Find A Grave- Argyle Cemetery
100th Anniversary Ceremony Scottish Cemetery Assn.
"That your days may be long"
A historical address given at 100th Anniversary
Ceremony Scottish Cemetery Assn.
by
Stuart A. Ralston
Ladies and gentleman of this Scottish community and their friends, we are gathered today to commemorate the organization 100 years ago of this cemetery. The organization meeting took place on the 19th of April 1859 in the schoolhouse in District No. 4 in the township of Harlem, commonly known as the West Lane School.
Besides taking cognizance of this event which occurred 100 years ago, we are also honoring today the memory of those who lie buried here. In honoring the memory of those who have gone, I would like to talk for a few minutes about their foreign history, about their life in this country, and to touch on their influence on those of us who still live here, In 1647 the Battle of Dunaverty took place.
Before that, the highlanders In Kintyre carried on a continuing warfare among themselves, led by the Campbells and McDonalds. The McDonalds were defeated in this battle; and the then Duke of Argyle decided to change conditions, as farms were producing very little.
The Duke made overtures to lowlanders In Ayr and other shires in the mainland of Scotland, trying to interest them in coming to the Argyle highlands to make their home and where he promised them rental of a good farm and a better life if they would do so.
The lowland farmers, however, were well-to-do; but being covenanters, they were harassed by the King of England who insisted that they worship In the Church of England, and this fact was a very disturbing factor to them in their otherwise pleasant life.
The offer of the Duke of Argyle, offering them this haven In the Argyle highlands, came at the time when the pressure was very great on this matter of religious worship; and many of them, rather than give up their covenanter religion, came to Kintyre to make their future homes.
Among the names we find In history who did come from the lowlands to the highlands were the Cunninghams, Hamiltons, Ralstons, Caldwells, Montgomeries, Forresters, Wallaces, Giffens, Greenlees, Harvies, Howies, Langwills, Mitchells, Pickens, Reids, Whites Wylies, and Browns.
After the Battle of Dunaverty, many or the highlanders who were either McDonalds or septs of the McDonalds were granted amnesty by the Duke and were allowed to remain either on the farms that they had been on or placed on other good farms; and we find among the highlanders remaining, such names as McLarty, McEachran, McDonald, McFarland, McMillan, McNeill, Stewart, Campbell and others.
Another factor that stimulated the Duke of Argyle in inviting lowland people to the highlands was that in 1666 the Bubonic Plague took a very heavy toll in Scotland, particularly Kintyre, and many of the farms were left without people to work them.
The farms of Kintyre remain today very much as they were many years ago; and in visiting this country now, the farm buildings remain as they appeared in photographs taken to this country by the people of this settlement when they left their old farm. The buildings in the main are made of native stone and of course were well built originally, and the only repair work that needed to be done on them was new roofs and the wooden parts of the building, such as doors and windows, that had to be replaced.
The farms are very well taken care of today; and in the center of Kintyre, the land is very fertile and gives a good living for the farmer who lives on about 200 acres. On visiting this country some few years ago, the writer found many of the famers were dairy famers, and a number of them had Hinman milkers from America.
The West coast of Kintyre is very hilly and there are some rolling hills on the east coast, leaving the center of Kintyre a fertile plain. Walking in the hills one afternoon with some people with whom I was staying in Kintyre, we got a view looking into the setting sun across the rolling country, covered with waving grain, and beyond that the waters of the seas that surround Kintyre. The view was so overpowering that I remarked to my companions that it was a beautiful view and one that is seldom seen anyplace in the world. Getting no reply, I repeated it again and finally got from one of my companions this statement: "Aye, 'tis a bonnie view." Which I am sure meant just as much to them as my outburst about the beautiful view had to me.
Each farm in Kintyre has a names and this name has come down through the Gaelic language. The names of some of these farms I can remember and have gotten the information of the names of the families that came from them, such as Macharioch on which farm the Duchess of Argyle has a large estate and which, at the time I was there, was run by one David Ralston (Ballyshear is a name for Macharioch Estate); Knockbay, from which the Smiths came; Machribeg, the Browns; Kilblaan, Hugh McEachran's family, who have occupied this farm for some 400 years; Pennyserach, the James Turners; Kildavie, the Reids; Christlach, the Caldwells; Kilkenzie, the Ralstons; Largimore, Mitchells; Bleachfield, the Smiths; Hugh and Andy's forbears.
