"Reg Edwards" wrote in message

I think serious family research work would have to begin at home in the
States.

I've found the hardest part is linking the old scottish family history
with the later U.S. history. It seems many fled Scotland for various
reasons during the years, 1600-1700's, and records are scarce. I have
pretty good records of the Scotland Keith's, and I have traced my U.S.
history back to appx 1790-1810 VA., but can't find links to trace back
to Scotland. So it's like a missing gap. But there are pay sources
with possibly more info that I haven't checked yet. "IE: ship records,
etc".
There were Keiths in New England "MA." as early as the 1600's, but I
seem to be linked more to a VA. point of entry from the records I've
seen so far. The old Keith history in Scotland is quite well known as
they were quite a cast of characters, but it's like it hits a brick
wall at the point the various family branches came to the U.S. Hard to
link the two in many cases, unless you really scour all sources. Also
early U.S. history and documents can be meager to nil. Myself, I hit
the brick wall at the end of the 1700's. 1800 onward, I'm pretty
solid. I've traced back to my g-g-g-g-grandfather just using the web.
Back into the 1700's is meager. So even though I'm most likely related
to some of the old big wheels in Scotland, I have no idea which line I
would come from. There are so many lines....The 1700's must have been
a rough time in Scotland for a family with the land and general wealth
the old Keith clan had, to decide to split up and split town for the
new world.

A visit to Edinburgh would be more profitable than a vist to London
during a holiday visit.

Most of the Keith clan was centered around Aberdeen. They founded one
of the old colleges there, and Dunottar castle is the old Keith family
castle. Mel Gibson filmed certain parts of "Hamlet" at that castle. Or
whats left of it anyway...It's in ruins now...

Another visit to a high-class tailor whilst in Edinburgh on holiday would
eventually fit you up with a genuine Maxwell tartaned kilt. I expect you
know that a kilt is a heavy, pleated, woven skirt, with a sporan to contain
your loose cash, under which is nothing in the way of clothing. Many
Scotsmen still wear them and not on ceremonial occsions. Furthermore,
Scotswomen are proud to be so accompanied.

I'm not much for skirts myself. Rednecks in Texas generally don't wear
them..:/
But there is a Keith clan, family tarton, coat of arms, etc, etc...Our
tarton is kind of a green/blue plaid mix...

One story of the early Scotland Keiths can be found at:
http://www.thekeithclan.com/

Kind of interesting...We have a pretty colorful history, but not all
is that good...
There was a long running feud with another clan due to some acts
involving some of the Keiths..Resulted in the death of a girl one of
the Keiths fancied..."kinda long story, but it can be found on the
net. "That started a feud which lasted for many, many years. I think
it just recently finally ended with both clans finally getting
together and forming a truce.. MK