Volume 2, January 1999
Play the music for this webpage!"INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Terry Meinke........................................Managing Editor
Tim Coulthart........................................................Editor
Ian Coulthart.........................................................Editor
Pat Meinke..................................................Proofreader
Roberta Russo.............................................Proofreader
The success of Clan Coulthart will depend upon your contributions. The editors need your support. Please submit family histories, biographies, announcements, news, questions and suggestions for improvement to the managing editor at the address listed below or send E-mail to meinket@yahoo.com. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number so we can contact you if there is a question. Also feel free to include photographs with your stories. All photos will be returned after they are scanned. The editors will select which items to include in each edition of Clan Coulthart.
Terry Meinke
Managing Editor - Clan Coulthart
1004 Ridgewood Lane
Palatine, IL 60067 U.S.A.
(847) 359-4320
Clan Coulthart is also available in full color on the Internet at: www.coulthart.com/newsletter.html.
Back to Table of ContentsClan Coulthart is a quarterly newsletter dedicated to the preservation of Coulthart family history in North America. The editors would like to hear from others who are researching the Coulthart surname or one of its variations. In addition to the regular mailing list, this edition of Clan Coulthart is being distributed to 465 families in North America whose surname is one of the following derivations: Coulthard, Coltart, Colthart, Colthard or Coultart.
An Internet website dedicated to Coulthart family history, including all of the various surname spellings, was launched in early 1999 at www.coulthart.com. This will be a great place to put your research so you can locate other family members and share information. Please contact the managing editor at the address on this page if you or someone you know is researching these surnames. We welcome any information you’d like to share.
Due to publication and distribution expenses, Clan Coulthart can only be distributed free of charge for a limited time. To guarantee delivery of future editions of Clan Coulthart you should become a subscriber. A one year subscription is available for $10 U.S. or $15 Canadian. It includes four editions which are published in January, April, July and October. A subscription to Clan Coulthart also makes a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. See page 9 of this newsletter for details on how to become a subscriber.
Back to Table of ContentsThe editors are always interested in updating the mailing list for Clan Coulthart. You may be the only person in your family receiving this newsletter and we want to reach all family members. Please submit the names and addresses of other family members who do not currently receive Clan Coulthart to the Managing Editor at the address listed on this page.
Back to Table of ContentsAlfred J. Coulthard by Terry Meinke
Alfred John Coulthard was born on November 18, 1901 in Weston-super-Mare, England not far from Bristol. He was the son of Joseph Charles Coulthard a civil servant and Winifred Higgs. In 1927 Alfred was united in marriage to Florence Parsons. Alfred and Florence had two children: Winifred (1930) and Joseph (1935). The family lived in London where Alfred worked as a writer and a scientist. Several years after Florence passed away, Alfred married Doris Coulthard a distant relative in 1965. They currently live in Piddletrendhide, a small town near Dorchester in Dorset County, England which is located about 150 miles southwest of London. Alfred celebrated his 97th birthday in 1998.
When Alfred was a young man he became interested in genealogy when he was asked to write a guide to Farleigh Castle, a place where he had played as a boy. He decided to include the history of the family associated with the castle to make his guide more interesting. To verify the facts, he became acquainted with genealogical records and where to find them. Several years later in 1920, Alfred collected information on the Coulthard surname for Major Alan Coltart, one of only two other Coulthard researchers known to him. In those days tracing ones ancestors was much more complicated than it is today. He started his research before microfilm readers, before computers and before the Internet was available. During those early years there was frequently only one way to obtain genealogical records and it often required a trip to the local parish office where the records were stored in a locked trunk in the vestry of the church. Like most researchers of the Coulthard name, Alfred soon discovered the story of John Ross Coulthart and his alleged ancestor "Coulthartus". In 1854 John Ross Coulthart created an elaborate genealogy and claimed descendent from a Roman soldier named "Coulthartus". The "Coulthartus" story was ridiculed by professional genealogists and genealogical societies throughout the UK. For many years the mere mention of the Coulthart surname in genealogical circles would cause laughter.
