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Forfar Family News
- New Year's Eve 2022
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A newsletter for descendants & relatives of
Sgr. David & Jean (Dalgity) Scott
who married at Forfar, Scotland in 1795, and were
stationed
in Halifax, Nova Scotia with the
Royal Artillery in 1801.
The warmest of holiday greetings to
everyone from Prince Edward Island! We hope that
everyone is finding safe ways to connect with family
near and far. This newsletter is an effort to share
information about family - 10 generations - from David
& Jean Scott to the youngest of their descendants.
With the year 2022 included Christmas has been celebrated
222 times since their arrival in Canada. It was a 2nd Christmas for our youngest
grandchild, Sophie Gallant as we gathered for dinner and
an annual Christmas photograph. Our
sincere wishes for a Happy New Year to all!100th Birthday Celebration
We were pleased to accept an invitation to join family in the celebration of the 100th birthday of Nettie (Little) Poorman, this September in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. A wonderful occasion with four generations in attenance, it was great to meet cousins that I had connected with by email, letters and phone - but not in person before. Saved letters written to my father by Nettie's mother Dorothy Mae (Scott) Little (1889-1961) in the 1950s, allowed us to first connect through references to graduations of grandchildren. A letter I sent to the alumni office of one of the schools was forwarded to Nettie who replied and this began our communication before the Internet existed. It is wonderful to be able to stay in touch now with Nettie and her family members via Facebook and email. Nettie is a great granddaughter of Daniel DeWolf Scott & Abigail McNutt who founded the 3rd Boston line of the family. It was a wonderful occasion!
Connecting With Illinois Cousins
It was very special to have a visit from Gordon and Anne Scott and most of their children this summer on PEI. Gordon is a descendant of the Illinois line of the family that traces back to James Sterling Scott & Henrietta Sutton. James was born in Nova Scotia as a 3rd generation member and moved first to Boston to work in the "family trade" of carriage making until smoke and dust of the blacksmith forge (an essential part of building carriages) became too much for his health. His move to Illinois in search of clean air as a farmer led to marriage and the birth of seven children. Gordon is a great-great grandson and a portfolio manager at Geneva Advisors in Chicago. We were so pleased to meet Christian, Claire and Mark; they were all headed to Nova Scotia for a rendezvous with their eldest sister, Emma who was honeymooning with her husband there. Congratulations to Emma and Steven Balla on their wedding.
It was in 2016 that Gordon's parents Wally and Barbara Scott visited Prince Edward Island, when we were pleased to receive a copy of his autobiography, Reminiscences of Walter D. Scott. Wally had lived a remarkable life that included officer training in the US Navy (1953-1956); he was on faculty at Northwestern University 100 years after his namesake grandfather Dr. Walter Dill Scott was involved with founding the same department. Wally's career included senior Whitehouse service from 1973-1975, and various senior corporate roles before returning to faculty of Northwestern University. His dedication to personally help troubled youth and prisoners remains an example of his dedication to serve others. His obituary from 2018 and a career outline on Northwestern's website provides more details. HomePort hosts biographical material on Wally's grandfather, Dr. Walter Dill Scott Sr. (1869-1955) including both a shorter and book length biography.
1894-95
Concert in Ste. Croix, Nova
Scotia,
is a story that has been mentioned before; it
emerged when an old photograph prompted a few
questions. It was first told to me in 2001 by my
Uncle Fred Scott who was born in 1911. The events
took place before he was born, and the story told
him by his father and aunts remained bright in his
memory, despite being in his 90's at the time of
telling. Set amid the great loss of her mother, and
finding herself living a continent away from her
family back in California, young Jessie Helen Scott
eventually became a solid connection between two
branches of the 2nd Canadian line founded by David
Scott & Jane Hunter Dill after it branched in
1882 with new generations developing in both Nova
Scotia and California. It was Jessie's sincere
concern for her Nova Scotia relatives, whom had
assisted her in a time of need, that kept her in
touch over the years with my father, and provided
the loan that allowed him to complete his academic
training. The story tells of a community concert -
quite possibly a Christmas concert or a similar
gathering. New Years Eve Greetings -- Happy
Hogmanay!! 
