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Re: Gen Arthur St. Clair



Dear Laurel,
    The reference on page 106 of Morrison seems to relate to how James changed the spelling of his name.  I have never seen any reference to a different spelling by Gen. Arthur.
    My ggg grandfather was a private in the war and also claimed a "cousin" relationship to General Arthur.  Although his father was also born in Thurso, we have never been able to firmly establish just how close this relationship was.  After the war, my ggg grandfather moved to Indiana, Penn., about 20 miles from Ligonier.
    My family has always staunchly maintained the St.Clair spelling and pronunciation.
Keep up the good work,
Hal St.Clair
 

Spirit One Email wrote:

Dear Hal,
   A fair and good question below.  I thought that I could walk directly to
the book in which I read this information but so far no luck.  Usually in
the middle of the night I will suddenly come up with a solution.  I remember
being really interested in this bit of information because the story comes
down through my line of Sinklers to St. Clairs that my ancestor spoke with
Gen. St. Clair when he was in retirement in PA.  My St. Clair was in
Crawford Co., PA at the time.  It is said that Joshua changed the name from
Sinkler to St. Clair on the advice of the General who told him it was the
original spelling.  I see on page 106 of Morrison's History of the Sinclair
Family that this story describes the conversation that James St. Clair had
with the General.  Whether my Joshua had the same conversation or else
learned this from James or someone else, who knows but because of this
family legend I reread the statement about the spelling and pronuncement of
St. Clair wherever I found it.  Only our family pronounced it St. Clair.
    It is possible that the General grew up with the name of Sinclair in
Thurso but at some point wanted to change it back to the Norman spelling for
accuracy or some other significant reason known now only to him but kept the
Sinclair pronunciation.  Maybe someone else has come across this information
but right now I can't think where I read it.
Sorry,
Laurel

===========
I would be very interested to know what your source is for the comment in
> this article that Gen. Arthur St.Clair pronounced his name Sinclair?
>
> Thanks,  Hal St.Clair
>

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