June 2004 Edition

Presidents message: Tartan day festival 2004 was once again a lot Dear kith and Kin of fun. Clan Muirhead was once again

represented by our VP and myself. Turn out

It is with great sadness that must inform the was a wee light but all who attended had a

Clan that Dr. James Muirhead Gould good time. This year as last, Clan Muirhead

Distinguished Founding Member and Council Represented Clan Hunter and The Tartans

Elder of the Muirhead Clan Society past away Authority at our table. We were able to help this quarter. He will be greatly missed in our several members of the general public find council. information on their families as well as share

Tartan information with them. Our next

Sandy, his wife, asked if she could continue in events for this year are as follows: his place on council until the next elections and

I have so appointed her to that position. 26 June 10,

Tacoma Highland Games Our hearts and prayers are with the Gould Frontier Park 217th & Meridian East family at this sorrowful time. A card and Graham, Washington letter of condolences was sent to the Gould Contact Information: Brian Nelson (253) family by myself on behalf of the Clan. I have 761-1397 also asked our Clan piper to Pipe, Flowers of 720 S Proctor Street Tacoma WA 98405 the Forest, Amazing Grace and Farwell to

Muirhead’s. in James memory. Email: [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.tacomagames.org/

James will now join our other members in

Honored Memoriam. 30, 31 & August 1

"They Are Not Gone From Us, Those Who Are Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games

Remembered" AUXILIO DEI & Clan Gathering

King County Fairgrounds 45224 – 284th Avenue SE Enumclaw, WA Contact Information: (206) 522-2541 . PO Box 75685 Seattle, WA 98175-0685 Email: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.sshga.org/

In Memoriam…

Dr. James S. Muirhead-Gould, 69 of Canton, Ohio passed away quietly on Sunday, May 9, 2004. Born on March 5, 1935 in Berlin, Germany, he was the son of the late Gerard and Grace (Riseley) Muirhead-Gould. He grew up in Surrey, England and later moved to Montreal. He received his B.S. Degree at McGill University and his Ph D. at the University of Ottawa. He taught chemistry and physics at Walsh University for 29 years. He will be remembered as a brilliant man with a gentle spirit who cherished his wife and children and who loved nature. As a passionate educator, he was highly dedicated to his students.

As a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church for 25 years, James was a lector and served on the Liturgy Committee. He is survived by his wife, Sandra of the home, his son John Steuart of Columbus, his daughter Sara Elizabeth of In Memoriam… Columbus, brother and sister-in-law, Andrew and Barbara Muirhead-Gould of Toronto, Ontario, Regret to inform the membership of the nephew and niece, Stephen Muirhead-Gould death of Mr Gavin Vernon, of West and Jennifer Warren, father-in-law and mother- , British Columbia, . in-law, Paul and Joyce Theken of Canton, brother-in law, Mark Theken of Canton, brother- You may recall that in the last edition of the in-law and sister-in-law, Paul Andrew and Beki 'Dair Roun', I reported that I'd visited with Theken of Canton and nephew and niece, Gavin during the Golden Wedding Andrew and Averel Theken. anniversary celebration of my sister, Betty, and her husband, Andrew Whitelaw, in late Any addressee wishing to make a contribution is February of this year. asked to contact Raymond L. Morehead, president of the Muirhead Clan Society so that Mr Vernon fell ill a few days later and the Muirhead Clan Society can make a single succumbed in March; he was in his late contribution to the fund. sev enties. 6522 194th Avenue E, Gavin was one of the four Scottish students Bonney Lake, Washington, 98390 who, on Christmas Eve, 1950, slipped into [Tel: 253 863 0640] or by e-mail to him at Westminster Abbey and removed the Stone [email protected]. of Destiny from beneath the coronation throne and took it back to whence it James was "a good and kind person "according had been seized by Edward I, the 'Hammer to his friend, Mike Stewart, who passed the of the Scots' in 1296. information regarding James's untimely death. James's ancestry was in a direct line back to Sir Andy, a lay minister at the Presbyterian William Muirhead, the first Laird of Lauchope. Church of West Vancouver, conducted the memorial service for his friend and and James's funeral in Canton was very well done fellow native Scotsman. but sad, with several hundred of his colleagues, relatives and neighbors attending the mass. -Clan Elder David Grossett

