DAME NELLIE MELBA and KINCARDINESHIRE

In searching the Mitchell surnames and clans I found the following: "Helen Mitchell, the daughter of a Mearns farmer is better known as Dame Nellie Melba...". (www.kilts.co.nz/mitclan.htm). Wikipedia says Mearns is also known as the County of Kincardine or Kincardineshire. The new Mitchell family I found and discuss under the "Change of Direction" post is in Kincardineshire. This poses the question as to whether David of Australia was a farmer in Scotland for awhile before going to Australia? He would have been about 25 years old when he left. I don't think his farming in Scotland was mentioned in Lady Vestey's book (although I will check it)? This curiously places Dame Nellie's family and this new family in the same area. Might this support the "cousin" possibility mentioned in the Barbara Jacobson letter? The David in the newly found Kincardineshire family was born in 1814. We believe the Australia David was born in 1829 so I think these are two different Davids. I am communicating with that web site to see if we can determine the source of that "Mearns" information. NOTE: You may have to click on "Old Posts" or "A Shift In Direction" title to the right to find that post.