Join the Society for a fun-filled day of all things Scottish at Chandler Downtown Library next weekend (6 April) to coincide with National Tartan Day in the US.

We will be helping the library, at 22 South Delaware Street, Chandler, stage a Scotfest event which will include Highland Dancing displays, pipe band music, and much more.

The Outlander theme will be much in evidence, and Lois Wallace will help bring the stories alive, describing the stunning filming locations, where they really are in Scotland, and their historical significance.

Later in the day, her husband Bob will host a talk on the old Scottish clan system. Don Finch will give a talk on Scotch whisky (not whiskey), discuss the differences between single malt and blended varieties, As well as a host of other interesting facts about Scotland’s national drink.

Throughout the day, the Society’s Chief Genealogist Robert Wilbanks, along with Iain Lundy, will be on hand to offer one-to-one genealogy consultations.

The Arizona Highland Dancing Association will display their skills in the afternoon, and Sue Wallace, of the Daughters of Scotia, will give a talk about the British love of tea. Coffee and refreshments will be available, and the CSA will have an information/membership table in the lobby. The event will start at 10am and last until 3pm.

Also on Tartan Day, April 6

Modeled after the Skirt Chaser fun runs of yore, the Kilt Chaser is a race with a few twists: the ladies get a three-minute head start; and all runners—boys and girls—race while wearing kilts.*

Click the logo for the 4 Peaks site.

Later in the day, we’re taking fans on the KILT CRAWL, a good old-fashioned bar crawl from our 8th Street pub to Old Town Scottsdale. Check the 4 Peaks site for costs, transportation and all the details.

Many Society members, new and old, have signed up but failed to pick up the name badges that are printed specially for them.

There are currently 192 ‘unclaimed’ badges waiting to be picked up. They display the member’s name, clan affiliation, and a Society crest.

The badges cost the Society $5.50 each to be made, so there is more than $1,000 worth not claimed.

Please email Don Finch at: membership@arizonascots.com to make arrangements to collect your name badge!

Calling all members of the Clan McEwen who live in Arizona. After a wait of more than 500 years, it is hoped the clan will soon have a new, officially recognized chief.

Sir John McEwen, who lives near Duns in the Scottish Borders, was selected as clan commander in 2014, the first step to becoming recognized as clan chief. The Clan Ewen Society now pans to petition the Lyon Court in Edinburgh to have a coat or arms matriculated with Sir John as the new chief.

The last Clan McEwen chief died in 1492. Sir John, who is the fifth Baronet of Marchmont and Bardrochat, was contacted by the society. He said he had ‘no particular qualifications’ for the chieftainship other than his love for the clan.

In a recent interview, he said, “I am an ordinary actor and writer, husband of a teacher, small-holder, and the main carer for our four children. But I love my clan and my country and would love for the clans to play a full and active part in the life of modern Scotland.

Clan Ewen Society chairman Sean McCuin said, “Clan McEwen is an ancient though small clan. Having a chief of the name allows for a seat on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, and recognizes our clan is independent and autonomous,”

A meeting to solidify’ the Clan’s wish to have Sir John as  the new chief will be held in June.

Scotland's Hidden Gems - Glasgow's Mural Trail
Iain Lundy

Most visitors to Scotland will, quite rightly, spend time in Edinburgh during their stay. It is a city with must-see attractions – but the larger city of Glasgow, just a 50-minute train journey west, should never be overlooked.

Traditionally a working-class city, Glasgow has reinvented itself in recent years and embraced a new culture of trendiness. The impressive art galleries and museums have always been there, but the ‘dirty old town’ that once greeted visitors has been brightened up almost beyond recognition.

One stunning example is the proliferation of giant wall paintings and the development of the city’s Mural Trail. Everywhere you turn, amazing and detailed splashes of color greet you from the walls of city buildings. They have the dual effect of brightening up the city and offering encouragement to local artists.

They range from images of the Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow in 2014, and the city’s best-loved comedian Billy Connolly to more bizarre efforts such as a floating taxi being carried through the air by balloons, and close-ups of giant tigers and crocodiles.

The murals have sprung up over the past 10 years and have proved so popular that a special tourist trail has been laid out so visitors can see every one - and appreciate the painstaking work and imagination that went into their creation.

It’s a long walk around the city streets but, if you want to see depictions of a giant panda; a girl blowing a dandelion; Saint Mungo (shown as a bearded man wearing a woolen hat, and with a robin perched on his hand); Wonderwall, a striking mural showing life at Strathclyde University; and an underpass with depictions of shadow hand puppets, then the Mural Trail is not to be missed.

