McCaws of Garrachty

                             McCaws of Garrachty

                           

According to family tradition McCaws come from the Isle of Bute and belong to the clan of the Stewarts of Bute.

Tradition is substantiated by a report on 'The M'Caws of Garrachty' written by Adam Dick MacBeth in 1908, now in the Genealogical Collection of the NY Public Library (ARD). MacBeth writes that the lands of Garrachty, occupying the southwestern extremities of the Isle of Bute, belonged to the M'Caws for four centuries and possibly longer.

Throughout the ages, the Isle of Bute had been divided into 99 land holdings. Two of the landholdings known as North Garrachty and South Garrochty belonged throughout the centuries to M'Caws. The M'Caws were often called 'Barons of Bute' even though they were only occasionally entitled to the honorific, as Barons had to own 70+ hectares of land. Boundaries of North and South Garrachty are shown on Wilson's 'Guide to Rothsay and the Island of Bute' (1848) and mention is made in 'Bute in Olden Times' and John Blain's 'History of Bute'.

I understand the name McCaw translates from the Gaelic as 'Servant of the Saints' or as the 'Saint's man', and has reference to Adamnan (@ 624-704 AD) who was the ninth Abbot of the Monastery of Iona, who, in about 690 AD wrote 'The Life of Saint Columba' one of the earliest writings of the early Celtic Christian Church. The name probably alludes to the ancient ruins of a 6th Century monastery standing on a hill in the midst of Garrachty midway between North and South Garrachty. The ruin is now known as Saint Blaine's Chapel. Adamnan is said to have visited this holy place when Bute was still part of the Kingdom of Dalriada.

The M'Caw holdings of North and South Garrachty are very well documented. In 1506 a charter, or instrument of sasine infefting Alexander Stewart of Kerequhonlich (Kelwhinlech in 1908) recites the grants contained in the King's (James IV) charter, and the words referring to the lands of Garrachty (Gaelic for rough field house) are as follows: "Gillenow M'Caw, terras de le North Garrochach; Gilpatrick M'Caw alteram dididiatem terrarum de South Garrochachi, Johanni M'Cawm alteram dimidiatem dictarum."

Gillenow M'Caw was granted the land of North Garrachtie (also known as North Garrochty, Garrachtymor, and - as of 1908- called 'the plan' (flat place). There is no descent copied for this holding.

Gilpatrick and John M'Caw were each granted half the lands of South Garrachty, which in the reign of Alexander III, were valued at 50 shillings a year. The descent for the two portions of South Garrachties (also known as Yonder Garrachy or Garrochach, or Garoch) was listed as follows:

The M'Caws of the Southernmost portion of South Garrochtie:
1506: Gilpatrick M'Caw (or John)
1568: Gilchrist M'Caw
1603: Alexander M'Caw
????: Patrick M'Caw
1642: Alexander M'Caw
1649: John M'Caw
1677: Patrick M'Caw

The M'Caws of the Northwestrn (70 acre) portion of South Garrachtie:
1506: John (or Gilpatrick) M'Caw
1568: Gilnew M'Caw
1602: John M'Caw (son of Alexander)
1647: John M'Caw (emigrated to Ireland)
1686: Gilnew M'Caw (son of John. Married Jean Stewart, dau of James Stewart of Lagizean)
????: Daniel M'Caw (son of Gilnew)
1745: James M'Caw (son of Daniel)
1796: Daniel M'Caw (son of James)
1845: James M'Caw (son of Daniel. Married Elizabeth Barbour. Had a sister, Ephemia M'Caw)

James M'Caw, who was also known as James McKay (pronounced McKye) died in 1858. His wife, Elzabeth Barbour died in 1875. In 1890 South Garrochty, including St. Blaine's Chapel on the hill, was purchased by a Sir William McEwan, a prominent brain surgeon from Glascow, for use as his country residence and as a model farm. More recently (1980s) it has been owned by an English Judge : J. Irving Smith, The Garrochty, Kingarth, Isle of Bute, Scotland PA20 9LX (Telephone 070083-667).

As the Isle of Bute is a tiny place, it's 99 land holdings now owned almost exclusively by the current Marquis of Bute, there has long been a tradition of younger sons leaving the Island to seek their fortunes. holdings passed from elder son to elder son. Younger sons made their way to Glascow or Belfast or farther. Large numbers of men from Bute made passage from the nearby Scottish port of Largs to Belfast during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The records in Belfast are spotty. There is, however, an account of a William and a James McCaw arrested for their role in the McKee murders in March 1799 an event arising from the Rebellion of the United Irishmen in 1798 (a protestant-led, middle -class revolt patterned upon the recent French Revolution). William was executed and James was sent as a prisoner to Australia.