[RobertStewart]

I have been a member of Clan Stewart Society in America for almost a year now

[Red Stag]

I use my mother's last name which is an Irish surname. The only Clan society for the name is in America. I was a member for a year or two but they didn't really seem to do anything except collect dues and occasionally send out a letter or ballots for officers that I knew nothing about. They had an e-mail list that nobody ever used and I think that they owned some books that they said they would loan out to members but I when I asked I got no reply. I haven't paid them any dues in several years but occassionly get a letter from them, apparently they don't keep good records either. Apparently the guy who was in charge of it croaked and nobody knew for several months or a year.

While doing genealogy work my supposed Scottish GG Grandmother may have been from Ireland or Rhode Island. Its all a mess. One of my English lines can almost be traced back to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, I'm having trouble with one generation. Some of what I have seen on the net for for the families of some of the wives go back to Scottish royalty but I don't know if it is reliable.

So... I got a Utilikilt.

[cessna152towser]

Originally Posted by Paul.
Oh by the way... one thing I don't get is - there's a lot of clan society's per continent. Does this not conflict with the one, main, authentic worldwide (often Scottish-based) clan societies?

This has in the past been a problem with some of the lowland Scottish clans where there has been no chief for the past couple of hundred years, and indeed was why many of us here in Scotland were so cynical about the so-called gathering of the clans in Edinburgh in July 2009. However the answer is in our own hands to trace heirs to the old chiefs and have them formally recognised by the Lord Lyon, some lowland clans have done this in recent years and others are currently going through the process. Once there is a properly recognised hereditary Chief, various splinter groups will unite to support that head of family rather than appointing one of their own.
I can't be a member of my mother's clan as her surname is an Irish one, we have our own unofficial family group on Facebook, so instead I belong to and get involved with the clan bearing my father's surname, Clan Cunningham. I hosted a clan tent at the Muster of the Clans in Selkirk Scotland in September 2009 and assisted with the clan tent at Ventura Seaside Games in California in October 2009.

[Santa Wally]

Tried to edit and messed up ending up with a double post. The corrected post appears next. DELETED THE ORIGINAL POST, I tried to edit & correct, sorry about that.

[Santa Wally]

Got my first kilt last March, maternal side is Wallace, and joined as a Life Member the Clan Wallace Society in July after picking up an application at the Clan Tent at the Blairsville GA Scottish Festival.

One week after getting my first kilt, I joined as a Life Charter Member of Clan Claus Society at the Celebrate Santa Convention. I have been active with it and have my Clan Claus kilt made with the Claus of the North Pole tartan (STA ITI # 7869).

[BoldHighlander]

Having been away from XMarks when this poll was first posted I'll chime in now.

For a number of years I was a state commissioner (& on the scholarship committee) for one of my clans, but due to certain issues within that society (which I will not name) I just burned out & resigned my positions late this past year. I'm also no longer an active member of that clan, however we parted on good terms & they still consider me as "family"

Since then my focus has become the Clan Donald (both they & the afore mentioned clan society are from my dad's linage). I look forward to assisting at the clan booth etc this year!

[Downunder Kilt]

From Livingston
Paul, Our Chief invited members of the forum at www.clanlivingstone.info to start the associtation. He then worked with us to set it up. There was already an ANZAC association set up and the plan is to, at some time in the future, have the one we just set up as the "headquarters" and other associations in various regions. That way we can do as StevB and Sir William indicate, be the guide for all clan related activities.
__________________
Greg Livingston
Executive Committee Clan MacLea (Livingstone)

Greg, I have just caught up with this thread that you posted on in December and I saw you refer to an ANZAC association. Is this the Anzac that were cherish so close to our heart here in Australia and in New Zealand. I assume it is referring to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp who brought great pride to their countries in World war 1. I ask this, as the word is sacred in Australia and NewZealand and permision must be obtained before the word is used to decribe something that has nothing to do with the Anzac tradition. On 25 April each year we have Anzac day, a public holiday, to honour our fallen heros. I believe it to be like your memorial day

[Downunder Kilt]

Greg

I saw your original post and didn't read the thread right through before posting my last. guess I am a bit touchy when the term is used with no reference to the actual Anzacs (I lost 4 family members in the trenches)

My apologies if I sounded full of it in my original post

[Livingston]

Not a problem, Downunder Kilt. As you probably already read, my intention was not to use that term in a derogatory or incorrect way. It was basically a quote from the Clan website.

[Andrew M. Stewart]

I'm a commisioner for The Stewart Society (Edinburgh)