Donald Blue

Notes:

1792 census Kintyre
Laigh Auchaloskin
40 Doobald Blue
39 Girsel McAlister
24 Charles Blue
20 Dobald Blue
20 Mary Blue
17 Angus Blue
10 Girsel Blue
8 Marrian Blue
5 Dugald Blue
3 Malcolm Blue

Angus married Girsel McKinnon on 20 Jan 1799 in Killean and Kilchenzie, Argyll, Scotland, UK. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
http://www.ralstongenealogy.com/number23kintmag.htm#start
The Blues of North Kintyre
Ian MacDonald
A letter to our editor from Mr. John Blue of Plano, Texas, asking for confirmation that the family originally McGORME or McGURMEN had originated in Knapdale before spreading to Kintyre and the nearby islands, was sent to me and the subsequent research on the families produced some interesting details on the families in Kintyre and Knapdale. The old Gaelic surname was found to vary from being written as McGURMEN, McGURMAN, McGURMAINE, depending on the locality. The earliest traces, however, were found in North Kintyre in the parish of Kilcalmonell and later in Killean parish to the south, before several listed as rebels in the 1685 rising by the Earl of Argyll were located in the Tayvallish peninsula of North Knapdale. The remainder both in Knapdale and Kintyre remained loyal and are all listed as fensible men of various parishes in 1692.
The family were renowned meal millers and operated the mills at Ballochroy, Tayinloan (Largie), Killean, Glachaig, Glenbarr and Kylipole (Calliburn) during the 18th and 19th centuries. Several were weavers, shoemakers and farmers in various parts of Kintyre. Later generations became shoemakers, slaters and builders in Campbeltown, whilst others left their native shores to settle in America and Canada. The earliest member traced was Malcolm Blue, a tenant at Kilhammag in Kilcalmonell Parish, Barony of Knapdale in 1627.
On 26 February 1627 John MacDonald, heritable proprietor of the 8 merklands of KILCHAMAG, GARNAGRENOCK and MUCKROY issued a Precept of Warning to the four pretended tenants of his lands in Knapdale. It was written in Edinburgh, signed by himself and witnessed by Charles McAlester and John McKay. The warning was sent to Adam McKay, sheriff in Kintyre to execute. It ordered Malcolm MoIlgorme and the other three pretended tenants to flit, remove with their spouses, bairns and stock, etc. before Whitsunday 1627.
The warning was to be made at the next preaching of God's word or prayers in the parish church of Kilcalmonell allowing 40 days for the completion and compliance. No further details were found until 1685 when Donald, Donald jun., Iver and John (Blue) McGurman living on the island of Gigha took the oath of allegiance on 10th Sept. 1685 at Campbeltown together with a number of others from the Glen Barr area of Kintyre who had fled to the island for safety. By then Angus and Dugald McIlguirme were located on the farms of Ducheran and Barmollach in Saddell, then part of Killean Parish whilst Duncan McIlguirme was farmer at Amod, also nearby in Barr Glen.
When emigration from Kintyre, due to high rents and oppresion, commenced about 1730 Malcolm Blue, his spouce More (Sara) Smith, and their three young sons left, it is believed with the Neil McNeill batch of colonisers about 1746/47. Their three sons were Daniel, Duncan and John and five more children were born near Campbelltown (Fayetteville). Subsequently several other members of the family also emigrated to the Cape Fear area the main port of arrival being Wilmington, North Carolina. On 2nd September 1748 the Presbyterian Community in Bladen Country petitioned the Synod of Argyll to send them out a minister. Malcolm Blue was one of the signatories of the original which is preserved in the Archives of Inverary Castle. His son John 1745-1781 was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. He married Mary McKay and their eldest son John married Effie Gilchrist, the only daughter of John Gilchrist and Flora Currie. The Gilchrist family farmed at North Loch Kiarran near the village of Clachan before emigrating in 1771 to North Carolina. Their grandson, Rear Admiral Victor Blue, was accorded every possible military honour when he died in 1928. In an illustrious career in the Navy he was decorated many times and served in the North Sea Fleet, being commander of U.S.S. Texas in World War I.
After the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 and the onset of less troubled times the most of the Blue families located in the Largieside area of Kintyre. The oldest grave stones known to the writer are in

Other Events:

• Alias: Daniel

Donald married Grisel McAlister. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Alias: Grace

Notes:

Married:
1792 census Kintyre
Laigh Auchaloskin
40 Donald Blue
39 Girsel McAlister
24 Charles McAlister
20 Donald Blue
20 Mary Blue
17 Angus Blue
10 Girsel Blue
8 Marrian Blue
5 Dugald Blue
3 Malcolm Blue

Killean Graveyard
The first stone erected is in memory of DUGULD BLEU, late miller at Largie Mill, who died 5 July 1792 aged 58 years. Next to it stands a stone erected by Grace MacAlister in memory of her husband, DANIEL BLUE late miller and tacksman of Killean who died A.D. 1815 aged 65 years.
As early as 1661 land owners were ordering the destruction of the old quern stones used for grinding meal (