My parents and sisters lived in Edinburgh in the late 1940s, and celebrated Christmas during their student days there; but it was only in 1958 that Christmas became a Scottish public holiday with Boxing Day gaining similar status in 1974. While Christmas is well celebrated by Scottish families, major celebrations also happen around New Year's Eve called Hogmanay which remains a very strong Scottish tradition involving the broader community. Hogmanay, is a key occasion with major celebrations and fireworks. Here on PEI, we have a bagpiper joining us for our New Year's Eve dinner tonight, and he has promised to bring his pipes! Neighbours tell us that the banging of pots and pans outside at midnight, has been a family tradition brought here from Scotland by their own ancestors. Community fireworks earlier in the evening, is more common here now.
If singing Auld Lang Syne has a place in your own celebration, you can thank the Scottish poet Robert Burns for reworking an older Scottish folk song into the current version. While I can't definitively confirm family attendance at Burn's funeral, I can confirm that our ancestor, (then Gunner) David Scott was a member of the Angus Volunteers when his unit was in attendance at the funeral of Robert Burns in Dumfries on 25th July, 1796. Robert Burns was a member of the Royal Dumfries Volunteers and a national figure as a poet; out of respect for a fellow patriot and national figure likely led the Angus Volunteers to attend that day, possibly part of an honour guard. Remembering that rail service didn't exist at that time, and that Dumfries is 153 miles by foot or horse from Forfar, this was a major undertaking and likely involved sailing part of the way down the Scottish east coast by boat. A painting captured the scene that day, a day of remembrance for Burns and auld lang syne.
Clan Scott Society News
My parents and sisters lived in Edinburgh in the late 1940s, and celebrated Christmas during their student days there; but it was only in 1958 that Christmas became a Scottish public holiday with Boxing Day gaining similar status in 1974. While Christmas is well celebrated by Scottish families, major celebrations also happen around New Year's Eve called Hogmanay which remains a very strong Scottish tradition involving the broader community. Hogmanay, is a key occasion with major celebrations and fireworks. Here on PEI, we have a bagpiper joining us for our New Year's Eve dinner tonight, and he has promised to bring his pipes! Neighbours tell us that the banging of pots and pans outside at midnight, has been a family tradition brought here from Scotland by their own ancestors. Community fireworks earlier in the evening, is more common here now.
If singing Auld Lang Syne has a place in your own celebration, you can thank the Scottish poet Robert Burns for reworking an older Scottish folk song into the current version. While I can't definitively confirm family attendance at Burn's funeral, I can confirm that our ancestor, (then Gunner) David Scott was a member of the Angus Volunteers when his unit was in attendance at the funeral of Robert Burns in Dumfries on 25th July, 1796. Robert Burns was a member of the Royal Dumfries Volunteers and a national figure as a poet; out of respect for a fellow patriot and national figure likely led the Angus Volunteers to attend that day, possibly part of an honour guard. Remembering that rail service didn't exist at that time, and that Dumfries is 153 miles by foot or horse from Forfar, this was a major undertaking and likely involved sailing part of the way down the Scottish east coast by boat. A painting captured the scene that day, a day of remembrance for Burns and auld lang syne.
Clan Scott Society News
Walter Scott 250 -- Travel to Scotland in 2024 with Clan Scott Society
Activities planned for celebrating Sir Walter Scott's 250th birthday were a challenge for travellers to attend in 2022. Clan Scott Society now has a possible travel opportunity for the summer of 2024. They have indicated that a bus tour of Edinburgh and the Borders known as "Scott Country" is being proposed for June 8 to June 16, 2024, provided there is sufficient interest. A copy of the proposed itinerary shows lots of interesting locations. We found that group travel with Clan Scott has several advantages including the chance to get insider tours of stately homes, ancient fortified towers, and locations not normally open to tourists; with the benefit of knowledgeable guides well versed in history and local lore, the trips are both educational and fun. Their tours in 2009 and 2014 were an excellent introduction to many of these significant Scott sites.
