Genealogy Trip to California

**cessna152towser** · 15th October 09, 04:08 AM

When I began my genealogy research a few years ago I could not have foreseen that it would lead to contacts in California on both my mother's and my father's sides of my family.

My flight started from Glasgow Airport, which meant crossing Scotland to the area where I was born and brought up, back to my Cunningham roots. On my way to the airport I called in at Caprington Castle. Caprington has been in the Cunningham family since 1425 though much of the present castle dates from the 18th century.

I was greeted by the Laird himself, Captain Robert Cunningham.

I had come to see his son William about some clan business. Here William exhibits an ancient horn, believed to have belonged to Coylus, a seventh century leader.

I visited nearby Kerelaw Castle, a Cunningham stronghold from the twelfth century. The castle was burnt by the Montgomeries in 1488.

Kerelaw Castle was rebuilt after 1488 when the section with the gothic windows was added, but it was abandoned towards the end of the 18th century.

After an overnight stay at Glasgow Airport, I flew British Airways via London and on to Los Angeles, from where I caught a commuter flight to Santa Barbara.

I stayed four nights in Goleta CA as a guest of my Canadian born second cousin Diane. Her brother Gord whom I had met in Victoria six weeks earlier flew down from Vancouver to join us. Diane and Gord are related to me through our Irish great grandparents, but our Irish grandfathers who were brothers both took Scottish brides, so Diane and Gord also have Scottish roots.
More to follow shortly.

**JolyStNicholas** · 15th October 09, 04:14 AM

What a grand adventure you are on me friend! I do hope you are enjoying yourself and your extended family! Thank you for posting the photo's and do keep us posted as you travel. Again thank you!

**cessna152towser** · 15th October 09, 04:17 AM

My career was in Scots law and I have always been fascinated by the American legal system so a visit to Santa Barbara courthouse, built in 1927, was a must do.

Here I am seated in the law library at Santa Barbara courthouse, where, unlike the Globe in Dumfries, I was not required to recite a few verses of Burns' poetry!

The District Attorney's office.

The Bridge of Sighs between the Courthouse and the Jail.

A view from the tower of the Court House.
More to follow shortly.

**cessna152towser** · 15th October 09, 04:35 AM

On the beach at Goleta.

On the pier at Santa Barbara.

With my Canadian cousins outside Diane's house in Goleta.

On the Friday I rode the Amtrak California Surfliner to Ventura.

Leslie (LAscotswoman) has carried out extensive research on Cunningham genealogy, and has particular expertise in the lineage of the Earls of Glencairn who were traditionally also Chief of Clan Cunningham. I had arranged to meet her at the Edinburgh gathering earlier this year and now I was in Ventura to assist her with her Clan Cunningham tent.

One of our visitors was Madelyn, who lives in California and with whom I had made contact through Ancestry.com and whose great grandfather's cousin's widow had adopted my maternal grandmother. She had visited Scotland in May of this year with her sister Joyce when I had taken them on a tour of addresses in the Glasgow and Paisley areas where their ancestors had lived.
More to follow shortly

**cessna152towser** · 15th October 09, 05:00 AM

We were met at Ventura by Dorothy Cunningham and her husband Cliff. Dorothy is one of my contacts on Flickr photo forum.
(This photo courtesy of Dorothy Cunningham)

Cliff Cunningham, who is a professional pilot, joined Leslie and I on the Clan March,
(This photo courtesy of Dorothy Cunningham)
At the games I also met xmarkers Sydnie7, BigDad1, SoCalFerg, OldSarge and BraveAndrew, of whom I have posted pics on the Ventura Games thread.

After the games, Leslie took me with her when she went back to Los Angeles.
Here I am in Chinatown, Los Angeles the following day, beside the statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen.

Here Leslie points out the statue of the Goddess of Love and Compassion in Chinatown, Los Angeles.

Leslie drove me around downtown LA, this is the Los Angeles Criminal Court building where O.J.Simpson was tried.

Leslie showed me all around the sights of Hollywood, the studios, the walk of fame, the Chinese theatre with its paved forecourt with the imprints by the stars, etc. etc.

The famous Hollywood sign on the hillside which Leslie passes regularly on her commute between home and work.

At the Saddle Ranch in Universal City

Hollywood was a great place for taking quirky photos.
More to follow shortly.

**Pour1Malt** · 15th October 09, 05:20 AM

guid oan ya Alex- guid tae see ya arr havin' a gran time i' my auld neck o' the woods!

**cessna152towser** · 15th October 09, 05:21 AM

Out to dinner on Monday evening with Leslie and her mother (Leslie and her Mom in American speak!)

Leslie (LAscotswoman on xmarks) dressed for dinner. One very elegant lady!

My final day in California was showery. Perhaps the Scottish weather had followed me to California. Leslie took me to the Los Angeles beaches where she had prescribed a brisk aerobic walk all the way from Santa Monica to Venice and back which would tire me out so that I could get a reasonable sleep on the overnight flight home. This is the view from Santa Monica pier looking in the direction of Venice.

We met this poet, Funwi E Numfor, selling his works on the Venice boardwalk. He was particularly pleased when I bought a copy of his booklet and said I would take his book to Scotland and mention his name on the web.

Further along the coast, the lighthouse at Marina del Rey.
Leslie and I had a meal together at the Cheesecake Factory in Marina del Rey and then she dropped me off at LAX airport on Tuesday evening.
I had never been to USA before yet I really felt I was among friends and family. I had met again with people with whom I shared Irish and Scottish roots and whom I had met earlier in the year in other parts of the world, Gord in Canada in August, Madelyn in Scotland in May, and Leslie in Scotland in July. I had met cousin Diane for the first time, I had met x-markers Sydnie7, BigDad1, SoCalFerg, BraveAndrew and OldSarge for the first time, I had met Dorothy from Flickr for the first time, already we are up to ten people there whom I knew already through direct contact or through the internet. I also met lots of new people at the Cunningham tent, including a Cunningham family from Glasgow, Scotland.
Diane and Leslie both made me feel very welcome in their homes and put in a lot of time and effort to make me feel at home and to give me guided tours of their localities, and my very special thanks are due to both of them.
Thankyou all my American friends for giving me such a wonderful experience.
To quote from Robert Burns:-
And I will come again, my love
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile.
Actually California is an eleven thousand mile round trip from Scotland, I wonder if Burns could ever have foreseen that people in Scotland and America, bonded by their Scottish roots, would one day travel by aeroplane, when he penned his words.

**dfmacliam** · 15th October 09, 07:42 AM

Alex, I am glad you had a great trip to California! It seems you got to see a lot of what makes Hollywood unique as well as seeing life in the more normal parts of LA. I hope you get more opportunities to travel, and to experience the world.. and see first hand, the imprint Scotland has put on the world... That should make ones stand a bit prouder... knowing your ancestors helped shape the world as we know it..