William Carnegie

William Carnegie was a handloom weaver. During the years of the early19th century technological innovations were making handloom weavingobsolete, so Carnegie was often without work and the family wasdesparately poor. In response to this he became a radical Chartist andlabor agitator who was often described as one of the most troublesomestreet orators in Dumferline. Because of these difficultied, the familyimmigrated to the United States in 1848. William Carnegie had hoped tofind a position as a handloom weaver in America, but was disappointed,ending up as a laborer in a cotton textile mill in Pittsburgh. To helpmeet ends, his son, Andrew, took a job in the same mill as a bobbin boyfor $1.20 a week. Mrs. Carnegie also took in washing, and worked forHenry Phipps, the shoemaker, next door.

William Carnegie came of Lowland stock, whereas Margaret Morrison was aHighlander, and as is the case with many Highlanders, her blood containeda considerable Norse infusion. Her straight figure, erect shoulders, andreliant set of her head, the frame speaking self mastery in every muscle- it is no idle fancy that traces these outward signs to the distantVikings from whom she sprang. "All the Carnegies are fair and all theMorrisons dark" is still a proverb in Dumfermline. Other Morrison traitswere extremely small hands and feet.

From "The Carnegies and Cumberland Island" by Nancy C Rockefeller