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Find A Grave- Argyle Cemetery
Scottish Cemetery Association of Willow Creek 1859 - 1959*
8901 Picken Rd, Caledonia, IL 61011
I think the Sexton, Steve Picken, can be reached at 262 949 8380.
List of owners

100th Anniversary Ceremony Scottish Cemetery Assn.

"That your days may be long"

A historical address given at 100th Anniversary Ceremony Scottish Cemetery Assn.
by
Stuart A. Ralston

Ladies and gentleman of this Scottish community and their friends, we are gathered today to commemorate the organization 100 years ago of this cemetery. The organization meeting took place on the 19th of April 1859 in the schoolhouse in District No. 4 in the township of Harlem, commonly known as the West Lane School.

Besides taking cognizance of this event which occurred 100 years ago, we are also honoring today the memory of those who lie buried here. In honoring the memory of those who have gone, I would like to talk for a few minutes about their foreign history, about their life in this country, and to touch on their influence on those of us who still live here, In 1647 the Battle of Dunaverty took place.

Before that, the highlanders In Kintyre carried on a continuing warfare among themselves, led by the Campbells and McDonalds. The McDonalds were defeated in this battle; and the then Duke of Argyle decided to change conditions, as farms were producing very little.

The Duke made overtures to lowlanders In Ayr and other shires in the mainland of Scotland, trying to interest them in coming to the Argyle highlands to make their home and where he promised them rental of a good farm and a better life if they would do so.

The lowland farmers, however, were well-to-do; but being covenanters, they were harassed by the King of England who insisted that they worship In the Church of England, and this fact was a very disturbing factor to them in their otherwise pleasant life.

The offer of the Duke of Argyle, offering them this haven In the Argyle highlands, came at the time when the pressure was very great on this matter of religious worship; and many of them, rather than give up their covenanter religion, came to Kintyre to make their future homes.

Among the names we find In history who did come from the lowlands to the highlands were the Cunninghams, Hamiltons, Ralstons, Caldwells, Montgomeries, Forresters, Wallaces, Giffens, Greenlees, Harvies, Howies, Langwills, Mitchells, Pickens, Reids, Whites Wylies, and Browns.

After the Battle of Dunaverty, many or the highlanders who were either McDonalds or septs of the McDonalds were granted amnesty by the Duke and were allowed to remain either on the farms that they had been on or placed on other good farms; and we find among the highlanders remaining, such names as McLarty, McEachran, McDonald, McFarland, McMillan, McNeill, Stewart, Campbell and others.

Another factor that stimulated the Duke of Argyle in inviting lowland people to the highlands was that in 1666 the Bubonic Plague took a very heavy toll in Scotland, particularly Kintyre, and many of the farms were left without people to work them.

The farms of Kintyre remain today very much as they were many years ago; and in visiting this country now, the farm buildings remain as they appeared in photographs taken to this country by the people of this settlement when they left their old farm. The buildings in the main are made of native stone and of course were well built originally, and the only repair work that needed to be done on them was new roofs and the wooden parts of the building, such as doors and windows, that had to be replaced.

The farms are very well taken care of today; and in the center of Kintyre, the land is very fertile and gives a good living for the farmer who lives on about 200 acres. On visiting this country some few years ago, the writer found many of the famers were dairy famers, and a number of them had Hinman milkers from America.

The West coast of Kintyre is very hilly and there are some rolling hills on the east coast, leaving the center of Kintyre a fertile plain. Walking in the hills one afternoon with some people with whom I was staying in Kintyre, we got a view looking into the setting sun across the rolling country, covered with waving grain, and beyond that the waters of the seas that surround Kintyre. The view was so overpowering that I remarked to my companions that it was a beautiful view and one that is seldom seen anyplace in the world. Getting no reply, I repeated it again and finally got from one of my companions this statement: "Aye, 'tis a bonnie view." Which I am sure meant just as much to them as my outburst about the beautiful view had to me.

