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> Kirkpatrick, History of the Kirkpatrick family
Stevie. 
Posted: 14-Jan-2008, 06:00 PM
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Just joined here.This seemed like a good place ty share some info about my anscestors. I wrote a book about the Kirkpatrick clan.Ive published most of it online. http://www.kirkpatrickweb.co.uk

KIRKPATRICK (Threads of History)

The first full history of the Kirkpatrick family was compiled by Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe,a well respected historian of the late 18th century.He translated ancient land charters,manuscripts and monastic records,this taking him numerous years of hard work and devotion.This work was revaluated in 1953 by Major General Charles Kirkpatrick CB CBE (aide de camp George v).He had access to family documents which were not available to Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe,therfore he was able to make a further contribution to the story.In the 1990's this work was expanded further still by Steaphan G Kirkpatrick TFS on behalf of the Kirkpatrick MacAndrew Trust for Scotland.Using modern day technology he has been able to further research the rich tapestry of our ancestral heritage contributing his "thread". To this end he has written a book called "Threads of history",based on his own family research, and tracing the formation of the tribes of Scotland and the rise to power of our ancestors through the ages.The following text are exerpts from his book which will be published (and updated constantly updated) on this web-site.He has taken up the work of his eminent ancestors and combined with his own research has compiled this book as his legacy to the next generation.Read on as the story unfolds and reveals the story of our ancestors.

Kirkpatrick

The Kirkpatrick family lived in Dumfriesshire Southwest Scotland. They descended from one of the many tribes of Scots, who had come from DALRIADA (ancient name for Northern Ireland )in around 280 AD. The Scots came from DALRIADA in several waves from about that time till 5OOAD. The Scots were warrior people who worshiped pagan gods, in the fullness of time however they abandoned their pagan gods adopting the new religion of Christianity. They had been very much influenced by the teachings of St Patrick. who had founded a ministry in south west Scotland around the fifth century from the Clyde to the Solway firth. He built several churches which became known as "kil" or "cell" (,a cell or kil is a small chapel where the early christian missionaries held mass and lived). These churches eventually evolved small religious communities around them, then becoming known as Cella Patricii , ( church or ministry of St Patrick ) .It's more likely to mean "teachings "of Patrick .Church lands , as these communities became known ,were self supporting as in they were totally independent. In Dumfreishire there was a settlement named "CELLA PATRICII", the name of which later became KIL-PATRICK. This is where our ancestors had settled all those years before. By the 700 's in this country, there was two major branches of the church, the Roman church, and the celtic church. In essence they were both simillar,the main difference was in the administration. The Roman church was a heirarchy of Bishops, and a descending order of "officials who were placed in charge of running the church lands. They imposed taxation on the people in form of "tithes" which meant one tenth of all produce on church lands was to be donated to the "church" this could breed corruption in power hungry officials. The Celtic church, however, believed in administering the gospel and the teachings of St Patrick to the people , not for profit .THE Roman church decreed in the 800's that the seat of the churches power be moved to York , The Celtic church rebelled and denounced the move, their response was to break away as a faction , creating reforms , one such reform was the renaming of the word church from "kill" to "kirk" ,thus the name KIRK- PATRICK. So there we have the name KIRKPATRICK.

In 10 53 AD Malcolm III had passed a law whereby he'd give parcel's of land to a selected few (his favourites) and these men would in turn be responsible for "maximising" the revenue of the said lands by whatever means they saw fit, usually by taxation and demanding rent and a percentage of all produce ( practiced by the earlier roman church ) of the land they now owned. This was feudalism a Norman practice. Also Malcolm III declared that these feudal Barons named themselves after their lands. This is when personal surnames evolved.Before then people were known by their "christian" names and their geneology ie; EWAN son of (whoever…..).Under the new set up he would be known by his geography ie ; EWAN of KIRKPATRICK .First time the name was written down was 1194 AD. This document was a land "confirmation" granted to IVO N of KIRKPATRICK of land in Annan Dumfrieshire. He already had unofficial possession of these lands , which means he was given "legal" recognition by the king for to feudalise (tax) that land, if he'd been "granted" the land it would suggest he'd been given new lands. His family must therefore have been in that area for a considerable time ,and powerful enough, to control such a strategic piece of land. This IVO N, (pronounced EWAN ), had a 2 sons, EWAN (ivon) and ROGER . From these two brothers 2 branches of the family evolved. ROGER took over his fathers lands of AUCHENCAS, EWAN was later to be "confirmed" in 1232 AD ,in the lands of CLOSEBURN, ( which guards the western approaches into Scotland) by Alexander II ,meaning he was already established there. King Alexander II at this time had began expelling the Norse settlers from this country who were becoming too powerful .He installed trusted men in strategic positions to "police" the borders and all key inroads to Scotland. The Kirkpatricks must have been some of these trusted men. EWAN'S brother ROGER was" granted" lands in ANNANDALE, another key position, by Robert Bruce earl of Annandale, grandfather of king Robert the Bruce .This Roger was succeeded by his son Humphry who in turn was granted lands in Dumbarton ,from whom the clan Colquhoun descend. The two branches of the family had strengthened their position in the south west by inter marriage of cousins a common practice in those days, but their fortunes differed greatly in the forthcoming Scottish wars of independence .Therefore the story of the Kirkpatrick's becomes very confusing, simply because they kept using the same christian names. From these marriages minor branches of the family emerged. The lands and titles were handed down from father to ELDEST son, the younger sons were usually taken care of by being given farms or castles on the family lands ,which they could in turn "maximise" and generate an income for themselves.These younger sons are often overlooked by history, generally the main title holders are the ones mostly written about, unless of course they do something memorable ,as was the case of Alexander Kirkpatrick who captured the rebel Earl of Douglas after the Scottish victory at the battle of Kirtle bridge in Dumfrieshire in 1482 AD, earning him the estate of Kirkmichael (Dumfrieshire) from the greatfull Scottish king. This began yet another branch the "Kirkpatrick's of Kirkmichael" Several minor branches of the Kirkpatricks existed , families of younger sons etc, some faired better than others , but each branch of the family have their own story to tell, each in turn, whilst drawing from common ancestry, contributing greatly to the story of a great ,and powerfull family.

More info available at http://www.kirkpatrickweb.co.uk


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Rindy 
Posted: 14-Jan-2008, 07:37 PM
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Welcome to Celtic Radio Stevie! thumbs_up.gif I enjoyed reading your history. I hope to hear more about your ancestors.

Slainte
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Caulleys 
Posted: 13-Sep-2013, 05:49 PM
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Stevie et al,

Greetings from the other side of the big pond!

I would like to know more about the book THREADS OF HISTORY by Steaphan G Kirkpatrick. I cannot find mention of it other than on your website. I have tried contacting you through your website in order to add information On the American Kirkpatricks.

By the way, I've set up a Kirkpatrick - Kilpatrick Research and Sharing web site at
http://tinyurl.com/Kirk-Kil-Clans All are welcome to view and join.

I'm also in the process or organizing an Organized motor coach tour of parts of Scotland important to the Kirkpatricks and Kilpatricks.

Please feel free to contact me [email protected] for more information.

Tom Caulley
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