This is a transcript from the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald from January 27, 1866. The whole article was serialised into eight weekly parts, the first four concerning clergy and their ministries. It appears to be a collection of reminiscences dictated by an aged village resident to the author and prompted by the headstones in Auchinleck churchyard, many of which may now be illegible.. The subject matter has not been fact checked by the Cumnock History Group. The sections pertaining to the people of the parish begin here at part five.
Ayrshire
Auchinleck Churchyard
In former times there was several families of the Boswells in different parts of the parish, and who had several farms attached to them, the whole of which is now connected with the Auchinleck estate except a farm or two which now belongs to the Marquis of Bute.
One of them had his residence at the Hill. There is only an old tree or two to point out where the house stood. There was the Boswells of Knockcreen, the old house of which was but recently pulled down to make way for new farm offices, etc. There was a family of that name in Broomfield which we suppose was the same as the Knockcreen family; and there was also the Boswells of Craigston, which is the place where Craigstone House now stands, the property of the Eglinton Iron Company, and where the Lugar Iron-works and Village is erected. From and old grave-stone that has been recently repaired, we learn that David Boswell of Craigstone has been laird of several farms in that neighbourhood, all of which are taken up more or less with the iron-works. The following is the inscription on the stone at the south-west corner of the old Burying Ground. -
"Here lyeth the corps of the deceased David Boswell, Laird of Craigstone, Pathead, Dickstone, Braehead, Burnside, and Bello-Miln, who departed this Life Upon The 30 Day of Novr. in the Year of God 1728, Leaving Behind Him Jean Hunter, His Spouse, 3 Sons and 5 Daughters. Here leyes His consecrated Dust, Whose Constant Care It Was Oblidging to All, Compassionate to the Destryest, Useful to Serve His Friends, Forgiven to His Foes."
One of his daughters married the Laird of Knockcreen, and is now represented by the Boswells of Garallan. Through another of the daughters they are represented in the family of Gibbs, whose great great great grandson, Sir Alexander Boswell Gibb, has recently renewed the stone.
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Next to the Boswells, the Cochranes of Waterside appear to have been a powerful family in the parish. Their house, which is long since extinct, stood on the lands of Waterside near to where the Dumfries House Garden now is. There is no part of the walls of the house standing but several very large oak trees that had formed the avenue or approach to the house. A well still stands, with the building over it, in a field at Pennyland, with J. Cochrane, 1706, upon it. We believe it is the only building that still stands belonging to them. The lands now belong to the Marquis of Bute, and they are in the immediate neighbourhood of his Mansion Dumfries House. Their place of sepulchre is still pointed out beside the Old Kirk, but there is no stone or inscription of any kind to show that there ever had been a family of that name. The only stone bearing the name is a very small headstone, with the following inscription -
"Thomas Cochrane and Janet Good, 1728"
Whether they are the same Cochranes we do not know.
The old gravestones have been often ransacked by those who count kindred with Cochrane of Clippens, in order to see if they could help them in furthering their claim: and even some of the old stones, which about thirty years ago were put down over the coffins in the graves to protect the bodies being disturbed by the resurrectionists and sold to the doctors, were again raised, in order that some of them might tell some tales of the past with regard to that family, but all to no purpose.
We see from a note of Mr Dunn's that one of the Cochranes had left an acre of land for the place. There is a field near the church that still retains the name of the Acre, which is supposed to be the same; but it appears that Lord Auchinleck had made some compensation to the parish for it.
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A James Hair, of Lightshaw, who died in 1745 left to the poor of this parish 500 merks; but we do not know what interest he had in the parish as Lightshaw is in the parish of Muirkirk.
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Another of the heritors was the Wallaces of Wallaceton. At one time they had several farms in the parish and also some lands in Cumnock. Their old flat stone, which bears the arms of that illustrious family, has, beside the arms, a representation of the cord or "woodery" with which Sir William Wallace tied the Barns of Ayr, when he set fire to them and burnt the English who were there enclosed. It also bears the representation of a head, sandglass, cross-bones, etc., with the inscription :-
"Memento Mori, IW. MB 1676. Jas. Wallace"
The farm remained in the possession of the Wallaces 'til within the last thirty years when it was sold to the late John Robertson of Duncanziemuir and is now the property of Robert Robertson, writer, Ayr. On this farm, about 25 years ago, was made the first discovery of black band iron stone in this district, and it was worked by the Muirkirk Iron Company, and carted to the furnaces at Muirkirk, which has been the means of opening up many pits of ironstone, as well as establishing the Lugar Iron-works and the other mineral fields in the district.
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Another of the heritors is the Mitchells of Hallglenmuir. They have a flat stone with no inscription, and we believe there is none of the family now in the district. The lands of Hallglenmuir was afterwards sold to the late David Limond of Dalblair, and since his death was sold to Colonel Burnett of Gadgirth who has carried out large improvements on it.
