The Homeplace – Kirkcolm
Kirkcolm – a village in a parish of the same name at the northern end of the Rhins of Galloway, Dumfries and Galloway, Kirkcolm looks down on the west shore of Loch Ryan, 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Stranraer. Established as a burgh of barony in 1613, it takes its name from the church dedication to St Columba, although it was also formerly known as Stewarton. The village was rebuilt in a more regular layout in the 1780s. In the churchyard of the Ervie and Kirkcolm Parish Church (1824) stands the Kilmorie (or Kilmore) Cross, a 9th-10th Century Celtic stone.
McCubbins are known to have inhabited the Rhinns of Galloway for four centuries – from the small farms and villages to the port town of Stranraer.
The Rhins of Galloway is a hammer-head peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway,Scotland. Stretching more than 25 miles (40 km) from north to south, its southern tip is the Mull of Galloway, the southernmost point of Scotland.
The principal settlements are Stranraer at the head of Loch Ryan and the small village of Portpatrick on the west coast, other villages are dotted up and down the peninsula, including Kirkcolm, Leswalt, Lochans, and in the South Rhins; Stoneykirk, Sandhead, Ardwell and Drummore. (see #42-DNA-3 for description of the Rhins)
Early Families
I. Peter McCubbin was born about 1790. He was a Master Shoemaker. He married Janet Campbell about 1801 in Kirkcolm.
The family name varies from McCubbin to McCubben in the following generations. Original parish records in Scotland show the name with an ‘in’ ending. For indexing purposed in our database the ‘in’ ending is used except in narratives by family or in publications.
Peter and Janet had five known children,
A. ‘Baby’, B. William, C. Jannet, D. Mary, and John. Names spelled McCubbin in Kirkcolm.
A. Baby McCubbin was born in1801 in Portpatrick – a seaside town further down the Rhins. There is no further record of this child (may have died in infancy).
B. William McCubbin born 1802 in Kirkcolm, Wigtown, married Elizabeth Fulton, 1832 in Kirkcolm. The census of 1841 and 1851 find them living at Blackcroft, Kirkcolm, Wigtown. William was an Agricultural Labourer.
C. Jannet McCubbin was christened in 1804 in Kirkcolm, Wigtown, Scotland.
D. Mary McCubbin was christened in 1806 in Kirkcolm, Wigtown.
E. John McCubbin was born circa 1813. He married Ann White,1832 in Gorbals, Lanark, Scotland (name continues to be spelled McCubbin).
In 1834 he was employed as a Calico Printer at the printworks of John Barr at Maryhill, nr Glasgow. When his job was threatened, he along with other workers, protested. (see CUB report 2012) He was sentenced for 7 months and imprisoned leaving a wife and infant child. After prison he does not seem to have remained out of work for long, if at all, as it appears that he completed his apprenticeship and continued working in his trade. He is recorded as a Journeyman Calico Printer on the 1841 census and in 1858 on the death record of his son, Arthur, although in later years he became a fish merchant and later still a greengrocer.
In 1868 he was a Fish Merchant, then in 1873, a Greengrocer as recorded on wife Ann’s death reg in 1873 in Dunoon. He married Agnes McLaren Muir on 29 Dec 1873 in Dunoon. On the census of 1881 in Church St Shop, Dunoon. at age 68, he was a Greengrocer, living with wife Agnes. He died in 1886 in Stirling, Stirling; professional skills listed as a Blockprinter, Journeyman, father listed as a Master Shoemaker. John died of Nephritis.
John and Ann had 7 known children – John Alexander, Alexander, Agnes, Peter, Thomas, Arthur and William.
John and Ann were the only known progenitors of Peter and Janet’s descendants. The majority live in Australia today. Name generally spelled McCubbin there. Two of their sons, John and Peter, and a daughter, Agnes emigrated there.
1. John Alexander McCubbin was born in 1834 in Kelvindock, Glasgow. He immigrated on 15 Mar 1855 to Australia; arrived on “Nepaul”. Known as McCubben in Australia. He married Christina Blackwood in 1857. They had 9 children, all born in Australia.
