The Kemps as far as I know are from Ohio. Thanks for asking. Flo Kemp, Ohio _____________________________________________________________ On Jun 30, 2007, at 4:23 PM, Catherine Havemeier wrote: > To Florence Kemp, > Are you related to the Kemps who settled in Meridale? > Thanks, > Catherine Gibson Havemeier > > >> From: Florence <hkemp@insight.rr.com> >> Reply-To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com >> To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware >> County?...Patterson,McKee >> Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 05:59:35 -0400 >> >> I haven't found any of my direct line of McKee's still in Delaware >> County. The last ones I know of would be my gggrandfather and mother >> James McKee and Ann McClaughry McKee, buried in Gilchrist Memorial >> Church cemetery in Kortright around 1880. Gilchrist church and >> cemetery are beautifully documented on this site. There is a posting >> in the archives from 1999 from a Mr. Claude, who says that there are >> two distinct lines of McKee's, the Kortright ones, and the Delhi and >> area ones, which are his line. He offers to share information on his >> line in that posting. so you might try contacting him. Flo Kemp, >> Ohio. >> _____________________________________________________________________ >> ___ >> ___________ >> >> On Jun 29, 2007, at 6:55 AM, Laughlinjean@aol.com wrote: >> >>> Do you still have Mckee's in Delaware >>> county? I have that surname in my grandmothers paternal side in >>> Delhi. >>> >>> Bonnie >>> NY >>> >>> >>> >>> ************************************** See what's free at http:// >>> www.aol.com. >>> To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- >>> admin@rootsweb.com >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA- >>> request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >>> in the subject and the body of the message >> >> To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- >> admin@rootsweb.com >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- > admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

To Florence Kemp, Are you related to the Kemps who settled in Meridale? Thanks, Catherine Gibson Havemeier >From: Florence <hkemp@insight.rr.com> >Reply-To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com >To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware >County?...Patterson,McKee >Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 05:59:35 -0400 > >I haven't found any of my direct line of McKee's still in Delaware >County. The last ones I know of would be my gggrandfather and mother >James McKee and Ann McClaughry McKee, buried in Gilchrist Memorial >Church cemetery in Kortright around 1880. Gilchrist church and >cemetery are beautifully documented on this site. There is a posting >in the archives from 1999 from a Mr. Claude, who says that there are >two distinct lines of McKee's, the Kortright ones, and the Delhi and >area ones, which are his line. He offers to share information on his >line in that posting. so you might try contacting him. Flo Kemp, Ohio. >________________________________________________________________________ >___________ > >On Jun 29, 2007, at 6:55 AM, Laughlinjean@aol.com wrote: > > > Do you still have Mckee's in Delaware > > county? I have that surname in my grandmothers paternal side in > > Delhi. > > > > Bonnie > > NY > > > > > > > > ************************************** See what's free at http:// > > www.aol.com. > > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- > > admin@rootsweb.com > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA- > > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > > in the subject and the body of the message > > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hello all, I found a picture my Great Aunt wrote on the back that is was Kate Souls, her mother and children. Stella Martin, if you are still listed here, you might have a clue, lost your email address. Sincerely, Terry Jones Lake Helen, Fl TJones@cfl.rr.com Still searching for.....Bliss, Ebert/Ebbert, Edwards, Hyzer, Inman, Jones, Klinegardner/Kleingardner/Klingardner, Rogers, Sanderson, Starkweather, Watson and more to come!

I haven't found any of my direct line of McKee's still in Delaware County. The last ones I know of would be my gggrandfather and mother James McKee and Ann McClaughry McKee, buried in Gilchrist Memorial Church cemetery in Kortright around 1880. Gilchrist church and cemetery are beautifully documented on this site. There is a posting in the archives from 1999 from a Mr. Claude, who says that there are two distinct lines of McKee's, the Kortright ones, and the Delhi and area ones, which are his line. He offers to share information on his line in that posting. so you might try contacting him. Flo Kemp, Ohio. ________________________________________________________________________ ___________ On Jun 29, 2007, at 6:55 AM, Laughlinjean@aol.com wrote: > Do you still have Mckee's in Delaware > county? I have that surname in my grandmothers paternal side in > Delhi. > > Bonnie > NY > > > > ************************************** See what's free at http:// > www.aol.com. > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- > admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Why do they say OliveTree Genealogy is free when it is part of Ancestry.com and is not free except for 2 weeks to start? EAC ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Named for Lawrence Kortright, of Dutch ancestry, a resident of New York City and considered a rich man. His upstate lands were investments. Of more interest to some, perhaps, is that his daughter, Elizabeth, married a man named James Monroe and later became our fifth First Lady. Winifred

