| My Scottish Highlander Carmichaels Isle of Lismore, Argyll, Scotland; Richmond County, NC; Marion County, SC; Autagua County, AL; Jefferson County, MS; Karnes County, TX |
I searched for the parents of my g-g-grandfather, Daniel Carmichael, for a very long time.
According to the family history written by Major-General Roderick L. Carmichael, The Scottish
Highlander Carmichaels of the Carolinas, Daniel was a son of one of the original Carmichael
immigrants to North Carolina from the Isle of Lismore, Appin, Argyllshire, Scotland. Several of these
families arrived in America, beginning in about 1774, settling originally in Richmond County, North
Carolina. Maj.-Gen. Carmichael believed that all of these Carmichael heads of household were
related---either brothers or cousins. But, try as I might, I couldn't narrow down the possibilities of
Daniel's parents by any of the information supplied in any of the Richmond County resources I
studied, which is where it was thought Daniel had been born.
It was only when I discovered an 1850 Federal Census from Autagua County, Alabama, where Daniel
and Nancy lived for several years before eventually settling in Jefferson County, Mississippi, that
the mystery was finally solved. I hadn't been able to find Daniel in Richmond County, because his
family had lived in Marion County, South Carolina.
The census netted a wealth of information. Names of adult females in Daniel's household in
Alabama included that of his mother and two younger ladies, whom I believe to be his nieces. And
these names were the key to discovering who Daniel's father was. He turned out to be
"Commodore" Dougald Carmichael of Marion County, South Carolina. His family is detailed below.
_________________________
The following is an excerpt from "A History of Marion County, South Carolina"
by W. W. Sellers, Esq., published in 1901.
CARMICHAEL
This large and respectable family live mostly on the north side of Little Pee Dee River. They are a Scotch
people, as their name implies-honest and frugal, industrious, practical and trustworthy every way, ambitious
seemingly only to establish and to preserve an unsullied character. This family originated in and came from
Scotland in the latter half of the eighteenth century. There were three or four of them, first settlers, whether
brothers or relatives does not clearly appear, but it is suposed they were, at least, in some degree, related to
each other.
Neill Carmichael was one of them; he married Miss Christian Carmichael, a daughter of one of the emigrants.
They had three sons, Archie, John and Daniel. Archie, known as Sheriff Carmichael, was born in 1797, and
lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years, and was universally loved and respected, venerable for his years
and his high Christian character; he was twice elected Sheriff of the district, which office then as now was for four
years; a man then could only be elected and hold the office in alternate quadreniums. Carmichael's first
quadrennium was from 1841 to 1845. During his first term in the Sheriff's office, there was great monetary
depression-the mass of the people were in debt. Money could not be raised, property had but little value, and
consequently, there was great distress among the people. Fortunately for the debtor class, they had a
kind-hearted man in the Sheriff's office, and he would not force collections by levy and sale of the creditor
portion. Money sharks, who had executions in his office, had the Sheriff ruled for not forcing the collection of
their demands, and the result was that the rules were made absolute and the Sheriff had to go to jail; he became
a martyr to his kindness of heart, to his leniency in office. He was in jail for about twenty months, in 1842 and
1843; he and his famiy occupied the apartments in the jail provided for the jailor's family. He moved his books,
papers, etc. into the jail and there attended to the business of his office just as though he had remained in his
office in the courthouse; collected money and paid it out-he was, to all intents and purposes,.still Sheriff, except
as to his personal liberty; he did not put his foot on the ground during his incarceration.
His oldest son, A. B. Carmichael, was born in jail. The creditor party were not hurt, they ultimately got their
money, and have gone into oblivion with it, while Sheriff Carmichael multiplied his friends and had the
consciousness of having discharged his duty, and palliated the distresses of his people without injury to any,
and lived for many years in grateful remembrance by his fellow citizens; and though now dead, will continue to
live in the hearts of people for all time to come. The people manifested their appreciation of his martyrdom by
triumphantly electing him Sheriff again at the next alternate election for Sheriff, notwithstanding the combined
opposition of the money sharks of the county, and served another term from 1849 to 1853.
