My Dear Son
Letters from John McDougall (weaver), Isle of Lismore, Scotland, to his son, John, in America
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Introduction
John McDougall (labeled “weaver” throughout this book) was born on the Isle of Lismore in the West Highlands of Scotland in 1803. He was the oldest of John McDugald and Mary Carmichael’s three children, all born in the hamlet of Ballimackillichan. (See notes about names and spelling below.) His father had served in the 91st Regiment and settled on Lismore as a young man. The younger John McDougall (weaver) married Catherine McCallum, born in 1809 to John McCallum and Anne Carmichael in the Lismore hamlet of Balure. John (weaver) and Catherine raised their eight children at Ballimackillichan and lived there until Catherine’s death in 1886.
John McDougall (weaver) lived the life of a cottar as a landless resident of Balli-mackillichan where he provided weaving services to the island. He was the last weaver on the Isle of Lismore and superintendent of the island’s Sabbath School from 1844 to 1874. He lived to see the birth of his own children and their departure from Lismore.
Although he was not wealthy, his life was far from simple. Letters he wrote to his son, John, who migrated to the United States in 1872, reveal a devout man, living a principled life, who was active in his community and in frequent contact with friends and family throughout Scotland and North America. By 1879, when son John (born 1837) had settled in Redwood County, Minnesota, he was extending compliments and local news to a person he called McCorquodale, a former member of the Lismore community who had also migrated to Redwood County. He was also in contact through his son with members of Catherine McCallum’s family, including her sister-in-law, Ann McCallum and Ann’s children, who also had migrated to Minnesota from Lismore. He shared family news through his son and inquired about the health and well-being of family and friends in the United States. Although Lismore was his home for all but the last two of his 85 years, he influenced the development of families and communities in Scotland and the United States through simple, direct and consistent guidance to his children, recorded in the following letters.
The children and grandchildren of the younger John McDougall, who were born in the United States, saved the letters and gave them to the Lismore Historical Society in 2011. The letters allow John McDougall, the weaver’s, own words to express his perspective on life, religion and family relationships. The collection, reproduced here, includes letters from other members of the family, as well as transcripts, photographs, maps, family trees and a chronology of events, enriching the collection.
Letter #26
January 24th 1882
LETTER FROM JOHN MCDOUGALL (b. 1803 Lismore) AND
CATHERINE MCCALLUM MCDOUGALL (b. 1809 Lismore)
WHO LIVED AT BALLIMACKILLICHAN, ISLE OF LISMORE
TO JOHN MCDOUGALL (b. 1837 Lismore) AND
HUGH MCDOUGALL (b. 1842 Lismore)
MINNESOTA
Balimackillichan Lismore
Schotland argyle Shair
January 24th 1882
My dear Sons & daughter
we receved your letter last night we was very happy to hear that you were all well at that time and this leve us in masure of health my dear Son and daughter we are very happy to hear that the Lord give you another son that his name is Gilbart hugh Gilbart was a good man and so hugh should be he was in my oxter [armpit] when the Lord reveld my blessed Saviour to my soul and throw my sins in the osion [ocean] of love the blood of Jesus cleans from all sins I hope you will all meet me in haven that is my Concern
dear John I am sure you will all be sory for our dear beloved John Moores death three weeks tomorow since he was buried he died the last day of the year I hope he died in Christ as he Confest in his last words Christ my Saviour was his last words he wanted donald to writ us and donald did so he asked donald the night before he died is there any word from home we hat a letter from his two brothers since he died James said he Comenced to writ a letter to america did not finnished you Cannot belive what a fine yong man he was as tall is hugh o.. but he had a bige warm hart he was more like a son to us than a gran son very likly you will have a letter before this one we had a letter from his father last week he said the send a letter to america we are all so grived after our kine boy he said to his mother [Ann, Agnes] he wished he had a drink out from dauch I hope he was drinking the living water your Cusen ann McNicol Mrs McPerson was buried last thursday left two nice berns [bairns] father and motherless but the Lord promes to be a father to the fatherless he always stand to his promes she died in her fathers house she feell in bad health after her husbands death dugald livingston bauchule died in america the got his death letter last week he Come on well in amerca frends is taken away hear and there we sould esteblish our mines on things above this world
and rember death and Judghment dear John if you will take our advice dont be like the rowing stone will not getter foge [moss] I have my dear marys rings and the broch too sure enough it is the McDougall should get them I put them of my hand altogeter dear John my fingers is geting smale sure enough it is my own brothers daughter I would like to have them
the pillgrims progress mine that belong to John dugald Mcdougall I send three towels to when Maggie was going to amerca I can give you some of marys towels yet I know you was good to mary and mary was good to you I miss my dear Mary I hope you and your Brother keeping from strong drink (rest of letter missing)
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About the Book
John McDougall, the last weaver on the Isle of Lismore in the West Highlands of Scotland, was not wealthy but his life as superintendent of the small island’s Sabbath school was far from simple. As his eight children passed away or left Lismore for other parts of Scotland and America to live more prosperous lives, McDougall began writing letters to his adult son, John, who emigrated to Minnesota. The letters, which reflect his sadness after the children’s departure, provide rare insight into the daily routine and thoughts of a landless cottar who was an engaged and valued member of the Lismore community.
Edited by his great-great-granddaughter, Margaret Miller, the compilation includes images of McDougall’s original handwritten letters from 1870 to 1888, related photographs and maps, a timeline of events, and family trees. The letters reveal a thoughtful man who cared deeply about his family and community, and include poignant reminders of the ways in which medicine, communications, and transportation have changed throughout the centuries. As McDougall shares his thoughts and wishes, his enduring human values are brought to the forefront as this devout, principled man managed to influence the development of communities in the United States through his descendants.
My Dear Son shares a compelling collection of letters from a nineteenth century Scottish island weaver to his son, letting us hear his thoughts as he continues his life in Scotland while his son emigrates to America and begins anew.
About the Author
Margaret Miller is the great-great-granddaughter of John McDougall, author of the letters. She holds a Doctor of Management (DMan) in Organizational Change, a Master of Engineering Management (MEM), and a Master of Science (MS) in Information Management. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband, a cat and a dog.