The Corner Table

LAUCHLIN (LAUGHLAN, LACHLAN, LOCHLAND) COLQUHOUN was born 1755-1765, probably in Scotland; his wife, Mary [maiden name unknown] was born before 1755. It is not known where they were married, when or how they arrived from Scotland, where they attended Church (a researcher from NC wrote that Angus Ray was a minister at a small church near the Robeson County line, and if so perhaps they attended that church), or where they are buried.

The family did, however, leave an abundant legacy of legal instruments, including census records, tax rolls, land claims, deeds properly recorded in the public records, marriage bonds posted in the public records, and Lauchlin's written Will properly drawn and probated in Cumberland County, NC. Although the varied instruments suggests Lauchlin was a man who favored written instruments, and his children (including daughters) appear educated, Lauchlin signed his name with a mark, and often his name was spelled a variety of ways on the same document. This suggests that his native language was not English, so perhaps he spoke Gaelic.

Regarding his name, to date over 10 different spellings of his name have been found. Although the title of this genealogy uses the spelling as it appeared in the 1790 census, a spelling as Lauchlin has been settled on for this genealogy for three reasons: (i) his name was spelled Lauchlin on his Will; (ii) his son Archibald, who did write English, twice wrote his name as Lauchlin in the document posted on the courthouse door giving notice for the sale of his father's remainder estate and (iii) subsequent generations of children named in honor of Lauchlin have - with one exception - spelled their names as Lauchlin (that one spelled his name Lofton).

Colquhoun was not a poor man; his property was not mortgaged and he paid taxes, appears to have paid cash for several hundred acres during his lifetime, and left a generous estate, including several promissory notes due to the estate. Documents brought by a son to Mississippi around 1840 and subsequently contributed to a private museum, include a copy of an original land grant from the King of England to Alexander Johnston in 1772, and a deed conveying the land to Lauchlin Colquhoun. According to family history, Alexander Johnston was a Tory, who sold his land to Colquhoun rather than lose it to seizure.

The family settled on lands along Jumping Gully Creek, four miles from its junction with Rockfish, a tributary of Cape Fear River, in an area that today is part of Hoke County near the Robeson County line. Their sons subsequently acquired property extending the Colquhoun lands from Jumping Gully to Puppy Creek.

The public records of the family of Lauchlin Colquhoun are usually associated with Sinclairs, McAlpins, McCall/McColls or Blacks.

-Angus Black conveyed property to John Colquhoun 8/24/1803, Lauchlin Colquhoun was the witness, land is located along Little Rockfish.
-When John Colquhoun conveyed 200 acres to Lauchlin 10/16/1809, and when John conveyed 150 acres to Archibald Colquhoun 10/18/1809, Donald Sinclair and Daniel McAlpin were witnesses.
-When Lauchlin's daughter Catherine married Daniel McAlpin, Donald Sinclair was bondsman.
-When Lauchlin's son John married Catherine McCall, Donald Sinclair was also bondsman.
-When Archibald posted notice of the sale of Lauchlin's residual estate in Fayetteville, Duncan Sinclair witnessed the posting.
-Census records indicate the Sinclairs and Colquhouns were close neighbors.
-When Lauchlin's son Archibald migrated to Mississippi, some Sinclair families also made the move. Archibald's daughter Mary married Peter Sinclair before the move, and his daughter Flora married John Sinclair in MS.
-Census records indicate Daniel McAlpin and John Colquhoun were close neighbors in 1810.
-When Catherine McAlpin, widow of Daniel McAlpin, conveyed property out of his estate, Duncan Colquhoun warranted title; the deed conveyed lands to Daniel McColl and was witnessed by Hugh McColl.
-Hugh McColl purchased property out of the remainder estate of Lauchlin Colquhoun.
-Lauchlin's son Duncan Colquhoun and wife Flora McColl and other heirs of Hugh McColl executed a deed to John McColl; property included a tract of 200 acres Hugh McColl acquired from John Colquhoun in 1813.

Lauchlin died in 1828, and was probably buried in one of the two graveyards located on his former holdings. Lauchlin's last will and testament was probated in the June, 1828 term of the Probate Court of Cumberland Co., NC. The Will confirms the names of at least seven of the couple's children: John, Catherine, Nancy, Archibald, Duncan, Mary and Margaret. A short history of the children of Lauchlin and Mary Colquhoun and their families follows below.

