A partially successful attempt at untangling long-held family myths from historical and genealogical reality. It covers a lowland Scots family thought to be descended from the natural sons of Neil 2nd Earl of Carrick. And possibly from the Lairds of Corsock in Galloway. Execution, fines, forfeitures and bad business decisions led to the loss of estates in the mid-18th century. There was some recovery of respectability and fortune in the 19th century and now a widespread family is scattered across four continents This is as much a story of adventures in the serendipity trade as it is the telling of a single family history. Not necessarily aimed at historical veracity; more at inspiring others to toss pebbles into the pond of possibility and track the resulting ripples wherever they might lead.