I'm a direct decendant of John. who died his first winter in the Wingham/Marnoch area. I have the entire written history copied from the original family bible. (I may have a few details wrong as I'm going from memory here, as it is not immediately available for reference at the moment.)
I'm really excited to hear that we still have connections back in Scotland. They were as lost to us as we were to them. I am certainly keen to find out more.
I can't recall the exact details from memory, but Mingus or Menzies may have went by a different name later in life. Back in thoses early days school teachers could not marry, so I don't believe Mingus had any family. She taught in a school house in Alma if I recall correctly. I found Elizabeth (Bosomworth's) headstone several years ago, when I first caught the geneology bug. I've been meaning to hit the Wellington County museum, located just outside of Fergus in hopes of digging up some records, but have not managed to yet.
I've wondered if Robert's 2 trips back to Scotland may have related to settling the estates of William and Thomas after they passed? There was an interesting note that he slept in a hollow tree where the farm is located today, before proceeding to Goderich to purchase the lot(s). Actually his direct descendant by the same name is a favourite cousin of mine. Unfortunately we've lost touch so I'm uncertain if he or his family might have additional info. I believe his parents had a group photo of John, Maragaret and the family hanging in the old original farmstead, back when I was too young to be interested.
Yes, I believe John Jr. married a Linklater, was my extremely great grandmother. Her family came from the Orkney Islands and I have much of her written family history too.
I have had no luck with finding any further detailed info on John and Margaret, other than he came from English/Norman roots and she came from a fairly well to do "noble" family from the highlands. No further info on William either.
Out of frustration I've attacked the problem from the other end of history in hopes of finding the missing links. My initial research lead me in the direction of Islay, Clan Ranald and Ireland but recently have discovered that the more probable lineage is that which stems from Robert de Corci of Normandy, son of Baldric, son of Wigerius Duke of Lorraine.
My father recently showed me a book given to him from his uncle JHC that was presented to him by the mayor of some town in Normandy in gratitude for his part in liberating that town during WWII. Curiously, the book that JHC chose from that town's library contains all the genelogical data relating to Robert de Courci (also spelled Courcy) who was related to William the Conqueror and mentions that he slew many an Englishman during the battle of Hastings. His (gr.?) grandsons were later granted large tracks of land in the Annandale, Kirkcubrightshire area for their services to King David I of Scotland.
It was JHC who told me as a child that he was taken up in an airplane once in the 60's and could still see the scar through the woods where the original Currie brothers had hacked their way up through the woods from Fergus.
One thing I have discovered in my research is that our family perpetuates the same first names down through the ages, which provides a useful trail of breadcrumbs to follow. This was apparently a common practice, particularly with noble families. Typically the oldest son is named after the father and subsequent sons are named after grandfathers and uncles. Subsequently you will find a long line of Roberts, Williams, Johns, Davids, Thomas', Andrews, James, Georges relating to the Curries, Corries, de Courcys, de Courcis down through the ages, which I suspect may be our best remaining clue to finding our missing links, if in fact that information survived the many border wars.
Also if you are familiar with Baigent's work, you may want to take a long look at the family coat of arms (another clue?). However the hidden symbols contained within go much further back in time than even he may have suspected. I'm still trying to piece that puzzle together.
I'll get back to you with more details, when I can have the official notes on hand to refer to.
Aspiro ~ Inspire to Victory,
JKC