Article on Ochiltree, TX
Here is a summary of an interesting article by Norman Dunsmore in the February, 2006, issue of the magazine "Scottish Memories," which I received from another researcher:
The article explains that the Scottish name Ochiltree, sometimes spelled Uchletree, was "an ancient Scottish surname going back to early medieval times," as well as the name of a village in Ayrshire and also the title of a former Scottish lordship.It further states that the American town named Ochiltree, in the panhandle of Texas, was founded in 1876 and named after William Ochiltree, a distinguished lawyer and Confederate soldier who died in 1867.
The article goes on to state that a family geneaologist "traced the arrival of the Ochiltrees in America to 1739 in the persons of David and Duncan, the alleged sons of Lord Ochiltree of Jura.A major problem with this, however, is that at the time there simply was no Ochiltree of anything, although there had been several Lord Ochiltrees owning land in Ayrshire."
Mr. Dunsmore then traces the history of the Lords Ochiltree, stating that the first received his title in 1542, while the second fought against Mary Stuart at Langside and was the father-in-law of John Knox.The article then states, "Ironically, the last of that title, Sir James Stewart of Kilkeith, did in fact reach the Americas in 1629 as part of the colonising 'New Scotland' project."However, the French attacked the Scots' new fort, tricked them into surrendering, and the Scots were returned to Scotland.
According to the article, in 1647 the barony of Ochiltree was "acquired by the up-and-coming Cochrane family."In 1685 the title "briefly reverted back to the Crown before being fully and finally absorbed under the 'fighting Cochranes' Earldom of Dundonald."
Mr. Dunsmore goes on to state, "Neither royal nor noble, the original Ochiltree immigrants were more likely to have come from the new, ambitions, democratically discontented and highly mobile class of adventurous merchants, lawyers, ministers and tradesmen seeking a new life and greater freedom in the colonies...Another, in some ways more plausible family tradition has the Ochiltrees rather romantically landing in the Americals in the company of Flora Macdonald 27 years after Culloden."
The article concludes with a brief description and history of the two towns of Ochiltree - the Scottish "medieval 'ferm toun'" grown into a "substantial village...strategically placed at the western end of a diagnoal tract of land, some 30 miles wide, which stretched roughly all the way from both sides of the Firth of Forth and contained a wealth of coal..." and the Texas town which was eventually bypassed by the railroad, losing its status as county seat but still surviving and thriving.
Interesting points to ponder!
Debbie
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin 3/31/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
Debbie Carter 4/03/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin 4/03/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin 3/01/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
Debbie Carter 3/01/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin 3/01/06
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
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Re: Article on Ochiltree, TX
Daniel Ogletree 2/22/06