I have recently gathered the little remaining family info on my paternal grandfather in hopes of starting to trace the family tree. I really don't know much about genealogy searches and I know nothing about my grandfather other than that he was born in Scotland in 1886. I'm only 38, granddad was nearly 50 when my dad was born and he died when dad was only 12 so my dad really doesn't remember much and apparently neither ever thought it important to record any family history.

While picking up the bag all the paperwork is in, a copy of his obituary fell out. I was surprised to read that he was a member of "Clan MacDonald, No.33, Order of Scottish Clans at Brooklyn." Our last name is Dickson which I only see associated with Clan Keith. I vaguely remember as a child, attending a Scottish festival and being told Dickson was a sept of MacDonald but nothing I could find now indicates that that is the case. The MacDonald website lists a huge number of septs but no Dickson. Anyone have any ideas? Do the clans associations keep membership records or genealogy info?
I found that the Order of Scottish Clans no longer exists so I'm not sure what became of their records.

Another interesting find from the obituary was that he was a Freemason. Member of American Lodge No.132, F.&A.M. of Bridgeport, Conn. We have no indication that he ever lived in Conn. but then who knows?