Karen (McWhorter) Wilhelm
Honor Code SignatorySigned 25 May 2012 | 25,813 contributions | 907 thank-yous | 1,163 connections
My name is Karen McWhorter Wilhelm. Some time in the 1960s, my father's uncle, William Edwin McWhorter, sent him a diagram of the McWhorter family tree going back to John McWhorter, a Revolutionary War soldier. Duplicates of the diagram went to my grandfather, John Robert McWhorter, and to other family members. This gave me a mild interest in the family history and a certain amount of pride to have been descended from a Revolutionary War veteran.
The origin of the name McWhorter (or any of its spelling variants) is said to be MacChruitter, the profession of cruiteir, or harper. In 1346, King David II is said to have granted a charter of the land of Dalelachane in the earldom of Carrick to Patrick, son of the late Michael, harper of Carrick (Patricio filio quondam Michaelis Cithariste de Carryk). In 1385 Duncan M’Churteer, son and heir of the late Patick M’Churteer, alienated to Sir Thomas Kenedy, lord of Dalmortoun, the whole land of Dalelachane (Laing, 40, 69).[1]
Discovering the pointy-headed guy Sir James Hunter Blair, 3rd Baronet, now laird of Blairquhan (pronounced blare-whon),castle, says the original tower keep was built by the McWhirters in 1346. It was enlarged in 1573, but had fallen into ruins by the time the Hunter Blairs came into possession of it. The present building was built between 1820 and 1824 by Blair. The kitchen courtyard of the 19th century house incorporates decorative stonework from the 16th century building. Among the beautiful ancient bas-relief sculptures is a little pointy-headed guy with his lute -- the chruitter. (See image at right.)
Why would King David award a large estate to a musician? In the Anglo-Norman times of King David II, The King's Harper was a privileged artist who sang and played in the privy chamber. Other entertainers worked under the supervision of the King’s Harper, usually performing for the lower echelons of the household.[2]
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Karen is 29 degrees from Herbert Adair, 25 degrees from Richard Adams, 22 degrees from Mel Blanc, 28 degrees from Dick Bruna, 21 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 34 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 20 degrees from Sam Edwards, 21 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 21 degrees from Marty Krofft, 16 degrees from Junius Matthews, 19 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 22 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.