Blues of Killean & Kilchenzie

[JOEMAC]

I am descended from DONALD BLUE born about 1748 in Killean & Kilchenzie.He married GRACE/GIRSEL McALISTER,born about 1753 Killean & Kilchenzie.I am trying to establish a connection with him to -
DONALD BLUE b 18 January 1799 in Killean & Kilchenzie [i think ?]
He was the son of DONALD BLUE [b.abt. 1764] and SARAH McCALLUM [b. abt. 1770] They married on 24 July 1785[presumably all of these events occured in the Killean & Kilchenzie atrea but i am no tsure]
He married CATHERINE McFARLAIN,born 10 Jan. 1801 in Paisley .They emigrated to Canada and had one child that i know of,JANE BLUE born 1824 in Canada.
I would like to find out if these two BLUE`s are related and if so how are they related.
Any assistance with this would be very much appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Joe McMillan,
South Australia [formerly of Dumbarton]

[Shona]

Checked out my trusty Duke of Argyll Census for 1792.

Laigh Auchaloskin

Donald Blue, 40
Girsel McAlister, 39
Charles McAlister, 24
Donald Blue, 20
Mary Blue, 20
Angus Blue, 17
Girsel Blue, 10
Marrion Blue, 8
Dugald Blue, 5
Malcolm Blue, 3

Also:

Girsel Christopher, 70

Andrew Beith, 50
Mary Blue, 48
Marian Beith, 21
John Beith, 12

Drummamucklach and Braid
Angus Blue, 70
Christian Turner, 64
Barbra Blue, 18
John Blue, 16
Mary Blue, 12

[JOEMAC]

Hi Shona,thank`s for that.It certainly lists my line of BLUE`s i wonder how i can establish a link withthe other line of Blue`s i listed in my request.Hopefully someone can assist.The Christian names all seem to be the same which makes me think that they are most probably related but how??
Thank`s again,
Joe McMillan,
South Australia [formerly Dumbarton]

[Shona]

Ths is from an edition of the Kintyre Magazine from 1988. You may hve seen it already, but I feel it makes interesting reading nonetheless.

Shona


The Blues of North Kintyre
Ian MacDonald


A letter to our editor from Mr. John Blue of Plano, Texas, asking for confirmation that the family originally McGORME or McGURMEN had originated in Knapdale before spreading to Kintyre and the nearby islands, was sent to me and the subsequent research on the families produced some interesting details on the families in Kintyre and Knapdale.

The old Gaelic surname for Blue was found to vary from being written as McGURMEN, McGURMAN, McGURMAINE, depending on the locality. The earliest traces, however, were found in North Kintyre in the parish of Kilcalmonell and later in Killean parish to the south, before several listed as rebels in the 1685 rising by the Earl of Argyll were located in the Tayvallish peninsula of North Knapdale. The remainder both in Knapdale and Kintyre remained loyal and are all listed as fensible men of various parishes in 1692.

The family were renowned meal millers and operated the mills at Ballochroy, Tayinloan (Largie), Killean, Glachaig, Glenbarr and Kylipole (Calliburn) during the 18th and 19th centuries. Several were weavers, shoemakers and farmers in various parts of Kintyre. Later generations became shoemakers, slaters and builders in Campbeltown, whilst others left their native shores to settle in America and Canada. The earliest member traced was Malcolm Blue, a tenant at Kilhammag in Kilcalmonell Parish, Barony of Knapdale in 1627.

On 26 February 1627 John MacDonald, heritable proprietor of the 8 merklands of KILCHAMAG, GARNAGRENOCK and MUCKROY issued a Precept of Warning to the four pretended tenants of his lands in Knapdale. It was written in Edinburgh, signed by himself and witnessed by Charles McAlester and John McKay. The warning was sent to Adam McKay, sheriff in Kintyre to execute. It ordered Malcolm MoIlgorme and the other three pretended tenants to flit, remove with their spouses, bairns and stock, etc. before Whitsunday 1627.

The warning was to be made at the next preaching of God's word or prayers in the parish church of Kilcalmonell allowing 40 days for the completion and compliance. No further details were found until 1685 when Donald, Donald jun., Iver and John (Blue) McGurman living on the island of Gigha took the oath of allegiance on 10th Sept. 1685 at Campbeltown together with a number of others from the Glen Barr area of Kintyre who had fled to the island for safety. By then Angus and Dugald McIlguirme were located on the farms of Ducheran and Barmollach in Saddell, then part of Killean Parish whilst Duncan McIlguirme was farmer at Amod, also nearby in Barr Glen.