Relates descendant Sharon Braithwaite, “He was Grand Master of The Grand United Order of Oddfellow, Friendly Society, from 1877 to 1882. He was one of the most prominent of the leaders of the Order, and impressed himself upon its history. He joined the Order at Araluen, N.S.W. (Braidwood District). In 1882, while still Grand Master, he was appointed to the position of Grand Secretary. He held the office of Grand Secretary from 1882 until his death in 1899. To mark this appreciation, and to perpetuate his memory, the brethren of the Order raised a subscription, and erected a marble monument over his grave in Rookwood Cemetery, and also placed a commemorative tablet in the hall in Castlereagh Street.” The above was an extract from Diamond Jubilee booklet 1848-1908.
They spent quite a few years on the goldfields at Araluen and Braidwood and some of their children were born there. There is a mining lodge in Maitland, N.S.W. in his name.
Thomas Blackwood McCubben, 10th (and final) child of John & Christina McCubben was born in Sydney and travelled by boat, with his young family to Mackay, Queensland. My grandfather, Thomas Gordon McCubben, can remember the trip as being both exciting and arduous.”
John Alexander McCubbin died in1899 in Leichhardt, New South Wales, AUS
Children were:
a) Anna Priscilla McCubbin, born 1858, Jamberoo, died 1901.
b) Christina McCubbin, born 1859, Sydney, died 1939, Moree.
c) Agnes McCubbin, born 1861, Araluen, Braidwood, died 1897.
d) Elizabeth, born 1863, Araluen.
e) Priscilla McCubbin, born 1865 in Araluen, Braidwood.
f) Isabella McCubbin born 1868 in Braidwood.
g) Robert McCubbin born 1870 in Braidwood. Robert’s children were Ann,
John, Dorothy, Thomas, and Robert.
h) John McCubbin born in 1874 in Braidwood. John’s children were Christina, Vera, William, John, Douglas and Allan.
h) Rachel McCubbin born in 1875 in Sydney.
i) Thomas Blackwood McCubbin, born 1878 in Glebe, NSW. Thomas’ children were Robert, Keith, Thomas and Lillian (Lilias).
2. Alexander McCubbin born 1834 in Barony, Lanark, Scotland.
3. Agnes Ingles McCubbin, born 1835 in Water of Levern, Mearns, Renfrew, Scotland. She emigrated on 1 May 1856 from Scotland; to Australia on Vessel Commodore Perry, Ist May 1856. Age 19, General Servant, going to brother John living in Sydney. She married Alexander Gilchrist in 1859.
4. Peter McCubbin, born 1837 in Mearns, Renfrew. He emigrated in 1856 from Scotland; to Australia on the Vessel Commodore Perry, Age 19, a Labourer, born Mearns Renfrew Scotland.
We find that Peter moved about the world. He left Scotland for Australia, then possibly to Canada, then California and on to Oregon. In an email query from Jessie Salmon asking about her great grandfather she writes:
“I was named for my grandmother, Jessie McCubbin Blake. I cannot find much on her family and I am hoping your newsletter will help. Jessie’s father was Peter McCubbin who lived in Portland, Oregon around 1870 to 1913. I don’t know where he came from before that but there were stories about Scotland, Australia, British Columbia and San Francisco.”
He married Margaret Noland in 1859 in Sydney, AUS. He appeared on the census of 1870 in Ormsby, Carson City, Nevada, a Stonecutter. He was naturalized in 1874 in San Francisco, CA. He lived in 1875 in 16th Precinct, Sacramento, CA, USA. He appeared on the census of 1880 in Santa Clara, Redwood Twnship, CA; an employee, a Quarry Labourer, born Scotland, a widower, age 41. He married Annie MacKenzie in 1881 in Yale, BC, Canada. During the gold rush days, Yale had been a busy town. It was still going strong when the Canadian Pacific Railway was being blasted through. Peter would have plenty of employment in his line of expertise. He appeared on the census of 1900 in Olive, Grant, OR; head of household, born Scotland, a Stonecutter, age 62, married 20 years, living in own home, with wife Annie and daughter, Jessie, age 16. He appeared on the census of 1910 in Portland Ward 7, Multnomah, OR; age 72, wife Annie 58.
a) Jessie McCubbin married (–?–) Blake.