Kilkomkill or Kiel Cemetery, which is the principle burying ground of the people of Southend, is located on the very tip of Kintyre near the Rock of Dunaverty. This cemetery has been used, of course, for many years by both highlanders and lowlanders. There is a small burn or creek running through the center of the cemetery, and the highlanders are buried on one side and the lowlanders are on the other. In this cemetery is the ruined mausoleum of the laird of Ralston, whose name is William, and who was a great power in this community during his lifetime. The tombs of some of the Ralstons who have come to this country are buried nearby this mausoleum. In the end wall of this mausoleum is the Ralston coat-of-arms, badly defaced by the weather through the years, but still many of the distinguishing marks are visible. Near the cemetery there is a large boulder, on the top of which are two footprints of St. Columbo and mark the spot from which he originally preached when he came to Scotland,
Emigration to America started in 1834 with the arrival of the two Armour brothers, John and George, and their cousin, James. They took up claims near the Scotch Woods.
In 1836 John Greenlee took up a claim near the Scotch Woods and became the first permanent resident of this settlement.
The first death In the community was that of Archie Picken age 5, and he was buried on the George Picken farm in 1841. Mrs. Andrew Giffen died later in 1841. She was buried in the Howie Cemetery, located very near the Giffen farm, and this cemetery was used for approximately 18 years, until the present cemetery had been organized and placed in use. The location of the Howie Cemetery was north of Willow Creek and about three?quarters of a mile West of the Argyle Willow Creek Church Road. The bodies from the Howie Cemetery were later transferred to the present cemetery, with the exception of one body which legend has it is still buried there.
At the first meeting of the Scottish Cemetery Association, held on April 19, 1859 in the West Lane School, Alexander Ralston was elected temporary chairman. He was a brother of D. C. Ralston. Alexander McNair was elected temporary secretary. He was a brother of Mrs. D. C. Ralston, The first president of the association was John Andrew, grandfather of Hugh Andrew. The first secretary treasurer was Alexander Ralston, the son of Gavin and Jane and an uncle of David and Gavin Ralston.
At the time of this meeting there were four Alexander Ralstons living in the community; and besides the two just above mentioned, there was also Alexander C., sometimes called "Carpenter Sandy," who was the son of Peter and Martha McFarland Ralston. One of their daughters married Joe Barnes; another married William Ralston, parents of Arthur and Carlyle and others in that family, The fourth Alexander was known as "Canada Sandy" and was the son of John and Isabelle Greenlee Ralston. He married Margaret McKerrell, and they were the grandparents of Cora Ferguson, George A. Ralston and John D. Ralston.
I would like to read at this time, in honor due, the names of the presidents and the secretary?treasurers, past and present, with their connection in the community:
At the present time there have been 865 of our forbears buried in these hallowed fields; and if the life story could be read of all who have gone before and of those who remain, we believe it would be the story that, in a world torn by troubles and uncertainties, this community has kept the faith with the principles of the covenanters and the fighting faith of the highlanders, their forefathers, and in so doing they have honored their fathers and their mothers and their days have been long in the land in which they have lived.
Copied from an image of a typed manuscript in the possession of Thomas W. Andrew, Argyle, IL. The address was presented by Mr. Stuart A. Ralston, Rockford, to the 100th anniversary meeting held in the Brown Memorial Chapel of the Scottish Cemetery on May 31, 1959, 2:00 P.M. Harold A Ralston, Racine, WI, January 31, 2002.
Located on county line of Boone and Winnebago Counties in Northern Illinois, USA. Near the village of Argyle.
Lot Number, Name, and Date Purchased.