When emigration from Kintyre, due to high rents and oppresion, commenced about 1730 Malcolm Blue, his spouce More (Sara) Smith, and their three young sons left, it is believed with the Neil McNeill batch of colonisers about 1746/47. Their three sons were Daniel, Duncan and John and five more children were born near Campbelltown (Fayetteville). Subsequently several other members of the family also emigrated to the Cape Fear area the main port of arrival being Wilmington, North Carolina. On 2nd September 1748 the Presbyterian Community in Bladen Country petitioned the Synod of Argyll to send them out a minister. Malcolm Blue was one of the signatories of the original which is preserved in the Archives of Inverary Castle. His son John 1745-1781 was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. He married Mary McKay and their eldest son John married Effie Gilchrist, the only daughter of John Gilchrist and Flora Currie. The Gilchrist family farmed at North Loch Kiarran near the village of Clachan before emigrating in 1771 to North Carolina. Their grandson, Rear Admiral Victor Blue, was accorded every possible military honour when he died in 1928. In an illustrious career in the Navy he was decorated many times and served in the North Sea Fleet, being commander of U.S.S. Texas in World War I.

After the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 and the onset of less troubled times the most of the Blue families located in the Largieside area of Kintyre. The oldest grave stones known to the writer are in Killean churchyard around the church which fell to the ground in 1770. The old burial vault still stands and houses the MacDonalds of Largie ancestors, direct descendants of the Lords of the Isles. The first stone erected is in memory of DUGULD BLEU, late miller at Largie Mill, who died 5 July 1792 aged 58 years. Next to it stands a stone erected by Grace MacAlister in memory of her husband, DANIEL BLUE late miller and tacksman of Killean who died A.D. 1815 aged 65 years.

As early as 1661 land owners were ordering the destruction of the old quern stones used for grinding meal (A pair of stone tools for hand grinding a wide variety of materials. The lower, stationary, stone is called a quern, whilst the upper, mobile, stone is called a handstone.-- from Wikipedia.com) in order to subjugate unruly elements and the old meal mill at Killean can be traced back to early in 1700. Before being given a lease by the Duke of Argyll in 1757 Donald Mc Vourich had to produce a Certificate of Allegiance. The minister of Killean, the Rev. Robert Thomson, was security for him and a condition imposed on the miller read "He shall not on any pretense whatsoever give any disturbance in religious matters in Kintyre in opposition to the Established Church or contribute to the support of any other minister or preacher but only as such as shall be duly ordained or licensed according to law." This of 19 years was followed by a similar one to Donald McGeachy and Archibald McCallum, the millers until 1789. In that year Donald Blue sent a petition, signed by himself and backed by some twenty farmers on Crubisdale and Killean estates, to the Duke asking for permission to build a new mill. This was granted at once.

The old mill built on to the rock face was continually dripping water which left the earthen floor permanently wet thus ruining both the grain and the finished products stored. He proposed to build a new mill with new machinery at a cost of £100 sterling. A New dam and lade were constructed and grinding stones cut in the hills above Killean where one still lies.

After his successful building of the new mill Donald and his son Donald Jun. obtained the tenancy of Kylipol (Calliburn) Mill near Campbeltown from the Duke of Argyll. This was taken on a 19 year lease at rental of £42 and 20 bolls meal in 1809. The restrictions imposed on previous millers were not found to apply except that "No grain to be distilled or spirits retailed without written authority of the Duke of Argyll." It is probable that John Blue and Mary Hyndman, his spouse and three children William, Barbara and Janet who were residing at the adjacent from of Drumgarve in 1792 were also relatives.

After the death of his father in 1815, Donald Blue gave up the tenancy of Kylipole Mill and returned to Clachaig mill, near Muasdale. The 1851 census return shows Malcolm Blue (64) and his son Charles (24) as miller and assistant miller at Killean. During excavation work at Killean in 1984, both mill stones were uncovered and one now stands at the entrance to Killean House.

The two noted weavers in the Killean area were Dugald and Angus who both lived at nearby Achloiskin. Angus died in 1810 at an early age, leaving a widow, Grisel McKinnon and six children. An old record of his accounts was found to include indigo, soap, tea, sugar, and metal and horn buttons.

Many members from these families emigrated to Canada and settled in Elderslie Township, Ontario where several are interred in the old St. Andrew's Cemetery.