-From submissions by Clan Elder David Grossett and Member Sandra Muirhead-Gould Clan Elder, David Grossett Lord Murray reluctantly agreed that the rebel forces should return to Scotland and regroup; Came across this miniature of John Grosett they were subsequently annihilated during, and Muirhead Esq. by Henry Spicer, c 1790 - for after, the Battle of Culloden Muir in 1746. sale for £3000 by Portrait Miniatures, P.O. Box 14, Bourton-on-the Water, Cheltenham GL54 Interestingly, directly opposing Bonnie Prince 2YR Phone: 044 [0]1451 810684 Charlie's army in that battle, serving as an aide to the Earl of Ancram that day, was John Grosett He married, by contract, Lady Jane Murray, Muirhead's uncle, Captain Alexander Grosett, of daughter of the 35d Duke and Duchess of Logie, and a member of the 14th Regiment of Atholl. His father was James Grosett, 3rd son Foot - now known as the Prince of Wales's Own. of Archibald Grosett and Euphemia Muirhead. He was reputedly slain by a captured rebel I've asked them to send a copy of a history that whose 'life he had spared'. goes with the enamel. The poor captain's pistol fell from its holster while Might be an item to put in the 'Dair Roun' he was mounted on his charger. The rebel ingrate, instead of returning the pistol, which had fell at his feet, killed the captain with a shot to the chest. There is an engraving called "Rebell Gratitude" which portrays the event. It was drawn by the government of the day - in 1747, in an effort to lay the blame for the slaughter on the ingrate rebel and not on the Duke of Cumberland's order to brutally crush the Jacobites.

Another, more believable account, states that it was on the day after the battle, that the captain was riding around the battlefield and encountered a subaltern with a detail of men. Grosett asked the young officer what his duties were and was informed that they were bayonetting any rebel that they found alive. The captain, noting a slight movement from one From the email David sent: of the apparently dead rebels, ordered the lieutenant to have the rebel bayonetted. Was delighted to find your web site with a The rebel, sensing that the jig was up, pulled a photograph of an enamel of John Grosett pistol from under his plaid and slew the captain. Muirhead, Esq. c. 1790., as he figures fairly Captain Grosett was one of only two officers in prominently in the history of the Scottish family the Hanoverian forces at the battle to die. The of the Muirheads of Lauchope and Bredisholm, other was a younger brother of the Earl of in Lanarkshire. Ancram, whose descendant serves today as the shadow foreign minister in the British The Muirheads are one of the most ancient Government. Scottish families. Incidentally, it turned out that he was a "dirty old John was a laird of the Bredisholm estate and man" who was sentenced for attempting to was married, by contract, to Lady Jane subvert the morals of young lads in , all Murray, a daughter of the 3rd Duke and the while holding the office as a Chairman of a Duchess of Atholl. Her grandfather, Lord Committee for the Suppression of Vice at .St George Murray, served as Prince Charles Martin's-in-the-Field. Eduard Stuart's military commander who led the Jacobites on their march on London in He lived in Hanover Square much of the time. 1745. He served a prison sentence and was then re- arrested in Dover on a simliar charge and fled to Failing to attract support in England in their Paris, France, to escape another trial and prison attempt to return King James II , the Young sentence and died there in 1736. Pretender's father, to the British throne, Represent the Clan It's the convener's responsibility to see that the clan is represented during Clan activities A convener represents the clan at a Scottish or such as the Clan Parade. Most of the time, Celtic festival. They schedule participation of the this can be as simple as setting a time for Clan with the sponsors of the event, coordinate everyone to meet before the scheduled attendance at the event with other members of activity. At times, it may require finding a the Clan and oversee Clan participation during volunteer participant for specific events (such the event. As a Convener you are the official as an entry in the parade of Clans). These extension of the Clan Society at and for a events are a great opportunity to get the specific event and/or festival, promoting family and all kith and kin involved. At the membership as well as a contact and source to end of the event The Convener will prepare a help educate the public about our great Scottish small report with photos if you have them and Irish heritage. and submit them to the President and Council so that they be added to the Clan Summer is the busiest time for Scottish Games, newsletter about your event. and the clan needs representatives. Become a Convener for your local Games and Scottish The Total Cost of the Kit is paid by the festivals. Society but must be returned to the Society via Insured mail. If lost or otherwise not The clan now has a Convener Kit to help. This returned It will be the Conveners’ kit will be mailed out to the Conveners as needed responsibility to replace or repay the Society. and it will be their responsibility to care for it and it prompt return after their event. Please request the Kit at LEAST 2 Weeks before you need it.