1. John COLQUHOUN, son of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born between 1774-1783, married Catherine McCALL/McCOLL in 1805 (marriage bonds posted 10/3/1805). They had a boy and 2 girls before the 1810 census. The married couple lived very close to John's sister Catherine and her husband, Daniel McAlpin when the 1810 census was done. Public records between 1805 and 1830 in Cumberland County, NC in the name of John Colquhoun, affecting lands around Jumping Gully, Puppy or Little Rockfish Creek and witnessed by Duncan or Lauchlin Colquhoun or Daniel or John McColl, appear to be the records of this John Colquhoun.
   
   
2. Catherine COLQUHOUN, daughter of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born before 1784, died after 1832, married Daniel McALPIN in 1804 (marriage bonds posted 8/11/1804). The 1810 and 1820 census indicates Daniel McAlpin and his family lived only a short distance from John and Catherine McColl Colquhoun. The couple had one daughter, Margaret McAlpin, between 1805 and 1810, and a son whose name is not known born 1810-1820, who was not alive at the time of his father's death. The history of only one of the children is known.
      Margaret McALPIN, child of Daniel and Catherine Colquhoun McAlpin, born between 1805-1810, married Neill McGILL. The marriage is indicated by the following instrument in the public records of Cumberland Co., NC. On 9/05/1832, Catharine McAlpin, widow of Daniel McAlpin, her daughter Margaret McAlpin McGill and husband Neill McGill, purporting to be all the heirs at law of Daniel McAlpin, deceased, executed a deed to Daniel McColl conveying lands out of the estate. Duncan Colquhoun warranted title to one tract of land conveyed in said deed, and acted as witness; Hugh McColl was the second witness.
   
   
3. Nancy COLQUHOUN, daughter of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born before 1784, probably died before 1816. The Will of Lauchlin Colquhoun dated 1/19/1816, left money to the "heirs of Nancy", perhaps indicating Nancy was dead and children survived at that time. Since the census of 1810 indicated two daughters included in the census of 1790 were out of the home by 1810, a marriage before 1810 is presumed.
   
   
4. Archibald COLQUHOUN, son of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born 5/30/1788, died 9/12/1851 in Simpson Co., MS, married Flora Elizabeth RAY, probably the daughter of Angus Ray, in Cumberland Co., NC, in 1817 (marriage bonds posted 1/28/1817). From her gravestone, she was born 9/9/1799 and died 5/18/1870. Both were buried in a private cemetery near Cato, MS, but after the graveyard grew up and many stones were removed by vandals, their gravestone was removed to the Colquhoun Cemetery on D'Lo-Cato Road.
   
   Archibald was executor when his father's estate was probated in July, 1828, and Duncan Sinclair made oath before the justice of the peace that he saw Archibald Colquhoun post the notice of sale of the residual estate on the courthouse door in Fayetteville and two other places. As Fayetteville was more than 20 miles from Jumping Gully Creek, this required at least a several hour ride to post the notices. Archibald's family lived next door to Duncan Black (census, etc); in June, 1841, the Court of Sessions, Probate, of Cumberland County, appointed Archibald Colquhoun, along with John and Daniel McColl and Hugh Sinclair, to be empaneled as a jury to divide and designate a dower interest in the estate of Duncan Black for his widow, Mary Black.
   
   Shortly thereafter, the family started making plans to leave North Carolina, and resettle in Mississippi. Aunt Mary Carolyn told the following history of the migration to Mississippi from North Carolina: "In 1841, Archibald Colquhoun offered his plantation in Cumberland County, North Carolina for sale. Archibald, Flora, and their 9 children, along with the Sinclair families, left North Carolina by covered wagons, headed west in search of new land for a home site. The dutch oven that was used to cook on on open fires as the "clan" camped along the way to Mississippi, along with many other artifacts that tells the history of Simpson County, is on display in the Ida Thompson Museum, D'Lo, Mississippi. Archibald came to Pontatoc County, Mississippi hoping to homestead, but there was no open land. He heard that land was available to the south, so they came to Rankin County in 1841, made one crop, then came on to the springs of Simpson County in 1842, and settled in the Bethany community which they called "Scotland" at that time. Until this day a spring flows that was dug-out near the original home-site of Archibald. He never took up any land for himself, but took it for his boys: John, Lauchlin, and Archie."
   
