SENATE RESOLUTION
8655



By Senators Honeyford, Fraser, Pflug and Stevens

     WHEREAS, Almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, and nine governors of the original thirteen states were of Scottish ancestry; and
     WHEREAS, Many early explorers and settlers of the Pacific Northwest were of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry and include: William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame; John McLoughlin, Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver, a fur trader and empire builder; James Douglas, Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver; Archibald McKinley, Factor at Fort Walla Walla; Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War General and President who served at Fort Vancouver and for whom Grant County was named; J.C. Mac Grimmon, a Yakima Valley pioneer and orchardist; Alexander Colin Campbell, farmer, banker, miner, and former mayor of Puyallup; James Dinnie, fur trader and founder of the city of Cathlamet; James Urquart, founder of the city of Napavine and three-term member of the Territorial Legislature; and Abigail Scott Duniway, a suffragette who helped bring passage of the suffrage amendment to the state Constitution; and
     WHEREAS, Many current and former legislators and elected officials are of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry and include: The late Senator George Sellar and former Senator Dan McDonald; former appointed and elected officials: William Wallace, territorial governor of Washington and Washington's representative to Congress; and Ralph Munro, former Secretary of State. Current elected officials of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry are Governor Christine O. Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed; and current members of the Legislature of Scottish or Scots-Irish heritage are: Senators Karen Fraser, Jim Honeyford, Cheryl Pflug, and Val Stevens; and Representatives Glen Anderson, Mike Armstrong, Tom Campbell, Bill Hinkle, Joyce McDonald, Ed Orcutt, and Maureen Walsh; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish are Americans of Scottish origin whose ancestors first colonized northern Ireland in the late 1600s before emigrating to the English colonies of North America during the 1700s; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish immigrants to America were devout Presbyterians who dedicated their lives to God and to the ideals of freedom and liberty; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish immigrants to America valued a strong worth ethic and embraced a philosophy of common sense; and
     WHEREAS, The Scottish Treaty of Arbroath on April 6, 1320, inspired the contents for America's Declaration of Independence; and
     WHEREAS, National Tartan Day is observed each year on the sixth day of April; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish played a pivotal role in winning the American Revolution; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish were in the vanguard of frontiersman who carved a great civilization out of the American wilderness; and
     WHEREAS, According to the United States Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, there are more than 157,000 people of Scots-Irish ancestry in the State of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, In April 2006, the Triad St. Andrews Society, the Triad Highland Games, and the Scottish-America Military Society proclaimed and declared April 2006 and every April thereafter as National Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month; and
     WHEREAS, The Governor of the State of Washington has proclaimed April 2007 and every April thereafter as "Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month" in Washington;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate officially honor Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month and the unique and invaluable contributions of Scots-Irish to America and to the State of Washington.