Alfred became increasingly interested in the origins of the Coulthard surname in 1939 when the two other Coulthard researchers passed on. As a result he decided to trace all of the families that carried the Coulthard name or a derivation of it such as Coulthart, Coltherd, etc. He spent countless years meticulously researching the various Coulthard families. He corresponded with hundreds of people including some in North America, Australia and New Zealand where Coulthard familieshad emigrated. Alfred traveled throughout the British Isles compiling information, talking to family members and visiting the areas where Coulthard families once lived. It wasn't until the 1960's that he discovered that many of the tombstones he had visited and documented years earlier were being destroyed by vandalism and pollution. Alfred soon came to the realization that he needed to document his findings for future generations before they were lost forever. The end result of his research was a book first published in 1978 entitled “ A Coulthard! The History of a Surname in Great Britain: One Family's Seven Hundred Years of Border History”. This book is the definitive source for anyone seriously interested in the Coulthard family. It contains extensive information on the origins of the surname and includes many interesting stories and photographs in its 360 pages. It also includes over 100 charts that trace individual Coulthard families. In late 1994 the 4th edition of “A Coulthard!” was published documenting over 60 years of Alfred's research. Alfred Coulthard's work has laid to rest the infamous "Coulthartus" ghost that has haunted the name for the past century and he has put the Coulthard name in its proper historical perspective.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo of Alfred Coulthard
I was first introduced to Alfred in the spring of 1994. In preparation for a trip to Scotland I wrote the Scottish Roots organization in an attempt to obtain further information about the Coulthart family. In their reply they indicated they had forwarded a copy of my letter to Alfred Coulthard. Several weeks later I received my first letter from Alfred. He was in the process of completing his 4th edition of “A Coulthard!” and I wasin the process of completing my 1st edition of “Our Coulthart Ancestors”. In January 1995, after receiving a copy of his book, I telephoned Alfred to see if he enjoyed my book which I had recently sent him as much as I enjoyed his. Since then we have corresponded by mail on and off for the past five years. My only regret is that I have never had the opportunity to meet Alfred in person.
Back to Table of ContentsQ1: Did the Coulthart family of Cummertrees, Scotland have a coat of arms?
A1: Since our Coulthart ancestors were peasant farmers they did not have a coat of arms. However, there are several coat of arms associated with other Coulthart(d) families. We identify most with the one granted to John Ross Coulthart in the mid 1800's since he came from a town in Scotland not far from Cummertrees. His coat of arms consists of the three horses the Coulthart family was allegedly bound to furnish the King in times of war. A sample is shown in the logo on the first page of this newsletter. During the Coulthart reunion in 1998 we decided to adopt this coat of arms as our own, however we decided to change the meaning. To us the horse on the bottom of the coat of arms represents Scotland, the land of our ancestors. The band in the center represents the ocean which separates the Old World from the New World. The two horses on the top represent the two branches of the family in North America, the Canadians and the Americans.
Q2: Has anyone ever located information about Elizabeth Coulthart, the oldest daughter of John Coulthart (1779-1852), who was born in Cummertrees, Scotland in 1810?
A2: Yes, at the family reunion in 1998 Craig Stevenson indicated he located the marriage record of Elizabeth. According to William Reid's Marriage Notices of Ontario, Elizabeth married Holland R. Parsons on October 5, 1831. Both bride and groom were from Hawkesbury, Ontario. The original notice was in the Christian Guardian. The next step would be for someone to try and trace her descendants. We know she remained in Ontario because we have letters that were written in the late 1800's that mention her living nearby.
Q3: How can I find out if or how I am related to your Coulthart ancestors?
A3: All you need to do is access the Coulthart Family Tree which is located on the Internet atwww.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/6501/index.htm. This website, created by Tim Coulthart, contains over 1100 descendants in North America of John Coulthart (1779-1852). If you do not have access to the Internet, go to your local library. Most libraries now offer access to the Internet at no cost and the librarians are usually able to show you how it works. Tim has created a .TXT file that can be downloaded from his website. This way you can print all 178 pages of the Coulthart Family Tree. Be advised that the library will probably charge you a fee for printing such a large document. The file can be saved to diskette so it can be printed elsewhere. You can also establish a free E-Mail address at websites like Yahoo or Hotmail. If you have an E-Mail address, all you need to do is write one of us at meinket@yahoo.com or tcoulthart@hotmail.com.