5. Thomas McCubbin born circa 1844 in Partick, Lanarkshire. He was a Fisherman when he married Margaret Wells in 1868 in 64 St James Road, Glasgow, Scotland. He was a Yachtsman in 1876, a Seaman in 1879, and finally listed as a Master Mariner in 1905. He appeared on the census of 1891 in John St, Haddow Cottage, Dunnoon & Kilmun, Argyll; head of household living with wife & children. Children were:
a) Jane Hislop McCubbin born 1869 in Dunoon & Kilmun, Argyll.
b) Margaret McCubbin born 1871 in Dunoon & Kilmun.
c) Ann Whyte McCubbin born1873 in Dunoon & Kilmun. She was a Dressmaker as noted on census in 1891 in Dunoon.
d) John Wells McCubbin born 1876 in Manse Road, Dunoon, Dunoon & Kilmun. Married Lavinia Amelia Ferguson,1898, Fremantle, Western Australia. He died in 1944 in Fitzroy, Vic, Australia. Children were; John, Thomas, Margaret and William.
e) James McCubbin born 1879 in Manse Road, Dunoon, Dunnon & Kilmun.
f) Thomas McCubbin born 1881 in George St, Dunoon. He was a Joiner (Journeyman) at time of marriage in 1905 in Partick. He married Grace Blair Sloan, 1941 in East Kew, Vic. Children were Grace, Thomas, Robert, Margaret, Egerton and Roderick
g) Agnes McCubbin born in 1884 in Dunoon, Dunoon & Kilmun.
6. Arthur McCubbin born circa 1846, died on 1 Aug 1858 in 161 Crown St, Glasgow, age 12.
7. William McCubbin born circa 1847, married Helen White in 1875 in
Muthill, Scotland.
Occupations
Master Shoemaker, Seaman, Joiner (Journeyman), Fisherman, Seaman, Yachstman, Master Mariner, Stonecutter, Quarry Labourer, Calico Printer (Journeyman). Block Printer (Journeyman), Green Grocer.
Leaving Scotland
Going to Australia
During the mid 1800’s there was a large exodus from Scotland to Australia (over and above convicts sent there). Three of John and Ann’s (White) children did so.
John Alexander left in 1855. His brother Peter and sister Agnes followed to join him in 1856.
Going to America
There will be descendants of John and Ann’s children in America too.
Peter, who had gone to Australia, finally settled in Oregon.
Facts of Interest
Calico Printers Excerpted from: The Industries of Scotland, their Rise, Progress and Present Condition By David Bremner (1869)
“The art of calico-printing or rather painting was not introduced into Europe until the seventeenth century. It had been brought from India about 1670 but a considerable time elapsed before the trade came prominently into notice. Towards the close of the seventeenth century a demand had sprung up in Britain for the cheap and gaudy prints of India, Persia, and China. By 1820 it had become a large industry.”
There are several processes in preparing the cotton cloth before it is handed over to the printers. who used blocks with designs carved into them.
“In block-printing a section of the design is cut upon a piece of sycamore, and, after being coated with paste or colouring matter, is laid upon the cloth and struck smartly. As the blocks most commonly used are only ten inches long by five broad, a great number of applications are necessary in order to print a single piece of cloth. The block has been superseded by the cylinder, except in special cases such as at the establishment under notice, where, owing to the peculiar nature of the work, blocks are still used to some extent. The blocks are made on the premises by a staff of designers and engravers.”
“The art of the dyer and calico-printer is based on the proper understanding and use of “mordants.” The term “mordant” is applied to certain substances with which the cloth to be dyed must be impregnated, otherwise the colouring matters would not adhere to the cloth, but would be removed by washing.”
“Cordale Printfield and Dalquhurn Dyeworks two extensive establishments situated on the banks of the Leven near the village of Renton, Dumbartonshire, and belonging to Messrs William Stirling & Sons, Glasgow will convey an idea of the processes of calico-printing and Turkey-red dyeing: The Cordale Printworks cover five acres of ground, and give employment to about 500 persons men, women, and children so that in their two establishments Messrs Stirling employ nearly 1500 workpeople. Machine-printers earn from 30s. to 50s. a-week; small- block printers, 25s. to 30s.; large-block printers, 30s. to 40s.; boys, 4s. to 7s. The machinery at Cordale is driven by two waterwheels and an engine of 50 horse power.”
Full text at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/industrial/industry12.htm
Four Generation Descendant Chart
Contributors
Janet Pittendrigh, John Alexander McCubben, Jessie Salmon, Sharon Braithwaite