Editor's note:  While looking through the online Kintyre Mag, I located Richmond I. McKay's original letter to the magazine.  Upon reading it, I realized that the copy I had from a Google search was not quite complete.  Here is the way it appeared in the Kintyre Mag, Issue 31 - July 1999, Wee Drams Section, Richmond I. McKay.  As of last year, email to Rich McKay has bounced back.

From: Richmond I McKay   mckayr@erols.com

Hello: I have followed your web version of the Kintyre Antiquarian and enjoyed it very much while also learning about the area and its history.

Family research has indicated that my ancestors lived in Argyll before immigrating to America, but proof was lacking. Recently, several sources have combined so that the proof to Scotland may be possible.  However, as this is my first effort to "recross the Atlantic", I would appreciate any advice from your readers as to what to do to pursue the task.
Here is the story:

My direct ancestor was "Archibald McKay", one of the earliest elders of Longstreet Church mentioned in "A Forgotton Campbeltown" on the A.I.B.Stewart page this month. 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 entitled "Six Pre-Revolutionary War McKays Named Alexander - All From The Valley Of The Scots" in Argyll Colony Plus, Vol. 8, No. 3, pages 171-190. It was written by John Scalf and Peggy Mordecai. 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. Now the question is--"how do I take this information and search for answers in Scotland? Any advice, information, or direction to resources will be appreciated.

Final question, most of the material written about the Clan McKay deals with those to the North and has little if any value for the McKays living in the Argyll area. Can anyone suggest references or sources that are oriented more toward the families living in Argyllshire (not necessarily limited to McKays)

I apologize for the length of this e-mail, but it is more of a continuing story than a report.

Thank you.

Rich McKay