Each farm in Kintyre has a names and this name has come down through the Gaelic language. The names of some of these farms I can remember and have gotten the information of the names of the families that came from them, such as Macharioch on which farm the Duchess of Argyle has a large estate and which, at the time I was there, was run by one David Ralston (Ballyshear is a name for Macharioch Estate); Knockbay, from which the Smiths came; Machribeg, the Browns; Kilblaan, Hugh McEachran's family, who have occupied this farm for some 400 years; Pennyserach, the James Turners; Kildavie, the Reids; Christlach, the Caldwells; Kilkenzie, the Ralstons; Largimore, Mitchells; Bleachfield, the Smiths; Hugh and Andy's forbears.

Kilkomkill or Kiel Cemetery, which is the principle burying ground of the people of Southend, is located on the very tip of Kintyre near the Rock of Dunaverty. This cemetery has been used, of course, for many years by both highlanders and lowlanders. There is a small burn or creek running through the center of the cemetery, and the highlanders are buried on one side and the lowlanders are on the other. In this cemetery is the ruined mausoleum of the laird of Ralston, whose name is William, and who was a great power in this community during his lifetime. The tombs of some of the Ralstons who have come to this country are buried nearby this mausoleum. In the end wall of this mausoleum is the Ralston coat-of-arms, badly defaced by the weather through the years, but still many of the distinguishing marks are visible. Near the cemetery there is a large boulder, on the top of which are two footprints of St. Columbo and mark the spot from which he originally preached when he came to Scotland,

Emigration to America started in 1834 with the arrival of the two Armour brothers, John and George, and their cousin, James. They took up claims near the Scotch Woods.

In 1836 John Greenlee took up a claim near the Scotch Woods and became the first permanent resident of this settlement.

The first death In the community was that of Archie Picken age 5, and he was buried on the George Picken farm in 1841. Mrs. Andrew Giffen died later in 1841. She was buried in the Howie Cemetery, located very near the Giffen farm, and this cemetery was used for approximately 18 years, until the present cemetery had been organized and placed in use. The location of the Howie Cemetery was north of Willow Creek and about three?quarters of a mile West of the Argyle Willow Creek Church Road. The bodies from the Howie Cemetery were later transferred to the present cemetery, with the exception of one body which legend has it is still buried there.

At the first meeting of the Scottish Cemetery Association, held on April 19, 1859 in the West Lane School, Alexander Ralston was elected temporary chairman. He was a brother of D. C. Ralston. Alexander McNair was elected temporary secretary. He was a brother of Mrs. D. C. Ralston, The first president of the association was John Andrew, grandfather of Hugh Andrew. The first secretary treasurer was Alexander Ralston, the son of Gavin and Jane and an uncle of David and Gavin Ralston.

At the time of this meeting there were four Alexander Ralstons living in the community; and besides the two just above mentioned, there was also Alexander C., sometimes called "Carpenter Sandy," who was the son of Peter and Martha McFarland Ralston. One of their daughters married Joe Barnes; another married William Ralston, parents of Arthur and Carlyle and others in that family, The fourth Alexander was known as "Canada Sandy" and was the son of John and Isabelle Greenlee Ralston. He married Margaret McKerrell, and they were the grandparents of Cora Ferguson, George A. Ralston and John D. Ralston.

I would like to read at this time, in honor due, the names of the presidents and the secretary?treasurers, past and present, with their connection in the community:

At the present time there have been 865 of our forbears buried in these hallowed fields; and if the life story could be read of all who have gone before and of those who remain, we believe it would be the story that, in a world torn by troubles and uncertainties, this community has kept the faith with the principles of the covenanters and the fighting faith of the highlanders, their forefathers, and in so doing they have honored their fathers and their mothers and their days have been long in the land in which they have lived.