I recently found a website, newenglandancestors.org that has Free searchable early New York Wills and Letters of Administration. Click on Research. They have other databases but I think you have to join to access them. There was a full Will for Able Downs, administration for Hugh Rose, and many other familiar names. Does anyone knows who Catherine Rouw of Colchester was? Alexander and Anne Cole received Letters of Administration for her estate in the 1820's. Alexander Cole was a large land owner there and owner of a number of slaves. I am wondering if the is a connection between Rouw and the early Roses of Colchester. Catherine Rouw was interred in either the Edget or Early Cemetery later removed when the reservoir was built. That date of death 1817 doesn't agree with the Letters of Administration. Note- there is a limited number of Sullivan County items there too including Able Sprague who married Tabitha Hazen. evelyn

Do you still have Mckee's in Delaware county? I have that surname in my grandmothers paternal side in Delhi. Bonnie NY ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

I find this possibility intriguing. My Peter Schermerhorn, b. Dutchess co. 1790 whose parents are unknown to me as yet, married Rachel Edmonds, of Edmonds and Kennedy lines. Both these lines came during the mid 1700s to CT, I think, from northern Ireland but originally, again I think, from Scotland. I don't know whether the two Scots-Irish families came into Dutchess Co. and just married Dutch spouses because of opportunity or what. It's a very interesting and new idea to me!!! Sally Chirlin

----- Original Message ----- From: "Valerie Brown" <vwbrown08@yahoo.com> To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:11 PM Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware County? > For my relations to give "Bovina" as their destination > on the 1851 ship's passenger list implies intention. My ancestors came in the early 1800s and I have not found any ship's lists that includes them. Were there records then that have been found and transcribed? Is it always the case that a person's exact destination would be recorded? I also have ancestors who arrived in the late 1800s/early 1900s and on those passenger lists they were required to give their last known address, where they were going, who was "sponsoring" them and how much money they had. Was this also required back in the mid-1800s? Jeanne (Raitt Flye)

----- Original Message ----- From: "Valerie Brown" <vwbrown08@yahoo.com> To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:04 PM Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware County? > (Jeannie, was your Raitt family born in Creich Parish, > Fife? My family lived with the John Raitt family.) Valerie....No, my Raitts came from Alyth and Glenisla in Perthshire and Angushire. There are a lot of Rait(t)s in and around Dundee, and Creich is not far from there. (By chance are you the Valerie researching Curries that I put in touch with Margie about 6 years ago?) > Many folks who have written accounts on the Delaware > County Web-site and on this list-serve mention the War > of 1812 as a reason to know Delaware County, return to > Scotland, and return w/ families. They say they can't > substantiate their claims. 'tho. And still, this > doesn't explain all the references to Roxburgshire on > the Delaware county Web-site. I agree with you. I have a copy of a booklet of some of the families who were buried in the Old Flats Cemetery located in Delhi. By far the majority of those whose place of immigration was known seemed to come from Roxburghshire. Certainly word of mouth plays some part, but many are not related to one another. What about the involvement of the Church of Scotland and the Disruption of 1843 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0844106.html on the lives of the parishoners? Unlike today, religion played a large role, not just in a person's religious life, but also his social life. Ministers who provided letters of introduction for their departing parishoners would likely know where they were going and could pass that information along to others. Another thought....most of our ancestors came up the Hudson to Kingston and I'm wondering if there might be land "brokers" in Kingston that were trying to find buyers and/or tenants for the land in Delaware Co.? > To all: As far as the war of 1812, is there a place or > web-site to learn who from Scotland, or from where in > Scotland our ancestors were drafted, served, and where > they did serve in North America? > ~Valerie I would also be interested in knowing this, or at least the opinions of others. Jeanne (Raitt Flye)