Q4: How come my name is not listed on the Coulthart Family Tree website but my grandparents are listed?
A4: The names and dates on the Coulthart Family Tree were compiled by a number of different sources and family members. The only way to ensure your information is accurate, is for you to let us know. If you have corrections to make or additional names to add, please contact Tim Coulthart at tcoulthart@hotmail.com or write him at: Tim Coulthart, 1913 Dolores Drive, Madison, WI 53716.
Q5: How can I find out about my ancestors if I am not related to the Coulthart family on Tim’s website?
A5: A new website entitled “The Coulthart Family History Center” is being developed to share information about all Coulthart, Coulthard, Coltart and Colthart families. It was launched in early January 1999 at www.coulthart.com. The goal of this website is to preserve and share information about all of the Coulthart families regardless of how the name is spelled. Its success will depend upon the contributions individuals make. For more details send E-mail to meinket@yahoo.com or write: Terry Meinke, 1004 Ridgewood Lane, Palatine, IL 60067 USA.
Q6: Last year I visited the grave of our earliest ancestor John Coulthart (1779-1852) and his second wife Mary Carruthers (1790-1835) in North Lunenburg, Ontario. The gravestone was cracked and starting to fall over. Are there any plans to fix it?
A6: Several family members have expressed an interest in fixing the gravestone. Ian Coulthart of Kanata, Ontario is currently researching the cost. Look for additional information in the April issue of Clan Coulthart.
Q7: How many Coulthart families are there in North America?
A7: We searched the websites Canada 411 and Switchboard which list names, addresses and phone numbers of people in North American. The number of families breaks down as follows:
| NAME | CANADA | U.S.A. | TOTAL |
| Coulthart | 44 | 33 | 77 |
| Coulthard | 130 | 234 | 364 |
| Coltart | 32 | 32 | 64 |
| Colthart | 10 | 23 | 33 |
| Colthard | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Coultart | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Coultherd | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 218 | 324 | 542 |
Q8: Is there more than one theory regarding the origin of the Coulthart surname?
A8: There are four possible ways in which a surname could have developed: 1) patronymic - named after a parent as in Fergusson, the son of a man named Fergus; 2) occupational - named after a persons occupation as in Hunter, someone who hunted; 3) nickname - named after a physical attribute as in Cameron which in Gaelic means hook nose; or 4) geographical - named after a place as in Munro, someone who lived by the river Roe.
There are two theories regarding the origin of the Coulthart surname. The first is that it is an occupational name from the old English words “colt” + “herd” given to someone who looked after asses or working horses. The second is that it is a geographical name given to someone who originally came from the village of Coudehard in Normandy, France. If Coulthart was an occupational name, one would expect to find the earliest recordings of the surname disbursed throughout the UK. In addition, one would see the same name in non English speaking countries in a foreign format such as in the name Smith which is found in Germany as Schmidt, both meaning blacksmith.
This does not appear to be the case with Coulthart. Based on Alfred Coulthard’s 60 years of research, the earliest recordings of the surname are found in a very distinct area in the UK. And they are always found along side the surnames Percy or Lucy, two families that can be traced to Normandy, France. It is believed that the Coulthart's came to the UK after the Norman Conquest of 1066 in the service of the Percy's or Lucy's. This would indicate that Coulthart is a geographical name.
Back to Table of ContentsIn the last issue of Clan Coulthart, Maxwell was erroneously listed as one of the tartans we should consider adopting as they were the most dominant family in the Cummertrees, Scotland area. The correct name should be Douglas not Maxwell.
