“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
Update: The www.darroch.org site is currently down, so the hyperlinks do not work. The links will remain, however, for we are hopeful the site will be restored and will respectfully wait until that happens. DR
Years ago, I came across www.darroch.org, where dozens of Darroch descendants post their insights and queries about the clan. Bev Gordon posted: “I am one of the fortunate ones that is an owner of the wonderful work of Frank Darroch, the precious ‘Red Book’.”[2] Frank's work has become even more precious over time. Why did he invest so much into this research and writing? Why is it so precious? I will explore these questions in this three-part series of posts on Frank Darroch’s legacy.
Frank entitled his book A Darroch Family in Scotland and in Canada. In it, he tells of being bitten by the genealogy bug:
When my father, William F. Darroch, died I found among his papers some notes about his father's and mother's family and relatives. Among the names and dates of birth of his grandparents and great grandparents was a note that “in the cemetery in Clachan, Argyll is a 'Darroch' stone that is the oldest in the parish”. We had known that my grandfather, John Darroch, was born in Clachan but were uncertain where this was…."[3]
This obscure note piqued Frank’s curiosity and instigated two trips to Scotland, hundreds of hours of research, and his connecting with countless distant relatives. He wrote, “In this little booklet I have tried to assemble for the benefit of Canadian Darrochs all of the references I could find that mention Darroch people…and gather them together under suitable headings.” His headings include The Family in Scotland, The Family in Canada, and The Darroch Ministers. He writes of his great-grandparents, Archie Darroch and Mary Milloy. He also lists their descendants, which in 1974 he estimated to be “over 1,150, plus many more that I have missed.”[4] You may be one of them--or married to one.
Married in 1820, Archie Darroch and Mary Milloy raised eight children in Clachan. In 1849, their oldest son, John, and his wife, Agnes, emigrated to Wellington County, Ontario (known as “Canada West” at the time). By 1862, each of John’s siblings had arrived. Six of them settled near Harriston on “adjoining farms, four on one side of the road and two on the other.”[5] Of all these siblings, Frank emphasizes the history of his grandparents, John and Agnes. Even so, he gives considerable coverage to their siblings, parents, uncles and aunts.
The red book went through several iterations before becoming the final product it is today. Frank’s niece, Cristine Bayly of Beaumont, Alberta, wrote, “In addition to my copies of the Red Book, I have a copy of a green-covered book Uncle Frank did before he printed the Red Book.”[6] There are also larger editions with the same content in yellow and turquoise covers. These were not, however, the very first editions. Frank’s daughter, Bonnie Coulman, said the first ones were painstakingly typed by Frank using carbon paper. She added, “Frank so willingly shared his research he gave the books to any who were interested.”[7]
In his Foreword, Frank wrote, “I should be glad to hear of any errors, omissions, or completions.” True to his word, he tracked those changes, many of which are still in a desk copy Bonnie inherited. Mal Darroch of Vancouver, BC, also has a copy of the yellow-covered edition which contains many corrections. Thankfully, Frank did not let the myth of perfection keep him from putting his work out there. He knew that done is better than perfect. and the best way to improve “done” was to get it out there.
Frank’s book has been a treasure trove of information. I have repeatedly used it to ferret out facts found nowhere else. I, too, descend from John and Agnes. Studying their history has helped me appreciate them and better understand myself. I am grateful for their legacy, and for Frank who documented it. I am not alone in my sentiments. Darroch descendant Gail Benjafield of St. Catharines, Ontario, wrote, “We owe Frank Darroch a huge debt for his original work.”[8]
So, why did Frank invest so much time and money into this work? His Foreword contains one reason: “For me it has been fun!” Frank leaves a solemn commission, however, for us to extend his work. He asks us to “bridge some of the gaps that are obvious in our family history.”[9] I feel compelled to do as he urged: bridge some gaps in our family history. As I have done so, I see what he means about it being fun! Few things give greater joy than uncovering another clue or confirming family lore with historical evidence.
How about you? Is family history fun for you? Do you feel a connection with Frank’s red book?
If so, you will be interested in the stories that bridge the gaps. Please sign up on this website to receive stories as they are discovered, revitalized, and re-told.
Footnotes:
[1] Title quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin (Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying something very similar).
[2] http://darroch.org/guest_book.html, Post #13, July 12, 2008, retrieved January 21, 2018
[3] http://darroch.org/darroch_search.html, retrieved January 21, 2018
[4] http://darroch.org/forward.html, retrieved February 1, 2018
[5] http://darroch.org/family_lore.html, retrieved February 15, 2018
[6] Email from Cristine Bayly to Doug Robertson, November 21, 2016.
[7] Phone conversation between Bonnie Coulman and Doug Robertson, February 5, 2018.
[8] https://ogs.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2017/07/Traces-Tracks-Vol-14-issue-12014.pdf. Link no longer connected to OGS Tracks and Traces publication.
[9] http://darroch.org/forward.html, retrieved February 4, 2018.