Ancestral History Update -
Writing efforts continue
towards a family history, and genealogy. I look forward to
contact with any descendants to update their branches of the
family tree. Meanwhile our shared family story of early
generations is available under the current Family From Forfar
title. We have a framework of the earliest generations in
family tree format at FamilySearch.org which any registered
user can add or link material to. The growing genealogical
material on FamilySearch.org can be navigated through this link.
I also
maintain an account on Ancestry, but as that material
requires paid membership the best way is to contact me
through email to access this.
While our shared genealogy grows, at this stage we have information confirming that Sgr. David and Jean Scott had at least:
3 children
11 grandchildren
47 great-grandchildren
49 great-great-grandchildren
65 great-great-great-grandchildren
110 great-great-great-great-grandchildren
167 great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
80 great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
16 great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
Teaser Alert -- Coronation Special
As we approach the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday the 6th of May, 2023, I am reminded of King Charles II's eldest (but illegitimate) son, James Scott the 1st Duke of Monmouth & 1st Duke of Buccleuch. When his father died without an heir he might have led the House of Scott to become the successor line of the House of Stuart and gain the combined throne of Scotland and England; he instead lost his head (quite literally) in the failed attempt. The Chief of Clan Scott (current Duke of Buccleuch) is a direct descendant of Charles II through this connection, and Duke Richard Scott will be invited to attend the Coronation of his distant cousin King Charles III - the House of Scott and the House of Windsor are on good terms now. More on that story, and other royal connections as the Coronation approaches.
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
Sincerely, Ian Scott
Forfar Family News Index
Scott@HomePort
HomePort
Do you have information that could be helpful in correcting or adding to the contents of HomePort ? We appreciate your comments, suggestions and additions.
While our shared genealogy grows, at this stage we have information confirming that Sgr. David and Jean Scott had at least:
3 children
11 grandchildren
47 great-grandchildren
49 great-great-grandchildren
65 great-great-great-grandchildren
110 great-great-great-great-grandchildren
167 great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
80 great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
16 great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren (so far)
Teaser Alert -- Coronation Special
As we approach the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday the 6th of May, 2023, I am reminded of King Charles II's eldest (but illegitimate) son, James Scott the 1st Duke of Monmouth & 1st Duke of Buccleuch. When his father died without an heir he might have led the House of Scott to become the successor line of the House of Stuart and gain the combined throne of Scotland and England; he instead lost his head (quite literally) in the failed attempt. The Chief of Clan Scott (current Duke of Buccleuch) is a direct descendant of Charles II through this connection, and Duke Richard Scott will be invited to attend the Coronation of his distant cousin King Charles III - the House of Scott and the House of Windsor are on good terms now. More on that story, and other royal connections as the Coronation approaches.
We hope that HomePort (IanScott.ca)
is helpful in sharing
family history. Scott material starts at Scott@HomePort.
Please feel free to share these links with
others.
Facebook
Friends
A
private Facebook
group called Descendants
and Family of Sgr. David & Jean
Scott for sharing photos, stories
and family information is in place which
we hope you will join.
If you are
on Facebook, and we haven't connected already,
please send along a friend
request. You
can also connect through Instagram
or LinkedIn,
or directly by email.
As the great bard himself
wrote:
Heap on more wood!-the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it
will,Heap on more wood!-the wind is chill;
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
Sir Walter Scott, (1771-1832)
Sincerely, Ian Scott
Forfar Family News Index
Scott@HomePort
HomePort
Do you have information that could be helpful in correcting or adding to the contents of HomePort ? We appreciate your comments, suggestions and additions.
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