Hi Alan, I am a native of Bovina and have posted a huge genealogy on the Rootsweb World Connect site, most easily reached throught the Delaware County website www.dcnyhistory.org. Near the bottom of the index page is an "index to GEDCOMS---". My file is "D. F. Hoy Roots & Branches" My great uncle David F. Hoy, also a Bovina native, began collecting data on Bovina families back in the 1920's . Also on the website are listings of Bovina Cemeteries from the same data collection. My brother and I have been working on keeping the files updated. In the past few years we have also photographed all of the gravestones in the New UP Cemetery and will soon post those to the website as well. I will be happy to share any information I have available. Richard T. Davidson, 989 Valencia Court, Chula vista, CA 91910-6831 rtdavidson1@cox.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan J. Downie" <adownie@hughesarchitects.com> To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:38 AM Subject: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware County? > Thanks for the good inquiry. My Downies sailed from Glasgow relatively > late in 1854 and they came with hopes of obtaining land, which by then was > being parceled out in what is now the Midwest. What enabled them to come > were relatives of John Downie's first wife Elizabeth Thomson - the Scott > families already living in South Kortright and Bovina, NY. Elizabeth died > in 1862 and in 1868, John married her cousin, Mary Ann Scott. They had > one son, James Scott Downie, my ggrandfather. In 1874 John heard about > the land rush in Iowa and moved there. The story goes he never obtained > land because once he arrived he discovered they required American > citizenship and he utterly refused to renounce his Scottish citizenship, > or as he put it: "go back on ole Queen Vic". He then moved to Norfolk > Virginia where he died, although I now live in Virginia and haven't been > able to confirm. John and both wives are buried in Bovina. It is > apparent the decision to leave Scotland was not under! > taken lightly - John lost two young daughters on the journey. > > Mary Ann Scott's line starts with her grandfather, Robert Scott who was > born in Hawick, Scotland abt. 1769, sailed to America around 1800, and > died 1838 in Bovina. Her father had a farm in Stanford (valued at $3,500) > and belonged to the South Kortright Presbyterian Church, so one could > speculate owning land and freedom of worship were factors. His wife, > Christina Thomson's (relative of Elizabeth Thomson) father, Andrew was > another Scotsman who made the journey around 1800 and settled in Bovina. > So I would say that having a safe place to stay while they got settled was > an obvious motivator for Scots who continued to arrive in Delaware County. > > As for the similar climate, I was born and raised in Otsego County and > also spent 2 weeks once in Scotland. The topography and vegetation is > similar, but believe it or not, upstate New York is much sunnier than > Scotland. > > Alan Downie (downies4@netzero.com) > > > > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Just like censues, requirements change over time. Not every passenger list has been transcribed; not all were perfect, i.e. formated of requirements. Off line I receive this for a possible place to seach in Canada: "http://olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/canada/ Just scroll down the page and look for "Finding Ancestors on Canadian Passenger Lists" There's a list with links for ship arrivals BEFORE 1865 and ship arrivals AFTER 1865. I hope this helps!" ~Valerie --- JEANNIE FLYE <jflye@verizon.net> wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Valerie Brown" <vwbrown08@yahoo.com> > To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:11 PM > Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware > County? > > > For my relations to give "Bovina" as their > destination > > on the 1851 ship's passenger list implies > intention. > > My ancestors came in the early 1800s and I have > not found any ship's > lists that includes them. Were there records then > that have been found and > transcribed? Is it always the case that a person's > exact destination would > be recorded? > > I also have ancestors who arrived in the late > 1800s/early 1900s and on > those passenger lists they were required to give > their last known address, > where they were going, who was "sponsoring" them and > how much money they > had. Was this also required back in the mid-1800s? > > Jeanne (Raitt Flye) > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message > ____________________________________________________________________________________Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