In Kilcalmonell Parish, the Blue families were in several locations near the villages of Clachan and Whitehouse. An Act of Parliament passed on 19th July 1797 required all men between the ages of 18-24 to register for military service. The only member registered in that age group was John Blue, residing at Loch Kiarran and described as 'labourer-at-home'..

The marriage of Daniel Blue and Catherine MacFarlane, both residing at Duppine, was recorded on 26th December 1818 in the old parish records. Their daughter, Jane Blue, married a Wilson, the family later emigrated first to Canada and later to America. A notable descendant is President Ronald Wilson Reagan of the United States of America.

In the 1841 census of Kilcalmonell Parish, Donald Blue (75) widower, was miller at Ballochroy Mill which served the adjacent large township of Kilmichael. Near to him was Nancy McGeachy (60) and her family who had removed from Tayinloan Mill after the death of her husband, also named Donald Blue.

When large scale clearances of the area occurred between 1844-1852 many emigrated to Ontario, Canada.

The last man to produce illicit whisky in the area was the, celebrated Johnnie Blue, who died in 1895 aged 88.

The late Mr. William McGougan, head shepherd on Largie Estate, knew the site of the old still on a small stream running into Loch A'Vogart and this has been photographed. The two brands of whisky produced by Johnnie Blue were "Daylight", declared to the Revenue and "Moonlight" double strength retained for local needs. They became famous - known the world over when it was discovered he was a fourth cousin of President Regan.

Little is recorded about female members of the family, but in 1806 a petition was sent to Saddell Parish Kirk Session by Donald Shaw, tacksman of Knockanrioch, anent Mary Blue, cottager there. In 1806, the Session duly constituted, Donald Shaw, tacksman of Knockanrioch, appeared before the session. He complained of having received abusive language from Mary Blue, cottager at Knockanrioch. Her immodest expressions were highly indecent. She called him a Buggar, the son of a bitch and like a profane prophetess sealed his doom by assuring him the gates of Hell would not be shut until he was fairly in!

The Session ordered their Church Officer, Mr. John McPhee, to summon the fore-mentioned Mary Blue with instructions to appear at the next diet of Session. The Session closed with prayer. No doubt she had good reason for her action. John Blue was the last of the family farming in Kintyre. He was tenant of the large sheep farm of Ducheran, situated in Carradale Glen. This farm has now gone over to afforestation. He may have been a descendant of the family first found there in 1692.

Research on the Gigha branch of the family showed Malcolm Blue to be miller at Ardelay in 1795. In 1827, Ardelay was occupied by Elizabeth Galbraith, a widow of 64 years. She engaged Donald Blue from Killean as miller. In an old record, he gave his age as 40 years at that time. He subsequently married Barbra Smith, daughter of a nearby farmer. In 1847 his mother died at Ardelay aged 84 years to be followed by himself shortly afterwards. His wife died early in 1849, but it is probable they had a family as a Donald Blue signed the call to a Mr. Duncan Black to come as parish minister after the death of the Rev. Dr. James Curdie. The old document was dated 24 December 1868.

The gravestone for Dugald Bleu in Killean has a carved millwheel on the rear face and below the detail of his death, a verse which runs as follows:

"Weep not my wife and children dear,
I am not dead but sleepeth here.
My debt is paid in full you see
Therefore prepare to follow me."

The writer trusts this short account shows how the changing times in Scotland affected many people unable to support large families on small crofts and farms. Many emigrated to America and later to Australia and New Zealand. The original of Donald Blue's petition to the Duke of Argyll, preserved in Kintyre Presbytery papers perhaps sums it up:

"Unto His Grace the Duke of Argyll: The memorial of Donald Blue, Tacksman of Laich Auchlaoskin, Kintyre: Most humbly Sheweth That the memorist did himself the honour of petitioning Mr. Ferrier last year upon the subject of the minister's gleeb. He means the gleeb in Laich Auchlaoskin being in the memorialist's possession. This gleeb being now in your Grace's gift the minister having got a new gleeb cut for him. The memorialist stated the grievances that would reasonably be to him or any other possessor of the farm that any other person should have the gleeb and begging the preference of the gleeb upon equal terms:

1st: The minister sett the gleeb to a person and that person sett it to many small cottars who built as many small huts, houses they cannot be called. These small cottars getting a cow's grass from the tenants round about them they keep so many cows that in fact how soon the corn is gathered off the ground these cattle falls back upon the memorialist's possession and eats up all the foggage and even roots out the grass. This the memoralist must submit to or be in hot watter all the year tho the memorialist has as great reason to keep his grass in winter as well as, in summer, but this can never be effected while so many cottars huts is upon the gleeb. When the memoralist first possessed the farm the gleeb was set at three pounds per annum, but is now rised to Nine pounds. This rise is owing to in part to the cattle of the cottars lying all winter and spring upon the memorialist's possession and in part to the rest of lands.