Copied from an image of a typed manuscript in the possession of Thomas W. Andrew, Argyle, IL. The address was presented by Mr. Stuart A. Ralston, Rockford, to the 100th anniversary meeting held in the Brown Memorial Chapel of the Scottish Cemetery on May 31, 1959, 2:00 P.M. Harold A Ralston, Racine, WI, January 31, 2002.

Located on county line of Boone and Winnebago Counties in Northern Illinois, USA. Near the village of Argyle.

Lot Number, Name, and Date Purchased.
View Plot Map
55 Alan & Verlee Miller *
56 William Schmidt  1944
A56 Laurence & Ida Youngman 1944
57 James Greenlee 1943
59 James C. Greenlee  1944
60 J. Francis Picken  1944
61 Thomas G. Andrew 1944
62 Harvey J. Greenlee 1944
63 M. Elsie Reid Nelson 1954
64 Edward B. Reid 1944
66 Lewis Greenlee 1944
67 Elizabeth Picken 1888
69 Matthew L. Ralston 1927
70 John W. Ralston  1927
71 Duncan Robinson McCorvie 1934
72 John Matthew Reid  1935
73 James Picken McNair  1943
74 John A. Ralston, Est.  1943
76 John W. Andrew, Est. 1933
77 Albert & Maitie Smith  1943
98 Harold Flora *
100 August Smith  1922
101 Joseph P. Knipprath 1923
103 Robert 11. Henderson, Jr. Est.  1932
104 Robert Colville 1935
105 Kate Wilson 1907
106 Archie E. McCorvie  1916
107 Thomas Ralston  1927
108 Peter Greenlee, Est.  1919
110 James Picken, Sr. 1887
111 David McPhail (Guilford)  1884
112 James S. Reid 1909
113 Edward Ralston  1913
114 Thomas Brislen  1869
115 Edward McCorvie, Sr.  1914
116 William Wilson  1886
117 Robert Wilson 1886
118 Robert Wilson 1886
119 J. C. Ralston 1890
120 James Hamilton  1893
121 Peter Stevenson 1922
122 W. Kenneth McEachran  1945
123 John R. &Elizabeth Smith  1947
124 Jasper Williams *
134 Arthur N Peters *
135 Kenneth Busker? *
136 Morris Barnes *
137 David Cummings  *
138 Steve Crow  *
140 Gene Season?  *
141 Mrs. Lorean Mead  1951
142 William G. Smith  1945
143 Hugh M. Brown 1938
144 Robert M. Brown 1914
145 Alexander McNair  1913
146 David C. Ralston  1860
147 Alexander McNair  1860
148 Charles Armour  1867
149 Mrs. Alexander McNair 1898
A149 Walter & Maude Church  1959
150 James Fleming   1876
151 William Armour  1873
152 Robert M. Greenlee  1913
153 Matthew McMillan  1896
154 John Andrew   1883
155 Thomas Andrew   1882
156 Matthew Ralston   1890
157 George A. Ralston   1913
158 Andrew Smith  1918
159 Charlotte Armour  1869
160 Charlotte Armour  1869
161 John Mitchell   1867
162 Alexander McNair  1860
163 David C. Ralston  1863
164 Louise McGeachie  1913
165 Edward Mc Corvie, Jr.   1913
166 William Cleveland, E at.  1935
167 Peter A. Ralston  1938
168 William Mitchell  1943
169 F. S. Cain  1945
170 Mrs. Ruth A. Brown  1947
171 Glenn Reid Cummings   1945
172 David Stuart Cummings 1947
173 William & Belle Flemming  1953
174 George D. McDonald, Est.  1957
175 Robert Taft *
178 Robert James Taft   1947
179 Carlyle & Arthur Ralston  1952
180 Albert Barnes   1942
181 Mrs. Maude Harvey   1947