55 Alan & Verlee Miller * 56 William Schmidt 1944 A56 Laurence & Ida Youngman 1944 57 James Greenlee 1943 59 James C. Greenlee 1944 60 J. Francis Picken 1944 61 Thomas G. Andrew 1944 62 Harvey J. Greenlee 1944 63 M. Elsie Reid Nelson 1954 64 Edward B. Reid 1944 66 Lewis Greenlee 1944 67 Elizabeth Picken 1888 69 Matthew L. Ralston 1927 70 John W. Ralston 1927 71 Duncan Robinson McCorvie 1934 72 John Matthew Reid 1935 73 James Picken McNair 1943 74 John A. Ralston, Est. 1943 76 John W. Andrew, Est. 1933 77 Albert & Maitie Smith 1943 98 Harold Flora * 100 August Smith 1922 101 Joseph P. Knipprath 1923 103 Robert 11. Henderson, Jr. Est. 1932 104 Robert Colville 1935 105 Kate Wilson 1907 106 Archie E. McCorvie 1916 107 Thomas Ralston 1927 108 Peter Greenlee, Est. 1919 110 James Picken, Sr. 1887 111 David McPhail (Guilford) 1884 112 James S. Reid 1909 113 Edward Ralston 1913 114 Thomas Brislen 1869 115 Edward McCorvie, Sr. 1914 116 William Wilson 1886 117 Robert Wilson 1886 118 Robert Wilson 1886 119 J. C. Ralston 1890 120 James Hamilton 1893 121 Peter Stevenson 1922 122 W. Kenneth McEachran 1945 123 John R. &Elizabeth Smith 1947 124 Jasper Williams * 134 Arthur N Peters * 135 Kenneth Busker? * 136 Morris Barnes * 137 David Cummings * 138 Steve Crow * 140 Gene Season? * 141 Mrs. Lorean Mead 1951 142 William G. Smith 1945 143 Hugh M. Brown 1938 144 Robert M. Brown 1914 145 Alexander McNair 1913 146 David C. Ralston 1860 147 Alexander McNair 1860 148 Charles Armour 1867 149 Mrs. Alexander McNair 1898 A149 Walter & Maude Church 1959 150 James Fleming 1876 151 William Armour 1873 152 Robert M. Greenlee 1913 153 Matthew McMillan 1896 154 John Andrew 1883 155 Thomas Andrew 1882 156 Matthew Ralston 1890 157 George A. Ralston 1913 158 Andrew Smith 1918 159 Charlotte Armour 1869 160 Charlotte Armour 1869 161 John Mitchell 1867 162 Alexander McNair 1860 163 David C. Ralston 1863 164 Louise McGeachie 1913 165 Edward Mc Corvie, Jr. 1913 166 William Cleveland, E at. 1935 167 Peter A. Ralston 1938 168 William Mitchell 1943 169 F. S. Cain 1945 170 Mrs. Ruth A. Brown 1947 171 Glenn Reid Cummings 1945 172 David Stuart Cummings 1947 173 William & Belle Flemming 1953 174 George D. McDonald, Est. 1957 175 Robert Taft * 178 Robert James Taft 1947 179 Carlyle & Arthur Ralston 1952 180 Albert Barnes 1942 181 Mrs. Maude Harvey 1947 182 Belle & Nettie Cummings 1944 183 Stephen Huntley 1945 184 John A. McEachran 1943 185 Charles Ralston 1944 A185 August& Flossie Schmeling 1957 186 Stuart Brown 1936 187 Charles T. Brown 1931 188 Robert Ralston 1907 189 Daniel Ralston 1900 190 Robert Ralston 1860 191 John McDermaid 1869 192 Duncan Taylor 1869 193 Campbell Kelly 1869 194 G. A. H. Reid 1902 195 John A. Kelly 1913 196 George Ralston 1909 197 James Reid 1878 198 Charles Kelly 1876 199 Charles Andrew 1876 200 Hugh Andrew 1875 201 Gavin Ralston 1899 202 F. C. Getskey 1898 203 David Watson 1892 204 William Brown 1899 205 D. G. Harvey 1876 206 William Harvey 1860 207 Alexander Ralston 1860 208 James R. Ralston 1902 209 Henry Knop 1910 210 Margaret & Kate Chamberlain 1929 211 Flora Kelly 1918 212 W. R. Marshalsay 1933 213 John A. Brown 1938 214 Daniel Grigsby & EIIa Hanson 1940 215 John D. McDonald 1942 216 Elizabeth Scudder 1934 A216 John F. Graham 1950 217 Charles McDonald 1940 218 John McDonald 1933 A218 Adolph & Florence Borreson 1959 219 Golda Brown & Ken. Peacock 1937 222 H. A. Jones 1937 223 Grace McDonald Barnes 1928 224 George & Mary B. Clay 1928 225 George P. Ralston 1915 226 Robert Cummings 1915 227 William