Tartan Tales of Clan Davidson

We love this story sent in by Lissa - sounds like it was a wonderful Scottish heritage trip with her grandson, and what an amazing achievement by Lissa:

"Last May, our grandson graduated from college and when we asked him what he wanted for a graduation present, he immediately responded that he wanted a heritage tour with his grandparents.

So, we went off to Scotland and after seeing my grandmother's roots in Glasgow (what a vibrant city now), we went to Dingwall to see the Davidson castle (now a well run BnB) and my father's clan history. Liam was enchanted and when we went into the museum that is behind the building, he was fascinated by the history of the Clan. As he passed one glass case, he shouted "Gmam, that's you!".

Sure enough he found the display of my US Navy ribbons, my picture and short biography. Apparently, I was the first (that we know of) Davidson woman achieving senior rank in the US Navy, and the Clan honored me some years ago on my retirement, by placing that memorabilia into the Davidson museum.

It was a precious moment."

Susan got in touch with us and shared her lovely Davidson story and why she named her bird rehab facility Ironside:

"I am a Davidson through my mom's family. My G-G-Grandfather, James Ironside Davidson, was from near Aberdeen. He emigrated to N. America back in the early 1800s. He was one of the first importers of Shorthorn cattle to this country. I’ve made two trips to Scotland and was able to visit the house he grew up in and see the stone house he built and the brick house his son built on the property his father owned.

The stone house is amazing. The brick house, where my grandmother was born, has the date 1885 etched in the glass in the front door. Even got to see the inside as the present owners are renovating it. Couldn’t get in to the stone house but did walk all around the outside.

I was so thrilled to find my family house. My relative, who was living in the house at the time of my visit, is no longer there, it has been sold and I was told it is now a petting zoo. It was one of the places owned by Ironside families. There were three homes on one road. Even a road sign although no town of that name. Ironsides had lived there for so long they just named them that way.

My family was next door to Hillhead of Ironside. It’s called Waukmill of Ironside. There was another one but I didn’t get a picture of their sign. I named my bird rehab facility Ironside Bird Rescue when I started it back in 1987."

After a comment on YouTube, we asked Chase to send us his Davidson / Deason story in and here's the wonderful story he wanted to share:

"Hello again to all at Scotlandshop. So, as I said, I was shown a plaque with my mom's maiden name while staying in Tulloch Castle. It was my very first night in Scotland and I only got to visit because my wife had a business trip to Edinburgh. It was my wife who booked the castle and I really knew nothing of Scottish clans at that point. I did know that my mom's ancestors were predominantly Scottish from an ancestry test I took some time back.

I told my wife before arriving that it would probably annoy Scottish people if she told them I was Scottish. So, of course she proudly exclaimed it on my behalf the first chance she got. The nice woman who served us dinner in Tulloch didn't seem annoyed though. After some conversation about my mom, she told me to look at the plaque on the wall. She said my mom's maiden name was written on it. When I questioned what it meant, a younger man at the front desk handed us a key to the Clan Davidson Museum. That one-night stay in Tulloch was an amazing prelude that piqued my interest in my mother's heritage and I'm still shocked by everything I've learned.

I think it's good to start with my sixth-great grandfather, Enoch Deason (1750-1830) who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Enoch is the most documented of all my Deason ancestors. He was born in British Colonial America and he may have been acquainted with one of the most important people of his time, General Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson was the 7th US president and his face has been depicted on the American $20 bill since 1928. Jackson's museum is in Davidson County, Tennessee.

This short biography was written about my ancestor:

"Enoch DEASON is listed in Anson County, NC census records in 1790 and 1800. Sometime after the 1800 census, Enoch and Rebecca moved to Bedford County, TN. (Tennessee was part of NC until 1796, and Bedford County, TN was created December 3, 1807.) In Early History and Research of Bedford County, Tennessee, authors Timothy and Helen C. Marsh state, "Enoch and Rebecca Deason had settled here by 1812, on a 270 acre Tennessee Grant that was then open land, later in the possession of General Andrew Jackson, the man of the hour and an acquaintance of Deason."