182 Belle & Nettie Cummings   1944
183 Stephen Huntley   1945
184 John A. McEachran   1943
185 Charles Ralston   1944
A185 August& Flossie Schmeling  1957
186 Stuart Brown  1936
187 Charles T. Brown  1931
188 Robert Ralston  1907
189 Daniel Ralston  1900
190 Robert Ralston  1860
191 John McDermaid  1869
192 Duncan Taylor   1869
193 Campbell Kelly  1869
194 G. A. H. Reid   1902
195 John A. Kelly   1913
196 George Ralston  1909
197 James Reid  1878
198 Charles Kelly 1876
199 Charles Andrew  1876
200 Hugh Andrew   1875
201 Gavin Ralston   1899
202 F. C. Getskey   1898
203 David Watson  1892
204 William Brown   1899
205 D. G. Harvey  1876
206 William Harvey  1860
207 Alexander Ralston   1860
208 James R. Ralston  1902
209 Henry Knop  1910
210 Margaret & Kate Chamberlain   1929
211 Flora Kelly   1918
212 W. R. Marshalsay  1933
213 John A. Brown   1938
214 Daniel Grigsby & EIIa Hanson  1940
215 John D. McDonald  1942
216 Elizabeth Scudder   1934
A216 John F. Graham   1950
217 Charles McDonald  1940
218 John McDonald   1933
A218 Adolph & Florence Borreson   1959
219 Golda Brown & Ken. Peacock  1937
222 H. A. Jones   1937
223 Grace McDonald Barnes   1928
224 George & Mary B. Clay   1928
225 George P. Ralston   1915
226 Robert Cummings   1915
227 William R. Brown  1923
228 William Cunningham  1921
229 W. C. Peterson  1920
230 Janet Lang  1917
231 Hugh McEachran, Jr.   1906
232 Theodore Gordon   1909
233 George Styres   1875
234 Robert Henderson  1913
235 Edward Brown  1882
236 Edward Brown  1860
237 Margaret Brown  1860
238 James Mitchell  1901
239 David B. Penniman   1898
240 Alexander McKay   1878
241 William D. Ralston  1899
242 John Andrew   1860
243 William Ralston   1860
244 David Ralston, Jr.  1867
245 Archibald C. Smith  1886
246 James M. Smith  1893
247 Thomas Ralston  1898
248 Grace McEachran   1936
249 Robert Smith  1876
250 Andrew Ralston  1880
251 William T. McEachran  1904
252 Edward D. Brown   1905
253 Margaret McMillan   1897
254 William H. Brown  1889
255 James McMillan  1891
 256 David M. Ralston   1903
A256 Alexander McCathran  1934
 257 John R. McEachran  1901
258 Archibald McEachran 1906
259 D. B. McDonald  1901
260 Malcolm McMichael 1892
261 C. H. Thornton  1897
262 William A. Ralston  1910
263 Daniel Kelly  1910
266 Richard Ford  1862
267 Archibald Picken  1909
268 J. P. Brown 1889
269 Malcolm McMichael 1878
270 John McEachran  1884
271 John McEachran  1884
272 Charles Picken  1881
273 Gilbert 
274 James Brown 1880
275 James Kelly 1884
276 Thomas Wilson 1886
277 John McMillan 1869
278 Alexander Ferguson  1883
279 Nettie Ralston  1948
280 Robert Smith  1860
281 John Smith  1860
282 Robert Greenlees, Sr. 1860
283 Daniel Hogart 1860
284 Alfred Storrs 1866
286 Charles Picken  1860
287 Alexander Smith 1902
288 John Kranzer  1866
289 William H. Reid 1878
28S Gavin Wallace 1878
290 Thomas Greenlee 1882
291 Mary Picken 1865
