Visitor Stories, Family Trees & Searches
I am searching for the parents of Samuel Watson Murphy b. 2 Feb 1833 in North Carolina. I know, from old family letters written prior to the civil war, that there are "cousins" named Geddie, but cannot find the connection. Samuel is mentioned in the Geddie book as a visitor from North Carolina. Actually, Samuel moved to Colfax and then on to Edom where he lived the rest of his life. Thanks for any help.
AMY MURPHY murphya@trimofran.org
...My name is Jacqueline Gaddy, and my great, great grandfather was James Andrew Jackson Gaddy b May 8, 1852 (I believe in Georgia) and d Feburary 12, 1923 he and his wife Nancy Ann Batey are buried in Little John Cemetery in Calhoun Co., Al. I know the names of some of the children were George, Eva, Robert D (my great grandfather), William J., Dorah, Molly, Jackson, and Nancy. If this looks familiar to anyone will you please let me know...
JACKI GADDY cowgirlal@hotmail.com
[Regarding]...Argyll Colony, the journal of the North Carolina Scottish Heritage Society...The March 1996 issue (Volume 10, No. 1) contains an index and chart to the Tarbert (Kilandreis) Cemetery in Kintyre which is what I am looking for. My Purcell, Torrey, McPhail, McPhaul, Gilchrist, McKay, Malloy, Graham and Smith ancestors were from this general area of the Kintyre peninsula...
...I am sure that the McPhails connected with the Geddie family were in some way related to the McPhails who were connected with my Purcell family. If I am not mistaken these Geddies and McPhails attended Bluff Church in Cumberland Co., NC. This was the same church attended by my McPhails and Purcells...
...[I am] seeking a source for original bound back issues of Argyll Colony +, the journal of the North Carolina Scottish Heritage Society. Specifically I need Volume 10, Nos. 1 and 3 from 1996. The March 1996 issue (Volume 10, No. 1) contains an index and chart to the Tarbert (Kilandreis) Cemetery in Kintyre which is what I am looking for. My Purcell, Torrey, McPhail, McPhaul, Gilchrist, McKay, Malloy, Graham and Smith ancestors were from this general area of the Kintyre peninsula. But I am also interested in obtaining other issues from 1995 back that may be available. Thanks for any help offered.
Doug Purcell
633 North Randolph Avenue
Eufaula, AL 36027-1209
dpurcell@the-link.net
or dpurcell@zebra.net
MCPHAIL Family
First Generation
1. Archibald "Maclachlin"1 Mcphail was born in Arl, Sct ABT.
1762. Archibald died AFT. 1841 in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct..
He married Lillias Mackenzie in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct., April 9,
1792. Lillias was born in Scotland ABT. 1770. Lillias was the
daughter of Donald Mckenzie and Margaret Mcintyre. Lillias died
December 1817 in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct..
Archibald "Maclachlin" Mcphail and Lillias Mackenzie had the
following children:
2 i. Archibald2 Mcphail was born in Ardgrhian, Kilmartin, Arg.
Sct. BEF. 18 SEP 1793.
3 ii. Isabella Mcphail was born in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct. ABT.
1808. Isabella died August 28, 1876 in Nassagaweya Twp., Ont.,
Can.. She married John Gillies in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct., ABT.
1828. John was born in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct. ABT. 1807. John
died June 6, 1863 in Nassagaweya Twp., Ont., Can.. (See John
Gillies for the continuation of this line.)
+ 4 iii. Dugald Mcphail was born in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct. 1796.
Dugald died January 17, 1886 in Beverly Township, Wentworth
County, Ontario, Canada, at 89 years of age.
He married Christina Mccallum in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct., May 20,
1822. Christina was born in Stockhvullin, Argyle, Scotland 1801.
Christina was the daughter of Alexander Mccallum and Ann
Jackson. Christina died 1876 in Beverly Township, Wentworth
County, Ontario, Canada, at 75 years of age.
+ 5 iv. John Mcphail was born in Kilmartin, Arl., Sct. March
13, 1813. John died January 7, 1887 in Kingston, Jamaica, at 73
years of age.
He married Ella Mcfadyen Hall in Parish Ch, St Thomas In Vale,
Jamaica, May 17, 1853. Ella was born in Belmont, Saint Andrew,
Jamaica May 29, 1836. Ella was the daughter of John Herman Hall
and Jane Edgill Hughes. Ella died February 9, 1889 in Bybrook,
St Thomas In The Vale, Jamaica, at 52 years of age. She was
baptized in Kingston, Jamaica, December 30, 1838.
