Scotlands Places of 1855/57 describes High Park as a farm house and offices occupied by John Kerr, the property of Mr Guthrie.
The original High Park was on a bend of the farm road. Only the outline of the farm buildings and enclosure remain as can be seen comparing the OS first edition with the satellite view. The modern day photograph lower down this post shows a newer farm steading built further up the farm road.
Current OS map showing High and West Park
Census
1841 Census - High Park West John Kerr Snr 70, John Jnr 40, Margaret 45, Sarah 20. Others are Elizabeth 15 and John Campbell 10, Thomas Chessy 35, Hugh Baird, and Elizabeth Douglas 10.
1851 Census - High Park John Kerr 54 & Jean 26 (ms Rankin) - farmers of 210 acres emp 1 lab. Three sons John 4, Crichton 3, and James under 1. Servants are William Turnbull 16, Jane Sharpe 23, and Mary Harris 23.
1861 Census - High Park John 63 & Jean Kerr 36 - farmers of 265 acres, They have added to their family with Elizabeth 9, William 7, Andrew 5, Violet 4 and Robert 1. Servants are Hugh Douglas 21, ploughman, Flora Rankine 21, domestic, Margaret Comyin 18, and lodger John Murdoch, 70, journeyman mason.
John died 9/9/1861 at High Park
Death Certificate: John Kerr died 9/9/1861 at High Park Farm New Cumnock age 64 yrs farmer married to Jean Rankin Fa: John Kerr farmer decd Mo:Elizabeth Kerr ms Gemmell. Informant: John Kerr, son Burial: Auld Kirkyard New Cumnock - Lair Ref: 360
Death Certificate: John Kerr died 9/9/1861 at High Park Farm New Cumnock age 64 yrs farmer married to Jean Rankin Fa: John Kerr farmer decd Mo:Elizabeth Kerr ms Gemmell. Informant: John Kerr, son Burial: Auld Kirkyard New Cumnock - Lair Ref: 360
His widow carried on.
1871 Census - High Park
Jane Kerr - farmer of 250 acres 150 arable with sons John 20, Crichton 23, William 17, and Robert 11. Janet Douglas 28, and Margaret Patrick 17 are domestic servants.
1881 Census - High Park
Jane Kerr 57 - farmer of 260 arable emp 1 man 2 women. Sons are Crichton 32, and William 27. Servants are Hugh Milliagan 24, Jane Morgan 18, and Janet Gracie 17.
1891 Census - High Park Jane Kerr 67- farmer with son Crichton 43. Servants are Hugh Vallance22, George Houston 15, Margaret Rowat 26, dairymaid, and Annie Miller 25, domestic.
From the North British Agriculturalist of November 1891, Crichton Kerr rented a farm in Lower Annandale called Thorniethwaite on the Halleaths estate. (A Wallace of Steel Park, Ochiltree had also gone to the same estate at one time)
Jane retired in 1891 as per the advert below and died 25/7/1898 at Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire
It seems John Stevenson let the farm to his cousin's son, John Lamont Murdoch!
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| High Park to let , December 1891 , Ayr Advertiser |
1901 - High Park John L Murdoch 42 & wife Maggie 30, with children Annie 7, Janet 6, John 2, and Lamont, under 1. Servants are Anne Brown 16, dairymaid, Susan Bothwell 12, nurse domestic, and James Dunn, 30, ploughman.
1911 High Park, John Murdoch 52 farmer, Maggie 40 (married 18 years 9 children 8 living) 8 children no servants.
John Lamont Murdoch , wife Maggie ( Cochrane ) and family. He is a blood relative of RMS, second cousin ,twice removed. Photo from Ancestry public tree.
Valuation Roll1855 Tenant of Lands of High Park, John Kerr
1865 Tenant of Lands of High Park, Mrs John Kerr
1885 Prop. Christina Guthrie Baroness Oranmore and Brown, tenant Jane Rankine or Kerr, Farm and House of High Park - Note that this is the first mention of the farm house at High Park
1895 Prop. The Hon. Geoffrey Guthrie, tenant John Kirk.
1905 Prop. Lord Oranmore and Browne, tenant John Lamont Murdoch. John Murdoch emigrated to Canada.
1920 Tenant James Martin.
1925 Prop. Daniel Stewart, tenant James Hewitson.
1940 Prop. James Martin.
