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Full Graphics Version available on the web at:
http://www.redpath.org/news/rrnews.html
Redpath/Ridpath/Reidpath Family Newsletter
1Q February 2002
Table of Contents:
Editor's Corner
Issue Notes
Web Site News
Meet the Family
Amusing Anecdote - Mike Redpath
History of John V. Ridpath
Bob and Charlene Redpath
William Wesley Redpath
Bruce Redpath
Family History
The Village of Redpath - Mike Redpath
31 Years Ago in Redpath, Scotland - Kristin Redpath
Irish Redpath's - Bob Rogers
Guild of One-Name Studies - Ed Ridpath
Editor's Corner
Issue Notes
Well, we have another great edition of our newsletter thanks again to the generous contributions of family members far and wide. As in previous issues, most of the articles are from new contributors, making for a very interesting newsletter. Please consider submitting your own article for the next issue in May right now.
You may notice a change in the format to accommodate the wide range of articles and items contributed. The sections are simplified with an Editor's Corner (so you can skip my nonsense and get to the rest of the family...), Meet the Family for current events and biographies, and Family History for information on our ancestors and our roots.
Paper Newsletter and Family Tree Survey - As an experiment, I mailed out about 500 paper newsletters to the US and Canada addresses I have for Redpath, Ridpath, and Reidpath families. I sent out an abbreviated version (6 pages) of the first 3 online newsletters and a one page Family Tree Survey. I would have loved to send all the newsletters so far in all their glory, photos and all, but I had to trim to keep the mailing and printing costs somewhat reasonable.
I have posted a PDF copy of what was sent on the website. The system I used at the US Post Office (www.usps.gov) does not currently let me do international addresses, so I was not able to extend the experiment beyond North America at this time. I received numerous positive responses by mail, email, and telephone, lots of family tree information, and even an article for the newsletter. I also had about 100 newsletters returned for bad addresses, we sure are a mobile bunch. I think the future of this may be in managing subscriptions, both to defray the costs and to keep the addresses current. Any volunteers who would like to step forward to tackle this, please let me know.
So, in the meantime, the best and most effective way to deliver paper copies is still for the internet reader to print a copy out and deliver it to our family members who do not have access to email and the Internet. I know for a fact that they really do appreciate it.
Web Site News
Due to the holidays, the paper newsletter effort, and dealing with many Family Tree Survey responses, the web site has not changed much this quarter. For some that might be seen as a good thing. Don't forget the resources on the web site include not just the full graphic version of this newsletter, but Links to the many other great Redpath/Ridpath/Reidpath web sites on the internet, a Forum message board for interactive discussion, and the Family History/Genealogy Section including the GeneWeb and JavaGED Family Tree databases.
Meet the Family
Amusing Anecdote submitted by Mike Redpath, Toms River, New Jersey, USA
All of my life, people have taken my last name to be of Indian (Native American) origin. Being introduced to a new acquaintance was often followed by, "Redpath... is that Indian?" My father was jokingly called Big Chief Redpath by his subordinates at the RCA Service Company. I was even discriminated against during Pioneer Days (orientation) at University of Denver in 1964. The student who was to be my host refused to sleep in a room with "any stinking Indian" and stayed away from the campus.
The misunderstanding is like a trick knee. You know it is going to come out at some point, it rankles you a bit, but you also are ready to deal with it. I usually would just explain, "No it comes from a village in Scotland. It is like Greenfield which has no Native American connotation because, and would right away be taken as English in origin. It seems the color red coupled with path, as in warpath, is what hangs people up.
A few years ago I had my church youth group staying at the Episcopal mission on the Onondaga Reservation outside Syracuse. I had the opportunity to preach at the Sunday service. After the service, I was introduced to a Cherokee who was visiting relatives. Upon hearing my name, he immediately said, "Redpath, that's a Scottish name, isn't it?"