   Notwithstanding the recollections of Aunt Mary Carolyn, the public records of Cumberland County indicate that Archibald's family did not leave North Carolina until after Archibald's oldest daughter, Mary, was married. Archibald and Flora Ray Colquhoun had nine children, all born before they left NC: Mary, born around 1818, Catharine born 3/19/1821, Lauchlin born 6/13/1823, John born 6/1/1827, Anna born about 1831, Flora born 12/14/1833, Margaret born about 1837, Eliza born 5/29/1838 and Archibald born 10/15/1840. A short history of these children and their families follows:
      Mary COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 1818 in Cumberland Co., NC, married Peter SINCLAIR 1/10/1842 in NC. He was born in 1812, the son of Hugh Sinclair (who lived next door to Daniel and Catherine Colquhoun McAlpin in 1820). Peter died in 1870, and was buried in Ross Cemetery in Simpson Co., MS. When she died thereafter, she was laid to rest beside him. The couple had seven children: Margaret Ann born 1845, Archibald born 1847, Flora Catherine born 1849, Hugh Lauchlin born 1851, Mary P. born 1853, James Marion born 10/30/1859, and Lititia Jane born 1862. All born in Simpson Co., MS, and all buried in Ross Cemetery.
      Catharine COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 3/19/1821 in Cumberland Co., NC, married John COLLINSON around 1859. He was born 4/5/1816, died 3/28/1876, and was buried in the family cemetery on private lands. When she died 10/31/1903, she was buried beside him. After the old graveyard was vandalized, a monument stone bearing the birth and death dates of the couple and their oldest child, was set in the Colquhoun Cemetery, on D'Lo-Cato Road, Simpson Co., MS. John Collinson was previously married, and had a son, William Collinson, born 1844 of the first marriage, who was in his mid-teens when the couple married. John and Catharine Colquhoun Collinson had two children born of the marriage: Archibald John born 3/1/1861 and Flora Ann (called Flo-Ann), born 1864. Archibald John Collinson may have been buried in the private Colquhoun cemetery, as well.
      Thomas Lauchlin COLQUHOUN, son of Archibald Colquhoun, born 6/13/1823 in Cumberland Co., NC, married Nancy Rebecca CONERLY about 1857. Rebecca was born 10/19/1837, the daughter of Cullen and Levisa Lewis Conerly; she was the younger sister of Mary Ann Conerly, who married Thomas Lauchlin's brother John. The couple had nine children: Archibald born 11/22/1859, Levicy Jane born 12/07/1861, Flora Catherine born 7/10/1864, Owen Louis born 11/19/1866, William Thomas born 7/11/1869, James Cullen born 11/05/1871, Anna Lenora born 2/16/1874, Lucius Marion born 7/01/1877, and Mary Beatrice born 5/16/1884. Thomas Lauchlin died 2/27/1902, Rebecca Conerly died 5/02/1916; both are buried in Pike Co., MS. Flora Colquhoun Sinclair, widow of John Sinclair, and her children, lived with this family after the death of Flora's first husband, and before she remarried.
      John COLQUHOUN, son of Archibald Colquhoun, born 6/01/1827 in Cumberland Co., NC, was 14 when his father brought the family to Simpson County, MS. He was a farmer and carpenter. He became an apprentice and trained to be a millwright. While working in Pike County, MS building mills, he built a home and married Mary Ann (Polly) CONERLY on 12/05/1855. She was born 10/15/1835 in Pike Co., MS, the older sister of Rebecca Conerly, who married John's brother two years later. Two of the couple's twelve children were born in Pike County, Mississippi. Then John and Lauchlin exchanged property, Lauchlin's family moving to Pike County and John's returning to Simpson County. John and Polly Conerly Colquhoun had twelve children: James Archibald born 9/03/1856, Charles Walton born 2/16/1858, Levicie Catherine born 2/25/1860, John Cullen born 12/19/1861, Owen Lauchlin born 7/17/1864, Mary Lucy born 8/11/1866, Flora Elizabeth (Eliza) born 6/27/1868, Lenora Alice born 8/14/1870, Silas Lee born 2/16/1872, Harriet Ann (Hattie) born 12/12/1873, William Marion born 2/18/1876, and Robert Norman born 11/03/1878. Polly died 12/11/1884 and was buried in Colquhoun Cemetery, D'Lo-Cato Road, Simpson Co., MS. After Polly died, John remarried, to Rosa KENDALL, who survived him. When John died 