BILL McPHAIL BillMcPhail@clanphail.org
My brother Ivan D. Geddie of Georgetown,Texas called our attention to your site as we recently purchased our computr and got connected(or at least we're trying!) All I could think is how tickled our Dad ,the late William Alexander Geddie of Camden,Arkansas, who "crossed the bar " 3 years ago this past July at age 91.6 yrs,would have been to know our clan ,where they are,who they are , and what they have to say. Dad lived and conducted affairs with a keen understanding of our all being part of the same village with exceptional sucess. He seldom went any where that he could not visit long enough to discover some relationship in common or some friend or acquaintance in common.He was able to recall events and names with amazing accuraracy until his passing. He was our historian.Now the mantle has been passed to his "baby sister" Blanche Geddie Thompson (Mrs.LD"Bill"Thompson of Texarkana,Ark.Aunt Blanche turns 91on Nov. 1. She still lives with minimal assistance in her own home.The other sibling in their family was my late uncle R.S."Singleton" Geddie of Marshall,Texas. My name is Rose Wayne Geddie Unterschuetz D.O.B. 1/12/46 live in Tulsa,Ok. with my husband,Ronald Reinhold Unterschuetz of 34+years.Ron is retired from Chevron Pet. I still have a small private practice in the area of developmental disabilities.I also do grandmothering every chance I get.I also do personal casemanagement for myself as I have fibromyalgia as well as being over 50-ha!Our son Bret Alexander Unterschuetz and his wife Kirsten Pace Unterschuetz are attorneys here in Tulsa. They have Henry "Hank" Pace Unterschuetz age 31/2and and John "Johnny"Alexander Unterschuetz age 14 months.Our daughter Hope Catherine Unterschuetz O'Rear and her husband Robert "Brad" O'Rear live in Athens Georgia where Brad is a sales manager with his family's business "Classic City Beverage C0."-a Coors distributor.I will sign off for now just wanted to to say thanks for being there . I look forward to hearing the news from the clan.As our Father used to say I'll be the reporter for our "neck of the woods." P.S. I have one other sibling the lovely Anne Geddie Nunnally(Mrs./Dr.Robert Howard Nunnally)of our hometown Camden, Arkansas....We don't have many old pictures but at my Aunt Blanche's Birthday last Oct. 1 in Texarkana we saw a picture of my Geddie forebears in front of the family home in Geddie , Louisiana. We were all excited to see it .Our grandmother was in the picture with a baby Virgie Viola who died at a young age of consumption. We all asked for a copy. I will follow up on that. My cousin Mike Geddie of Tyler,Texas had the original.Mike is my Uncle Singleton's son. Will close as I have grandmothering to do but will call upon my nephew Anne's son Bruce Nunnally of Plano,Texas who is our family computer wizard to send his geneology info to you also my folks ha a copy of a book of Geddie-McPhail geneology.Are you familiar wit that book. My Nephew Morgan Geddie was the youngesr child in the book. Morgan Ivan's son is a college professor in Russellville,Ark.and is 40 yrs. now.FYI Ivan's other son Bill-William Frederick Geddie is the producer for The VIEW on TV and does all Barbara Walters specials too...
ROSE GEDDIE UNTERSCHUETZ, Tulsa Oklahoma
Unfortunately I have no new information about James Donald Geddie. My only suggestion is that you write to Jim Mackay, 12 Hammond Road, Horsell, Woking, Surrey GU21 4TQ, who was researching James. It may be that he has found new information since he was in contact with us last year (2000). I'm sorry I've been unable to help you further.
Graeme Wilson
Moray Government House
Elgin, Moray
Scotland
graeme.wilson@techleis.moray.gov.uk
I am pleased to know that so many Geddies are interested in my father's book written in 1959... Many relatives have requested for years that the family reprint my father's book. At this time, I am interested in doing so. If I do, I would like to advertise copies of the book for sell on this site...
Barbara Geddie, barbarageddie@aol.com
I descend from Gilbert McKeithan b by 1733, d aft 1812 Brunswick Co, NC. He first appeared in the New Hanover Co deeds in 1753 as a witness. He married Sarah Milliken in Prince Frederick's Parish, SC. He seems to have remained in SC for a number of years before appearing in the NC records again. I have not been able to prove his father, but I BELIEVE he was a son of Thomas McKeithan d 1745-1750 and Deborah ???. Deborah had remarried to James McRee by 1750. I believe James was the son of William McRee Sr d Duplin Co, NC. There is a record for a DeborahMcKeithan 1739 in Bladen Co who might be the same Deborah. She was a near neighbor to John McIver whose name also appeared on the SC records in association with Thomas McKeithan's father, Dugald McKeithan who appeared in the SC records as early as 1732. Dugald McKeithan of SC is different from Dugald McKeithan d 1750 Bladen Co, son of Donald McKeithan 1739 immigrant. I believe Donald McKeithan the 1739 immigrant and Dugald McKeithan of SC were probably brothers as there was association between the descendants of these two lines.
