Muirhead Family Tartan Rediscovered by Clan Society Thanks to United Effort and the Help of the Internet Continued from Page One I must confess that I had visions of that tartan ending up in a Good Will box or even the dumpster, but I pushed those thoughts aside and went back to Ray Sr.'s book and in turn to his son, Raymond Jr. who I called by phone to question about his father's research. Ray Jr. told me that he would go through his father's notes and things to see if he could find more on the tartan outfit. Weeks that seemed like years went by and then an E-Mail from Raymond Jr. which included a color photo of the tartan outfit. I cannot tell you what a grand gift that photo would turn out to be. Like an ancient fisherman who must cast an ever broader net in hopes of catching a prized fish, I cast my net by way of the Internet. One of the letters I had sent was to The Highlander Magazine, introducing the resurgence of the Muirhead Clan Society which by now I had founded and was trying to promote in an attempt to get the word out and aid our goal to gather the Clan Muirhead. In the March/April 2000 issue (Vol.38 NO.2) my letter was published. From that brief article not only have we gained new members but one reader, Francis Swanson of Illinois, would see the Muirhead Clan Society web site address http://www.muirheadclansociety.8m.com. Francis called her daughter to ask her to check out the website, as she did not have a computer herself. Francis' daughter went to the Muirhead Clan Society website and made a surprising discovery on the Gallery page, the photo and notes on an old Tartan outfit of William Muirhead, grandfather of Grace Muirhead, who once had the Tartan outfit. Her daughter recognized the tartan and names in the caption and called her mother back telling her what she had found and told her of the picture of the old family tartan that I was searching for. Mrs. Francis Swanson then called me, informing me that after Grace passed away, this outfit was given to her to keep and there it still is today. That phone call was like the best Christmas gift I ever received. Several letters and phone calls later Mrs. Swanson would again give me a great gift and honor, when she would send me membership applications and copies of pages from the William Muirhead Bible including family history, but that was just the tease for also in the package was the original tartan sash from William's tartan outfit. What an honor I first thought, then came the realization of what a responsibility I held in my hands. A tartan that dates before 1854 woven in Scotland that has not only traveled from Scotland to Washington D.C. but has now traveled to the West Coast to Washington State. As I studied it I found a few small holes in the faded colors of the weave but all in all it was in amazing shape. For me, the feeling was like what every explorer must feel when he has found a historical artifact and more important it was a piece of ancestral history. If only I could put it to my ear, I thought, and it could speak and tell me of its life and travels. Back | Next This article was contributed by Raymond L. Morehead, President, Muirhead Clan Society, July, 2000 Links: Muirhead Clan Society Website Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games