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Next to the Michells is the burying place of the Gibbs of Dalblair. They appear to been a considerable time in the parish. Part of his family is still in the neighbourhood. He died about 1796. One of his sons was an excise officer, and died in 1800. The lands were afterwards sold to the late David Limond, Esq., and since his death have been sold to Daniel Lade Esq., who is now carrying on large improvements on the estate.
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Just beside the burial place of the Gibbs of Dalblair, is the burying ground of the Fishers. There is a very old stone, but it is illegible, it must be upward of 200 years old, and there is a cut on it a representation of a pond with three fishes swimming in it. Beside it there is a handsome stone, with an inscription, which was erected as a tribute of respect by Mr Fisher in Ochiltree, in memory of his father who died in 1810. It appears from the pond with fishes, that they must be the crest or arms of that family.
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Next to the burial place of the Fishers is the burying place of the Arthurs. They were a very old family in the parish. Some of the family were in the Dykes, we believe, for some generations. Their old stone, which has a head and cross bones, has the following letters
"D.A. M.M. 1684. A.A."
They are now all out of the parish.
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There has also been a John Reid of Duncanziemuir, who had had it for a considerable time, and who had died in 1785, and his eldest son in 1806. It was afterwards sold to Mr Robertson, the father of the present proprietor. A daughter of Reids of Duncanziemuir was married to the late Chas. Howatson of Cronberry, who died in 1822. It afterwards became the property of the late Dr Andrew Howatson who died in 1827; and afterwards it was for many years litigated in the Court of Session by Mr Wm. Howatson, the second son, and a brother-in-law, a Mr Murdoch in Paisley, the result of which was that the lands had to be sold, and they are now the property of the Eglinton Iron Company.
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Of the other heritors that were in the parish, there does not appear to be any burying ground, at least there are no stones with inscriptions to show it, with the exception of Wm. Samson of Rigg. The old flat stone belonging to the Samsons was let down into the grave over the remains of some of the family, so that the date is not known. He had erected a stone to his wife with the following inscription -
"To the memory of Jean Linnox, spouse to William Samson in Auchinleck Mill, who died March 4th, 1805, age 49 years, whose remains lie here with two children, leaving a husband and nine children to regret her loss, as she was a woman who always lived a quiet life"
He died 6th October 1826, aged 77 years. There is also a handsome monument erected by his son, George Samson of Rigg, in memory of his wife and part of his family. He died in 1840. The farm of Rigg was soon afterwards sold, and is now the property of Mr Templeton, carpet manufacturer, Ayr. Besides Samson of Rigg there is Samson in Knockcreen, and Samson, miller in Bridgend Mill. There is also an old stone of another Samson, with the following inscription who also was a miller. After a representation of a man cut out on the back of the stone, there are cross bones, compass and square,
"I.S. 1742. Here lyes the corps of James Samson, milner and wright in Burnock Miln, who lived there 27 years, within the parish of Ochiltree, who died at Auchinleck, the 19th of December, 1741. Here lyes the corps of Margret Wilson of Auchinleck, who died Feby. 9th 1740. This stone is erected by Mary Samson, daughter to James Samson, and spouse to Ninian Wilson, at Auchinleck 1742."
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There is a very old stone, which is now built into the wall of the churchyard; perhaps it is the oldest of any of the stones we have mentioned, but unfortunately the date cannot be made out. Tradition, however, carries down the following ;- On the stone there is the representation of four oxen yoked to a plough, with a driver or gadsman at the head of them, and the ploughman holding the plough. The plough in those days has been of very simple construction. It is said that they were ploughing near to where the Ballochmyle viaduct is now built, and the whole of them, men and oxen, went over one of the precipices into the Water of Ayr, and were killed. The name of the party is said to be Lowdon, but as there is no inscription on the stone, we have only given the traditional description of it.
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Having taken a glance at a few of the heritors of the parish, we will now notice some of the old stones, and amongst the oldest of these is that of the Templetons.
There are a number of families of the name belonging to the parish. It is said the Templetons were in Hapland for more than four hundred years. They have been residents in the parish from a very early period. There were also Templetons in Woodside from a very early period. They left about 30 years ago, and the houses are now demolished. The farm of Woodside and Hapland is now joined into Glenside. They have several very old stones - one of them with cross bones, skull etc. and the initials IT.IF.1667 HF. There is another old stone, George Templeton, Hapland 1686; and there is also a Templeton, Woodside. 1710. There are several families of the Templetons still in the place. There is a row of houses called Temple-town which in our schoolboy days was filled with Templetons. There was a Mr James Templeton who was long a merchant and cheese-dealer, and who was a leading man in the place. He also carried on the baking trade, which is still carried on by one of his sons. James Templeton, in Woodside, was long an elder in the church here; and James Templeton, weaver, who was a man of great ability, held the same office long in the church here , and afterwards in the Free Church, Cumnock. They both died about twenty years ago. Several others of the Templetons also filled similar offices in the Original Secession Church. The most of them were endowed with good talents for their learning, and were generally well respected in the place. Many of their families are scattered over the country in different spheres of life. One of them, Mr A. Templeton, Bannockburn, has published several poetical pieces - of considerable merit;- while another, Mr George Templeton, son of Mr John Templeton, baker, is at present a popular lecturer in connection with the Scottish Temperance League.
