The following are three distinct Gilchrist families that were taken from the old parish records of Campbeltown Parish. All three were involved in the weaving industry and lived in the Lochend section of Campbeltown.

The possibility that these men (Andrew, John and Dugald) were brothers is not only enhanced by the fact that they did the same work, lived in the same time period, lived in the same area, but also their children shared similar names.

The old parish records also list the marriage of a Robert Gilchrist and Jean Donaldson on Aug 29, 1756. And the birth of a daughter, Jean; who was baptized on Jan 9, 1757. Could this couple have also been parents of Andrew, John and Dugald - and others?

A: Andrew Gilchrist - Weaver in Lochend, Campbeltown. He married Mary Smith

1. Janet Gilchrist - born Feb 3, 1777

2. Andrew Gilchrist - born Jun 3, 1785

3. Margaret Gilchrist - born Apr 11, 1789

4. Mary Gilchrist - born Nov 1, 1790

5. Robert Gilchrist - born Feb 10, 1795

6. William Gilchrist - born Feb 10, 1795

 

B: John Gilchrist - Weaver in Lochend and Dalaruan - both sections of Campbeltown. He          married Mary McNeill and they had seven children

1. Mary Gilchrist - born Jun 5, 1786

2. Daniel Gilchrist - born Oct 20, 1790. He was a net weaver in Dalintober, later becoming a seaman in the merchant marine. On Dec 12, 1820, he married Margaret McKillop, born Jun 30, 1796, and a daughter of John McKillop - also a mariner in Dalintober. Daniel was drowned at sea in about 1839. There were ten children born

a. Margaret Gilchrist - born Sep 19, 1821

b. Ann Gilchrist and Mary Gilchrist - apparently twin sisters - born Mar 15, 1823. Ann apparently died in infancy, and Mary married Daniel McMillan on Nov 30, 1854; he was employed as a porter

c. Agnes Gilchrist (listed as "Jean" in the 1851 census) - born Feb 13, 1825

d. Elizabeth Gilchrist - born May 8, 1827; died as infant

e. Euphemia Gilchrist - born Dec 30, 1828; died Mar 17, 1917. On Jun 25, 1850, she married James Pursell, a Campbeltown shoemaker, born 1826 and died Nov 23, 1885. Both are buried in the Kilkerran Cemetery in Campbeltown. The names of three children are known; Daniel, William Andrew - who was described as the youngest son, and a daughter named Jane

-----Mrs. Euphemia Gilchrist Purcell, of Glasgow, writing in Mar, 1914

"My father was Daniel Gilchrist. His father was John Gilchrist. My father’s mother was Mary McNeill. She had seven children of whom my father was the eldest. My father was drowned at sea when I was eight years old. There were nine in the family left. There are only three of us of the Mull of Kantrye living. I am the eldest of the three. The other two are Elizabeth and Daniel. John Gilchrist, my father’s brother, went away and we never heard anything about him. And my father’s brother, Archie Gilchrist, went away. And my brother, Archie, went away and my youngest son, William Andrew Purcell, went away from here when he was twenty with a gentleman with four Canter horses to somewhere in America eighteen years ago, and was never heard of again."

f. Archibald Gilchrist - born Aug 10, 1831. According to Mrs. Euphemia Purse’s (A.2.e.) statement recorded in the Lumber River Scots, published in 1942, this man apparently left Campbeltown for America. There is the very distinct possibility that he is the same Archiblad Gilchrist who arrived in the port of Mobile, Alabama, and marrying Edna Jane Rush in 1873. The family eventually settled near Alexandria, Louisiana. Three children were born:

(1) Robert Henderson Gilchrist - born Jul 4, 1874 and died Dec 14, 1962. He married Rosa M. Loden in 1897 and they had ten children. Carol R. Gilchrist, wife of Ronald Douglas Gilchrist, a grandson of Robert Henderson Gilchrist, is responsible for this information. This family lives in Notasulga, Alabama

(2) Martha Irene Gilchrist - born Nov 27, 1876

(3) Andrew Jeff Gilchrist - born Mar 19, 1879 and died Feb 9, 1933. He married Marie DeWitt

g. Janet Harvey Gilchrist - born Feb 1, 1834

h. Elizabeth Hamilton Gilchrist - born Jul 18, 1836 and died May 2, 1925. On Jan 28, 1861 she married Robert McNeill, a laborer. There were seven children, all sons, who were born:

(1) Daniel McNeill - born Dec 28, 1861

(2) Robert McNeill - born Jan 12, 1864

(3) George McNeill - born Dec 4, 1865

(4) Daniel McNeill - born May 6, 1868

(5) Archibald McNeill - born Jan 17, 1871, and died Nov 29, 1950. On June 26, 1902, he married Martha Stewart. Four children were born

(a) Martha Stewart McNeill - born July 31, 1903. On Oct 16, 1934 she married Archibald Keith who was born June 23, 1900; and died Oct 20, 1977. Two children were born

(1) Maureen Keith - born Mar 21, 1939. On Apr 6, 1974, she married Walter Bell. She is a school teacher in Campbeltown, and he is employed as a civil engineer. They live near Drumlemble, west of Campbeltown, and have two daughters - Bilary (born Nov 6, 1978), and Lesley (born Dec 16, 1981)

(2) Edward Keith - born Jan 16, 1944. On July 23, 1971 he married Nancy Watson and they also have two daughters - Marjorie and Rhona

(b) Archibald Stewart McNeill - born Oct 16, 1904. He died Oct 20, 1981

(c) John Stewart McNeill - born Apr 2, 1907

(d) Daniel McNeill - born June 8, 1909

i. Daniel Gilchrist - born May 20, 1838. He was married twice, and is believed to have had a daughter named Jane, who died in 1971

j. Isabella Gilchrist - born in 1840

3. Archibald Gilchrist - born on June 16, 1796. It is recorded that he left Campbeltown, presumably for America

4. Dugald Gilchrist - born on May 19, 1800

5. Jean Gilchrist - born on Sep 16, 1802

6. John Gilchrist - born about 1810

7. It is known from Mrs. Euphemia Pursell’s statement, that there was a seventh child. Could this be the Robert Gilchrist found listed with Daniel Gilchrist in the 1828-1840 McNair’s Ledger? The two are recorded as living in the Dalintober section of Campbeltown. It is possible that he may have been Daniel’s older brother - being born between Mary (b. 1786) and Daniel (b. 1790)

 

C. Dugald Gilchrist - Weaver in Dalintober, Campbeltown. On Aug 20, 1794, he married Jean Morrison. They are buried in Campbeltown’s Kelkerran Cemetery. There were seven children:

1. Robert Gilchrist - born Nov 9, 1795 and died Jan 26, 1837

2. John Gilchrist - born Mar 10, 1797 and died in infancy

3. John Gilchrist - born Sep 20, 1798. It appears probable that this man was the weaver in Dalintober, Campbeltown who married Agnes Johnston in 1827. According to the 1841 census, he had become a distillery worker and was living on Saddle Street. There were six children:

a. Janet Gilchrist - born Oct 16, 1828

b. Mary Gilchrist - born Sep 21, 1831

c. Jean Gilchrist - born May 12, 1833

d. James Gilchrist - born Sep 12, 1836

e. Robert Gilchrist - born Nov 26, 1837

f. John Gilchrist - born in 1843

4. Mary Gilchrist - born June 14, 1802

5. Jean Gilchrist - born Apr 10, 1807

6. Donald Gilchrist - born in 1811