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Military Records - United States Overview

by Robert M. Wilbanks IV, B.A.
Chief Genealogist & Historian, C.S.A.
genealogy@arizonascots.com

In a previous article, I briefly introduced Military Records as a resource for genealogical research.

I only touched on the benefits of this type of resource, and generally showed how, when & where the United States and Great Britain may have kept such records. Here,

I will give a more detailed overview of Military Records specific to the United States.

During the Colonial Period, prior to the formation of the United States, in theory the English Government should have been responsible for the protection of the Colonies. However, early on, this was not a realistic possibility, and the colonists often found themselves responsible for their own defense. During this period, there were a number of wars and conflicts from the earliest settlement up to the American Revolution. These citizen soldiers formed local militias, sometimes called ‘Minute Men’, ready to jump to action at a moment’s notice. As the United States was not yet a country, military records were kept by these individual colonies, later states, most often at the County level, usually in the County Court records. These records can now be found at these States’ Archives. Many of these records may have been transcribed into books available at most genealogy libraries, or on various websites throughout the internet.

After the formation of this country and government, the military became primarily a federal matter and therefore the records are more uniform and reliable than the records at the state and county level.  Also, they are all in one place, the National Archives in Washington D.C. These military records are organized primarily by the various wars that America was involved in.

The military records of primary interest to genealogists are divided into two categories:  Service Records and Benefits Records.  A third category of records, lesser used by genealogists but no less important, is best described as Miscellaneous.

Service Records are the records created at the time of the active service of the soldier.  Soldiers’ names were written down in muster lists, roll call lists, payment vouchers, hospital records, Quartermaster records, and other such records created at the time of the soldier being in military service.

After the Civil War, the War Department made a concerted effort to organize these scattered records into consolidated service files by the name of each soldier in every unit for every war up to that date. This allowed the Government to verify actual Service as claimed by Veterans seeking Pensions and other Benefits for their past service. These service records are then organized by state or unit designation, the company, and then alphabetically by surname.

Benefits Records are records created after the soldier was no longer in the service. Acts of Congress created such benefits as pensions and/or bounty land records. Bounty land was the disbursement of land as reward for past service. A veteran’s widow and/or orphans could also receive such benefits and so can also be found in such records, adding a wealth of genealogical detail to the family tree. Benefit records, also organized by war, are filed alphabetically by name of the soldier.

The Miscellaneous category would include lesser known or used forms of records, such as draft registrations, records of Old Soldiers Homes, headstone and burial records, lists of soldiers who died overseas, were missing in action, or prisoners of war, as well as records relating to civilians, such as the Japanese Internments during World War II.

The indexes for the service and benefits records for all of America’s wars have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives, the 12 regional branches, and various other facilities, including the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, thus through its local branch centers. There are name indexes by War and by State. Originally, these indexes were put on microfilm, but now they can be found throughout the internet and/or the many free or fee based genealogical websites.

Copies of service and benefits records for all wars can be obtained directly from the United States National Archives online by creating a user account, including a credit card number, then filling out and submitting the online form with the relevant information. Fees may vary and only charged when records are found, copied and shipped. Here is a direct link to the National Archives webpage for ordering reproductions of any records: eservices.archives.gov

Of course, there is far more information related to United States Military Records than what I can explain here. So be sure to visit this page for links to more detailed information by war, resources, websites, free and fee based online sources, and more: www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States_Military_Records

This is another of a series of articles in which I show you the basics of searching for your family history, discussing the use of family records, public records, and online resources nationally and internationally, etc. The previous articles are now available on the Genealogy Section of this website.   See “Genealogy” in the menu options at the top of the web page.

Wine, Scotch whisky, chocolate … and a fair sprinkling of romance – it was all on the menu at the Society’s slightly belated Valentine’s celebration in March.

All members and guests who attended were treated to red wine, white wine, and two leading brands of Scotch malt whisky.

The evening’s co-host Ginni Caldwell talked people through the best combinations of alcohol and chocolate. She even confirmed what many of those present had long suspected or hoped was true – that a regular diet of whisky is good for you, at least in moderation.

After the whisky and chocolate had settled, Iain Lundy gave a talk on how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Scotland. Among those who recited romantic verses of prose or poetry were Past President Don Finch, and new members John Seeliger and his wife Stephanie.