which led to the signal successes of that year, when the English army was defeated at Ancram, their generals killed, and above 1000 men made prisoners; which was followed up by an inroad into England, and avenged by the Earl of Hertford, who ravaged the western borders of Scotland; the result being great misery inflicted on both countries, without any advantage to either.
He died in 1560, without issue [offspring], and was succeeded by his nephew Roger. In the following year his widow, Dame Margaret Sinclair Lady Closeburn, granted a discharge of her jointure, to her dearest and best beloved nephew, Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn.
Because of the detail of this last quote, my inclination is to accept it as the accurate one, but more research will be needed to prove it.
Not much else is known of Dame Margaret but here’s an interesting tidbit; Margaret Trudeau, wife of the late Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, was also Margaret Sinclair. I wonder if there’s a connection.
In my search for the “missing link” between my family and the Kirkpatricks of old, I think I may have found George of Knock Kirkpatrick who was one of the “Covenanters” who fled to Ireland in 1690. Our family tradition hints that James “The Immigrant” Kirkpatrick came with his brothers from Ireland and I have found a trace of a trail between him and ol’ George of Knock, but that will need to be confirmed.
Here is a bit about George, taken from Chronicles of the Kirkpatrick Family by Alexander de Lapere Kirkpatrick, written in the 1800s.
George Kirkpatrick of Knock, eldest son of William, last Lord of Kirkmichael, was an officer in King William’s army during the early years of his life. At first sight this fact seems difficult to reconcile with the family affection towards the House of Stuart; but Scottish History tells us of the terrible woes of the Covenanters and the awful persecution that raged throughout Scotland from 1661 to 1688 … no portion of the country suffered more severely than Dumfrieshire and Galloway.
…[George of Knock] first came to Ireland in 1690, “in the ship that broke the Boom acrss Derry Harbour,” being then nineteen years of age, an officer, several of his kinsfolk, the Kirkpatricks of Larne, and the Wilsons had settled in this country at the time.
At Mrs. Wilson’s, 32 Elgin Road, Dublin, are two ancient wooden arm chairs that were brought over from Scotland by their Wilson and Kirkpatrick forbears, the two families having intermarried at that date, according to the Wilson family tree. One Miss Kirkpatrick that married a Wilson, is said to have been endowed with second sight. [Dawn's note: does it run in the family?]
George left the army with the rank of major, and settled down at Knock, where Mr. Campbell Gracie remarks, “he took an active interest in the affairs of his Church at Garrell,” a trait that has re-appeared in several of his descendants. His is buried in the Kirkyard there in the same grave as his father and beside his brother Robert of Glenkila, who was beheaded for his adherence to Prince Charles Edward.
In 1861, the tombstone was in good preservation, and the inscription read -
Here lies the corps of
WILLIAM KIRKPATRICK
who departed this life
9th June, 1686.
(Here the Coat of Arms is engraved in high relief)
His eldest son, GEORGE OF KNOCK
who departed this life, 1738,
aged 67 years.
George of Knock had four sons – George, William, Alexander and Robert, and three daughters – Anne, Grizzel and Joane.
The book goes on to describe the son Alexander’s marriage and offspring, but little is said about the other children and what became of them.
The reason I am not 100 percent certain that ol’ George of Knock is our connection is that family tradition, according to jpkirkpatrick.com, says this: “The tradition of the descendants of James Kirkpatrick … are that this is a Scottish family that moved to North Ireland, in a ‘neck-saving’ operation… It had been believed that in 1746, James migrated to Northern Ireland with his father and five brothers. (New information has been found to show that James and his four brothers migrated from Belfast, Ireland to the colonies in 1736. Originally it was believed that two younger brothers, Andrew and Alexander had left Scotland about this time and came to the colonies, while the remainder of the family migrated to N. Ireland, and thence came to the colonies in the later years. Evidence now shows that the family had moved to N. Ireland in 1725, and thence to the Americas in 1736.)”
However, those dates don’t jibe with George’s and therein lies the mystery. If the persecution in Scotland took place from 1661 to 1688 and George of Knock moved to Belfast in 1680, how is James the Immigrant connected? I feel fairly certain there is a connection there somewhere but will need to do more homework.
Isn’t it so incredible how life can blind-side you sometimes? One day you’re going about your business and the next you are immersed in a crisis of great proportions and your whole life is changed. No, wait. One minute you’re going about your business and the next minute you get “the call.”
Three weeks ago my beautiful sister “B.J.” landed herself in ICU, where she is to this day. Her poor body ravaged by the effects of sepsis, she struggles daily for her life – but oh what a fighter she is! The doctor told us she had something like 4% odds a couple of days in and now, three weeks later, the odds are more like 50/50. But it’s going to be a long, hard climb for poor B.J. and she will likely have some severe physical challenges when she comes through. Still, we are remaining upbeat and optimistic as much as we can and surrounding her daughters and Doug, her fella, with love.
I have been charged with sending email updates to all those who can’t be here, so that gives me something to focus on; my little bit of helping instead of feeling helpless. Our tremendous family has banded around and helped pay up the utilities, keep the house clean, drive the girls around and miscellaneous odd things. Many, many prayers are being said and those who can are also performing Reiki and other types of energy healing – up close and from a distance. A fundraising garage sale is being planned and bottle drives have already begun.
All of this is being done with strength, smarts and humour because that’s the Kirkpatrick way. We laugh. We cry. But we roll up our sleeves and “git ‘er done.”
Tomorrow my remaining upright sisters and I are getting together for dessert at the Cheesecake Cafe. Our purpose? To appreciate the dickens out of each other while we still can, to celebrate sisters, and to honour B.J.’s immense bravery and strength as she moves through this tragedy. I’m sure she’ll be joining us in spirit.
With any luck, you’ll be reading about a very happy ending right here. Watch for it.