Archie Carmichael, in his younger days, was elected Captain of the militia, an office then much sought and
which place he filled with acceptability and much to his credit-hence he acquired the honorary title of Captain
Carmichael. Much more might well be said of Captain Carmichael, but space will not permit. His private
character was unsullied, was without spot or blemish; he was in every way a Christian gentleman.
The three sons of old Neill Carmichael were Archie, John and Tailor Daniel. Captain Archie married, first, a
Miss Murphy, and by her had three children, Archie B., Mrs. Joseph McIntyre and Mrs. John E. Perritt; his
second wife wasf Miss Margaret McLeod, who still survives, and by her had two sons, Neill J. and William D.
Carmichael. A. B. Carmichael married Miss Lizzie Gaddy, daughter of the late Henry Gaddy; by this marriage
there were two sons born and raised, to wit: Clyde and Gaddy. Clyde married Albert Edward's daughter; Gaddy
is yet unmarried. Emaline Carmichael married Joseph McIntyre, deceased; to this marriage were born and
raised seven children. The eldest, Nettie, married J. Edgar Bass; they went to Georgia. Of the other six
children, Archie married a daughter of Timothy R. McLellan and Blanche married Henry Farley, of Dillon, the
other four, Lizzie, Duncan, Isla and Layton, are unmarried; their father and mother are both dead.
Neill J. Carmichael, oldest son of Sheriff Carmichael by his second marriage, married a daughter of Duncan C.
Carmichael, called "Red Duncan," and by her has ten children. William D., the youngest son of Sheriff
Carmichael, married Miss Louise McEachern, daughter of Daniel McEachern, and live at Marion; they have
three children, Nina, Edna and Daniel Archie.
John Carmichael, a jolly Scotchman, called "Hatter John," the next brother of Sheriff Carmichael, married, also,
a Miss Murphy; to them were born some eight or ten children. Edward D., an excellent man and good citizen,
married a MIss Carmichael, daughter of Daniel W. Carmichael, of the Fork section, and by her had several
children. Of the other children of "Hatter John," James married Martha Campbell, daughter of the late John J.
Campbell. Eliza married Daniel Campbell; Jennette married John C. McEachern; Amanda married Malcolm C.
Carmichael; Caroline married Joseph Murphy; Martha married David S. Edwards, of the Fork section; Nancy
and Catharine are unmarried.
Daniel, called, "Tailor Daniel," the youngest brother of Sheriff Carmichael, never married. Of the sisters of
Sheriff Archie, Mary married Duncan McDuffie and they raised a family of four sons and one daughter. Nancy
Carmichael married John Carmichael, of Cumberland County, NC and Catharine married Captain Neill M.
Carmichael; whose father, Duncan, came from Scotland and married a Miss Monroe and had six sons.
Another Duncan Carmichael came from Scotland and settled in upper Marion; he married a Miss Carmichael,
and had three sons and three daughters.
Dougald Carmichael came from Scotland, and settled in Marion County, on north side of Little Pee Dee; don't
know whom he married, but he had sons: Major Daniel, Squire Neill, Michael, Malcolm and Archie.
Another family of Carmichaels, on Buck Swamp and Maiden Down, is also to be noticed among this large
connection. I allude to old Squire Dougald, a prosperous and capital man in the section named. Squire
Dougald Carmichael married Martha Carmichael, and had four sons and five daughters: James, Alexander,
Angus, Daniel, Flora, Margaret, Nancy, Mary and Sarah.
According to the family history written by Major-General Roderick L. Carmichael, The Scottish
Highlander Carmichaels of the Carolinas, Daniel was a son of one of the original Carmichael
immigrants to North Carolina from the Isle of Lismore, Appin, Argyllshire, Scotland. Several of these
families arrived in America, beginning in about 1774, settling originally in Richmond County, North
Carolina. Maj.-Gen. Carmichael believed that all of these Carmichael heads of household were
related---either brothers or cousins. But, try as I might, I couldn't narrow down the possibilities of
Daniel's parents by any of the information supplied in any of the Richmond County resources I
studied, which is where it was thought Daniel had been born.
It was only when I discovered an 1850 Federal Census from Autagua County, Alabama, where Daniel
and Nancy lived for several years before eventually settling in Jefferson County, Mississippi, that
the mystery was finally solved. I hadn't been able to find Daniel in Richmond County, because his
family had lived in Marion County, South Carolina.
