Blog
Sometimes sharing my work, sometimes musing on topics that have come to my attention, I blog about my life as an artist at Diane Duncan Art. Part diary, part conversation, I welcome the response of readers to my words.
I have recently added a new page and category Looking Back – Family & Community especially for those who might be interested in genealogy, family history and local history. It springs from a deep interest in the lives of those who have gone before and a desire to preserve their story for future generations.
Posted by Diane on March 31, 2020 in Featured Flag, This And that! | 0 comments
I don’t want to take supplies away from our medical personnel but I need access to breathing protection. So I did a lot of research. I am making fabric masks that will not be perfect for virus protection, but will up my level of protection when I have to venture out to get supplies, and will work for me during seasons when pollen, dust and smoke are prevalent. First of all I am sheltering at home and have since early March. We wash our hands and clean surfaces frequently. We try not to touch our face. We had a family member overseas at...
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Posted by Diane on March 7, 2020 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 2 comments
For decades we have wondered who ‘Elizabeth Gilmour’s family might be (my 4th great grandmother). We thought that she married William Miller 14 April 1683 and that she was baptized in Mearns Parish, Renfrewshire, 25 Apr 1762 (E. Miller, 1993). This was later aligned to 14 April 1765 (considered most likely in later research) and her parents might be Agness Carselaw and William Gilmour. Until recently I accepted this information. Ted Miller, a research collaborator, recently pointed out that there were now four possibilities for Elizabeth...
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Posted by Diane on January 17, 2020 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 9 comments
In addition to my personal research I need to send out a big thank you to Queensland cousins who shared info and photos and to the people who responded to queries on Facebook via ‘Lost Fassifern Valley & Pioneering Families’. Janet Fitzgerald Miller was born in 1801 on family property ‘Whitelea’ or “Whitelee’ in Cardross Parish, Dunbartonshire Scotland. She was baptized 30 Nov 1801 in that Parish. Janet was the youngest child of William Millar (1763-abt 1833) and Elizabeth Gilmour (abt 1765-1839) and came to Canada with her...
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Posted by Diane on November 29, 2019 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 0 comments
When people joined the emigration societies of 1820-21 and traveled to Canada, they often left family members behind in Scotland. Jean, daughter of William Miller and Elizabeth Gilmour married and established a family before her parents left in 1821. It appears that the Miller/Millar family used both spellings or the name. The family of William Miller/ar 1762 and Elizabeth Gilmour 1765 Jean Millar, eldest daughter of William Miller and Elizabeth Gilmour, was born in Dumbarton parish, Dunbartonshire, Scotland on 3 August 1791 and was baptized...
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Posted by Diane on October 25, 2019 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 4 comments
I am hoping for feedback from readers in regards to this and other posts regarding family history. In 1821, James Miller traveled to Canada as a member of the Glasgow Canadian Emigration Society on the brig George Canning. James, his wife and three children, traveled with his parents and brother Andrew. They arrive at Quebec on 14 April 1821 and traveled on to the Lanark settlement to join his brother William who emigrated late the previous year. James Miller and Janet Stewart James Millar was born in early January 1794 to William Millar and...
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Posted by Diane on October 18, 2019 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 9 comments
Andrew Miller, member of the Glasgow Canadian Emigration Society, 1821 Andrew Miller, who was baptized 15 Sep 1799 in Cardross, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, arrived in Quebec on the brig George Canning with his parents, 14 April 1821. Andrew travelled as part of the Glasgow Canadian Emigration Society under the leadership of Walter Black. His father, William Miller and brother James Miller were also members of this group and all three registered their location claim on 15 July 1821. Prior to departure he served for a time with the 79th Foot, 2nd...
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