Kinsearching July 7, 2013

RELEASE DATE: JULY 7, 2013



KINSEARCHING

by

Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
 

     If you descend from Andrew STRAIN, born about 1750-1755 and died in 1826 in Haywood County, North Carolina, and his wife, Mary REED, you have the opportunity to get to know many of your relatives at the 80th annual family reunion. It will be held at the Sugar Valley Baptist Church in Sugar Valley, Georgia, on 21 July 2013. Lunch will begin at 12:30 p. m. so you may want to plan to arrive early in order to have more time for visiting. For more details, write to the Strain Family Association, 766 Henry Owen Road, Dalton, Georgia 30720 or go to the association’s website at www.strain-family.org.


     Many genealogists are familiar with the mass exodus of Scots to Ulster and North America in the 17th and 18th centuries. However, they may not be aware of the lesser Scottish immigration to various places on the Continent. This smaller group is the focus of David Dobson’s latest work, SCOTS IN SOUTHERN EUROPE, 1600-1900: SPAIN, PORTUGAL, ITALY, THE ISLANDS OF THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN, AND THE ATLANTIC.

     At the outset, most of the Scots who went to Southern Europe were Catholic. A large number of these individuals went to Spain, Italy, or France in order to attend college and ultimately to join the priesthood. After the failure of the Jacobite rebellions in 1715 and 1745, however, some Episcopalians also relocated on the Continent, especially in Italy where the Court of King James Stuart was based. A few Jacobite refugees became merchants in such places as Lisbon and Madeira.

     By the 18th century, aristocratic families usually sent their sons on the “Grand Tour” of Europe, particularly to Italy and Greece. As a result, some Scottish artists and scholars decided to remain in those countries.

     Later, as the British Empire expanded, Scottish soldiers and sailors were stationed in such places as Malta and Gibraltar. The Iberian campaign of the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century brought Scottish servicemen to Spain and Portugal. Most served in British units, but some were in the service of Portugal.

     Dobson identifies approximately 1,500 Scots who settled in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Madeira, Malta, Gibraltar, the Balearic Islands, the Azores, and the Canary Islands between 1600 and 1900. For each person, Dobson usually provides his or her name, place of residence, a date, and a reference citation. Some entries also furnish details like names of parents or a spouse or the name of the vessel on which he or she traveled.

     Dobson is to be commended for highlighting this little-known group of immigrants from Scotland in his latest publication. SCOTS IN SOUTHERN EUROPE, 1600-1900: SPAIN, PORTUGAL, ITALY, THE ISLANDS OF THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN, AND THE ATLANTIC will be useful to genealogists and historians alike.

     Arranging names of individuals alphabetically, the 148-page paperback has an attractive cover that reproduces an old map. Also included in the work are a map of part of the Mediterranean Sea coast; a roster of Scottish vessels, the names of the captains, and the date and destination of at least one sailing to Southern Europe; and a list of references with their abbreviations used in citations. To the book's price of $18.50, buyers should add the cost for postage and handling charges. For U. S. postal mail, the cost is $5.50 for one book and $2.50 for each additional copy; for FedEx ground service, the cost is $7.50 for one copy and $2.50 for each additional book. The volume (item order #8098) may be purchased by check, money order, MasterCard, or Visa from Clearfield Company, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, Maryland 21211-1953. For phone orders, call toll free 1-800-296-6687; fax 1-410-752-8492; website at www.genealogical.com.


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