Category: Duart Family

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Clan Maclean Gathering

Today I received my invitation to the Friends of the Clan Maclean Heritage Trust reception.  If you are going to the Clan Gathering, this is not to be missed.  It will be at Gruiline House, Isle of Mull.  Last time we went to the Clan gathering, we were invited to attend the reception at Torloisk House.  Richard and Lucinda Compton Maclean of Torloisk hosted the reception and what a lovely time.  Their home is one of the Maclean estates and we had the run of the place.

The reception in 2007 followed the unveiling of a Cairn to General Allan Maclean at Kilninian Church.  The unveiling started with the different sects of the Clan, all dressed in their particular tartan, piped to the cairn.  It was very colorful and rather impressive to see all those who had gathered, being lead to the church.

For anyone who is interested in joining the Friends of the Clan Maclean Heritage Trust, you can email William Douglas, Secretary at cmht@maclean.org.  Also, you can see more about this at maclean.org.

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John Wesley Duart, Civil War Soldier

I recently joined the Daughters of the Union Veterans, Civil War 1861-1865 under my gr. gr. grandfather, John Wesley Duart.  It got me thinking that I know a fair amount about him, but not his Civil War experience.  I decided that if I was going to find out, I might as well set a goal of writing an article for someone, about JW.

I started by writing to all my cousins that I know are descendants of John, to see if anyone has more information about him.  I have had a copy of his pension file for many years, but reread it and refreshed my memory about his unit.  I also know that cousin, Don Duart has gr. gr. grandfather’s Civil War sword.  I got a picture of it long ago also.  Don called and said he has an article about JW that he will copy for me.  It is so exciting to know that the sword has been kept in the family and will be passed on to Don’s son, John.   And I’m on my way.

The Duart’s have named every other generation with a John Wesley or David Henry.  It dawned on me not too long ago that maybe there was a reason for John Wesley, since many of the Duart’s have been Methodist’s.  The naming started just about the same time that THE John Wesley began the church.  Go figure.

I’m hoping to hear from other cousins and to find someone has old letters or other articles about John Wesley Duart.  I’ll be adding all my information into the Duart One-Name-Study files as I receive items.

 

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Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War – 1861-1865

I am a member of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War- 1861-18654 by vertue of my Great-Great grandfather, John Wesley Duart.  Today I attended my first meeting and was astounded that although I had researched my family for some 40 years, I never really looked that deeply into John Wesley’s Civil War history, other than to prove his lineage.

My quest now is to change that and find out as much as possible about his 7th Regiment Company C of the Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Bob Watson, friend and re-enactor spoke at this DUVCW meeting about the common soldier of the Civil War.  Whoa! What a statement, “common soldier” when they all showed such uncommon valor for gr. gr. grandfather, John, to march from Tennessee to Alabama without proper food and water, let alone any other “creature comforts” we now have grown to expect.

Stay tuned to this quest and I’ll let you know what I find.

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Duart Name Official

I’m working with the Duart family again and taking a course in One-Name study to improve my website  http://www.one-name.org/profiles/duart.html to help the Duarts around the world locate others researching the same name.

The one big thing that my research and website have done so far, is to get Duart included in the Septs of the Clan Maclean.  When we went to the Clan Maclean gathering on the Isle of Mull in 2007, I inquired with the researchers of the Clan about proving all of this.  Their response was that it would be hard to prove otherwise, so go with it.  That doesn’t deter me from trying.  I might even prove them wrong and find some information that explains the Duart Sept.  A little help from my friends would be appreciated.

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Clan Maclean Centenary International Gathering

Well folks, it has been 100 years since Sir Fitzroy MacLean bought and restored Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull, Scotland.  It lay in ruin for over a hundred years before that and probably was built in the 13th century.  In 2012 the Clan Maclean will hold an international gathering of Macleans, Duarts and all the septs that incompasses.  You will have to go on line to their website  http://www.maclean.org/   to see who is a member sept.

The 2012 Clan Maclean Centenary International Gathering will take place on the Isle of Mull Jun 18-24.  If you want to have a great time with “the clan”, this is the time to visit.  Al and I went to the last gathering in 2007.  We didn’t have a clue what we were getting into, but had such a wonderful time, I’m ready to go back. You might want to get a kilt and learn some dances for the Grand Dance on Saturday night.

Pack you kilt, scabbard and warm coat and head to Mull (it’s an island after all and gets very cold).  We flew into Glasgow, rented a car then drove to Oban.  We took the ferry to Craignure on Mull and drove to Tobermory where many of the events took place.  Some events were held at Duart Castle.  Because it was a “family” thing, we had the run of the Castle on the public side.  Sir Fitzroy Maclean lives on the other half.  What a trip!

If you want to see the inside of the castle, watch “Entrapment” with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  The movie was filmed inside the castle.

We got to meet many clansmen from all over the World.  I still get occasional emails from some.  If you join the Clan Maclean Heritage Trust, you may also get invited to a private party held at one of the Maclean private residences.  That in itself was worth the trip.  The Maclean’s of Duart and Lochbuie owned many castles in the “good ole” days.  Some are “crumbledowns” and some are fully restored.  A journey to Urqhart Castle (another family property), will help you understand how truly large they were.  Urqhart is a crumbledown, for the most part, but if you walk around, you start feeling like you’ve been here before in some other life and could really enjoy living in a castle, if it had central heating.

You will not be sorry for going to this gathering.  It certainly gives you a real sense of family when everyone is dressed in our family tartans.  Happy Trails