Has anyone researched the Scots who settled the Winyah/Georgetown/Williamsburg area of SC or Scots who arrived in the Cape Fear or Charleston area prior to 1732? Does anyone have any information on the McRee family? The dates that I have been sent for the children of William McRee Sr vary by as much as 30 years. I have heard that there were later records for James McRee in SC with wife named Ann but I don't have access to those records. Donald McKeithan 1739 immigrant owned property in the town of Old Brunswick where he was a tailor before moving to Bladen Co. It is known in our family that Gilbert McKeithan's daughter was buried at St Philip's Church in Old Brunswick along with other unnamed ancestors. It's very unlikely that Gilbert descended from Donald McKeithan even though he can be associated with Old Brunswick. Donald's children and most if not all of his grandchildren can be identified by the will of his son Dugald McKeithan d 1750 Bladen Co. The will named Dugald's father Donald, Dugald's brothers and sisters and their children. Gilbert was not named in that will so it's almost certain he was not Donald's grandson, but the will did direct that land in SC be sold. This land was in the same area where the earlier Dugald McKeithan of SC lived - another indication of a close relationship between the two lines. Gilbert's granddaughter stated that their family left Old Brunswick and went to SC. This does not agree with Donald's descendants but does agree with Dugald's family. So I am looking for some evidence of Scots in the Old Brunswick area prior to 1732 when Dugald McKeithan first appeared in the SC records. I understand a group of Scots arrived in Charleston in 168, but this was 55 years prior to Donald McKeithan's arrival in 1739 and 48 years prior to Dugald McKeithan's first appearance in the SC records in 1732. I need something closer to 1730. Any help out there? Thanks!
COOKIE HARPER, fharper@lexcominc.net
[NB- Cookie has ruled out a direct connection to the Cumberland County Geddie's for her line.]
From email correspondence May, 1999:
Following are Lawrence Geddie's questions, comments or quotes (arrows) from Jack Geddie's book, followed by Cookie's responses (she is a McKethan descendant with extensive experience in Cumberland County NC Geddie genealogy].
>LARRY: The following lineage gets tricky with the usage of 'James Daniel' since it states James Daniel Geddie was b.1771 AND that James Daniel fought in the American Revolution. Is the father "James" also a James Daniel, and is the gravesite at John Geddie Cemetery in Stedman marked "Daniel Geddie" actually this James DANIEL II? Or am I only adding to the confusion? [I'm pretty certain this material is lifted verbatim from FAMILIES GEDDIE-MCPHAIL, though I didn't personally find it].
There is a Daniel McPhail Geddie baptised 4/28/1816, d 2/10/1883. Tombstone gives b 8/14/1816 but this would put his birth before his baptism. When did the calendar change so that 1/1 was the beginning of the new year rather than 3/1? But still, even with the old calendar, his baptism would be before his birth. I would think he was actually b in 1815 rather than 1816. Bluff Church records: 4/28/1816 Daniel McPhail Gaddie baptised son of ...... (no parents given) This DPGeddie was son of John Geddie and Ann McKethan. Don't think that's who you had in mind. There was a James Daniel Geddie II who m Jennat Maxwell. Don't have dates for them, but son Thomas was b 1799/1800. Don't have a place of burial listed for them either. Bluff bapt: 10/5/1800 James Geddy and his spouse Gennat Maxwell had a son Baptized named Thomas. Geddie/McPhail book names her as ? Maxwell.
> JAMES GEDDIE'S (CURRENTLY-ACCEPTED) LINEAGE: Born Abt. 1750 in Scotland, and died Abt. 1821. He married ISABELLA MCPHAIL.
I have nothing at all to indicate death date so can't comment. Isabella is out. Should be Catherine McPhail as proven by Dougald McPhail's will and the bapt records.
[larry note: I asked Cookie if maybe her full name wasn't Catherine Isabella McPhail.]
>The children of JAMES GEDDIE and ISABELLA MCPHAIL are: JAMES DANIEL GEDDIE, b. Abt. 1771; d. Abt. 1841;
Have no info to comment except that he m before 1800.
>DOUGALD GEDDIE.;
I estimate b 1794/95. Baptised 1/4/1795.
>SARAH GEDDIE;
Baptised 4/9/1797
>ELIZABETH ANN GEDDIE, b. 1802;
She was b 9/24/1809. d 2/26/1897 and was dau of John Geddie and Ann McKethan. Her tombstone is at McPherson Church Cem. Named as Elizabeth Ann McKethan daughter of John Geddie in Cumb Co DB45:89-90 John Geddie Decd, A Division to The Heirs. Oct 6, 1842.
[larry note: why wasn't her last name given as Geddie?]
>JOHN "BIG JOHN" GEDDIE, b. 1782, d. 14 March 1841;
possibly b 1781 or 1782. Married Ann McKeithan. Both buried in John Geddie Cem
>THOMAS GEDDIE, b. 1790;
I have him recorded based on the Geddie/McPhail book but have never found any records for him. Have no idea if he really existed or not. Maybe a child who died young?
