In a message dated 6/23/2003 4:01:10 PM Eastern Standard Time, BURNS-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > X-Message: #6 > Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:59:19 -0400 > From: "Carson and Betty Turner" <CoachTurner@Softhome.net> > To: BURNS-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <JIEJKIGLJMJKONFMJGHMOEDDEFAA.CoachTurner@Softhome.net> > Subject: RE: [BURNS] BURNS TARTAN > Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="iso-8859-1" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > just a few comments.... > > of course (as one allied with Clan Campbell), I must defend the comment re: > the Clan Campbell being considered traitors for supporting the King of > England. "Traitor" and "Patriot" are terms that entirely depend upon your > perspective and we should remember that Gen. George Washington was a traitor > to the crown by the King's view and an American patriot by ours. IMHO - > introduction of the debate of whether the Clan Campbell is/was nongrata > persona isn't that material to discusion of whether Burns (and var sp.) > should be considered a Sept of the Clan. Even today - the opinions of many > regarding allegiance to the Clan is mixed. > > It's important to note too that the surname Campbell is one of great > frequency -- this meaning nothing more than these folks had many many > children AND they didn't change their name often, even after they migrated. > > We must remember that the clan order is much older than Mr. Robbie Burnes -- > having been in place well before the Jacobite Rebellion. We should also > remember that this system was more geographic than patronymic. It is simply > a matter that certain families were the leading families of a particular > geographic area as opposed to the idea that people all over Scotland with > the name McDonald followed a particular clan chief. Or in other words, the > McDonalds were the leading family in a certain area (as land owners, > military leaders, and employers) and therefor those who lived there were > allied to Clan McDonald. That many of these folks intermarried and created > kinship bonds goes without explaining. These Clan allegiances were > maintained by economic need as well as bonds of blood. > > In this way, many people with varying surnames might come to live within the > domain of a particular clan while we don't now consider that surname to be a > related clan sept. Let's say for example that a man named Isaac Burns (who > lived his early life in Argyl) married a woman named Katherine Stewart and > that Katherine's people were much better off than Isaac's (likely the case). > He might (probably would) decide to reside amongst and give his loyalty to > the Clan Stewart. His children would be Burns' and they would likely marry > within Clan Stewart as well. Of course, he wouldn't forget his family and > friends up in Argyl either -- he'd likely serve as a connection between the > two clans. This is just an example but, you can see how likely it is that > any person with any surname might well give allegiance to any clan -- even > the Clan Campbell. And also how allegiances between different clan families > might be built. > > Now, just as here in America -- there are certain names that we just find > with greater frequency in a certain location than in others. In Cherokee > County South Carolina, we find the surname LITTLEJOHN with incredible > frequency for a community so small. We can say truthfully that "many > Littlejohns live (and have lived) in Cherokee County. We can't say though > that "all Littlejohns are from Cherokee County" any more than we can say > that all Burns families were loyal to Clan Campbell or that all Turner > families were loyal to Clan Lamont. > > So it is with clan names and septs of clans. We can't even say that all > Campbells were loyal to Clan Campbell -- clearly some were not. And in the > example given of the clans' support of the Crown -- many were not and these > elected to give their allegiance elsewhere. > > We might argue too -- that those who decided to come to America were not as > loyal to the Clan as they were to their immediate family. Even so, many of > these folks did migrate as groups and they did maintain the same systems of > community leadership that goes on even today (ie: what we call "clanish" > communities). > > All said, if your desire is to affiliate with your own Scots heritage or to > simply affiliate with a clan because your heart is there (whether you claim > Scots heritage or not) -- then by all means explore the present clan system > and join any you wish whose requirements you meet. Some are more strict in > membership than others -- some welcome anyone. Easiest to explore are those > which are affiliated with your patronymic surname but you are not restricted > to that exploration. There are those who argue that the clan system is/was > matronymic and therefor your present surname has little bearing. Many argue > that affiliation with a clan is a matter of personal choice and has little > to do with your name at all. Of course, if your name is John Campbell and > you intend to affiliate with Clan McDonald, you may have to be prepared to > discuss the events at Glencoe in 1692 very often. > > If your motivation is simply to own and wear the plaid then consider too the > many geographic plaids out there as well. There is the United States of > America tartan as well as the American Bicentenial tartan (very attractive) > which are appropriate for all of us Americans. There are general use plaids > as well. Many people wear the Queens colors out of respect for her (Royal > Stewart) though some frown on that. Tradition holds that Hunting Stewart is > generally accepted for public wear while Royal Stewart is not. In any case, > Balmoral shouldn't be worn without permission of the Queen. It's generally > ill advised to wear a regimental plaid unless you were a member of that > regiment but keep in mind that several regimental plaids are also clan > tartans (42nd Regiment, Black Watch common plaid is a dark Campbell tartan). > > If you decide to wear a tartan to highland games or the such then be sure > you know what you are wearing and can answer questions about it. Reading > the tartan is more than the colors involved -- it has to do with the "set" - > the way the lines are woven. I would caution against wearing Clan KMart and > Clan WalMart (the plaid materials commonly sold in these stores) unless it's > simply a fashion statement. :-) > > Just a few thoughts to consider; > > C.R. Turner > desc. James Burns and Penelope Pharr > desc. Squire Bentley Campbell and Vashti Cas Queen > > > Thank you for such a clear description. I have a question. If one's father served in a regiment, is it proper to wear that tartan? Because of my upbringing, I feel a great loyalty to my father's regiment, but don't want my emotional attachment to result in disrespect. Thanks, C. Hunter Southwick