Remember the Scots had their own language. He may not have been able to read or write in ENGLISH. This had often been the case with many of my German ancestors. Jane in Ohio ----- Original Message ----- From: <agfoster@headscheme.com> To: <CLANBOYD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:40 PM Subject: [Boyd] > By pure accident, looking up information about Asbury McKendree Boyd > (my great grandfather) I happened on some documentation of Andrew > (GGGGrandfather) and David (GGGrandfather). Asbury was a business man > in Baltimore, dealing in import and export of textiles; married Julia > Baker from Winchester who died young after bearing Lawrence > (Grandfather) and Portia. He later married Mary Mason Roy of Matthews > County, VA. > Family legend has it that Asbury who traveled to Europe extensively > on business was also Plenipotentiary Extraordinary with Portfolio for > the Confederacy. I am investigating for proof of that and have had some > hints it is true. Also, family history has it there was a "vacant" > title in Scotland to which he had some claim, I believe it included > Boyd Castle in western Scotland near Glasgow. I gather that he went > over to investigate and found the site so dilapidated he gave it up. > There is evidence that Andrew possibly did not read or write when he > arrived. Clue is that he made an "X" when he voted. but the following > year he did write his name. I suppose he could have had a broken arm > but it wouldn't have been improbable that a Scottish immigrant, maybe > even one from a titled > family was illiterate at that time. As we know great many Scots > immigrated to the colonies > about the same time after the disaster at Culloden, they being Stuart > Royalists. Notably disadvantaged was poor William who lost his head > > > > ==== CLANBOYD Mailing List ==== > RING OF BOYDS http://k.webring.com/wrman?ring=clanboydwebring&addsite > > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=boyd-trees > >