The census netted a wealth of information. Names of adult females in Daniel's household in
Alabama included that of his mother and two younger ladies, whom I believe to be his nieces. And
these names were the key to discovering who Daniel's father was. He turned out to be
"Commodore" Dougald Carmichael of Marion County, South Carolina. His family is detailed below.
_________________________
The following is an excerpt from "A History of Marion County, South Carolina"
by W. W. Sellers, Esq., published in 1901.
CARMICHAEL
This large and respectable family live mostly on the north side of Little Pee Dee River. They are a Scotch
people, as their name implies-honest and frugal, industrious, practical and trustworthy every way, ambitious
seemingly only to establish and to preserve an unsullied character. This family originated in and came from
Scotland in the latter half of the eighteenth century. There were three or four of them, first settlers, whether
brothers or relatives does not clearly appear, but it is suposed they were, at least, in some degree, related to
each other.
Neill Carmichael was one of them; he married Miss Christian Carmichael, a daughter of one of the emigrants.
They had three sons, Archie, John and Daniel. Archie, known as Sheriff Carmichael, was born in 1797, and
lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years, and was universally loved and respected, venerable for his years
and his high Christian character; he was twice elected Sheriff of the district, which office then as now was for four
years; a man then could only be elected and hold the office in alternate quadreniums. Carmichael's first
quadrennium was from 1841 to 1845. During his first term in the Sheriff's office, there was great monetary
depression-the mass of the people were in debt. Money could not be raised, property had but little value, and
consequently, there was great distress among the people. Fortunately for the debtor class, they had a
kind-hearted man in the Sheriff's office, and he would not force collections by levy and sale of the creditor
portion. Money sharks, who had executions in his office, had the Sheriff ruled for not forcing the collection of
their demands, and the result was that the rules were made absolute and the Sheriff had to go to jail; he became
a martyr to his kindness of heart, to his leniency in office. He was in jail for about twenty months, in 1842 and
1843; he and his famiy occupied the apartments in the jail provided for the jailor's family. He moved his books,
papers, etc. into the jail and there attended to the business of his office just as though he had remained in his
office in the courthouse; collected money and paid it out-he was, to all intents and purposes,.still Sheriff, except
as to his personal liberty; he did not put his foot on the ground during his incarceration.
His oldest son, A. B. Carmichael, was born in jail. The creditor party were not hurt, they ultimately got their
money, and have gone into oblivion with it, while Sheriff Carmichael multiplied his friends and had the
consciousness of having discharged his duty, and palliated the distresses of his people without injury to any,
and lived for many years in grateful remembrance by his fellow citizens; and though now dead, will continue to
live in the hearts of people for all time to come. The people manifested their appreciation of his martyrdom by
triumphantly electing him Sheriff again at the next alternate election for Sheriff, notwithstanding the combined
opposition of the money sharks of the county, and served another term from 1849 to 1853.
Archie Carmichael, in his younger days, was elected Captain of the militia, an office then much sought and
which place he filled with acceptability and much to his credit-hence he acquired the honorary title of Captain
Carmichael. Much more might well be said of Captain Carmichael, but space will not permit. His private
character was unsullied, was without spot or blemish; he was in every way a Christian gentleman.
The three sons of old Neill Carmichael were Archie, John and Tailor Daniel. Captain Archie married, first, a
Miss Murphy, and by her had three children, Archie B., Mrs. Joseph McIntyre and Mrs. John E. Perritt; his
second wife wasf Miss Margaret McLeod, who still survives, and by her had two sons, Neill J. and William D.
Carmichael. A. B. Carmichael married Miss Lizzie Gaddy, daughter of the late Henry Gaddy; by this marriage
there were two sons born and raised, to wit: Clyde and Gaddy. Clyde married Albert Edward's daughter; Gaddy
is yet unmarried. Emaline Carmichael married Joseph McIntyre, deceased; to this marriage were born and
raised seven children. The eldest, Nettie, married J. Edgar Bass; they went to Georgia. Of the other six
children, Archie married a daughter of Timothy R. McLellan and Blanche married Henry Farley, of Dillon, the
other four, Lizzie, Duncan, Isla and Layton, are unmarried; their father and mother are both dead.