May it please your Grace to take this into consideration and seeing the said gleeb is in the middle of the memorialist's possession to give him him the preference to it upon equal terms, or should your Grace be pleased to refuse this petition and give it to any other person to restrict the same to one house, barn and stable upon the premises. And should the memoralist be preferred he mean to pull down all the useless huts upon it and convert their stance to arable land.

Donald Blue.

At the time of this petition one hundred and ninety one people resided on and made a living on the old lands of Auchaloiskin and Drumnamucklach. The population almost two hundred years later is less than twenty.

[JOEMAC]

Hi Shona,
Thank`s again for your interest in my Blue family research.I already have a copy of that extract and like you say,it is very interesting reading.My family members are mentioned in it as millers and probably illicit whisky distillers also.
Still doesn`t get me any closer to a relationship between the two Blue families but hopefully someone will come up with a clue.My great grandmother was Grace/Girsel Blue who married my great grandfather John McMillan in Campbeltown.
Thank you again.
Kindest regards,
Joe McMillan,
South Australia [formerly of Dumbarton]

[Shona]

I'm still lookiing for the connection. There must be one - it would be unusual for a Kintyre family with the same name not to be linked. I posted the info so that it coulc be picked up be search engines and perhaps draw someone to the forum who has the key to this puzzle.

[JOEMAC]

Hi again Shona,I really appreciate your efforts on my behalf and hopefully someone will come up with the goods,i just want to know how the two families could be connected.
Cheers,
Joe McMillan
South Australia.

[Shona]

You mentioned illicit whisky - here are the mentions of the Blue family in my database:

Malcolm Blue, Clachaig
Eight bags of malt found at his mill. Claimed he didn’t know who owned them. Implicated John McGeachy, James and Duncan McIllchattan, Archibald McLachlan, Malcolm Millloy for the subsequent theft of the malt (1829).

Archibald McLachlan senior, Gaigan
In 1829, charged with the theft of malt which excise men had secured at Killean Manse after it had been found at Malcolm Blue’s mill at Clachaig. McLachlan, who spoke Gaelic, explained – via a translator – that he was a cottar to John Beaton at Gaigan and was in bed at the time of the incident. He was charged, found guilty at Inverary and sentenced to six months in jail.

Dugald Blue, Ballochroy
Isle of Gigha cottars testified that a distillery of 10 tuns containing 30 gallons of 'low wines' and 120 gallons of 'wash' belonged to Dugald Blue and John Gillies of Ballochroy on the mainland. Excisemen destroyed the stills (1852).

Johnny Blue, Ballochroy
One of the last illicit distillers – his still was located near Loch a’Vogart, near the old township of Kilmichael. He had two brands – Moonlight and Daylight. Johnny Blue died at the age of 88 in 1895.

John McKinlay, Ballochroy
A cooper who supplied casks to illicit distiller, Johnny Blue.

[JOEMAC]

Hi again Shona,
the Malcolm Blue mentioned in the e-mail is an ancestor of mine on my father`s side.He was a miller and was involved with the illicit whisky trade.
Dugald Blue,Ballochroy,not too sure about him at this stage,there are a few Dugald Blue`s in my family but i don`t have a lot of info on them as yet.I am working on it,trying to establish just who belongs to whom.It is very frustrating when you get a lot of people with the same surname born around the same time in the same area but i am gradually building up a database of info on them.
Thank`s again for your continued interest in my quest to try and link the two Blue families.I think it will be a futile task but i can only try.
Kindest regards,
Joe McMillan,
South Australia.

[JOEMAC]

To return to my original request regarding the Blue family of Killean & Kilchenzie.I have discovered that John Blue who died in 1895 [B.abt 1807] was the son of Neil Blue & Mary McKechnie.
Was Neil Blue related in any way to Donald/Dugald Blue b. abt. 1748 Killean & Kilchenzie.
Any help to establish a connection would be much appreciated.
Joe McMillan,
South Australia.