Peggy Whittaker has been looking for traces of her Scottish ancestor, Fergus Grant, for forty years. Can you help?Fergus Grant was born in Scotland in 1804. That's about all Peggy knows about her Great-Grandfather and Scotland, other than the family legend which says he was born at Castle Grant.
Peggy remembers that a picture of the Castle hung on the wall in her grandparent's home (Lewis D. Sr) and when she asked, she was told her great-grandfather, Fergus Grant, was born there. But now Peggy is starting to wonder, because she found a Peter Grant, spouse of Janet Stewart, who had a son Fergus in September, 1804 in Kirkmichael, Perth, Scotland.
This is the same date that is on the headstone of her great-grandfather's grave in Faulkerson Cemetery, Santa Rosa, California.
Sometime between Fergus Grant's birth in 1804 and 1837 he immigrated to the United States. He lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa in the 1850's where he married Aditha West. They had a son, Lewis Derley, who celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary in 1926.
The pictures from the anniversary party in California are featured here and you can see some of the faces of the individuals present at that event more than 75 years ago.
From Council Bluffs, Iowa, Fergus Grant moved to California, and he lived in Albion, Mendocino Co., for a long time. He apparently died somewhere along the road from the Navarro Ridge going to Santa Rosa.
Family rumour has it that Fergus died of food poisoning in Healdsburg, but Peggy has checked for a death certificate and could not find any record. In any case, Fergus is buried in the Faulkerson Cemetary, Santa Rosa, California.
Peggy has searched for 40 years for land records, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and all the necessary records pertaining to Fergus Grant's life in the United States.
She cannot seem to find any trace of Fergus Grant's parents, but during a visit to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint archives in Salt Lake City, Utah, she found reference to a Fergus Grant born to Peter Grant and Janet Stuart (Stewart) in Kirkmichael, Perth, Scotland in 1804.
The file shows that Peter and Janet had five to six children starting in 179?. Peggy wonders if this could be the same Fergus Grant she is looking for. Perhaps someone out there knows, or has already done this research and can help her fit the last piece of the puzzle.
Although she knows nothing about his personality or character, Peggy thinks her great grandfather was a renegade. She has a copy of his application for citizenship in the Marine Court of New York City, 1837,
but according to the records, he never completed the application. Nevertheless, Peggy is certain Fergus Grant was an American citizen.
Peggy could not find a shipping list with his name on it, but there is reason to believe that Fergus Grant came by way of Canada, which would have been a common occurrence at the time. The family story is that he came with a half brother named Bliss.
Peggy found a man in Dundee, Illinois, by the name of James Grant, who was born in the same district as Fergus, and in speaking to an elderly relative who is now deceased, the relative remembers James had a half brother with red hair who went to California. Could the red-haired man be Bliss? Does Bliss have relatives who can help solve this mystery?
Peggy Whiteker has tried just about everything to find Fergus Grant's ancestors.
She recalls that when her children were younger, the whole family used to go into the county seats, give everybody a book while she and her husband sat in dusty basements going through old files looking for names. For forty years she has been looking, without much luck. Perhaps you can help?
If anyone can help Peggy Whittaker in the search for Fergus Grant, please write to editor@tartans.com .
