Family research has indicated that my ancestors lived in Argyll before emigrating to America.

My direct ancestor was "Archibald McKay", one of the earliest elders of Longstreet Church.He was born ca 1720, and married Ann Gilchrist. They went to America in 1752 during the post-Culloden exodus, and they had at least four children that were born in Scotland: Janet, ca 1744; Sara, ca 1746; Alexander, ca.1748; and Isabella, ca 1750.

The following comes from an article in Argyll Colony Plus, Vol. 8, No. 3, pages 171-190. The first and second Alexanders were the Alexander who came in 1739 and his son. The third Alexander came to America about 1743. In a November 1993 letter, Judge Ian Stewart sent an abstract from the early Court Books of Sheriff Court, Campbelltown, Argyll, Scotland.

"In 1782 Jean Hendry, Relict (i.e. widow) of the deceased Alex McKay (the third Alexander above) planter in North Carolina petitioned Campbellton Sheriff Court to serve as her heir in general to the deceased Daniel Hendry, her brother's son." The article establishes a sibling relationship between the third Alexander, m. Jean Hendry, and Iver McKay, the father of the fourth Alexander in the article. The article states: "The christening record of Iver McKay was recorded in the Extracted Birth and/or Christening Records, of Campbelltown, Argyll County, Scotland. It was done on 10 Dec 1732. The parents were Archibald McKay and Isobel McNeill of Campbelltown." Next, the authors establish that the brothers Alexander and Iver had a sister, Isabella, m.Duncan McKeithan II. The authors conclude that there is a high probability that a John McKay and my Archibald - the Longstreet church elder, above - were also brothers to the third Alexander, Iver and Isabella. The strongest evidence cited as to a sibling relationship between my Archibald and Iver was a document indicating a very strong relationship between them.  "Four months after the birth of Iver's son John, on 16 Apr 1768, a deed of gift was drawn up placing under Archibald's authority (various property) with the stipulation that they would be given to Iver's son John on his 21st birthday. (The authors report that this transpired at a time when the colony was blessed with only one mature Archibald McKay).

The fifth Alexander was John McKay's son, and the sixth was Archibald's son who had been born in Scotland prior to the 1752 departure. It is believed that Archibald's family continued contact with relatives in Scotland. Following the problem called the Revolution, Archibald (Jr.), 6th child of my Archibald, was in Great Britian, and wrote a letter in 1785 which stated: "i intend to spend next summer in Scotland...You will please to write to me, under cover to Messrs. John and Hector McKay, No. 5 Crown Court, Westminister..." Upon returning to America, he named his first born son "Hector" indicating some type of fondness.

Can anyone suggest references or sources that are oriented more toward the families living in Argyllshire (not necessarily limited to McKays)

Rich McKay