2010

Honored Guest

Of

TASTE OF SCOTLAND

CARL MCSWEEN

Scottish Tartans Museum Trustee

Carl Bennett McSween was born January 6, 1930 in Appalachia, Virginia.  He moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he met Ginny in high school, fell in love and they married May 6, 1950.  

Carl taught welding at a vocational school in the area.  He became involved with the Ohio Scottish Games, became a trustee of the Games and they created a Friday evening Scottish dinner & Ceilidh.  Most of the set-up, take-down &  maintenance was handled by Carl.  Ginny was involved with having several new Scottish vendors.  Carl was a member & became Chief in Clan Grant, a Scottish men's group affiliated with the Ohio Games & part of the Color Guard.

At retirement they moved to Franklin, North Carolina where Carl's family lived.  They quickly became involved with the Scottish Tartans Museum where Carl gave history tours in the museum and created a color guard for parades and celebrations.  Ginny was president of the Friends of the Scottish Tartans Museum and Carl later became a Trustee of the Museum.  Last year Ginny was recognized at Taste of Scotland for designing & weaving  the official tartan of Franklin, North Carolina . 

Using his knowledge of Scottish history, he has represented the museum at several Scottish games and our local schools.  He dresses in Native Scottish dress at the schools to explain immigration of the Scottish settlers and their good relationship with the native Indians.  Carl and Ginny have given presentations in Wilmington, NC and Young Harris, Georgia about Scottish history and their dress. 

Carl and Ginny were among the original founders of the Taste of Scotland Festivals held in Franklin each Father's Day Weekend.  Again Carl handled all set-up and take down and Ginny handled food and Craft vendors.  

Carl's ancestral genealogy is traced back to 960 to a Danish King named Wveinn Gorm Hardaknutsson DenGamie Sveinn, in other words Sveinn became MacSween after the Vikings arrived in Scotland.  Castle Sween is still standing on the peninsula of Skipness & Knapdale.  It is the oldest stone castle in Scotland. 

Carl and Ginny have five grandchildren and will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in May of this year.  

Members of the Friends of The Scottish Tartans Museum chose Carl as this years honored guest Carl is a lifetime achiever of all things Scottish.  His hard work, dedication and loyalty to our museum in Franklin can never be adaquetly expressed or appreciated enough!   

 

 

     2009 Honored Guest

       Matthew Newsome

Director of the Scottish Tartans Museum

2008 Honored Guest

Walter Taylor

Scottish Tartans Museum Trustee