|
Two families from Argyll Once upon a time, long, long ago (1853 to be exact) a couple of families left the western highlands of Scotland for Ontario, Canada. One family (the Campbells) settled in Crinan, and the other (the Langs), in Eagle.
It is in honour of these two families that I have constructed this Newsletter. I have visited the highland areas from whence they came. To my own great interest, not much seems to have happened in Knapdale/Kilvicocharmaig since they left.
For you who continue on this thread in the website, you will find that both these families were the genuine West Highland article, descended from the Gaels and the Norse who settled these lochs and islands thousands of years ago.
Most of the genealogical groundwork was done by my mother, Margaret Stewart Campbell, wife of Hector Craig Lang. She managed to do her work "before the Internet," when all her information came via inter-library loan and the postal system. This project took her a decade to complete.
The following are links for further information, ones I have found to be very useful:
1. Ian Forshaw's Kintyre History Site. This site carries some wonderful historical studies. The interest revolves around Campbeltown and southern Kintyre. I have contributed some of my own research to this site. 2. Islay and Jura Connection I include this address because it is so very beautiful! Remember that Keills, from which our Campbell family came, faces the Isle of Jura.
3. Colonsay Website This site is maintained by Kevin Byrne, who runs the House of Lochar, a publishing company. He lives on the Island of Colonsay, and his local news is great. Also, among the many offerings of this site is "the Corncrake", a short historical essay. Colonsay was a MacNeill Clan stronghold.
4. Ormsary sites If you go to Ormsary, you will see the tiny grouping of homes known as "Baile Boidheach". The buildings have been modernized, for their present occupants, but it was here that the Lang family lived until they left for Canada. The present Laird is proud of the fact that Ormsary Estate is now economically viable, capable of employing well paid technically sophisticated people. He told me that the truly valuable resource of this area is its water! This estate maintains 2 business oriented sites:
Landcatch, at |