292 William Greenlees 1883
293 Margaret Watson 1866
294 William Ferguson  1860
296 John Watterson  1869
297 William McNeilage 1886
298 Archibald Patterson 1866
299 David Brown 1869
29S Robert Howie  1877
300 John Ralston  1877
301 B. E. S. Ely  1877
302 A. & G. Thompson  1874
303 John Ralston  1869
304 Robert Ralston  1869
306 Andrew Ralston  1869
307 Hugh McEachran  1860
308 George Ingleton 1860
30S James McEachran 1917
310 George Ingleton *
311 Thomas Morrison 1860
312 C. & T. Brown 1860
313 Neil McMichael  1860
314 Isabel Ralston  1869
315 A. & G. Thompson  1902
316 James McMann  1867
317 Colin Lang  1869
318 Robert Mitchell 1881
319 Peter Watson  1860
320 Sarah Watson  1875
321 John Howie  1869
322 Alexander McDonald  1877
323 William Ferguson  1860
324 Peter Greenlees 1860
325 Daniel McMillan 1860
326 Robert Greenlees, Sr. 1866
327 James Greenlee  1875
328 James S. Reid 1876
329 John Hostrowser 1860
330 Alexander Reid  1860
331 Polly Marlett 1860
332 Morris M. Martin  1892
333 Robert Montgomery 1874
334 Hugh Reid 1866
335 Robert Greenlee, Jr.  1866
336 James Greenlee  1860
337 Peter Greenlees 1860
338 William Throne  1860
339 Andrew McDonald 1877
340 William Andrew  1869
341 Hugh Brown ?  1869
342 George Picken 1860
343 John McEachran  1859
344 Neil Fleming  1860
345 Margaret McCorkindale   1860
346 Robert Thompson 1859
347 Angus Cummings  1860
348 George Picken 1859
349 R. & P. Kelly 1860
350 Gavin Ralston 1860
351 N. H. Forbes  1860
A353 Silas Wilson 1938
D353 William Thomson  1955
354 Alexander J. Ralston  1860
355 John Ralston  1860
356 George Picken 1859
357 George Picken 1859
358 David Andrew  1860
359 John Thompson 1859
360 John Fleming  1875
361 A. & Wm. McGonigal  1867
362 Lionel Henderson  1860
363 John Picken 1860
364 Donald Sillars  1875
365 Duncan Sillars  1869
366 Neil McMillan 1860
367 William Throne  1860
368 William Ralston (South)   1860
369 James Picken  1860
370 James Montgomery  1860
371 Janet Howie 1866
372 David Picken  1906
373 John G. Ralston, Est. 1933
374 John Greenlee 1860
375 Charles Greenlee  1860
376 George Greenlee 1860
377 William Giffen  1860
378 Andrew Giffen 1860
379 Andrew Montgomery 1869
380 James Picken  1877
381 William Ralston 1860
382 William Throne  1876
383 Thomas Brown  1890
384 William A. Ralston  1928
385 Hugh Mitchell 1904
386 Alvord Locke  1875
387 Eliza Morgan  1875
388 James Ryburn  1877
389 Walter McFarland  1869
390 John McDonald 1875
391 Thomas Ralston  1860
392 Peter W. Ralston  1902
393 Peter Ralston 1860
394 John Ralston, Sr. 1860
395 A. C. Ralston 1860
A396 Joseph Knipprath, Jr.  1918
B396 William McMahan  1920
C396 Wilbur Peaslee 1946
398 Joseph Barnes 1891
399 Duncan McDonald 1866
400 Janet Jones 1866
401 Peter Ralston 1866
402 William McDonald  1909
403 Kenneth M. Ralston  1923
404 George L. Henderson 1920
405 John Henderson  1893
406 Michel Morgan 1887
