FLETCHER (Of Glen Orchy) Y DNA

[argyllshiregirl]

My father is believed to be the last FLETCHER to be born in the traditional place of our clan's origins, Glen Orchy, Scotland. He took a Y DNA test a couple of years ago and submitted it to a FLETCHER DNA project for comparison. One of his objectives was to settle once and for all the question: are the FLETCHERs on the Isle of Mull actually Glen Orchy FLETCHERs who migrated there 200+ years ago? Many said 'no', some said 'maybe', but the answer is 'yes!' DNA has now proven that. The results also supported the belief that a man by the name of Alexander 'Squire' FLETCHER, who arrived in Canada in the late 1700s, had a large family and was prominent in Bowmanville, Ontario, is indeed a Glen Orchy FLETCHER too, as legend had it. If there are FLETCHER gentlemen out there wanting to see if they match with our line, please get in touch with me. Thank you!
Mary Fletcher Harris
Canada

[irishgirl79]

Hi,
I am a Kelly from County Meath in Ireland, my paternal grandmother was a Fletcher, she was raised in Rhodesia, Africa her parents were both from Glen Orchy. My Granny was born Sheila Fletcher, her father was a surveyor, he made many maps including mapping the Limpopo River. There are Fletcher mountains in Rhodesia.

[argyllshiregirl]

Hello there. Wonderful to hear from you! I have heard of your branch before, the Rhodesian Fletchers, from my father. He will be excited to learn that I have been contacted by a descendant. I was just looking over some information written about your family line in order to get my bearings. Have you seen this before? It is work that Mrs. Margaret Mason did some 40 years ago on the Fletcher clan. She refers to your branch as the Jura Fletchers. There are errors, but it is pretty good on the whole. http://www.spaceless.com/fletcher/flet9.htm You and I are both Glen Orchy Fletcher descendants. We both descend from Archibald Fletcher (1640 - 1720) the 8th Chief. I descend from his 2nd son John Fletcher of Inveroran (1678 - 1765) while you descend from the 3rd son Donald Fletcher of Camuslaimh (1685 - ?) If my calculations are right, we are 8th cousins! Happy to share any Fletcher info. that might interest you.

[irishgirl79]

Thanks so much for making contact. My granny was indeed the Sheila Fletcher born 1899 to Patrick and Ida Eliza. Sheila married Richard Kelly 'The Boss'. They had two sons and a daughter, the eldest  Martin is now dead, their daughter Mina lives in Canada and their youngest child Edward Joseph is my father, he lives in County Meath, Ireland. All three were fine horsemen, both Martin and Edward (Ted) worked for the Irish Turf Club and both farmed, Mina was very involved with horses on an international level. Ted married Gretta Mary Leonard, they have nine children, 22 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. They celebrated 60 years of married life earlier this year.
Sheila's brother Patrick was know as Peter. His decendents' now live in Perth, Australia. Sheila and her brother Peter were accomplished artists, there are many paintings of theirs in the house I grew up in.
Sheila moved with her husband to Ireland (back to his ancestral home farm), though she did return to Rhodesia with her children when they were very little and at least on two more occasions, towards the end of her life, Sheila is actually buried in Rhodesia.
I will write more about Martin and Mina when I get the correct information.
J.

[argyllshiregirl]

Wonderful! I see that you know quite a bit about your family already. My line remained mostly in Scotland. However, my parents, sister and I immigrated to Canada in 1967 and live in southern Ontario, north of the city of Toronto. I am curious as to what part of Canada Mina lives in. We get back to Scotland whenever we can, with the last time being 2012 for me and 2014 for my parents (now in their 80s). Have you visited Jura? I had the opportunity to go there in 2008. Places that you find the Fletcher name centuries ago are usually somehow connected to the cattle droving which was the traditional trade of the family.