Neill J. Carmichael, oldest son of Sheriff Carmichael by his second marriage, married a daughter of Duncan C.
Carmichael, called "Red Duncan," and by her has ten children. William D., the youngest son of Sheriff
Carmichael, married Miss Louise McEachern, daughter of Daniel McEachern, and live at Marion; they have
three children, Nina, Edna and Daniel Archie.
John Carmichael, a jolly Scotchman, called "Hatter John," the next brother of Sheriff Carmichael, married, also,
a Miss Murphy; to them were born some eight or ten children. Edward D., an excellent man and good citizen,
married a MIss Carmichael, daughter of Daniel W. Carmichael, of the Fork section, and by her had several
children. Of the other children of "Hatter John," James married Martha Campbell, daughter of the late John J.
Campbell. Eliza married Daniel Campbell; Jennette married John C. McEachern; Amanda married Malcolm C.
Carmichael; Caroline married Joseph Murphy; Martha married David S. Edwards, of the Fork section; Nancy
and Catharine are unmarried.
Daniel, called, "Tailor Daniel," the youngest brother of Sheriff Carmichael, never married. Of the sisters of
Sheriff Archie, Mary married Duncan McDuffie and they raised a family of four sons and one daughter. Nancy
Carmichael married John Carmichael, of Cumberland County, NC and Catharine married Captain Neill M.
Carmichael; whose father, Duncan, came from Scotland and married a Miss Monroe and had six sons.
Another Duncan Carmichael came from Scotland and settled in upper Marion; he married a Miss Carmichael,
and had three sons and three daughters.
Dougald Carmichael came from Scotland, and settled in Marion County, on north side of Little Pee Dee; don't
know whom he married, but he had sons: Major Daniel, Squire Neill, Michael, Malcolm and Archie.
Another family of Carmichaels, on Buck Swamp and Maiden Down, is also to be noticed among this large
connection. I allude to old Squire Dougald, a prosperous and capital man in the section named. Squire
Dougald Carmichael married Martha Carmichael, and had four sons and five daughters: James, Alexander,
Angus, Daniel, Flora, Margaret, Nancy, Mary and Sarah.
The Descendants of "Commodore" Dougald Carmichael
According to Roderick Carmichael, this Dougald was born about 1768, Lismore, Appin, Argyllshire,
Scotland, and came to America about 1793-4; and that his father, Archibald, had arrived in North
Carolina in 1774, on the Jupiter of Larne. Archibald, wife, Mary, and daughter, Kathereine, are on the
passenger list of the Jupiter of Larne. Maj.-Gen. Carmichael contended that Dougald hd stayed behind
in Scotland, where he apprenticed and worked as a shipscraftsman before coming to America.
Roderick Carmichael found evidence to indicate that Archibald was married twice and that Dougald
and his sister, Katherine, were children of his first wife.
Dougald was the first to settle in Marion County, South Carolina, probably because he sought land on
a stream, where he could build and operate boats. There he built flat-boats and other river craft and
managed his farm, not far from his sister, Katherine, and brothers, Neil and Duncan. He married Mary
(Polly) Carmichael in about 1802. He died about 1830. Roderick Carmichael states that all of his
children (except daughter, Mary) moved to Russell County, Alabama. However, he was mistaken
about this. I don't know who among his children settled in Russell County, but Daniel and family
wound up in Autagua County, Alabama, and his mother, Mary, and the two young women I take to be
nieces, Margarett and Sarah, were living with him in 1850. By the time of the 1860 Federal Census,
Daniel and Nancy had moved to the Scottish settlement of Union Church in Mississippi, where some
of Nancy's siblings had settled earlier.