It includes: Please give me advance notice of your event that I can put it on our calendar and notify 1. Custom Made Tartan Parade Banner members in your area. 2. Custom Made Tent Banner 3. Custom Made Clan Flag 4. 3-Tartan Display Cards 5. 2-History and Arms of Muirhead/Morehead 6. Muirhead Clan Society Celtic Knotted Thistle display card Clan Muirhead Conveners 7. Map of Scotland Display Card 8. MCS Clan Badge, Kilt Pin, Lapel Pin and Council Elder and Convener Bob, Ohio Sticker display Scottish Games June 26 at the Lorain 9. Affiliate Memberships Display Card County Fairgrounds in Wellington. 10. Membership Application form (Master needed to print copies) handouts Conveners David W. Morehead and Co- 11. MCS Badge Note Card (Master needed to Conveners Charles and Laura Smith, print copies, Conveners use) tentative for the Stone Mountain Games. 12. MCS New Member/Info. Card (Master needed to print copies) handouts Conveners Laura Muirhead Matthew and 13. MCS Info. Handout (Master needed to print Lawrence Matthew, tentative for the Arizona copies) handouts area.

The convener also needs to notify local Connie and Arnold Frandson of Chadron NE, membership of the events they will be attending. tentative for the 41th Annual Colorado Ideally, this is to insure sufficient members of the Scottish Festival & Rocky Mountain Highland Clan attend so that everyone - including the Games Aug.2004. Last year they and their convener - may have some time as a spectator. other 17 family members received best Clan in the Parade of Clans.

The Scottish Tartans Museum new home of a very unique piece of

Scotland's clothing history

Thanks to a generous donation from his descendants, a kilt outfit worn by William Muirhead, born in , Scotland in 1835, is now on display in the Scottish Tartans Museum.

Muirhead migrated to the United States in 1854, at the age of 19. According to family tradition, he brought his kilt with him, a reminder of his homeland. To his family, this outfit is a treasured heirloom. To Scottish clothing historians, it is a rare and treasured find. One of the more unique styles of tailoring a kilt in the nineteenth century was called "Kinguisse pleating." In this case, the center pleat on the kilt is a box pleat, with knife pleats to either side going in opposite direction.

This style of pleating got its name from the town of Kinguisse, Scotland, where until now the only kilt known to be pleated this way was on display. The Muirhead kilt is only the second kilt found to be pleated in this fashion, making it very From the Clan Keeper of the Database important to Highland dress historians.

Museum curator, Matthew Newsome, who received the donation from William Muirhead's WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? descendant, Frances Swanson, last October, is delighted to have the new display. "Being a Many of you have asked what you can do to museum of Highland clothing located on the help with the Clan. Here is other side of the Atlantic from Scotland, of course something that anyone could do.... we have to rely quite a bit on reproduction pieces to show the story of the development of the kilt. When researching your line and you come But we are very lucky to have so many authentic across information with its documented source, kilts dating from the past 200 years such as Bible records, birth certificates, marriage licenses, etc., send the information to "We already had two kilts on display from about the keeper of the database to be entered into the year 1800. Only a dozen or so kilts of that the Clan database, even if it does not fit with age are known to survive, and that's world wide. your line. Many connections have been made Then this past year we were blessed with two with what starts as just bits and pieces. more full outfits from the late nineteenth century. And now to have this Muirhead kilt, we are able Family stories, histories and photos add lots of to show our visitors the complete story of the interest to the database. All is welcome. Don't tailored kilt's evolution, from its origins to the forget to update your lines if you need. present day, with authentic examples." email to [email protected] The Muirhead outfit is on display now, and of snail mail: Susan Shaw course will be one of the "don't miss" exhibits P.O. Box 5126 during our Taste of Scotland festival. Lacey, WA 98509-5126

-From Scottish Tartan Museum Newsletter http://www.scottishtartans.org -Susan Shaw, Keeper of the Database

Coming Events From the Clan

Keeper of the Database 26 June 10, Tacoma Highland Games Frontier Park 217th & Meridian East When I started with the clan in 1999, the total Graham, Washington number of individuals in the database was Contact Information: Brian Nelson (253) 761- 2000! We have now surpassed 50,000! If only 1397 the names of the individuals were printed out in 720 S Proctor Street Tacoma WA 98405 book form, it would create a book of over 2000 Email: [email protected] pages! I am sure thankful for computers and Web Site: http://www.tacomagames.org/ admire all the family historians for there dedication and patience in their research.

