Hi Sue, I have the following info for you re Caircross. William Cairncross was born in Scotland, moved to Quebec, then to New York, then to Wisconsin, and finally to Sibley County, MN. In 1866 William Cairncross built a steam-driven sawmill on the NW corner of Section 19 in Washington Lake Township in Sibley County. A grist and feed attachment were added later. Bographical data: William Cairncross, a native of Scotland, was born in 1830. At 15 years of age he went to Quebec, and soon after to Montreal, but remained only a short time, then worked his passage to Kingston on a boat. (Noote: Kingston is in Ontario, Canada). For about 2 years he worked on a farm, and in 1857 went to New York to meet his parents, whom he expected to arrive from his native land. He engaged as driver on the Erie Canal a short time then went to Memphis, Tennessee, and remained until 1863. Removed to Wisconsin a purchased a farm a short distance from Madison; this he sold in the fall of 1861 and removed to Sibley County, locating in Arlington. Followed teaming for several years from Henderson to the indian reservation, and from St Paul to Big Stone Lake. In 1866 settled in Washington Lake Township amd purchased a mill site, erected a sawmill, and in 1874 built a small grist mill; both were destroyed by fire in 1877. He rebuilt the sawmill the same year, which he still runs. At Memphis in 1853, he married Catherine McLean, and has a large family. The biographical data has an error in the dates and was first published in 1883 in a book called the History of the Minnesota Valley by a priest, Father Edward Neal. It was reprinted in 1966 in a book titled A History of St Brendan's Parish, The Village of Green Isle and Minnesota's First Irish Settlement, written by another priest Father John Gerald Berger. There are a number of Cairncross references in the book besides the biography, but I don't have time to find them and type them up for you right now. Bill Grimes Round Rock, Texas Sue Adamson wrote: Dear List, > > l am desperately seeking help on the CAIRNCROSS family. l live in Far North Queensland Australia, and having access to records is virtually nil. So am hoping that SKS will take pity on me ..................... > > l have Anna Jane CAIRNCROSS born c 1862 to William CAIRNCROSS and Cathern McLEAN, both William and Cathern born Scotland. Anna was reported born Arlington Sibley MN. She married James ADAMSON, but l do not know where. > l have her on the 1880-1900-1910-1920-1930 census. > Any information re Anna or her family greatly received. > > Regards > Sue Adamson > Far North Queensland Australia > Where records are few and far between > > BAINES - Uppingham Rutland > BLACKWELL - Henry Charles c 1918 - could be anywhere > ADAMSON - Scotland-Australia-US > LOWTH - Lincolnshire Eng. > JOYCE - Galway Ireland - Victoria - Sth Australia > POLLARD - Northampton - Goulburn N.S.W. Aust > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Dear Bill, Thank you so much for this information. It is these things that make a family History interesting. l will try to get my library to see if they can obtain copies of these books. Again thank you so much for your time, which l know is precious to us all. Kindest Regards Sue ADAMSON Hi Sue, I have the following info for you re Caircross. William Cairncross was born in Scotland, moved to Quebec, then to New York, then to Wisconsin, and finally to Sibley County, MN. In 1866 William Cairncross built a steam-driven sawmill on the NW corner of Section 19 in Washington Lake Township in Sibley County. A grist and feed attachment were added later. Bographical data: William Cairncross, a native of Scotland, was born in 1830. At 15 years of age he went to Quebec, and soon after to Montreal, but remained only a short time, then worked his passage to Kingston on a boat. (Noote: Kingston is in Ontario, Canada). For about 2 years he worked on a farm, and in 1857 went to New York to meet his parents, whom he expected to arrive from his native land. He engaged as driver on the Erie Canal a short time then went to Memphis, Tennessee, and remained until 1863. Removed to Wisconsin a purchased a farm a short distance from Madison; this he sold in the fall of 1861 and removed to Sibley County, locating in Arlington. Followed teaming for several years from Henderson to the indian reservation, and from St Paul to Big Stone Lake. In 1866 settled in Washington Lake Township amd purchased a mill site, erected a sawmill, and in 1874 built a small grist mill; both were destroyed by fire in 1877. He rebuilt the sawmill the same year, which he still runs. At Memphis in 1853, he married Catherine McLean, and has a large family. The biographical data has an error in the dates and was first published in 1883 in a book called the History of the Minnesota Valley by a priest, Father Edward Neal. It was reprinted in 1966 in a book titled A History of St Brendan's Parish, The Village of Green Isle and Minnesota's First Irish Settlement, written by another priest Father John Gerald Berger. There are a number of Cairncross references in the book besides the biography, but I don't have time to find them and type them up for you right now. Bill Grimes Round Rock, Texas Sue Adamson wrote: Dear List, > > l am desperately seeking help on the CAIRNCROSS family. l live in Far North Queensland Australia, and having access to records is virtually nil. So am hoping that SKS will take pity on me ..................... > > l have Anna Jane CAIRNCROSS born c 1862 to William CAIRNCROSS and Cathern McLEAN, both William and Cathern born Scotland. Anna was reported born Arlington Sibley MN. She married James ADAMSON, but l do not know where. > l have her on the 1880-1900-1910-1920-1930 census. > Any information re Anna or her family greatly received. > > Regards > Sue Adamson > Far