12/14/1909 he was buried beside his first wife Polly. Rosa was subsequently buried in the Slay Plot in the Mendenhall, Mississippi Cemetery. In addition to the children of his first wife, John and Rosie Kendall Colquhoun raised his granddaughter Velda Prine, after her mother, Mary Lucy Calhoun Prine died when the child was four months old. According to Aunt Mary Carolyn, "John was regal in appearance and leadership. He was a loyal mason, making it a point to travel regularly to Westville, MS (then the country seat of Simpson Co) to attend the meetings. He was a leader in civic and political affairs, serving on the board and supervisors of the Colquhoun School."
      Anna COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 1831 in Cumberland Co., NC, married John MURRAY between 1850 and 1860 (based on census records). The couple had one child, John Murray, Jr. Annie Colquhoun Murray is buried in Salem Cemetery, on Salem-Cato Road, MS
      Flora COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 12/14/1833 in Cumberland Co., NC, married John SINCLAIR in 1851 in Simpson Co., MS. John was the younger brother of Peter Sinclair, who married Flora's older sister, Mary, in 1842. The couple had only two children: Hugh Marion born 1852 and Flora Elizabeth born 1854, when John Sinclair died of swamp fever, contracted while working in Louisiana. After his death, Flora and her children lived with Lauchlin and Becca Conerly Colquhoun until she remarried, to John PHILLIPS, in 1866. John Phillips was born 6/24/1830. He had been previously married, and had three children by that marriage: Jane born 1858, Mary born 1861 and George born 1863. John and Flora Colquhoun Phillips had three children born of the marriage: Margaret born 1867, John born 1869 and Serenthia born about 1871. John Phillips died 1/20/1900 and Flora died 5/10/1907; they are both buried in Bethany Cemetery, Simpson/Rankin Co., MS.
      Margaret COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 1837 in Cumberland Co., NC, married John M. MCINTYRE 1857-58. The couple had nine children: Hugh Archibald born 1/1/1859, Orville J. born 2/2/1861, Flora Jane born 2/5/1863, Laura V. born 2/23/1866, Mary A. born about 1868, Angie Alice born 12/8/1869, William D.G born about 1871, Jessie Laughlin born 1/3/1873, and Annie born about 1877. Margaret Colquhoun McIntyre died about 1879; she and John are both buried in the Salem Cemetery in Rankin County, MS (this is the cemetery called the "North Cato Cemetery" sometimes). Of note, the McIntyre's of this line also came from NC, but their history is not traced for this genealogy.
      Sarah Eliza COLQUHOUN, daughter of Archibald Colquhoun, born 5/29/1838 in Cumberland Co., NC, married Wiley HALES between 1860 and 1870. He was born 2/01/1841, died 4/17/1908. She died 4/08/1926; both are buried in Bethany Cemetery, Simpson Co., MS. In the family plot, the graves of Sarah E. and Wiley Hales are located in close proximity to the graves of the following persons, believed to be some of their children: Edward Hales, born 6/7/1872, died 9/15/1928 and Victoria Hales, born 4/27/1880, died 2/07/1969, wife of G.B. Hopson and R.E. Lee (her first husband, G.B. Hopson, born 11/16/1843, died 3/2/1929, is buried beside her).
      Archibald COLQUHOUN, son of Archibald Colquhoun, born 10/15/1840 in Cumberland Co., NC, married Alice P. HALES between 1860-68. She was born about 1848. The couple had at least five children: Susan born 1869, Willia A. born 10/27/1880, Edd L. born 1890, Dora born before or shortly after Edd, and John born unknown. Archibald died 11/20/1911. Both he and Alice are buried in Bethany Cemetery, Simpson Co., MS, although only his grave - a monument stone with a Masonic crest - bears a date of death. The graves of Alice Colquhoun, John Colquhoun and Dora Colquhoun are marked with uncarved stones. The grave of Willia A. Colquhoun outside the graves of John and Dora Colquhoun, bears a monument stone identifying him as the son of Archie Colquhoun and Alice P. Colquhoun. The graves of Edd L. Calhoun and his daughter Agnes Calhoun are side by side, a outside the family plot. Estimated birth year of Dora Colquhoun based on photo of Bethany singing school, taken around 1913, in possession of the family.
   