Everything is still almost unbelievable to me. Three weeks ago, I didn't know who any of my great parents were and now I have close to 300 years of family knowledge. I originally wondered if Enoch might be the son of a Jacobite prisoner who was shipped to America by the English, but then I found information that suggests his predecessors could have been Ulster Scots who left Scotland long before the 1745 uprising. It's not entirely clear when or why the Deasons came to America and I'm unsure what events in Scotland may have played a role in their departure.

On another unusual note, it looks like some of my more recent relatives did remember where their family was from. I wouldn't rule out uncanny coincidence either at this point, but in my research, I learned that my second-great grandfather, great grandfather, and many other Deasons are buried in a ghost town cemetery. My grandfather was a wild bootlegger in his younger years, well known for being good at outrunning police in his car. His father disowned him when he was a teenager after he ran away from home. My mom always loved him and she used to tell me the stories he told her about his powerful family who lived in a town in Arkansas. Last week I saw the name of the ghost town where my second-great grandfather and so many other Deasons are buried. After more than a hundred years, the Deasons were once again laid to rest in Scotland, but this time it was in the town they seem to have claimed as their new ancestral home. That ghost town is called Scotland, Arkansas.

I wish I could relay everything I've learned to my mother and I want to believe that she already knows. It's all been a lot to process, but my wife and I plan to travel to Scotland, Arkansas from our home in Houston sometime in the near future. We want to see what else we can learn there and maybe talk to any remaining Deasons in the region. Without visiting Scotland and Tulloch Castle we wouldn't know any of this. It's an experience that we will always remember and I know we will return."

We spoke to Craig Davidson, COO/CFO of Rick Steves' Europe, about his job, Davidson ancestry and Scottish trips - a fascinating read about a passionate, rebellious Davidson!

In a nutshell, what is unique about Rick Steves’ Europe, and what is your role in the business?

At its core, Rick Steves’ Europe creates citizens of the world. By recognizing our differences add the spice to the magical concoction brewing in humanity’s cultural caldron, we teach people how to savour the flavour by travelling thoughtfully. After all, well tidy scran doesn’t just erupt from a bland broth: perfection comes from adding a pinch of this, and a dash of that, until our taste buds cry out in delight.

That means we’re unlike many other travel businesses. Not only do we take over 30,000 people to Europe on bus tours annually, we personally research and write the best-selling European travel guidebook series in the US; produce a highly rated travel TV show, a nationally broadcast radio show and a weekly webcast; distribute a weekly newspaper column; teach travel classes; curate and fund Classroom Europe (a searchable online database containing teachable video clips designed as a free gift for teachers); and design and sell a line of travel bags and accessories (via our online and brick and mortar retail stores).

As the COO, I co-ordinate the company’s back-office operations and ensure our strategies are true to our mission, in line with our values, and sustainable.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I have the best job in the world. First and foremost, I get to run a company by using the ethics of being a good business. In short, that means I’m not held accountable to a quarterly profit statement or chasing a dividend. Instead, I’m judged on how well I create a solid and stable livelihood for our stakeholders – namely our vendors, employees, travellers, and community. After spending the first half of my career in the corporate world, being freed from chasing a purely financial goal is a pleasure. Who could ask for anything better?

Second, I get to lead a well-travelled, dedicated and mission-driven “merry band of travellers” who are helping people weave their own unique cultural tapestry through travel. Because we’re always trying to make sure our products give travellers the tools they need to travel thoughtfully – and we do so many different things as a company – the constant changes in tourism and technology keeps us on our toes. What could be more fun?

And finally, I have the privilege of managing our philanthropic programs while spearheading our groundbreaking Climate Smart Commitment (a program designed to creatively mitigate the carbon produced by our tour members flying back and forth to Europe). Since 2017, we have donated over 25 million dollars to organizations that fund the arts, provide social services, fight against systemic injustice, build up communities, educate women, and stop global warming. What could be more fulfilling?

We are celebrating Clan Davidson this month and we hear you are a strong Clan Davidson person – please tell us a bit about that! In what ways do you identify with your clan?