North Queensland Australia > Where records are few and far between > > BAINES - Uppingham Rutland > BLACKWELL - Henry Charles c 1918 - could be anywhere > ADAMSON - Scotland-Australia-US > LOWTH - Lincolnshire Eng. > JOYCE - Galway Ireland - Victoria - Sth Australia > POLLARD - Northampton - Goulburn N.S.W. Aust > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Hi Sue, Here are the tidbits from the Green Isle book text: Pg. 18 "In that same year, 1866 a wiry little Scotchman named William Cairncross erected a sawmill ....south of town. One old account says " he erected his mill on the western shore of beautiful Lake Erin". As one might guess Mud Lake was once Lake Erin. .........William bought a piece of land from Phillp McGrann on its western shore.... In the early 1870s Cairncross erected a grist mill and operated both for many years." Pg. 24 The contract for the addition to the Green Isle Church (i.e. St Brendan's) has been let to William Cairncross of that place." Pg 41-44 The 1882-83 issue of the Minnesota State Gazetter listed Green Isle as a village of 125 souls ...... The Gazetter also listed nine business men in the town: Owen McGrann, postmaster, William Cairncross, sawmill, ....... The 1884 issue of the Gazetter still had William listed as the sawmill owner. The first public school in Green Isle was built in 1885. James Kane was the first clerk of the district, and William Cairncross was the first Chairman of the Board. Pg 123 "About 1866 a steam saw-mill was built by William Cairncross in the northwest corner of section 19; a grist mill and feed attachment were afterward added. A few years ago (i.e. about 1880) the whole property was destroyed by fire. The saw-mill has been rebuilt and the feed mill is in process of building." That is all of the references to William Cairncross. No names of his children were mentioned. I don't know if William was Catholic or not but just about all of his neighbors were, whether Irish, German, or French Canadian. About the two books..... The History of the Minnesota Valley was published in 1883, the author was Father Edward Neal(e). It has long been out of print. The Green Isle book was published in 1966, the author was my cousin, Father John Gerald Berger. Father Jerry is now the pastor at the Catholic parish in Arlington, Sibley, MN. The book has been reprinted due to the demand. The Sibley County Historical Society has copies. Cost a year ago was $10.00. Bill Grimes Sue Adamson wrote: > Dear Bill, > > Thank you so much for this information. It is these things that make a family History interesting. l will try to get my library to see if they can obtain copies of these books. > Again thank you so much for your time, which l know is precious to us all. > > Kindest Regards > Sue ADAMSON > > Hi Sue, > > I have the following info for you re Caircross. > > William Cairncross was born in Scotland, moved to Quebec, then to New York, then to Wisconsin, and finally to Sibley County, MN. > > In 1866 William Cairncross built a steam-driven sawmill on the NW corner of Section 19 in Washington Lake Township in Sibley County. A grist and feed attachment were added later. > > Bographical data: > > William Cairncross, a native of Scotland, was born in 1830. At 15 years of age he went to Quebec, and soon after to Montreal, but remained only a short time, then worked his passage to Kingston on a boat. (Noote: Kingston > is in Ontario, Canada). For about 2 years he worked on a farm, and in 1857 went to New York to meet his parents, whom he expected to arrive from his native land. He engaged as driver on the Erie Canal a short time then > went to Memphis, Tennessee, and remained until 1863. Removed to Wisconsin a purchased a farm a short distance from Madison; this he sold in the fall of 1861 and removed to Sibley County, locating in Arlington. Followed > teaming for several years from Henderson to the indian reservation, and from St Paul to Big Stone Lake. In 1866 settled in Washington Lake Township amd purchased a mill site, erected a sawmill, and in 1874 built a small > grist mill; both were destroyed by fire in 1877. He rebuilt the sawmill the same year, which he still runs. At Memphis in 1853, he married Catherine McLean, and has a large family. > > The biographical data has an error in the dates and was first published in 1883 in a book called the History of the Minnesota Valley by a priest, Father Edward Neal. It was reprinted in 1966 in a book titled A History of > St Brendan's Parish, The Village of Green Isle and Minnesota's First Irish Settlement, written by another priest Father John Gerald Berger. There are a number of Cairncross references in the book besides the biography, > but I don't have time to find them and type them up for you right now. > > Bill Grimes > Round Rock, Texas > > Sue Adamson wrote: > > Dear List, > > > > > l am desperately seeking help on the CAIRNCROSS family. l live in Far North Queensland Australia, and having access to records is virtually nil. So am hoping that SKS will take pity on me ..................... > > > > l have Anna Jane CAIRNCROSS born c 1862 to William CAIRNCROSS and Cathern McLEAN, both William and Cathern born Scotland. Anna was reported born Arlington Sibley MN. She married James ADAMSON, but l do not know where. > > l have her on the 1880-1900-1910-1920-1930 census. > > Any information re Anna or her family greatly received. > > > > Regards > > Sue Adamson > > Far North Queensland Australia > > Where records are few and far between > > > > BAINES - Uppingham Rutland > > BLACKWELL - Henry Charles c 1918 - could be anywhere > > ADAMSON - Scotland-Australia-US > > LOWTH - Lincolnshire Eng. > > JOYCE - Galway Ireland - Victoria - Sth Australia > > POLLARD - Northampton - Goulburn N.S.W. Aust > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237