>ALEXANDER GEDDIE, b. 25 August 1792; m. (1) UNKNOWN; m. (2) ANNA MCMILLAN, 04 June 1815.
I have same b date but no other info.
>James Daniel may have had two brothers, and if he did, they were John Geddie and Thomas Geddie.
Can't confirm or disprove. Have seen no records for either.
[larry note: Cookie says may have died shipboard or soon after if existed]
>James Daniel Geddie fought in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War. He is listed in "Soldiers of North Carolina in the American Revolution" compiled by the North Carolina chapter of the Daughters of the American Republic. Testimony to this fact lies today in the vouchers in Box B-1, The Comptroller's Office, North Carolina Archives, Voucher No. 1587 lists James Daniel Geddie and indicates he was paid for his services. James Daniel had several sons and some daughters. The daughters' names have been lost in matrimony, except one who married Alexander McAllister and Elizabeth who married Alexander McKeithan.
Elizabeth was his granddaughter, not his daughter. She was dau of John Geddie. The dau who m Alexander McAllister "Hatter Sandy" (son of Hector McAlester and Margaret Armstrong) was Sarah Geddie. They had dau Catherine McAllister b abt 1825. Catherine McAllister m Daniel J McKethan, son of John McKethan Jr and Marion Carruth. Daniel J is buried at Old Bluff Cem. Here's her bapt record - notice the father's name - curious.
"4/9/1797 James Agdie & Cathrin MacPhaile had a daughter Baptizd named Sarah."
[larry note: ie, "Agdie" is no typo, meaning the rector was drinking that day, or should we also look for the AGDIE variant of GEDDIE?]
...>Have you established that your line isn't related to the Alexander McKeithan who married Elizabeth Ann Geddie, daughter of James? Or is this marriage too disputed?
There's no disputing that marriage. 4/15/1832 Cumberland Co. Alexander was son of John McKethan Jr and Nancy McDougald. My Miss McKeithan definitely wasn't a daughter of this marriage or a sister to Alexander. But there probably was a distant cousin kinship if you trace Alexander back thru John Jr to John Sr to James Sr to Donald. Then across to Dougald of SC to Thomas of SC. But I can't prove the last part about Dougald and Thomas. The Alexander that can't be ruled out is the one who appeared in that New Hanover deed with Gilbert. He was brother to James Sr. This Alexander m Mary David and had at least one daughter acc to Dugald's 1750 will. He moved from the town of Old Brunswick to Wilmington to Bladen Co. Also left some land records in Cumberland Co. He disappeared from Bladen Co. I have heard he went to GA but haven't found any records yet. ..
...>It's "Big John" who is documented as being a plantation owner in Cumberland County. Is there evidence his father, James Daniel (Sr.), ever left the Wilmington (New Hanover County) area?
I don't have anything to help there. Didn't have the records that he was in Wilmington either. The Cape Fear River was the main "highway" in those days. So if he left Wilmington, it's very likely he went into Bladen, Cumberland, or Sampson. Many families moved upriver. Sampson was created from Duplin - can't remember date. You might want to search Duplin records too...
Our thanks to
FRANCES CULLOM ("COOKIE") HARPER, Lexington North Carolina, fharper@lexcominc.net
Followup to Cookie's findings from Paulette Flym:
...My information for the earlier Geddie generations also came from the Geddie/McPhail Book. Someone thought it was the right marriage [JAMES DANIEL and ISABELLA] because there is a tombstone, erected later not at time of death in the Old Bluff Presbyterian Church Cemetery for James Daniel and Isabella McPhail Geddie. I just had a few minutes to look through the cemetery records but I did see several James Daniel's and several Catherines. I had the same thought as you regarding the fact that perhaps her name was Isabella Catherine McPhail Geddie [Larry note: Or Catherine Isabella?]. I have also found cases where some of the daughters and sometimes the sons were left out of the will. Sometimes they had moved away and did not need land or such or were well enough off on their own without an inheritance. And yes, the Geddie book does not give references as such other than the ones mentioned in the narrative section where he tells where he [JACK GEDDIE] got much of his information. That perhaps would help...
PAULETTE CHANEY FLYM, Arp Texas
...I ... found an ancient McNEILL cemetery over in Scotland County, NC. We took photographs of this burial ground, which is long since abandoned and sad among the pines and briars... An elaborate wire fence once guarded this cemetery; it's iron corner posts now struggle to support the remains.... [One marker reads] In memory of Mary McEachin Native of Scotland Departed this life June 26, 1837 in the 87th year of her age...
MYRTLE BRIDGES, NCGenWeb coordinator for Hoke & Cumberland Counties
hbridges@worldnet.att.net
