A'google'ing I go

Following the overpowering urge, I opened the laptop, and off I went into the cybermaze, to search for 'the box'. Or so I thought,....
The very first search put a site right at the top of the page that looked interesting.
To my delight, the Daughters of the American Revolution, not only had a museum, but had just started an exhibit where they had emptied their vaults for public display. I was in hunting heaven.
I immediately got on email to Elspeth to tell her what I'd found and suggested that the timing couldn't possibley be better than now, to see if they might have it.
I also told her that I knew, I maybe passing on information that she already had, and that would not surprise me in the least. But, being very optimistic, when it comes to quests like this, I would risk looking the fool, in hopes of finding some new and exciting track to follow.
I heard back from her the next day. She had no idea that they had a museum, and sent a letter of request for information right away. And we waited....

Even a Short Journey Starts With the First Step

Last September I was asked to participate in a day long conference at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, the subject was William Wallace. The conference was one of many events commemorating the last days of Wallace on the 700th Memorial to his capture and execution.
During the day, one of the others speakers, told the story of a snuff box that had been cut from the Wallace Oak and presented to George Washington, when he was newly President. They also had mentioned that this artifact had disappeared and nothing was known of it's present whereabouts.


The details of this story had faded in my memory. But, I was keen to include it in my book as a point of interest. Naturally, I sought out the one I know, that knows more unusal facts, about Wallace than anyone else I know. Dr. Elspeth King, the Curator of the "Smith", in Stirling. I wanted to give it, a lot of lead time, because Dr. King is a very busy person, indeed. So, I shot-off an email telling her, what I was up to and what info I was seeking. And waited.

I was very pleased when the answer came within a few short days.
She said the snuff box, was made by the Edinburgh Goldsmiths and presented to the 11th Earl of Buchan, who in turn, made a presentation of it, to Washington.
The box had disappeared long ago, and was looked for again, by herself, in the 1990's when she was preparing an exhibit, for the 700th Anniversary of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. ( I was in Stirling that weekend in 1997, the display at the Smith was brilliant. And, so was the vote that took place, that successfully brought the Parliment, back to Scotland, for the first time, since 1707.)
Elspeth said that a journalist, in '97 from America had run some articles, looking for it, to no avail. And the only possible mention was in a small newspaper clipping saying that someone had donated it to the DAR,(Daughters of the American Revolution), in a place called Bonniville, back in the early part of the 1900's.

She said of all the artifacts and gifts cut from the great Torwood Oak, that there, was no trace on any of them.

Well, that was enough to intrigue me,.....I wrote back and told her so.
Within a few hours I was hit with a strange urge to go looking, and suddenly,...........
the game was afoot. More later...

From William Wallace to the American shores

Long ago, there was a great hero, named William Wallace, of Scottish history fame. You may all know him better as Braveheart. He fought hard, for the freedom of his country, and gave his life for it.
During the ongoing struggle, with the English power of the day, he was reported, to have hidden from the enemy soldiers, in the branches of a mighty, ancient oak tree. This now, legandary oak was called, the Torwood Wallace Oak, an important landmark, in Scotland down through time. Unfortunately, the once great, and monstrous tree, was but, a stump, by the 1800's, and nothing, of it today remains.
Down through the years, it had been whittled at, by tourist, and those that felt the need, to possess are part of the history, to carry into their own homes. The human urge, that these bits would, somehow draw their own lives closer, to the bravery and intellect, as well as the honour and prowess, of this great man. That perhaps, if they held the oak, that once held him,....maybe their own foot would walk a similar path as he had.
There were items cut and crafted, from the wood, of this tree, and one of those items, is exactly what I was interested in learning more about, as my journey first began.

I was busy working away on my book, and had just finish background history, of Scotland's past that took me to the threshold of Wallace's rise and on through to the Battle of Stirling Bridge, when I needed a break. After all, the next bit of history, I was about to cover, was; at the least.... depressing, and could wait.
But there was an intriguing story, I wish to learn more about, to include, toward the end of the book so decided to start the search. (more later)

The Bard

Exciting News

While I was doing research on my new book about the influence of Scotland on Early American History I ended up on a very strange quest.
And over the next few days I'll be posting about it. Right now I'm working on set-up for my site.
The Bard