Dear Vernon Aldrich, Your mention of Patterson reminded me that I have a reference to a Margaret Patterson who was said to be born in Northern Ireland and married to a William McKee. My source for this statement is a lengthy bio of my g-grandfather Edward McKee from Union College, the bio being submitted, it appears, around 1907, after he graduated in 1869. The bio states, "His grandfather, William McKee, was an officer of the English navy. During King James' rebellion he escaped to America, settled first in New York city and afterward for safety went to the Catskill mountain region. His grandmother, Margaret Patterson, was born in the north part of Ireland. " I have to question the reference to "King James' Rebellion," as King James was rebelled against in the late 1600's, as best as I can tell, about a century before the time of these individuals. Also some of the names on my g-grandfather's side do not square with other sources. This bio seems to be propelled in part by "family lore," more than fact. However, who knows, we may find a connection here - and thank you for the idea that this William McKee, former officer in the English navy, might have come here for military service. Florence Kemp Ohio ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________ On Jun 28, 2007, at 8:03 AM, vcaema@destin.com wrote: > Some years ago when I was researching my Patterson/Pattisons of > Roxbury, Delaware, > NY, a researcher concerning the reason for our ancestor, Michael > Pattison, coming to > Delaware County. If I remember correctly, many Scots-Irish came > during the > Revolutionary War to fight and stayed with Dutch families in Ulster > County. > Following the war, they were given land in Delaware County - > especially Middletown. > Michael and his Dutch wife, Catherine Osterhoudt moved at some time > to Roxbury. > (Although it's not proven that Michael was in the Revolutionary > war, the idea still > applies to others.) > > So, if you have a Scots-Irish ancester who came to America in the > late 1700s and > subsequently married a Dutch wife, this my be your situation. > > Vernon Aldrich > > > Vernon C. Aldrich > > Surnames: Aldrich, Hoadley, Mallet, Preston, Patterson, Hammond, > Robinson, Kimball, > White, Nott, Ely, Burness, Rintoul, Summerhayse > ***************** > The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: > The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be > gracious unto thee: > The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give > thee peace. Num. 6:24-26 > > ----------------------------------------- > Get free email at http://mail.destin.com > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa- > admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks, Allan. Your time line is similar to mine. Your reference to Hawick, which is very close to the towns where my direct relations lived when they left Scotland, is also more than coincidence to me. It seems that there is an identifiable common thread (yet to be concretely identified) as the connection from Roxburgshire to Bovina. For my relations to give "Bovina" as their destination on the 1851 ship's passenger list implies intention. Sure, word of mouth from countryman to countryman about possibilities in Delaware county could be the answer, but to up and leave is a huge move. Interestingly, my first relation (1842 arrival) came to Delaware county for a brief time, but he settled in Cortland county in an area that exactly looks like the hills in Roxburghsire Scotland. I do not find him in Castle Garden port lists and family lore suggests he came in from Canada. His father died in 1837, I am told, but I do not know on which side of the world. (See my reply to Jeanne Flye.) ~Valerie PS As an aside, Castle Garden Port in NY (before Ellis Island) is a place to look at passenger lists. For my relations, under "last residence", they actually listed the place where they were born. This was great for me because it confirmed other birth accounts. --- "Alan J. Downie" <adownie@hughesarchitects.com> wrote: > Thanks for the good inquiry. My Downies sailed from > Glasgow relatively late in 1854 and they came with > hopes of obtaining land, which by then was being > parceled out in what is now the Midwest. What > enabled them to come were relatives of John Downie's > first wife Elizabeth Thomson - the Scott families > already living in South Kortright and Bovina, NY. > Elizabeth died in 1862 and in 1868, John married her > cousin, Mary Ann Scott. They had one son, James > Scott Downie, my ggrandfather. In 1874 John heard > about the land rush in Iowa and moved there. The > story goes he never obtained land because once he > arrived he discovered they required American > citizenship and he utterly refused to renounce his > Scottish citizenship, or as he put it: "go back on > ole Queen Vic". He then moved to Norfolk Virginia > where he died, although I now live in Virginia and > haven't been able to confirm. John and both wives > are buried in Bovina. It is apparent the decision > to leave Scotland was not under! > taken lightly - John lost two young daughters on > the journey. > > Mary Ann Scott's line starts with her grandfather, > Robert Scott who was born in Hawick, Scotland abt. > 1769, sailed to America around 1800, and died 1838 > in Bovina. Her father had a farm in Stanford > (valued at $3,500) and belonged to the South > Kortright Presbyterian Church, so one could > speculate owning land and freedom of worship were > factors. His wife, Christina Thomson's (relative of > Elizabeth Thomson) father, Andrew was another > Scotsman who made the journey around 1800 and > settled in Bovina. So I would say that having a > safe place to stay while they got settled was an > obvious motivator for Scots who continued to arrive > in Delaware County. > > As for the similar climate, I was born and raised in > Otsego County and also spent 2 weeks once in > Scotland. The topography and vegetation is similar, > but believe it or not, upstate New York is much > sunnier than Scotland. > > Alan Downie (downies4@netzero.com) > > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

