I have just returned from a trip to Scotland and Dumfriesshire. We were able
to find all of the old family farms and estates because, although the owners have changed,
place names are still the same and shown on the wonderful Ordnance Survey maps. We saw
the ruined tower at Mouswald, where we all began in the 1300's. Holmains is fenced off
so we could only look at it from a distance, but my ancestors lived there for several
generations, until they became Dormont. We stopped at Dormont-a beautiful place and I
believe, still owned by a Carruthers although no one was around to ask. My family was
Dormont for 3 generations, then became Brydegill which later became Gyleburn. We met the
present owner of Gyleburn and what a lovely estate! John of Gyleburn was my 4th gr.
Grandfather and my branch of the family descends from one of his younger sons,
Christopher, who lived at Cowdens, another lovely place. After a stop at Cowdens we went
on the Waterbeck where Christ!
opher lived in his later years and stopped by the Carruthers Farm just north of Waterbeck
and a nearby cemetery with many Carruthers graves. It is believed that the Carruthers
family originated in that area. We also visited the cemeteries at St. Mungo and Dalton
where many Carruthers ancestors are buried.
Christophers oldest son John lived on Orchard Farm just north of Canonbie but,
in 1840 emigrated, along with most of his family and his father Christopher, to an area
near Prescott, Ontario, Canada. Later generations moved to Brockville and then to Sarnia
where my father and his brothers were born.
We visited the library and Family History Center in Dumfries-both good places
to find information. Dumfries also has an interesting museum but we saw nothing there on
the Carruthers family. All told, a worthwhile trip for any Carruthers.
Virginia