Notes:

From the Kirkpatrick Newsletter (cited):
"I am connected to the Kirkpatricks through Alexander [James "the Immigrant's brother] who came to America in 1736 via Ireland. We visited Basking Ridge, N.J. and saw Alexander's grave in the churchyard there. We noted that although other family members buried in the churchyard used Kirkpatrick, Alexander's stone used Kilpatrick... Last spring my wife and I were in Ireland. I noticed there were quite a few names preceded by "Kil". I was told that Kil means church in Gaelic. Could it be that Alexander, who lived about ten years in Ireland before coming to America, adopted the Irish version of Kirk? In later years descendants of Alexander Kirkpatrick dropped the "patrick" and went by the shortened name, Kirk.

"When we visited the churchyard at Basking Ridge, NJ we were told by the pastor that members of his church [were] living in the Alexander Kirkpatrick house at Mine Brook. He called them for us and they kindly showed us through this stone house. It had been modernized, but still had the old flavor to it. Up the road was another house, built of stone by one of his sons... David, I believe."

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From the JP Kirkpatrick website (cited):

He removed with his family to Belfast, Ireland, after the birth of his son David, in the latter part of the reign of George I. Probably about the year 1725, that he might enjoy greater liberty of conscience and additional religious advantages. In the spring of 1736 he embarked at Belfast for America. It is believed that along with his immediate family that his four brothers travelled with him on this journey, as they all appear in America at about the same time and in the same general area. After a stormy passage of thirteen weeks landed at New Castle, Delaware. The passengers and crew were almost starved owing to the unexpected length of the passage. David, who was then twelve years old, speaking of this to a grandson in after years said: " The first thing I got to eat after we got on shore was corn, in the state which we call roasting ears, and without roasting or boiling I ate it till the milk of the corn ran down both sides of my mouth, and I have never eaten anything since that tasted sweeter." The narrative by the grandson; "They crossed the Delaware at Philadelphia, and wandered up through the State of New Jersey (which was partially settled) till they reached Boundbrook, and from that they went over the mountain. This incident he (the grandfather) used to tell me, and smile at -- they were all on foot -- there was no road other than the Indian path. In the path before them they saw a land tortoise, speckled, sticking up his head; and as they had heard of 'rattlesnakes', they thought that 'monster' must be 'one'; so they turned out in the woods and went away round leaving his 'torkleship' in full possession of the path. When they came to a spring of water at the side of what has since been called "Mine Brook," there they settled down, built a log house and went to work."

The spot was well chosen, about two miles west from the present site of Baskingridge in Somerset County, New Jersey. It embraced the southern slope of Round Mountain in a well-timbered region, with unfailing springs of pure water, the rich meadow-land through which Mine Brook runs wit h sufficient fall of water for a mill-seat, and with these material advantages, a charming picturesque view of the adjacent region. The spring of water is still there, marking the site of the original log house, and until within a few years could be seen the remains of the apple trees planted by Alexander Kirkpatrick and his sons. This improvement many of the early propriety leases required. In a lease of one hundred and thirty seven acres, (which it may be remarked with a minor portion of what the family eventually obtained by title in fee simple) granted November 23, 1747, to Alexander Kirkpatrick, he agrees "to plant an orchard of at least one apple tree for every six acres, all regular in one orchard, and to keep up the number planted and to keep the orchard in good fence."

Alexander Kirkpatrick died at Mine Brook, June 3, 1758, mentioning in his will, which was executed "in articulo mortis," his wife Elizabeth, his sons Andrew, David, and Alexander, his son-in-law Duncan McEowen, his youngest daughter Mary, and his grandson Alexander.

Alexander married Elizabeth UNKNOWN in 1721. Elizabeth was born about 1700 in Watties Neach, Dumfriesshire, Scotland; died after 3 Jun 1758. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Dawn's note: I am not 100% convinced this was "our" James' father.

New info from this site:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=kirkpatrickjan08&id=I2

--- begin quote ---
THE MIGRATION OF THE KIRKPATRICK BROTHERS, ALEXANDER AND ANDREW

The Kirkpatricks are of ancient lineage. Our chief concern in these pages is to register the descendants of the Kirkpatricks who emigrated from Scotland to New Jersey and settled in the year 1736 near Baskingridge, in Somerset County; and in so doing it is convenient to head the list with Alexander Kirkpatrick of County Dumfries, Scotland; he being the last ancestor of theirs in the male line who lived and died in the Old World. This Alexander was a son of George Kirkpatrick and a great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Sir Roger Kirkpatrick, Lord of Closeburn.

Sir Roger's wife was Lady Margaret de Somerville who traced her descent from Alfred the Great, King of England. See Chapter VII.

1. ALEXANDER KIRKPATRICK, SR., son of George Kirkpatrick, is said to have had nine children. See Chapter VII. We are here concerned only with his two sons:

+701. i. Alexander Kirkpatrick, emigrator from Watties Neach, Scotland, in 1725; he died June 3, 1758. See Chapter VI.

+2. ii. Andrew Kirkpatrick, emigrator from Watties Neach, Scotland, in 1725; see Chapters II-V.
--- end quote ---

The author does not list his sources here, but the original book may have.