407 George L. Henderson 1902
408 John Jackson  1875
409 Clarence R. & Edith Mitchell  1953
A409 Lydia Graf   1959
410 Matthew McMillan, Est.  1930
411 William B. Ralston  1906
412 Carl Dettloff 1899
413 James Montgomery  1897
414 Frank Coleman 1909
415 George Brown, Est.  1931
416 James Turner  1932
417 Helen Greenlee Ralston  1898
418 Gavin Ralston 1899
419 William E. Cunningham 1948
420 Knute Kvarme  1916
421 Robert Wiley Greenlee   1916
422 William & Lena Backs  1915
A423 Albert Backs 1913
B423 Green Baby 1913
C423 Ernest Cumerford 1913
425 Tressie Burdick 1891
F 9 John McEachran  *
F 10 James McEachran  *
G 5 Everett Worrell *
G 6 James Salley  *
G 7 Ben Biggins *
G 8 Wilbur Picken *
G 9 Gary Batty  *
G 10 Kenneth McEachran  *
H 1 Goff & Nort?  *
H 5 Everett Worrell *
H 6 Donald Rogers *
H 7 Frederick Sharp *
H 8 Ralph Picken  *
H 9 Robert Picken *
H 10 Wayne Greenlee *
I 2 Hugh T. Andrew  1953
I 3 Hugh Smith  1950
I 4 Edward R. Greenlee  1953
I 5 David C. Brown  1953
I 6 Clifford A. Rogers  1953
I 7 Floyd C. Williams 1956
I 8 John M. Walters 1958
I 9 Albert Elliott  1958
I 10 Thomas Andrew  *
J 2 Matthew Andrew  1946
J 3 Matthew J. Andrew 1949
J 4 Wm. J. C. Ralston 1953
J 5 Leslie Winne  1950
J 6 Chester Cummings  1953
J 7 James Beattie 1957
J 9 Clyde Smith 1958
J 10 Thomas Key *
K 2 Milo B. Wold  1953
K 3 Thomas J. Andrew  1952
K 4 Ralph Cummings  1949
K 5 Ray Ralston 1951
K 6 C. P. Knipprath 1952
K 7 Dorothy Ralston 1955
K 9 Gorton Wilson 1958
K 10 A. W. Anderson *
L 3 David Ralston 1947
L 4 Hugh Reid 1949
L 5 Uriah Hull  1951
L 6 William L. Reid 1953
L 7 Wilbur H. Reid  1953
L 8 Edward M. Ralston 1957
L 9 L E. Wilson 1958
L 10 Archibald McMillan *
M 2 John A. Thompson  1948
M 3 John W. Thompson  1953
M 4 Ross Greenlee 1953
M 5 Martha Brown  1948
M 6 George G. Ralston 1953
M 7 Floyd H. Ralston  1953
M 8 Edward A. Pollnow 1957
M 9 John C. Ralston, Jr.  1958
M 10 Fran Chine *
N 2 Robert A. Thompson  1948
N 3 Ella M. Ralston 1950
N 4 George McEachran  1952
N 5 Harold Reid 1953
N 6 George R. Brown 1953
N 7 Lloyd J. Turner 1953
N 9 Bessie Ralston  1958
N 10 Stuart A. Ralston  *
O 2 John A. Greenlee  1953
O 3 john A. Ralston 1952
O 4 Thomas J. Ralston 1953
O 5 Irving Brown  1953
O 6 William D. Kelly  1953
O 7 T. Ellison Greenlee 1957
O 8 Arthur M Greenlee *
O 9 Robert Anderson *
O 10 Eugene Wilson  *
P 1 Allen Greenlee  *
P 2 James R. Greenlee 1957
P 5 Wilbur B. Ralston 1957
P 6 J. Stuart Salley  1957
P 7 Lawrence Greenlee *
P 8 Paul Wright *
P 9 Richard Eswards *
Q 2 Leigh Greenlee  *
Q 3 Lamont  *
Q 4 Gene Morrison *
Q 5 M. J. Harvey  1951
Q 6 Ray Harvey  *
R 4 Stan Lauson *
R 8 Jasper Williams *
R 9 Holger Carlson  *
R10 Bernard W. McEachern  1955
*Source: 1959 Hundredth Anniversry Booklet and updated 1959 plat drawing.
(Those with asterisk for date purchased were added from plat drawing.)
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