Jeannie, thanks for your reply. I had read, "Centennial History of Delaware County, New York : 1797-1897", which was very helpful. And, for my family the highland clearances are a plausible start for the idea of migrating because my family was in Fife at that time, tho' the wife was born in the Selkirk area. I have thought my ancestor may have been in the Scottish military and drafted from The Lowlands to serve in the Highlands because there were many references made to soldiers of lightfoot in the OPR where my ancestor and his siblings were born. (Jeannie, was your Raitt family born in Creich Parish, Fife? My family lived with the John Raitt family.) Many folks who have written accounts on the Delaware County Web-site and on this list-serve mention the War of 1812 as a reason to know Delaware County, return to Scotland, and return w/ families. They say they can't substantiate their claims. 'tho. And still, this doesn't explain all the references to Roxburgshire on the Delaware county Web-site. The War of 1812, makes the fathers of our ancestors arriving in Delaware county in the 1850s era a possible reason for migrating here. To all: As far as the war of 1812, is there a place or web-site to learn who from Scotland, or from where in Scotland our ancestors were drafted, served, and where they did serve in North America? ~Valerie --- JEANNIE FLYE <jflye@verizon.net> wrote: > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Valerie Brown" <vwbrown08@yahoo.com> > > To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:09 AM > > Subject: [NYDELAWA] For the Scots, why Delaware > County? > > > > > >> My ancestors came to Delaware county about 1842 > and > >> 1851 from Roxburgshire, Scotland. There are about > 33 > >> hits for "Roxburg" or "Roxburghsire" on the > Delaware > >> county web-site. Can anyone tell me what the big > >> attraction was to Delaware county, especially > Bovina, > >> over other counties in NY state that drew so many > >> people from one county in Scotland? > > Hi Valerie and All, > > There are probably as many reasons for people > settling in Delaware > County as there are families who came here. > Firstly, I think it's a good > idea to learn why they might have chosen (or were > forced) to leave Scotland. > If you go to http://www.genuki.org.uk/ you can find > out a lot about the > places where your ancestors lived. Of particular > interest are the > gazetteers of various parishes. Go to > http://heritage.scotsman.com and > click on "Timeline", and especially note info on the > Clearances, which were > responsible for so many Scots leaving their > homeland. The wealthy > landowners, who had allowed tenants to farm for > years, found it more > profitable to let sheep graze on those lands and > agriculture suffered, as > well as those farmers who owned nothing and had > nowhere to go. Some > landowners were sympathetic and provided > transportation and more for their > former tenants, such as the Earl of Selkirk who > actually founded settlements > in Canada to which displaced Scots could emigrate. > In many places notices > were placed extolling the benefits of living in the > Colonies. Many, no > doubt, followed family members who had gone before > and perhaps claimed that > the land made them think of "home". Landowners here > were also interested in > clearing the land, as well as collecting rent from > those who would lease and > work the land, or selling to those who could afford > it. Just a few ideas > for consideration.... > > Two of my ancestors came here in 1817 and > settled in Bovina. Their > widowed mother, sister and younger brother followed > later that year, after, > presumably, positive reviews from the older boys. I > have never found a date > or place of death for their father and have often > wondered if he might have > been conscripted into the militia in Scotland and > fought here in the War of > 1812? > > One of the most informative sites for Delaware > County, NY information > is.... http://www.dcnyhistory.org/ > While there check out "Books Online" and this exerpt > from "Centennial > History of Delaware County, New York : > 1797-1897"...... > > "Andes received a large contingent of Scotch > immigrants. These were not > however the first settlers, who were of Dutch > ancestry and came from the > Hudson river counties. But a large number of Scotch > families came in at > various times and settled the Cabin Hill region and > some of the valleys > towards Bovina. It was this same movement which led > many of the same > nationality to invade the rough regions of Bovina. > They had been preceded in > this movement by Elisha B. Maynard a New Englander, > who was the first > settler, in 1792. But the hardy Scotch crowded into > the lands on the > headwaters of the Little Delaware, and made the > little town, when it was > organized in 1820, almost their own. The town of > Delhi in like manner > contains many families who by ancestry are Scotch. > This is especially true > of the mountainous region rising from the Little > Delaware on the southwest. > The section is still called the Scotch mountains > from the fact that the > greater part of it was settled by Scotch families. > It will be observed that > in all these settlements of the Scotch, they have > chosen the hills and > uplands in preference to the fertile valleys. This > was partly owing to the > fact that they came into the county at a later date > when the richer lands > along the rivers had been already taken up. But, > besides this, and besides > their general poverty which led them to select cheap > lands, we must > attribute their choice of hilly lands to their > predilections founded upon > the clear mountains from which they came, and for > which they retained such > fond memories." > > Hope this helps a bit, > > Jeanne (Raitt Flye) > > > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/