Back to Table of ContentsFrom Minnesota
The newest Coulthart descendants are twin girls born September 3, 1998 to John and Dianna Snyder of Duluth. John's mother is Phyllis Snyder also of Duluth. Phyllis, the daughter of John Coulthart (1907-1983) and Amy Reed (1912-1994), is now a proud grandparent. The girls were named Cheyenne Louise and Christina Ione Mae. Phyllis says "It was a big surprise to have twins because they weren't expected. The girls were born after 4 in the morning and at 3 in the morning the intern on duty said I think we might have twins here." Phyllis and the rest of us would like to hear from other families about their new arrivals!
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo of Cheyenne Louise and Christina Ione Mae Snyder.
From Morewood, Ontario - The Great Pumpkin Story by Ian Coulthart
This summer at the Morewood farm, Ian, Bruce, Bobby and seven other friends and neighbours took part in a giant pumpkin growing contest. At the end of the seasons Ian's plant had produced the largest pumpkin which weighed 432 lbs. One of the other participants was so proud of the "thing" that he took it to a local fair where it received 2nd prize. On Saturday October 24th, Colleen and Bobby hosted a pumpkin party in the old red barn. The participants and their families arrived dressed in Halloween costumes. Ian's pumpkin was declared winner and he received a cash prize and an engraved trophy. Later in the evening while everyone enjoyed a potluck meal, Ian and Jill entertained the gathering with a game where blindfolded guests had to feel and guess what was in ten different mystery bowls, things like peeled grapes, wet gummy worms, prunes, relish, etc. That contest produced a lot of screams and laughs. Everyone had great fun and all agreed to continue the pumpkin contest next year. Ian wouldn't tell what his secret fertilizer was that he used on the giant "thing" but there was a rumor he was seen feeding it a mixture of MIRACLE GROW and VIAGRA.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo of Ian Coulthart and his pumpkin.
From Illinois
Sergeant Drake Meinke returned to the U.S. after serving in Europe for the last five years. While most of his time was spent in Darmstadt and Wiesbaden, Germany, he also spent 10 months in Hungary on special assignment to provide logistics support to the U.S. troops in Bosnia. Drake has been assigned to the 85th Division Exercise of the Army Reserves in Arlington Heights, Illinois. His wife Vicki and their three children Nicole (15), Chris (13) and Monica (6) arrived in the area on December 16, 1998. Drake is the great-great grandson of William Coulthart (1833-1916) of Waseca, Minnesota and the great-great-great grandson of William Coulthart (1800-1880) who was born in Cummertrees, Scotland and died in Cannamore, Ontario. This increases the total number of Coulthart descendants in Illinois from 1 to 6 as Drake’s sister Terry lives in neighboring Palatine.
From Wisconsin
Congratulations are in order for Craig Coulthart of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. In December 1998, Craig received his Masters in School Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. For the past four years he has been attending classes on weekends and during summer school. Craig is a Varsity Boys Basketball Coach and Business Education teacher in Sheboygan Falls. Craig is the great-great grandson of John Sidenham Coulthart (1844-1912) of Rudolph, Wisconsin and the great-great-great grandson of Walter Coulthart (1820-1892) who was born in Cummertrees, Scotland and died in Grafton, North Dakota.
Coulthartus - Man or Myth
by Terry Meinke
During my trip to Ontario last summer for the North American Coulthart Family Reunion I wasn’t surprised to learn that many family members were already familiar with the story of Coulthartus. But for every person who knew the story, there were at least half a dozen who had no idea what we were talking about. Ever since I felt it my duty to inform the rest of the Coulthart Clan in North America about this alleged character who some believe is the true source of the Coulthart name and others say has besmirched the name.
I first became interested in genealogy in 1993 when I told my grandfather I was planning a vacation to Scotland. He promptly told me his mother Henrietta Coulthart (1862-1919) came from Scotland to Canada and then to Minnesota. After spending several months obtaining birth, marriage and death certificates from the appropriate county clerks in Minnesota, I came across the obituary of Henrietta’s father, William Coulthart (1833-1916). It indicated he was born in Osbrook, Ontario. I soon discovered there was no town called Osbrook in all of Canada let alone Ontario. I decided it was time to do some serious research so I headed to my local Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) more commonly known as the Mormons. They are known for their world renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Each local LDS church has a small Family History Center connected with it. Here you can use their computer system to research your ancestors. Each center also has volunteers who can help you get started. The reason why the Mormons do this is because they believe you are reunited with your ancestors when you die.