July 30, 31 & August 1 With this large of a file, it has become a bit Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games & more challenging to locate individuals with the Clan Gathering many variations in the spelling of King County Fairgrounds Muirhead/Morehead and so many James, 45224 – 284th Avenue SE Enumclaw, Johns and Williams! It is a definite work in Washington progress. There is always more information Contact Information: (206) 522-2541 and documentation to be added to the existing PO Box 75685 Seattle, WA 98175-0685 family trees. Please don't hesitate to send Email: [email protected] changes or comments. Web Site: http://www.sshga.org/ I want to thank all who have donated their research to the database and continue to send August 7-8 in their updates and documentation. This has Clan Hunter and Clan Muirhead Gathering enabled us to help several with their quest in Hunterston Castle, Scotland locating their ancestors. With your continuing POC Raymond L. Morehead Esq. FSA Scot. support the database will keep expanding. If I Contact information 253-219-8736 can do anything to assist you in your own 6522 194th Ave E. quest, please don't hesitate to contact me. Bonney Lake, WA. 98390-8835 [email protected] Website: www.clanmuirhead.com Email: [email protected] May you all have a happy, healthy and prosperous summer!

-Susan Shaw, Keeper of the Clan Database

In a message from The Hunter Chief, Madam Pauline Hunter of Hunterston & of that Ilk wrote that they have had to scale back the Gathering at Hunterston to two days August 7th and 8th. This change was due in great part to the economic difficulties of both clans. However Madam Pauline and her Council have decided to make their gathering a two day annual event, rather than three days every three years. This will not only make the gathering less expensive, it will for those who are unable to attend this year make it possible for them to possibly attend next year. As your representative I and several other members will attend this Gathering in August. There is still time should you wish to attend this historical gathering. It has been nearly 500 years since the battle of Floddon Field in 1513 that Clan Hunter and Clan Muirhead along with others gathered together in Scotland. If you would like more information, please contact me.

I have placed our clan Add in the Highlander magazine as well as the Celtic Heritage magazine, this do in great part to attempt to increase awareness of our clan and increase our lagging membership.

-Ray mond L. Morehead Esq. FSA Scot; President/Chief Elect

Scottish radical roots of a Reagan’s Paisley connections were

canny global player unearthed by Renfrew District Council’s historians around the time of his visit as president to England and Ireland in 1984.

IN 1991, Ronald Reagan returned to his Peggie Downie’s father, David Downie, also Scottish roots to visit the church where a radical weaver, was found guilty of sedition two of his ancestors married early in the in 1794 for conspiring to raise an armed last century. rebellion.

Wearing a tartan jacket, Reagan, then He was sentenced to be hanged and 80, and his wife Nancy took part in a disembowelled, but this was commuted to service at Castlehead church in Paisley, transportation after a local outcry. where, with other worshippers, they sang Amazing Grace. Later in his visit, Reagan was welcomed into the international whisky fraternity at Blair Reagan’s ancestors Claud Wilson, a Castle in Perthshire when he was made a weaver and radical, and Peggy Downie, Keeper of the Quaich, a member of the 200- his housemaid bride, were married in the member body which exists to promote the church in 1807. Scotch whisky industry.

The Reagans were greeted by the Quite what Reagan had done to deserve the church’s minister, the Rev Gordon honour was unclear but, according to a Kirkwood, who told them: "We public relations official, his fourth cousin was understand, Sir, that one of your family a "famous moonshiner from Wester Kintyre". members from generations past himself worshipped in this very church and thus we feel greatly honoured at your - ANDREW DENHOLM presence with us." http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1167&id=6455 42004 Afterwards, the Reagans were presented with a picture of the church painted by a Thanks, David Grossett,, for sending us the link! local housewife, Margaret Barrie.

"He seemed quite delighted and said it Letter Of Appreciation from the would have a place of great honour," Mrs “St Andrews Foundation” Barrie said.

In a letter received from the St. Andrews Mr Kirkwood said that the Reagans were Foundation of NY, President J. Michael Kelly "very gracious", apologising for their late sends his thanks and appreciation to The arrival due to traffic problems and telling Muirhead Clan Society for a donation of him they would normally have been $250.00 made by Jeremy L. Wright NY, Clan worshipping in their local Convener where he donated in our name.

This Foundation’s goals are to create a Presbyterian church in Bel Air at that National Scottish Cultural Center, school and time. performance center for piping and dance as

well as a venue for Highland games that was Mr Kirkwood added: "We were able to enriched by Mr. Wrights gift in our name. show him a burial record. He wanted to I on behalf of the Muirhead Clan Society I know if any of his ancestors were buried wish to thank Jeremy Wright for his generous in the church graveyard. We said it was gift made in our name. very likely, but unfortunately because the stones are very worn it is not possible to Thanks Jeremy aye! say where."

http://www.standrewsfoundation.org/