R. Brown 1923 228 William Cunningham 1921 229 W. C. Peterson 1920 230 Janet Lang 1917 231 Hugh McEachran, Jr. 1906 232 Theodore Gordon 1909 233 George Styres 1875 234 Robert Henderson 1913 235 Edward Brown 1882 236 Edward Brown 1860 237 Margaret Brown 1860 238 James Mitchell 1901 239 David B. Penniman 1898 240 Alexander McKay 1878 241 William D. Ralston 1899 242 John Andrew 1860 243 William Ralston 1860 244 David Ralston, Jr. 1867 245 Archibald C. Smith 1886 246 James M. Smith 1893 247 Thomas Ralston 1898 248 Grace McEachran 1936 249 Robert Smith 1876 250 Andrew Ralston 1880 251 William T. McEachran 1904 252 Edward D. Brown 1905 253 Margaret McMillan 1897 254 William H. Brown 1889 255 James McMillan 1891 256 David M. Ralston 1903 A256 Alexander McCathran 1934 257 John R. McEachran 1901 258 Archibald McEachran 1906 259 D. B. McDonald 1901 260 Malcolm McMichael 1892 261 C. H. Thornton 1897 262 William A. Ralston 1910 263 Daniel Kelly 1910 266 Richard Ford 1862 267 Archibald Picken 1909 268 J. P. Brown 1889 269 Malcolm McMichael 1878 270 John McEachran 1884 271 John McEachran 1884 272 Charles Picken 1881 273 Gilbert 274 James Brown 1880 275 James Kelly 1884 276 Thomas Wilson 1886 277 John McMillan 1869 278 Alexander Ferguson 1883 279 Nettie Ralston 1948 280 Robert Smith 1860 281 John Smith 1860 282 Robert Greenlees, Sr. 1860 283 Daniel Hogart 1860 284 Alfred Storrs 1866 286 Charles Picken 1860 287 Alexander Smith 1902 288 John Kranzer 1866 289 William H. Reid 1878 28S Gavin Wallace 1878 290 Thomas Greenlee 1882 291 Mary Picken 1865 292 William Greenlees 1883 293 Margaret Watson 1866 294 William Ferguson 1860 296 John Watterson 1869 297 William McNeilage 1886 298 Archibald Patterson 1866 299 David Brown 1869 29S Robert Howie 1877 300 John Ralston 1877 301 B. E. S. Ely 1877 302 A. & G. Thompson 1874 303 John Ralston 1869 304 Robert Ralston 1869 306 Andrew Ralston 1869 307 Hugh McEachran 1860 308 George Ingleton 1860 30S James McEachran 1917 310 George Ingleton * 311 Thomas Morrison 1860 312 C. & T. Brown 1860 313 Neil McMichael 1860 314 Isabel Ralston 1869 315 A. & G. Thompson 1902 316 James McMann 1867 317 Colin Lang 1869 318 Robert Mitchell 1881 319 Peter Watson 1860 320 Sarah Watson 1875 321 John Howie 1869 322 Alexander McDonald 1877 323 William Ferguson 1860 324 Peter Greenlees 1860 325 Daniel McMillan 1860 326 Robert Greenlees, Sr. 1866 327 James Greenlee 1875 328 James S. Reid 1876 329 John Hostrowser 1860 330 Alexander Reid 1860 331 Polly Marlett 1860 332 Morris M. Martin 1892 333 Robert Montgomery 1874 334 Hugh Reid 1866 335 Robert Greenlee, Jr. 1866 336 James Greenlee 1860 337 Peter Greenlees 1860 338 William Throne 1860 339 Andrew McDonald 1877 340 William Andrew 1869 341 Hugh Brown ? 1869 342 George Picken 1860 343 John McEachran 1859 344 Neil Fleming 1860 345 Margaret McCorkindale 1860 346 Robert Thompson 1859 347 Angus Cummings 1860 348 George Picken 1859 349 R. & P. Kelly 1860 350 Gavin Ralston 1860 351 N. H. Forbes 1860 A353 Silas Wilson 1938 D353 William Thomson 1955 354 Alexander J. Ralston 1860 355 John Ralston 1860 356 George Picken 1859 357 George Picken 1859 358 David Andrew 1860 359 John Thompson 1859 360 John Fleming 1875 361 A. & Wm. McGonigal 1867 362 Lionel Henderson 1860 363 John Picken 1860 364 Donald Sillars 1875 365 Duncan Sillars 1869 366 Neil McMillan 1860 367 William Throne 1860 368 William Ralston (South) 1860 369 James Picken 1860 370 James Montgomery 1860 371 Janet Howie 1866 372 David Picken 1906 373 John G. Ralston, Est. 1933 374 John Greenlee 1860 