One of the first things you do at LDS is access the Family History Catalogue which lists all of the records, documents and books in their collection. If you find something that looks interesting and is available on microfilm, for a small fee you can have it sent to your local LDS center where you can view it on one of their microfilm readers. In 1994 when I typed in Coulthart, three things appeared on my computer screen:
Being a novice genealogist at the time, my eyes were immediately drawn to the third item. The description indicated it contained the pedigree of John Ross Coulthart (1807-1887) who traced his ancestors to a Roman Lieutenant named Coulthartus. I immediately ordered the Knowles book and Irwin Coulthart article which were both available on microfilm. Unfortunately, at the time, Alfred Coulthard’s book was not on microfilm and could only be viewed by those who could make the pilgrimage to Salt Lake City. When the two microfilms arrived several weeks later, I spent all of my evenings and weekends in front of a microfilm reader. Although Irwin Coulthart’s article contained the key to locating our Coulthart ancestors in Scotland, I was mesmerized by the Coulthartus story. I became convinced that if I tried hard enough I would be able to find a link to this pedigree which would therefore connect our Coulthart ancestors to Coulthartus as well. This wasn’t the story of some poor peasant farmers. It was a most impressive story that made me feel proud that I had descended from such a noble family.
As the story goes Coulthartus, a young lieutenant in the Roman army, arrived in Scotland with Agricola around 79 A.D. Coulthartus was with Agricola when he defeated the Scots and Picts in the famous Battle of Mons Graupius. (By the way I read the book Agricola by Tacitus three times searching for references to Coulthartus but none could be found). After the battle Coulthartus was united in marriage to the daughter of one of the local chiefs and they settled in southwestern Scotland near the town of Whithorn. His descendants eventually established Coulthart Castle in the barony of Coulthart as the area became known. Historically Whithorn is where the first Christian church “Candida Casa” was established by St. Ninian in 397 A.D. According to the Coulthartus legend, many generations of Coulthart’s were buried here. And the story goes on and on linking the descendants of Coulthartus to just about every significant historical event in Scotland.
The Coulthartus story was written in 1854 for John Ross Coulthart who was a rather wealthy banker living near Manchester, England. During the Victorian period it was quite popular for people of wealth to trace their ancestors and prove their noble lines. John Ross Coulthart claimed to have a number of documents in his possession that were passed down in his family from one generation to the next. These were turned over toGeorge Knowles who wrote the Coulthartus story. Of course none of these alleged documents have ever been seen by anyone else. John Ross Coulthart, who was born in Dalton, southwestern Scotland, returned to the area and built a mansion at Castle Douglas called Greenlaw. He is also known to have commissioned the constructed of a number of elaborate tombstones for his ancestors.
I was intrigued by the Coulthartus story and John Ross Coulthart. During my visit to Scotland in 1994 I searched the entire cemetery at Whithorn for Coulthart graves. I made a special trip to the Map Library of the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, one of the finest in the world, to view detailed old maps of the Whithorn area searching for a reference to Castle Coulthart. I visited the Kirkcudbright Stewartry Museum which I had learned contained one of John Ross Coulthart’s coat of arms. I drove past the remains of Greenlaw estate which was destroyed by fire a number of years earlier. I made a side trip to the Kirkpatrick-Fleming cemetery to visit the grave of John Ross Coulthart’s grandfather which was embellished with the Coulthart coat of arms as well as several others. What I didn’t find during the trip was one shred of evidence to prove anything from the Coulthartus story except that John Ross Coulthart did exist and he was indeed a very wealthy man. I also learned that most professional genealogists ridiculed the “Notorious Pedigree of Coulthartus”. More importantly what I did find was our real Coulthart ancestors, those poor tenant farmers from Cummertrees.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo of Cummertrees, Scotland.
