Wilmington and Fayetteville MacRaes
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In reply to:
Wilmington NC MacRae's
Steve MacRae 6/19/03
Dear Steve,
Did your John C. MacRae's wife, Sarah D.S. Blaney die in October, 1849?If so, there is definite proof in the Hugh MacRae papers at Duke University that John C. is the "Uncle John" referred to in the letters.I can provide that for you.
Also, we were discussing the possibility of a relationship between the MacRaes of Wilmington and the MacRaes of Fayetteville.I have vacillated on this question in the past, but today, in searching the Hugh MacRae papers, I found a definitive answer in a letter from Donald MacRae (son of General Alexander) to his brother John C. MacRae, dated 1851.He discusses conversations he has had with Duncan Kirkland MacRae and James Cameron MacRae (the famous sons of Col. John MacRae of Fayetteville) on this very subject.Both families were eager to claim kinship with one another, but neither could figure out what the connection was.This means that their kinship was not on the American side of the waters.I am sure that if there were a very close connection, these boys could have figured it out in 1851.After all, the Wilmington MacRae's grandfather, Colin, was still alive at that time in Cumberland County, and Col. John MacRae of Fayetteville definitely knew a lot about his family.He knew, for instance, that some of my relatives out in Richmond and Montgomery Counties were his cousins, as he expressed that in at least three different letters I have found.
I would like to have more specific information on John C. MacRae's family for my book.If you get the time, please write to me
Larry W. Cates