375 Charles Greenlee 1860 376 George Greenlee 1860 377 William Giffen 1860 378 Andrew Giffen 1860 379 Andrew Montgomery 1869 380 James Picken 1877 381 William Ralston 1860 382 William Throne 1876 383 Thomas Brown 1890 384 William A. Ralston 1928 385 Hugh Mitchell 1904 386 Alvord Locke 1875 387 Eliza Morgan 1875 388 James Ryburn 1877 389 Walter McFarland 1869 390 John McDonald 1875 391 Thomas Ralston 1860 392 Peter W. Ralston 1902 393 Peter Ralston 1860 394 John Ralston, Sr. 1860 395 A. C. Ralston 1860 A396 Joseph Knipprath, Jr. 1918 B396 William McMahan 1920 C396 Wilbur Peaslee 1946 398 Joseph Barnes 1891 399 Duncan McDonald 1866 400 Janet Jones 1866 401 Peter Ralston 1866 402 William McDonald 1909 403 Kenneth M. Ralston 1923 404 George L. Henderson 1920 405 John Henderson 1893 406 Michel Morgan 1887 407 George L. Henderson 1902 408 John Jackson 1875 409 Clarence R. & Edith Mitchell 1953 A409 Lydia Graf 1959 410 Matthew McMillan, Est. 1930 411 William B. Ralston 1906 412 Carl Dettloff 1899 413 James Montgomery 1897 414 Frank Coleman 1909 415 George Brown, Est. 1931 416 James Turner 1932 417 Helen Greenlee Ralston 1898 418 Gavin Ralston 1899 419 William E. Cunningham 1948 420 Knute Kvarme 1916 421 Robert Wiley Greenlee 1916 422 William & Lena Backs 1915 A423 Albert Backs 1913 B423 Green Baby 1913 C423 Ernest Cumerford 1913 425 Tressie Burdick 1891 F 9 John McEachran * F 10 James McEachran * G 5 Everett Worrell * G 6 James Salley * G 7 Ben Biggins * G 8 Wilbur Picken * G 9 Gary Batty * G 10 Kenneth McEachran * H 1 Goff & Nort? * H 5 Everett Worrell * H 6 Donald Rogers * H 7 Frederick Sharp * H 8 Ralph Picken * H 9 Robert Picken * H 10 Wayne Greenlee * I 2 Hugh T. Andrew 1953 I 3 Hugh Smith 1950 I 4 Edward R. Greenlee 1953 I 5 David C. Brown 1953 I 6 Clifford A. Rogers 1953 I 7 Floyd C. Williams 1956 I 8 John M. Walters 1958 I 9 Albert Elliott 1958 I 10 Thomas Andrew * J 2 Matthew Andrew 1946 J 3 Matthew J. Andrew 1949 J 4 Wm. J. C. Ralston 1953 J 5 Leslie Winne 1950 J 6 Chester Cummings 1953 J 7 James Beattie 1957 J 9 Clyde Smith 1958 J 10 Thomas Key * K 2 Milo B. Wold 1953 K 3 Thomas J. Andrew 1952 K 4 Ralph Cummings 1949 K 5 Ray Ralston 1951 K 6 C. P. Knipprath 1952 K 7 Dorothy Ralston 1955 K 9 Gorton Wilson 1958 K 10 A. W. Anderson * L 3 David Ralston 1947 L 4 Hugh Reid 1949 L 5 Uriah Hull 1951 L 6 William L. Reid 1953 L 7 Wilbur H. Reid 1953 L 8 Edward M. Ralston 1957 L 9 L E. Wilson 1958 L 10 Archibald McMillan * M 2 John A. Thompson 1948 M 3 John W. Thompson 1953 M 4 Ross Greenlee 1953 M 5 Martha Brown 1948 M 6 George G. Ralston 1953 M 7 Floyd H. Ralston 1953 M 8 Edward A. Pollnow 1957 M 9 John C. Ralston, Jr. 1958 M 10 Fran Chine * N 2 Robert A. Thompson 1948 N 3 Ella M. Ralston 1950 N 4 George McEachran 1952 N 5 Harold Reid 1953 N 6 George R. Brown 1953 N 7 Lloyd J. Turner 1953 N 9 Bessie Ralston 1958 N 10 Stuart A. Ralston * O 2 John A. Greenlee 1953 O 3 john A. Ralston 1952 O 4 Thomas J. Ralston 1953 O 5 Irving Brown 1953 O 6 William D. Kelly 1953 O 7 T. Ellison Greenlee 1957 O 8 Arthur M Greenlee * O 9 Robert Anderson * O 10 Eugene Wilson * P 1 Allen Greenlee * P 2 James R. Greenlee 1957 P 5 Wilbur B. Ralston 1957 P 6 J. Stuart Salley 1957 P 7 Lawrence Greenlee * P 8 Paul Wright * P 9 Richard Eswards * Q 2 Leigh Greenlee * Q 3 Lamont * Q 4 Gene Morrison * Q 5 M. J. Harvey 1951 Q 6 Ray Harvey * R 4 Stan Lauson * R 8 Jasper Williams * R 9 Holger Carlson * R10 Bernard W. McEachern 1955 |
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Ralston, Racine, Wisconsin, USA