From: Olscot@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 8:32 AM
To: dennis@rdsmith.us
Subject: First of 4 Clan History as I have learned it.Clan 1 My first knowledge of our C

Clan 1

My first knowledge of our Clan was in about 1990. I learned that Donnacha Reavar in gaelic meant Stout or Fat Duncan. He was chief of the Robertsons in the early 1300's. Because Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland at this appoximate time, he was chased by the English to try to destroy his very being. He became friends with Donnacha who hid him from the English in Clan country around Loch Rannoch. After the Bruce moved to the west coast of Scotland he went into a cave hiding near the seashore. While in the cave he noticed a spider trying to build a web. The spider had a difficult time constructing the new web and Bruce observed him trying time and time again before finally completing the web. It gave Robert the courage to try again to conquer Scotland from the English.
Eventually he fought for the freedom of Scotland in 1314 at Bannochburn against Edward II who was not near being the hammer of the Scots as Edward I had been. He came into Scotland across the English northern border and destroyed Castles and Churches at will, laying waste to towns as well. It was a horrible time for Scotland.
Our Clan traveled from Loch Lomond and Mt. Shiehallion with fighting men and their women as well. It was a long trip to Bannochburn and on night when they camped, they stuck the Clan’s flagpole into the earth. When they removed it the following morning they found that the staff had pierced a jewel like stone that affixed itself to the staff. This was a very good signal to the Clan and became known as Clach na Bratatch or Stone of Good Luck.
The Clan arrived at Bannochburn on the second day at the height of the battle. The English saw all the people coming over the hill and thought they were all fighting men. This convinced the that they were outnumbered and retreated from the field as the story goes. Following the victory when Robert the Bruce met with Donnacha Reaver he said something to the effect because of contributing to his victory our clan would always be called Sons of Robert. Our name eventually became Robertson. Nice story, but probably pure imagination.
At one time our Clan had miles of territory in the Highlands. This led to many instances of other Clans trying to drive us out and take our lands from us. They were always repulsed and driven off or the lost land was eventually retaken. We were fierce warriors fighting for our homes and life.
We survived many years in our lands, but it was a very difficult time for all involved, not an easy life at all.
The Clans also were very well known for stealing cattle from each other. We became accomplished cattle thieves ourselves. Many of our men were killed during some of these raids, but new births always kept our numbers at about four thousand people centered around Loch Rannoch.  

When I joined Clan Robertson in the spring of 1990, Bob Baskin was the president of the Rocky Mountain Branch. Curtis Roberts was the assistant Chief. Unfortunately Bob passed on in the summer of 1991 and Curtis became president and I became newsletter editor and all around handyman. When I joined I became the seventh member that we had signed on the roster. Thank goodness that we have come a long way since then.

Many of you are probably unaware that my darling wife Margo and I went for my first time to Scotland in May of 1995. We landed at Glasgow and as I was terrified at the thought of driving on the opposite side of the road, we took a bus to Edinburgh. That started a wonderful two weeks in Scotland which was beyond my wildest dreams of what Scotland would be like. We stayed in nothing but bed and breakfast establishments as I wanted to meet and talk with the Scots. One of my most memorable things that happened was that I told the Scots that my name was Donald Robertson and over 400 times I heard exactly the same responce, “Och, thas a guid Scottish name.” And so it is.

As I was terrified of driving over there, we rode busses until it was time after four days to finally head north into clan country. We took the train north across the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay to Perth, the southern
most of Clan Robertson country. At Perth, I finally rented a car, a three door Vauxhall made in France. The wheel was on the right and it was a stick shift which I hadn’t driven for over 20 years. Big whoopee!!!!

The next lesson will be based upon our travels and learning of Scottish ways..