History of John V. Ridpath, Burnsville, West Virginia, USA
There were four wagons going West from Illinois. When they got to Kansas, one stayed and two went further West. One wagon went South to southern Oklahoma and Arkansas. My grandfather and grandmother were on the one that went South.
In the one that stayed in Kansas was a cousin with whom my dad corresponded during the 1st World War. I forget her first name but she later became a Bettsworth and lived in Hugoton in the Southeast corner of Kansas. Her father or grandfather was the sheriff in Dodge City, KS., but he never would wear a gun. They had his story on TV in the 1950's.
My father, Willie James Ridpath, was born in Clayton, OK in 1896. My grandfather, John, died in the late 1930's in Southern OK. My father had two brothers, Everett and Siahs, and one sister, Bennie. Everett had eight kids, seven girls and one boy. The boy died before he got married. Siahs never married.. My father had three sons, Orlin James in 1925, Dariel J. in 1930 and myself (John V.) in 1933. Orlin had one daughter, no sons and died in 1968. Dariel had no children and died in 1983. I have beloved step-children but no blood children.
My father left home when he was very young and worked in several towns and log woods. He met my mother, Gertrude Watson in Eagletown, OK. They were married in 1922. I was born in Van, TX. Dad was working in the oil fields then and moved several times, finally to Madill, OK in 1940. We lived there until 1989. Dad died in 1967, mother in 1989. Dad was 73, Mother 84.
I was in the Army Medical Corps from April 1953 until April 1955. I went to college in Lincoln, Nebraska at Union College. While I was there I met an old shoe-cobbler named Marion Ridpath. I think he had a son named Don. Marion knew about the wagon trains and I think he said he was on the wagon that stayed in Kansas.
Another Ridpath wrote a letter to us in Madill wanting to know something about our ancestors. After we answered, we never heard from him again. He lived somewhere close to Texarkana, Redwater, I think.
My dad said we were related to John Clark Ridpath, a historian who wrote a set of history books. They were in the library at Union College when I was there around 1962.
I am married to Patricia Wiant Ridpath who was born here in Burnsville, WV. We moved here in 1989.
I would like to add something that I remember. My two brothers and I were eating at a restaurant in Ardmore, OK. We overheard a couple in the next booth say something about Ridpath. We naturally wanted to know what they were saying. It is an unusual name and we told them there were three of us in the next booth. He said they were from McAlester, OK, and there was an Indian from there named Ridpath. We never met him or had any other connections with him.
Bob and Charlene Redpath, Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
We are Redpath's who now live in Mooresville, NC. My husband, Bob, was born in Oakland, CA. His father, Lindley Redpath immigrated to Washington from Australia. I met an Elizabeth Redpath at Davidson College in Davidson, NC, who told me about the Redpath website. Elizabeth is from the South and we tried very hard to find a family connection but couldn't. Elizabeth does look a lot like our son, Clay, though!!! We have Redpath family members in Philadelphia, PA; Tampa, FL; Sacramento, CA and Puyallup, WA - that does a good job of covering the USA with Redpaths.
William Wesley Redpath, Son of Lovell Hope (Ridpath) Redpath, Pennsylvania, USA
Bruce Redpath, Canada and Toledo, Ohio
Here's another Canadian Redpath reporting in. My Canadian roots can be traced to the Redpath farm near Keene, in the area of Peterborough, Ontario. My grandfather Walter, who grew up on that farm, had a foundry and produced, among other things, hand pump fire engines. The town of Pickering had one. Later, around 1905, he teamed up with an Andrew Reid to produce the running gear (frame, wheels, engine, and steering) for a gasoline driven automobile - one of the first ten cars made in Canada. Alfred Robinson's company made the body. The vehicle was known as the Redpath Messenger, and the lone survivor can be seen in the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa, Ontario. Still later, my grandfather is credited with inventing the first successful domestic oil burner (as opposed to large commercial oil burners, which had been marketed for several years). It was sold to the Fess Oil Burner Company.
