At 10:53 PM 07/27/2000 -0400, you wrote: >Hi Darrel A. Martin.... >Thanks for the info. about the correct term for people from Scotland. >(grin)......... I'm wondering if that town, Cavendish was a place where >men joined the CW. I think Rockingham is the place the reunion of CW >veterans took place and not a home town. That is interesting that Caledonia >is an ancient name for Scotland..... I've been reading about "Scotch >American Company" in the book: "History of Ryegate Vermont >1774-1912".....by Miller and Wells. >We feel our Ellis' came over abt. 1840's. There may be a connection to Ayr, >but my father say's they were Highlanders, dairy farmers and very tall. I >know that describes lots of people, but.......oh, I'm pulling out >straws........! I've only been into genealogy for a bit over a year and am >lucky to have patience. Have found much more than we expected already. >Thank you for your help... >Gloria Jean Ellis Hi, Gloria: When I think too much about terms for Scotlanders, I get an urge to indulge in a bottle of Scottish <big grin>. The Scotch-American Company that settled Ryegate, and of which several of my ancestors were members, was formed by Lowlanders from around Glasgow. The cultural differences between them and the Highlanders in the 1700's were huge, bigger than those between a Mississippian and a Vermonter even if both of the latter are of "old rural stock" and don't watch television. Highlanders were more closely tied ethnically to Scandinavia, spoke Gaelic for the most part, and were by and large Catholics; Lowlanders were more closely tied to England, spoke English or the closely related Scots Dialect, and were by and large Presbyterian Protestants. To get some flavor, compare to Serbs and Croats but throw in a language barrier to make it worse. (Serbs and Croats can understand each other, although they often don't act like they are from the same species). Ayrshire was known for dairy farming at least by the 19th century (Encycl. Britt. 1967 ed. vol. 20 "Scotland" pg. 55) so that part of the family tradition is at least plausible. However, it is certainly not Highland country, being in the southwest part of Scotland. Darrell Darrell A. Martin no longer proud to have been a Vermonter but still proud of my Vermont roots currently in exile in Addison, Illinois [email protected]