The children of Daniel and Nancy McCormick Carmichael are detailed on the Nancy McCormick
Carmichael Family page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marion County, South Carolina Federal Census, 1830:
Daniel Carmichael; 1 male between 20-30; 1 female between 20-30; 1 female under 5
Autagua County, Alabama Federal Census, 1850:
Daniel Carmichael; 48, male, Occupation: Mason, b. South Carolina
Nancy; 48, female, b. North Carolina
Catherine; 19, female, b. South Carolina
E. J. C. [Evander]; 18, male, Occupation: Mason, b. South Carolina
Nancy; female, 16, b. South Carolina
Rebecca; 14, female, b. South Carolina
Flora; 10, female, b. Alabama [my g-grandmother]
John Brown; 7, male, b. Alabama
Daniel W.; 5, male, b. Alabama
Mary; 65, female, b. North Carolina
Margarett; 20, female, born South Carolina
Sarah; 22, female, born South Carolina
Jefferson County, Mississippi Federal Census, 1860:
Daniel Carmichael; 59, male, Occupation: Planter, Value of Real Estate: $6,000.00;
Value of Personal Estate: $1,140.00
Nancy; 59, female
Evander; 29, male, Occupation: Mason, Value of Personal Estate: $800.00
Nancy; 26, female
Flora; 20, female
John B.; 18, male, Occupation: Apprentice to Mason
Daniel W.; 16, male, Occupation: Day laborer
According to Roderick Carmichael, this Dougald was born about 1768, Lismore, Appin, Argyllshire,
Scotland, and came to America about 1793-4; and that his father, Archibald, had arrived in North
Carolina in 1774, on the Jupiter of Larne. Archibald, wife, Mary, and daughter, Kathereine, are on the
passenger list of the Jupiter of Larne. Maj.-Gen. Carmichael contended that Dougald hd stayed behind
in Scotland, where he apprenticed and worked as a shipscraftsman before coming to America.
Roderick Carmichael found evidence to indicate that Archibald was married twice and that Dougald
and his sister, Katherine, were children of his first wife.
Dougald was the first to settle in Marion County, South Carolina, probably because he sought land on
a stream, where he could build and operate boats. There he built flat-boats and other river craft and
managed his farm, not far from his sister, Katherine, and brothers, Neil and Duncan. He married Mary
(Polly) Carmichael in about 1802. He died about 1830. Roderick Carmichael states that all of his
children (except daughter, Mary) moved to Russell County, Alabama. However, he was mistaken
about this. I don't know who among his children settled in Russell County, but Daniel and family
wound up in Autagua County, Alabama, and his mother, Mary, and the two young women I take to be
nieces, Margarett and Sarah, were living with him in 1850. By the time of the 1860 Federal Census,
Daniel and Nancy had moved to the Scottish settlement of Union Church in Mississippi, where some
of Nancy's siblings had settled earlier.
The children of Daniel and Nancy McCormick Carmichael are detailed on the Nancy McCormick
Carmichael Family page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marion County, South Carolina Federal Census, 1830:
Daniel Carmichael; 1 male between 20-30; 1 female between 20-30; 1 female under 5
Autagua County, Alabama Federal Census, 1850:
Daniel Carmichael; 48, male, Occupation: Mason, b. South Carolina
Nancy; 48, female, b. North Carolina
Catherine; 19, female, b. South Carolina
E. J. C. [Evander]; 18, male, Occupation: Mason, b. South Carolina
Nancy; female, 16, b. South Carolina
Rebecca; 14, female, b. South Carolina
Flora; 10, female, b. Alabama [my g-grandmother]
John Brown; 7, male, b. Alabama
Daniel W.; 5, male, b. Alabama
Mary; 65, female, b. North Carolina
Margarett; 20, female, born South Carolina
Sarah; 22, female, born South Carolina
Jefferson County, Mississippi Federal Census, 1860:
Daniel Carmichael; 59, male, Occupation: Planter, Value of Real Estate: $6,000.00;
Value of Personal Estate: $1,140.00
Nancy; 59, female
Evander; 29, male, Occupation: Mason, Value of Personal Estate: $800.00
Nancy; 26, female
Flora; 20, female
John B.; 18, male, Occupation: Apprentice to Mason
Daniel W.; 16, male, Occupation: Day laborer
Joe Harrell shared these photographs of his Carmichael
ancestors: his g-grandfather, William D. Carmichael, and
ancestors: his g-grandfather, William D. Carmichael, and
William's daughter (Joe's grandmother), Hattie Carmichael Willams. Joe and I are both 4th g-grandchildren of our original
immigrant Carmichael, Archibald Carmichael, who came to America on the Jupiter of Larne in 1774.
immigrant Carmichael, Archibald Carmichael, who came to America on the Jupiter of Larne in 1774.