My father (William) started his career with Charles Potter, Optician, in Toronto. This led to his introduction to lantern slide projectors, then silent movies, then sound motion pictures. In all, he spent close to 60 years in this field. An interesting assignment occurred in 1912 (and repeated in 1913) when he was asked to be Assistant Manager of what was called the "Made-in-Canada Exhibition Train", which consisted of baggage cars for the exhibits and sleeping cars for the exhibitors. Organized by the Canadian Home Market Association, it gave the manufacturers of Eastern Canada an opportunity to introduce their products to Canadians in the western provinces. In the evenings, my father would ensure a good turnout by projecting movies onto the whitewashed sides of the grain elevators that were found at each stop. During World War II, his firm (General Films) was the major supplier of projectors and entertainment films (mostly RKO and Paramount productions) to the Canadian armed forces. He was also a pioneer in promoting the use of motion pictures as a learning tool in the classroom, and was recognized for this by the Ontario government. He was a member of the Canadian Picture Pioneers and the Toronto Camp of Variety.
Jefferson Ridpath (4Q - November 2000 Newsletter) would be interested in knowing that my parents purchased several items from Ridpath's Furniture in the 1940's. Two pieces that I now have are a nest of tables and a replica of a Victorian side chair covered in a piece of needlepoint that my wife worked up and presented to my mother.
I was born in Toronto and after college and all that, went to work in the paper industry, first with The Ontario Paper Co. (owned by the Chicago Tribune) and then with Alliance Paper Mills, a division of Howard Smith Paper Mills and now owned by Domtar. The start of 1957 brought a change in both career and country of residence. I moved to Chicago to join R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, who today are the largest printers in the United States. After eight years in research and development, I was transferred to their plant in Willard, Ohio, where I was Manager of Quality Control and Materials Testing, retiring in 1990. This plant produces casebound (or hard cover) books, such as textbooks and reference books. Incidentally, while we were in Chicago, we would get close to a call a month from people wanting to contact a Reverend Redpath who, I believe, was the head of the Moody Bible Institute at that time.
In 1987, while visiting a daughter in England, we stopped off during our travels to see the village of Redpath and Shirley took my picture while I stood next to the road sign that marked the entrance to this great metropolis. Redpath even had a suburb, which I believe was called West Redpath (one farmhouse visible). Roger Ridpath, in the 2Q May 2001 Newsletter, reported there were no Redpaths in the village and I don't dispute this, but I can report that I counted 59 Redpath listings in the phone directory that covered the region, including Jedburgh. I believe the estate home close to Redpath that Roger refers to is Erskine Manor House. As of the time I was there, it had become a clerical college. Thus it would appear, from what Roger wrote and what I have heard, that the Redpath clan were there to service the Erskine estate. It is interesting that in the city of Toronto, Redpath Avenue and Erskine Avenue, both relatively short streets, cross each other. And given the former subservient relationship, it should be gratifying to us Redpaths to know that Redpath Ave. and Erskine Ave. are of equal length.
Family History
The Village of Redpath submitted by Michael Redpath, Toms River, New Jersey, USA
The Village of Redpath
Just a few miles outside of Melrose, Scotland, lies the Village of Redpath. It lies in a very rural, sheep farming area and sits at the confluence of the Leader Waters, the Tweed, and a small creek that runs through the village. There are perhaps a dozen or so houses on the single street, although during our visit in 1998 a resident mentioned their concern over a development of another dozen or so houses on the verge of building.
At this point I have not history or background of the village to share with you, as I have not been able to find any. I do know that there are two stories as to the origin of the name, and that, in theory, anyone with the name Redpath has connection with the village. Until the 1500's surnames were not generally in use. When they became required, groups of people took clan or place names as their surnames.
