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I am the only son of Wayne I. McDermott. He
the son of Willaim McDermott. Willaim was from a wealthy family from
Michigan state or so the story goes. He lived in Seattle Washington on
Dawson street. His wife was Jessie Rush, this side of the family traces
back to the Rushes which signed the Declaration of Independence, family
folklore.
I married Jeanine Passmore, her family is Welsh/English, the family
folklore says they inherited a Castle but were too poor to claim it, so it
went to someone down the line. This might have been a Williams on her
fathers mothers side of the family?
My story: I was placed in foster care by the State of Washington at age 7
or 8. I was placed in two homes, the second was a much better fit. Meaning
they put up with me pretty well through the years. We moved on a farm, and
I joined 4-H with some cattle projects. Years later this would become my
passion for life and a direction which keeps me happy to this day. It
introduced me to Highland cattle which I breed today.
Jeanine My wife was a Ballet dancer and if I was to win her heart I too
had to dance. So courtship included ballet tights and and eight years of
dance lessons including college level at the University of Washington
under Ruth Anna Boris, Ann Green, and Tommy Ralls.
I wanted very badly to study medicine and was premed at the U of
Washington, but painted for a living for nearly 33 years. We moved from
Seattle in 1989 back to Minnesota where we live today. Here we have
created a new beef breed we call Diarmid cattle. Our two children followed
my 4-H experience becoming the only youth in the State of Minnesota to
Qualify Highland cattle to Minnesota State fair 1993-1996. In 1995 a
Highland bull , Resurrector became the the Supreme Champion of all beef
breeds at the Beltrami county fair, his dam was the Champion cow the same
year. Resurrector was known locally as Babe the Blue Ox, thus the name of
our farm.
Our Scottish roots trace to the Highlands ... Applecross and Lochcarron
region. My Grandfather was Alexander Macrae, born to Flora Macrae who
married Roderick Gollan of Slumbay, Hillside house. A declaration was made
that Roderick was not the father of Alexander. Grandfather never spoke of
his family history and if he did.. it was with red face and tight lips.
Alexander Married Bessie Buchanan, they had three children Jessie my
mother, Harry Benjamin, and Glen Newton. The Buchanan's were farmers.
Family folklore says they were one of the biggest or perhaps first steam
thrashing farms in Canada and one of the first to own an Oldsmobile in
Canada. They lost everything during the depression and moved to Burns Lake
B.C. where they are buried. This family was from Indiana. Folklore also
says we might have been related to James Buchanan President of the United
States. It can be said we were a minor branch of affluent families. A
sister of my fathers was a member of the Daughters of the Revolution and
Daughters of Plymouth... or some such, which might add some truth to the
tale? There is some connection to General Tom Thumb on the Rush side... so
history and family searches turns up many interesting little possible
facts and folklore.
So on one side of our family we have been in the Americas a very long
time. On the Scottish side only two generations. As Alexander fought in
WWI for the Ross-Shire Mountain Artilery. My mother Jessie, Canadian born
and a green card carrier to this day.
The Passmore name is a rare name and has only 1200 or so members in the
United States. Jeanines' father is James Carter Passmore, her mother is
Ruth Beecher. Family folklore and names trace to Henry Ward Beecher and
the Lutheran church unconfirmed. On the mothers side the Corum name traces
back to the oldest Church in Norway.
Connecting to the lost children of Kintail has been very rewarding for
myself, this and my life connection with Highland cattle seems somewhat
unbelievable. Maybe if we were given more information about our family
histories we would be better served and serve our countries in a more
clear fashion?
Michael McDermott
http://www.blueoxfarms.com |