I’m a rebel. I’ll fight for anything if it matches my values, and I like to think that comes from the blood passed down from my Scots ancestors (and probably directly from those who fought over the right to lead the right flank at the Battle of Invernahavon!). I can almost imagine me in the Highlands, sword in hand, kilt flying, battling for what’s right.

I also love the connection to history. At my brother’s wedding, my speech had a section about ancestors crossing the dimensional plane during celebrations and bringing everyone together. I hang the clan crest by my door, and try to follow our motto: wisely if sincerely.

You have also been up to Tulloch Castle in Dingwall a few times, can you please share one of your memorable trips? How did it feel to you personally to be there knowing its clan connection and history?

Both were memorable in their own way.

My biggest epiphany happened on my first trip, before I went to Dingwall. I was travelling with my parents – as I wanted my mom to see the world beyond North America – and Scotland promised curious accents, unusual clothing (kilts), a monster hiding in a Loch, scotch whiskey, and castles! (In fact, lots and lots of castles!)

When we were walking down Buchanan Street in Glasgow, eating fish and chips from a bag, I noticed the street was alive with activity – couples were holding hands, young lovers were kissing, parents were chasing their kids around, and teenage boys were acting like – well – teenage boys. And in that moment, I realized I was just one person in a vast sea of humanity, and all my experiences and opinions were just that – mine. And if Buchanan Street was a guidepost, other people all over the globe had to be just as happy living their own lives and pursuing their own dreams as I was.

Instantly, I knew I’d have a far richer experience by trying to understand the unique perspectives of Scottish society instead of simply skimming along the surface as a tourist. So, when we stayed at the Davidson Castle in Dingwall – originally planned as just a wee bit of good craic – it turned into me trying to learn more about our clan history, marvelling at the etched fireplace and tartans on the walls, and eating haggis. It made what I’d read on the internet more real and brought history to life. And it probably set me on a course that brought me to Rick Steves’ Europe.

I visited the second time with my wife Nancy, who got to see Scotland for the first time while I relived a few repressed memories (like the sheer terror of driving on the ‘other side’ of a narrow highland road while a constant stream of lorries barrelled towards me). Of course, that trip also had a different meaning for me, as I had a chance to show Nancy what impressed me so many years ago, gave her the opportunity to experience the charm and magic of the highlands, and allowed her to get an overview of my clan’s history before being assimilated.

Some of your tours explore Scotland, how much are the people who book onto them interested in their Scottish heritage and ancestry, do you know?

While many Americans trace their ancestry to Europe, we don’t really track customer behaviour to that level. However, anecdotally we know that many of our travellers heading to Scotland are doing so because of their heritage and want to trace their roots.

We have to ask of course, what is your favourite Davidson tartan and do you wear it (often)?

Honestly, I like the Davidson Modern. I have a tuxedo vest (a waistcoat in UK) and one scarf – down from two, as my old one wore out – in Modern, and a blanket in Davidson Ancient (all bought in Scotland). I proudly wear the scarf from October to April, but since the vest was built for me when I was in my early 20’s – a few kilos ago – I can’t really wear it without risking unconsciousness!

Anything else you’d like to mention?

If you’re ever near Urquhart Castle when I’m in town, steer clear. I’ve almost caused an accident each time I’ve visited, and I think Nessie is playing tricks on me.

Keep on travelin’!

For more info on Rick Steves' Europe, please see their Climate Smart Commitment, website, YouTube channel, Instagram and email.

Great to receive some photos from Danny, originally from Berwirkshire, in his Davidson Modern tartan! We especially love his wedding photos. In Danny's words:

"Some of my happiest memories are based around wearing my kilt and other Davidson tartan attire. As a teenager I started wearing a kilt to attend dances around the Borders, then at Uni and into my twenties my kilt came everywhere with me. Worn around the world at any remotely formal occasion - Argentina, Australia, Africa, Japan and many more. I see my tartan as an important part of me, it helps define me and give me my individuality. It’s also damn good fun.

If you can lay claim to the Davidson tartan you’ll be better off wearing it now and and again."