You may still be wondering why I have decided not to believe the Coulthartus story. Perhaps you are saying to yourself that just because there is no documentary evidence doesn’t in itself mean that Coulthartus never existed. When I shared the Coulthartus story with my second cousin Margaret Luebs, who has spent themajority of her life studying linguistics, she immediately questioned it. In all her years she had never run across a Latin name constructed like this. It didn’t make sense.
Genealogy consists of documentary evidence recorded at or near the time of an event and oral history. Oral history is always suspect. Just tell a story to a friend and ask them to tell a friend and so on and so on. After 10 people tell the same story it ends up totally different. For example, my grandmother once told me that when her grandfather first came to the U.S.A. from Germany, he owned a lumber yard in Peoria, Illinois. Several years later I went to Peoria and after checking the city directories published from 1870-1880, the years the family lived there, I learned he worked as a laborer in the Hancock Lumberyard. It only took two generations to elevate him from laborer to owner. I imagine if I hadn’t uncovered his true occupation and documented it, it wouldn’t take more than a few more generations and he would have been a close personal friend of Abraham Lincoln! We often want our ancestors to be more than who they really are.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Coulthartus story and I tell it whenever I get the chance. It is a wonderful story and a great ice breaker, but I no longer insinuate that it is fact.
I think there are two lessons to be learned from this: 1) be skeptical of what you read and hear, always look for evidence and 2) be happy with who your ancestors really are. It is precisely because our ancestor John Coulthart (1779-1852) was a poor tenant farmer that he emigrated. And that is precisely the reason why we now live in two of the greatest countries in the world, the U.S.A. and Canada.
Back to Table of ContentsThe Colthart's of Lanarkshire, Scotland and Holyoke, Massachusetts by Thomas Colthart
This family history begins in 1910 with the arrival in the U.S. from Glasgow, Scotland, of Thomas Morton Colthart. Thomas was the son of Margaret Allan Colthart of Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was born on November 22, 1882 in the town of Muirkirk, which is located a few miles south of Glasgow. In 1901 Thomas was united in marriage to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Doyle (1884-1953) in Maryhill, a suburb of Glasgow. Thomas and Lizzie had four children: Thomas Jr. (1902-1989), Robert (1905-1990), James (1907-1977) and Annie (1908-). Thomas arrived in the U.S. alone sometime in January/February1910. His wife and four children under the age of eight followed. They arrived on the Allen Line ship Numiddian out of Greenock, Scotland ; presumably into Boston, MA. The family established itself in the village of Whitinsville, Worcester County, in the Blackstone Valley of Massachusetts. Thomas Sr. became an employee of the Whitin Machine Works where he worked until retirement in 1950/51 with 40 years of service. He was naturalized in Worcester County, MA in 1917 and died there in 1953.
Thomas Morton Colthart Jr. (1902-1989) attended school in Whitinsville through 12th grade. A gifted athlete, he became well known in central Massachusetts as a track runner, soccer, baseball and football player. Tom remained active in sports all his life, played soccer into his 50’s and was still a baseball umpire when age 75.
At the age of 17 Tom left to work in Fall River, MA at the Firestone Rubber Co. He worked alternately at the textile operations of Firestone in New Bedford, MA. Some years later, he would become Personnel Manager for Firestone. In 1928 he married Frances McMellon, daughter of Francis and Margaret (nee Lewis) McMellon of Fall River, MA and the couple subsequently had nine children: Thomas (1930), Donald (1931), Jane (1932), Glenn (1934), Cynthia (1936), Elaine (1939), Gail (1941), Alan (1943) and Heather (1952).
In 1941, he and his family moved to western Massachusetts, to the city of Holyoke in the Pioneer Valley of Hampden County. There, this Colthart family would stay, the children would attend schools, and begin their adult lives. Thomas Jr. became a civic leader, National Grange official, and recognized Toastmaster/master-of ceremonies. His death in 1989 was sudden and unexpected. His wife Frances, now 91 and independent, still resides in Holyoke, MA. Four daughters and their grown families live nearby .