The two stories regarding the origin of the name both have to do with the geology of the village. The one to which I was originally exposed and that I thought for years to be fact, was that Redpath means "reedy passage" or "path through the reeds." Since the village lies at the confluence of the River Tweed, Leader Waters, and a creek that flows from Redpath Hill (Redpath Creek?), the area could be expected to be wet at times.
When my wife and I visited in 1998, we found the village to be some distance above any of the water. We then read that the name is based on the bright red color of the soil in the area. And it is very red.
A sign pointing to the village
The "main" street in Redpath
Looking east on through the village
Looking east
A dirt road behind the main street, lined with ruins. We were told that this was the original main street and that it was normal practice in small villages to build a new street behind the main street when buildings needed to be replaced.
Redpath Hill
31 Years Ago in Redpath, Scotland submitted by Kristin Redpath, Norton, Massachusetts, USA
My husband and I actually visited Redpath, Scotland, on our wedding trip 31 years ago and I have photos.
Irish Redpath's submitted by Bob Rogers, Hants, England.
Most of you know that I have been trying to trace details of my Great Grandparents who were both born in Northern Ireland abt.1819. They were Archibald Redpath & Amelia Christie. So far without success. I have recently been going through the 1881 Census and I have extracted the following who were born in Ireland but appear in the 1881 Census in England. Full details of these families can be obtained from me.
Alexander Redpath born in Ireland 1828 occupation Farmer married to Catherine with 6 children living in German Isle of Man.
John Redpath born in Ireland 1841 Occupation Lead Storeman living with 4 children all born in Ireland living in Barony. Lanark. Scotland.
John Redpath born in Ireland 1839 Occupation Lead Mine Washer married to Anne with 6 children living in Lonan Isle of Man.
James Redpath born in Ireland 1831 Occupation Farmer living with Mother Agnes Redpath born 1805 living with 1 niece 1 nephew. & 1 Farm servant living in German Isle of Man.
Isaac Redpath born in Ireland 1839 Occupation Grocer married to Catherine also born in Ireland with 2 children & 1 general servant living in Lanark Scotland.
James Redpath born in Ireland 1796 Occupation Farmer married to Jane Redpath born 1817 also in Ireland living in Lezayre. Isle of Man
Andrew Redpath born in Ireland 1843 Occupation Confectioner married to Mary with 3 children & Father In Law William Armstrong born 1811 living in West Greenock Renfrew Scotland.
Robert Redpath born in Ireland 1842 Occupation Iron Finisher married to Margaret & 5 children living in Govan Lanark Scotland.
William J Redpath Occupation Boiler Caulker married to Mary Ann Redpath with 2 children also living at the same abode Mary A Mills and 4 children living in Govan Lanark Scotland.
David Redpath born 1809 in Ireland occupation Boiler Makers Lab married to Ann born 1813 also in Ireland living in Glasgow. Lanark. Scotland.
John Redpath born in Ireland 1838 occupation Ag. Labourer married to Mary & 4 children living in Maughold. Isle of Man.
My Great Grandfather Archibald was a Farmer so there might well be a connection with one of the above. Archibald's eldest son William John Redpath was also a Farmer. As William John married Clara Eliza Black in Scarva in Dec 1859 This could well be the area that they farmed.
I hope the above will help someone and as usual I await that call that might help me add to my own Redpath Family Tree.
The Guild of One-Name Studies submitted by Ed Ridpath, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, USA
In November, shortly after the last newsletter was published, the Guild of One-Name Studies (affectionately called GoONS) accepted the registration of Redpath and variant names Ridpath and Reidpath as a One-Name Study. What this means is that those names are published with contact information for anyone who might have queries about them. GoONS also is another avenue to share, collect, and preserve our families' genealogical and historical information.
There are requirements to answer queries and to gather and maintain any and all references to the name worldwide and throughout history up to the present day. Additionally, name origin, distribution, and migration patterns should be documented. With the number of family historians and others we've seen so actively here in the newsletter, on the web sites, and those who have gladly share their hard won research off-line, we have a great start to our own One-Name Study.
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