I was contacted by some Fletcher descendants from Perth, Australia recently. They descend from the the eldest son of Archibald Fletcher, the 8th Chief. His name was also Archibald and he became the 9th Chief. They are arriving today in Argyll to trace the footsteps of their ancestors, which is very exciting to me, I wish I was there too! Cattle and sheep farming brought a lot of Fletchers to various parts of Australia over the years. I wonder if they all know about each other?

Is there anything in particular you would like to learn about the Fletchers? I have more information including some essays my father has written, most of them written as replies to queries from Fletchers in other countries. It is info. he has gathered through many years of research and also from what he learned from his father and other relatives during his early life in Scotland.

Mary

[fletch52]

Hi there
I am descended from Donald, the third son of Archibald, the eight chief.  My g g grandfather was Archibald Fletcher born in Montreal, Canada in 1839, father was John Fletcher and mother Helen Anderson. Archibald's mother died in 1842 and his sister Agnes in 1848, age 8.  John Fletcher later remarried and had a further 6 children.  He died in 1902 with the rank of Lt Colonel in the Canadian militia. Archibald moved to Australia as a young man, not sure why and married a Catherine Campbell in 1866. Catherine was born in County Donegal, Ireland. Archibald settled in Victoria, Australia and became a farmer. He had 10 children, I am descended from his 5th son, James Norman Fletcher.
Regards
Neil James Fletcher

[Chris Sher]

Hello Fletch52, I should say hello cousin, I am also descended from James Norman Fletcher and Catherine Harvey, their son Gordon Edward Fletcher was my grandfather. My Mum was so proud of her Fletcher heritage and always spoke of her famous relative "Sir John Fletcher". My sister and I are researching in honour of our Mum who died 2 years ago.

Oh this is so exciting. Who are your parents? We are in Victoria and are actively searching for any information about our Fletcher history and planning a trip to Scotland in 2019.

Please write back, looking forward to hearing from you.
Christine

[fletch52]

Hi Christine
Your the first of the Victorian Fletcher clan who has contacted me. Both me and my father were born in Sydney. His father Norman Archibald Fletcher was born in 1892, Dandenong, Victoria, moved to Sydney and married in 1921.  Norman is the eldest of James and Catherine followed by Sydney James Fletcher born 1898, Freemantle, West Australia, then Gordon Edward Fletcher born 1900, Guildford, West Australia and Catherine Fletcher born 1908, Melbourne, Victoria.
My grandfather Norman died in 1955, I have no memory of him.  My own father Phillip James Fletcher passed away in 1994 and when I questioned him regarding ancestors he said the Fletcher clan came from Victoria but had no knowledge, he thought Dandenong but it seems it was Riddells Creek where James Norman Fletcher was born in 1874, along with his 9 siblings. I had a DNA done recently and have been contacted by relatives from Canada and the USA who have descended from Lt Colonel John Fletcher.
Regards
Neil

[Chris Sher]

Hi Neil, Thank you so much for your reply. I will write more another time but I just want to ask you if your information regarding the births of Sydney James and Gordon Edward in West Australia is correct.

As far as I know the family never lived in Western Australia, my mother would have told us if her father had been born in West Australia. He is meant to be born in Port Melbourne. There is a "Guildford" in Victoria very close to the Riddels creek area and I think this is the "Guildford" where one or either was born. This link tells you about Guildford Victoria.  www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=guildford

So your grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. How about that!

And we are descended  from the clan chief. How about THAT!

Where do you live now?

I think I remember Uncle Syd from my childhood but not sure. I do remember Aunty "Kitty" coming to family get togethers at my grandfather's (Gordon's) house. That must have been Catherine.

Gordon was a panel beater, had his own business in Geelong, died from a heart attack in 1958. He was considered by all who knew him to be a true gentleman.

Do you have photos? We were only looking at photos of James Norman and his "Katie" yesterday.

I think I have seen your tree on Ancestry.

Anyway, very thrilled to be corresponding with you. Would you be able to check the Guildford information and let me know what you think.

Regards

Christine