Thanks for the good inquiry. My Downies sailed from Glasgow relatively late in 1854 and they came with hopes of obtaining land, which by then was being parceled out in what is now the Midwest. What enabled them to come were relatives of John Downie's first wife Elizabeth Thomson - the Scott families already living in South Kortright and Bovina, NY. Elizabeth died in 1862 and in 1868, John married her cousin, Mary Ann Scott. They had one son, James Scott Downie, my ggrandfather. In 1874 John heard about the land rush in Iowa and moved there. The story goes he never obtained land because once he arrived he discovered they required American citizenship and he utterly refused to renounce his Scottish citizenship, or as he put it: "go back on ole Queen Vic". He then moved to Norfolk Virginia where he died, although I now live in Virginia and haven't been able to confirm. John and both wives are buried in Bovina. It is apparent the decision to leave Scotland was not under! taken lightly - John lost two young daughters on the journey. Mary Ann Scott's line starts with her grandfather, Robert Scott who was born in Hawick, Scotland abt. 1769, sailed to America around 1800, and died 1838 in Bovina. Her father had a farm in Stanford (valued at $3,500) and belonged to the South Kortright Presbyterian Church, so one could speculate owning land and freedom of worship were factors. His wife, Christina Thomson's (relative of Elizabeth Thomson) father, Andrew was another Scotsman who made the journey around 1800 and settled in Bovina. So I would say that having a safe place to stay while they got settled was an obvious motivator for Scots who continued to arrive in Delaware County. As for the similar climate, I was born and raised in Otsego County and also spent 2 weeks once in Scotland. The topography and vegetation is similar, but believe it or not, upstate New York is much sunnier than Scotland. Alan Downie (downies4@netzero.com)

> Pat, > > Thank you so much for your insights; my 5th gr.grandfather was Rev. > William Johnston--the antithesis of Sir William Johnson. > > Interestingly enough, his wife's maiden name was Cummins/Cummings--but I > see no connection (unless the one you mentioned was a brother/cousin). > > My Johnston came from the Dublin area of Ireland (I think!), immigrated > into the Port of Boston, migrated (later) to NH, and finally to Delaware > County (Sidney, to be exact). > > He was a Presbyterian minister, and found a lot of difficulty in Mass. & > NJ--was probably much more popular in Upstate NY. > > Judy Stromsted