For more information on this Colthart family send E-mail to Tomcolt3@aol.com or write: Tom Colthart, 5385 Oakton Circle, Kettering, OH 45440.
Back to Table of ContentsIn 1994 I received copies of nine letters from Cindy Terpstra of Northfield, Minnesota. These letters, originally written in the late 1800's, contain valuable information about our Coulthart ancestors and give us some insight into who they were and what they thought. Since the letters have never been published I decided toinclude one in each of the next nine issues of Clan Coulthart so they can be preserved. They are transcribed exactly as the originals. The first letter contains no punctuation, very little capitalization and a number of spelling errors. I have added comments in parenthesis where necessary and have separated each sentence with an extra space so it is easier to read.
This letter was written by Mary C. Coulthart (1835-1919) of Cannamore, Ontario, daughter of William Coulthart (1800-1880) and Jean French, to her cousin Mary Elizabeth Hunter (1843-1930) also known as Mrs. William Gibson of Northfield, Minnesota, daughter of William Hunter and Jane Coulthart (1811-1892). It is interesting to note that this letter proves that the Ontario branch of the family made at least several trips to Minnesota to visit their relatives. The people mentioned in the letter are: Uncle Tom who was Thomas Coulthart (1828-1899) of Morewood, Ontario. David and Ida were Tom's son and daughter-in-law. Diann Hunter (1823-1919) was the wife of John F. Hunter. Marion was Marion Hunter Warner (1819-??) and Jeordy was George Gibson (1882-??), Mary's youngest son.
Cannamore July 19, 1889
Dear cousin,
I write these few lines in answer to your letter which I receved some time ago these few lines leve us all well at presant hopeing they will find you all enjoying the same great blessing we have had a very wet summer so far the crops look good in this part the farmers have comenced theire hay this is the 20 (20th) I comenced this yesterday and theire came on such a big rain I couldent write it rained near all night I was at uncle toms two weeks ago I staid from satterday till tuesday David and Ida were out to osnaburgh (Osnabruck, Ontario) we had a nice time uncle tom bought straw berries so we had quite a picknick aunt thresse site (eyesight) aint any better how is your granma hunter and all the rest of the friends at northfield the friends here are all well only diann hunter aint very well this summer I was pleased to get your letter I hope you will answer this how is your granpa gibson give my love to your aunt marion and her family I supose jeordy is a big boy since I was theire I supose he goes to school now I was glad to hear you had the sabbath school so near we had a sabbath school convention here tuesday I was at it the church was full uncle tom aint sure yet if he will go to minnesota this summer yet or not give my love to your father and mother and brothers and sisters from your cousin mary C Coulthart
Back to Table of ContentsClan Coulthart is brought to you by individual sponsors and by subscription. The cost to publish one edition of Clan Coulthart currently runs between $150-200 U.S. depending upon the number of pages that are printed and mailed. Clan Coulthart is currently being distributed free of charge to approximately 200 individuals in Canada and the U.S. with several copies going overseas. If you enjoy reading it and can afford to, please consider subscribing or becoming a sponsor. We need at least 15-20 subscriptions to cover the costs to publish one issue. We currently have 17 subscribers. You can also give Clan Coulthart as a gift. All gift subscriptions will include a personalized card identifying from whom it comes.
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This issue of Clan Coulthart is brought to you by the following sponsors:
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There are a limited number of copies still available of the fourth edition of A Coulthard! The History of a Surname in Great Britain - 700 Years of Border History by Alfred Coulthard. To order yours, complete the order form below and enclose an international money order or international check in the amount of 48 British Pounds Sterling. This is roughly $80 U.S. or $125 Canadian. Make the money order or check payable to Argyll Management Agencies Ltd and mail as follows:
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Back to Table of ContentsThe deadline for receiving information to be included in the April 1999 edition of Clan Coulthart is March 15, 1999. Send information to: Terry Meinke, Managing Editor - Clan Coulthart, 1004 Ridgewood Lane, Palatine, IL U.S.A. 60067.