I am seeking any and all information on my g,g,grandfather, Charles Spence (1779-1869) of Errol and Rait, Perthshire. He married Ann Bisset in 1806. They had ten children, the very last, Alexander (b 1837) being my g, grandfather. Alexander emigrated to America in 1873 aboard SS INDIA, most probably landing in New York.

Charles Spence was a mason by trade, and his work was building houses and churches, and restoring castles (Kinnaird Castle) at various locations in the Carse of Gowrie. He was attached to the Threipland family, of Fingask and Kinnaird Castles, for decades. He was also throughout his long life a remarkably powerful poet, and even years after his death in 1869, his works were on the tongues of Gowrie folk. In 1898, Rev. J.M. Strachan, parish minister of Kilspindie and Rait, published selections from the mss. and from current personal memory, in a volume called "From The Braes Of The Carse". Three hundred copies were produced, of which our family has possessed no. 147 since the original distribution. The poetic power of Spence is remarkable: facile, learned, clear-sighted, comic, or lavishly sentimental, as the poet intended. I personally feel that the Carse Poet is a neglected literary treasure of Perthshire, waiting to rediscoverred. My proximate goal is to find the whole body of mss. I would also like to republish.

The Carse Poet and Ann Bisset were married in 1806. Their ten children were: Christian Spence (b 1806), Ann Spence (b 1807), James Spence (b 1810), Patrick Spence (b 1812), a second Christian Spence (b 1815), George Porter Spence (b 1821), Jean Spence (b 1823), Mary Spence (b 1825), Peter Donnat Spence (b 1828), and Alexander Spence (b 1837). The last named was my g,grandfather.

I would be most grateful for information of whatever kind, on any of these people. Thank you very kindly indeed. John VanSorosin, Tenants Harbor, Maine, USA