   
5. Duncan COLQUHOUN, son of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born after 1790 in Cumberland Co., NC, married Flora McCOLL or McCALL, in 1833 (marriage bonds posted 1/29/1833, with Archibald Colquhoun, bondsman and D. McDearmid, clerk, witness). Thereafter in 1833, Duncan Colquhoun and Archibald Colquhoun negotiated a deed whereby Duncan conveyed to Archibald 400 acres of land in several tracts (original instrument located in the Ida Thompson Museum in D'Lo, Mississippi), including lands joining Lauchlin Colquhoun's land on Jumping Gully. By January, 1840, Duncan and Flora McColl Colquhoun were living in Richmond Co., NC, when they participated with other heirs (Duncan, Daniel and Sarah McColl) in executing a deed to John McColl, dated 1/30/1840 apparently conveying land out of an estate. The land conveyed by this instrument is the same Cumberland County property conveyed by John Colquhoun, son of Lauchlin Colquhoun, to Hugh McColl on April 8, 1813.
   
   There is some evidence to suggest that Duncan Colquhoun was also previously married to Sally RAY 1821 (marriage bonds posted 5/18/1821, Samuel Mauttsby, bondsman and John Armstrong, Clerk, witness). The Colquhoun family was close to the Ray family; Duncan's brother Archibald married a Ray, and Angus Ray acquired some of the goods from Lauchlin Colquhoun's remainder estate at the auction conducted after his death. The 1830 census in Cumberland County includes a Duncan Colhoun, listing in the family: self and wife 30-40, boy 5-10 and boy under 5. It is difficult to distinguish Duncan Colquhoun in the public records from the Duncan Colquhoun who appears to be the brother of Lauchlin Colquhoun, and from the Duncan Colquhoun who appears to be the son of that Duncan Colquhoun; however, the following records appear to belong to Lauchlin's son:
      Duncan Colquhoun entered a claim for 300 acres joining Lauchlin Colquhoun's land on Jumping Gully on December 5, 1815; however, the warrant to survey pursuant to entry for claim was not signed until March 14, 1829, and the survey was finally prepared September 20, 1829. This delay could indicate an adverse claim to the land, or even a lawsuit, although we found no record of a lawsuit in the term records of the Cumberland County Court. It is also possible, since Archibald and Duncan Colquhoun both applied for more than 300 acres each out of lands adjoining their father's land, that these sons of Lauchlin found that they would be in conflict if they pursued their claims, and backed off until a later date. The land was ultimately surveyed and deeded to Duncan Colquhoun, after Lauchlin Colquhoun's death in 1828.
      Duncan Colquhoun warranted title to one of the parcels of land conveyed by the heirs at law of Daniel McAlpin (Catherine Colquhoun McAlpin and Neill and Margaret McAlpin McGill) to Daniel McColl in September, 1832. Hugh McColl was a witness to same.
   
   
6. Mary COLQUHOUN, daughter of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born after 1784, before 1790 in Cumberland Co., NC, possibly married before 1810. Mary Colquhoun is identified only by the Will of Lauchlin Colquhoun, wherein he bequeathed his daughter Mary the sum of Five Dollars in money. A span of years for her birth has been estimated from the census records as follows: In 1790, Lauchlin Colquhoun and his wife with 3 daughters; in 1800, Lauchlin Colquhoun and wife with 1 girl under 10, 1 girl 10-16 and 2 girls 16-26; and in 1810, Lauchlin Colquhoun and wife with only 1 daughter, 10-16. Since Margaret (below) is identified as the daughter born about 1800, Catharine is known to have married in 1804, and Nancy appears to have died by 1816 after being previously married, Mary is estimated to be the third daughter. This placement is consistent with the Scottish naming system, wherein the first daughter was named for the mother's mother, the second daughter was named for the father's mother and the third daughter was named for the mother. The wife of Lauchlin Colquhoun being named Mary, the daughter Mary would likely be her third daughter.
   
   
7. Margaret COLQUHOUN, daughter of Lauchlin Colquhoun, born about 1800 in Cumberland Co., NC, died after 1850. Margaret married Angus COLQUHOUN in 1826 (marriage bonds posted 8/23/1826, with Duncan Colquhoun bondsman and John Armstrong, Clerk, witness). Angus and Margaret purchased household goods at the auction of her father's remainder estate in July, 1828. It is estimated that Angus died between 1835 and 1840, as Margaret was listed in 1840 census in Cumberland County as woman 40-50 with 2 girls 5-10; also in Fayetteville, N.C. in 1850 census, with 2 daughters, ages 18 and 20: Martha Colquhoun born 1830 and Sarah Colquhoun born 1832.