This page is presented here to provide interest and establish communication with the descendants of the Carmichael families originating from the Parish of Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. Some of the descendants still live in Comrie while others live in other areas of Scotland, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States of America.

About 1720 AD Donald Carmichael, from a farm, Lechdan Scritan, Balquhidder, came to a relative named Comrie, near Woodend, at Tynreoch, a mile or so East of St. Fillan's. Then he went to the Crappich, and married there Katrina Stalker. The Comrie Parochial Register indicates that the parents of Katrine Stalker were Duncan Stalker and Katrine Brown. Katrine was known to have had three brothers and five sisters.

Donald and Katrine had seven sons and one daughter. The daughter married the Laird of the Cowden, M'Innes. There were three farms at the Crappich, and Donald put a son in each. Their names were Duncan in Easter Crappich, Peter and John. Of the other sons or their descendants, "some were soldiers, some died young, some went South, one went to the Highlands." As to these farmers, "one of the Stalkers failed, there was some legal trouble; they had to leave the Crappich, or they might have been there yet."

It was said that these Carmichaels were originally Stewarts. What seems likely, from traditions in the family, is, that once in Appin where they were, and still are, Carmichaels, they had followed the Standard of the Stewarts, the Carmichaels being Sept of that clan. There is another sort of Carmichaels about Comrie and St. Fillan's who came from Breadalbane and came to Glen Lednock. The authority for the above is Elizabeth Carmichael of St. Fillan's who was born in 1830 and died 1915.

Lechdan Scritan is a farm in Balquhidder. It lies on the North side of Loch Voil, and has become part of the farm of Tulloch, the Home Farm of Mr. Carnegie of Stronvar, but the residents speak of that part of Tulloch as Lechdan Scritan. We have now seen Donald and Katrina settled at the Crappich. The man from Balquhidder has obtained a farm and a wife. We are now going to trace his descendants who in two hundred years have gone into hundreds, and some of whom are still in the District. We will begin with Duncan, his grandson, who when they left the Crappich or Tullybannocher went to St. Fillan's. Here Malcolm Drummond on Lochearnside had built a house. Malcolm had married Duncan Carmichael's sister, and when he left for Canada in 1818, he sold the house to his brother-in-law Robert, a mason, who being unmarried, left it to his brother Duncan, in whose family it has remained. The other brothers on leaving the Crappich scattered, and founded families at Port of Monteith, Dalginross, Alloa, The Lechkin Comrie, and the sisters had married farmers at Glentarken, The Ross, and Balnacuil. So we are able to trace eight families under the above headings - St. Fillan's, Port of Monteith, Dalginross, Alloa, The Lechkin, The Ross, Glentarken, Balnacuil. The last Laird of Cowden (M'Innes) died at Milton, Comrie, unmarried, having previously sold the Estate to Major M'Naughton. He had a brother a farmer at Drummond Ernoch, who had four sons - Peter, William, Duncan, Charlie, and a daughter, Bella. Peter and Charlie are dead, William was a private in the Seaforth Highlanders, and Duncan was in Comrie. The last Laird but one, Peter M'Innes was a much respected Elder of the Parish Church.

Malcolm Drummond and family sailed out of Greenock on July 21, 1818, to Montreal, Quebec on the Brig Curlew along with many other emigrants from Comrie. Malcolm settled in Beckwith Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. Carleton Park in Beckwith Township is twinning to become the sister city of Comrie.

The following descriptions here are intended to familiarize those not acquainted with Scottish geographical locations of the preceding eight families mentioned.

Comrie, Perthshire - A small summer resort located on the River Earn, in Strathearn, near Loch Earn, at the eastern end of which lays St. Fillan's. The White Church of Comrie dates from 1805, the steeple being by John Stewart. To the north of Comrie is Glen Lednock, with its falls, and to the south is Glen Artney, the two glens facing each other across the Highland "fault," which has given rise at various times, notably in 1839, to minor earthquake shocks in this district. Comrie is composed of three distinct villages, Comrie proper on the north bank of the River Earn, The Ross at the junction of the Rivers Earn and Ruchill, and Dalginross to the south of the River Earn. An excellent book "About Comrie" by C. Gordon Booth has recently been published which describes this village.

St. Fillan's, Perthshire - A charming village situated at the eastern extremity of Loch Earn about 5 miles west of Comrie, and on the River Earn, where it commences its journey down Strathearn. To the south rise the wooded slopes of Dundern, 2011 ft., an ancient Pictish fort on the smaller Dunfillan Hill, 600 ft., topped by a rock known as St. Fillan's Chair. A ruined St. Fillan's Chapel stands in a cemetery near the Village, and has long been used as the burial-place of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich House, near Lochearnhead. This village was once known as Portmore.

Port of Monteith, Perthshire - This small resort is now known as Port of Menteith is located on the Lake of Menteith and is the only "lake" in Scotland. On the largest of the lake's three islands are the remains of Inchmahome Priory, founded in 1238. The name Menteith, or Monteith, is applied generally to that part of the county lying to the south of Port of Menteith towards the River Forth.

Dalginross, Comrie, Perthshire - A village of Comrie located south across the Dalginross Bridge over the River Earn. Dalginross of old was a crofting, small farming, community situated on Dalginross Muir and on the road to Braco.

Alloa, Clackmannan - The largest town in Scotland's smallest county, is located just north of the River Forth, with the long range of the Ochil hills in the background. The town is noted for the spinning of worsted yarns. Near the 19th century Alloa House stands the 13th century Alloa Tower, associated on more than one occasion with Mary, Queen of Scots.

The Lechkin, Comrie, Perthshire - An old croft in Glasdale located near Twenty Shilling Wood on the north side of the road to St. Fillan's past the Ross Bridge.

The Ross, Comrie, Perthshire - Another village of Comrie southwest across the old stone bridge, Bridge of Ross, built in 1795. The Ross of old was also a small crofting and weaving community. The Earthquake House, built in 1869, is located in a pasture about half a kilometre south of the bridge.

Glentarken, Loch Earn, Perthshire - An old crofting hamlet located one and three quarters of a mile west of St. Fillan's above the north shore of Loch Earn. This hamlet consisted of Wester and Easter Glentarken. The Woodhouse mentioned in the St. Fillan's Family is located below Glentarken near the shore of Loch Earn.

Balnacuil, Perthshire - This area now known as Balnacoul was an old crofting and weaving community located 4 miles to the northwest of Comrie up Glen Lednock. The possible site of the Balnacoul Castle is above the river across from Invergeldie.