continued March 24th 1866 -
Part 6
Amongst the many prominent names we have brought before our readers, there is one that stands pre-eminent which, we think, must be next in order, and that is the Pedens. Mr Alexander Peden, who was for some time minister at Glenluce, and afterwards a celebrated preacher at conventicles, whose name is a household word in almost every family in this district, was buried in the churchyard here. Many writers state that he was buried in the Auchinleck Isle - among others the author of the Scots Worthies - but we beg to differ from them, as we will try to show that such was not the case. We knew an old man well, lately deceased, who recollects of his grandfather telling him that when he was a little boy, eight or nine years old, he remembered the soldiers opening the grave where Peden was buried - taking out the corpse and placing it up against the wall of the church, and that it was just behind the minister's gate, or "wee yett", as it was generally called, which was a gate the minister used coming from the manse to the church. Now that same burying place is still the burying ground of the Pedens, and we believe must have been so long before Peden's time, as we will show afterwards. The tree that used to go by the name of Peden's Tree, in our young days, is quite near to it, so that there was every likelihood of the soldiers hanging up his winding sheet on the tree beside where they had lifted his corpse, whereas if he had been buried in the isle there would be a distance of about one hundred yards to remove it; but again, if it had not been the burying place of the Pedens, how was he brought from the parish of Sorn, or as some have it Mauchline, to be buried here. It is said he died at Ten Shilling Side, which is in the parish of Mauchline. How then would it come that he was buried in the isle which is the burying place of the Boswells? If any of that family had given them liberty to bury him in their own private isle, was there none in that family not powerful enough to have prevented the lifting of his body afterwards. We consider, if he had ever been buried there, the House of Auchinleck would have taken care to prevent the desecration of his corpse afterwards. We are inclined to believe that he was buried in the same place which is still used by the Pedens in Knowe, Pedens in Oldbyre, Pedens in Treeshill, Pedens in the Hill of Merlin, and several families of them in the village.
Now, one of the oldest stones that is readable of the Pedens is an Alex. Peden of Greenfoot, Sorn, June 1708, which shews that although some of the Pedens were in Sorn and Mauchline parishes, their place of burial was in Auchinleck, and that in that same place Mr A.Peden was laid before they removed him to the Gallows Foot at Cumnock, where he lies beside those martyrs who sealed their testimony with their blood. At Cumnock, an Alexander Peden in Knowe died in 1794, aged 86 years and Jean Craig, his spouse, died in Jan., 1752. The Pedens are still in Knowe, and are descendants of Mr A. Peden. Again there is a James Peden, in Oldbyre, who died in 1804 at an advanced age, and whose wife, Margaret Templeton, died in 1775. Their descendants are still in Oldbyre; and there was another family of them for many years in Treeshill. They are now out of the farm, but several of the family still reside in the parish. There is also the Pedens in Hill of Merlin, who have been there for several generations. There is another stone erected to the memory of Marion Peden, spouse of Alex. Gibson in Barglade, who was born at Oldbyre, and died in 1750, so it appears that the Pedens have been in the parish from a very remote period.
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The next in order is the Wyllies, who have been connected with the parish from a very early date. There have been several families of them, in some of which, mechanical ingenuity, were far before their age. The oldest stone that we can make out is in1690. The inscription on it is
"Here lyes the corps of William Weylli, 1690", with head and cross bones cut on the stone, surrounded with "Memento Mori, B.S., M.W.,I.W., I W." "Margaret Jamison, John Weylie, her son, M.J."
The next oldest stone of the Weylies has the following inscription -
"Here lyes the corps of James Wyllie, who died Feby., 26, 1715, this being erected by Christian Halbert, his spouse."
One of the first that we recollect of was James Wyllie, gunsmith, who carried out his trade as a gunmaker at the Toll at the head of the village. He also kept a public house, which was the Market Inn. He was always considered a very ingenious man, and we believe he was the author of, and brought into use many inventions. In his time he had a monopoly of the gun trade from the gentlemen in the district, and we believe was one of the first inventors of the rifle which has since been brought to such perfection. He also made the first tools which were used for making the joints of the wooden snuff-boxes - a trade which was carried on so extensively in this district for many years. We also recollect of an air gun of his own invention. He was a great friend and admirer of William Murdoch, Bellowmill, the eminent engineer, and always when he visited his native place, he spent a few hours with him. He died about forty years since, and left several sons and daughters, one of them Robert, carried on the gunsmith trade for many years, and also the box-making trade. He also is dead upwards of 20 years since, leaving one son, who carried on the box trade, but the gun trade was not carried on after his death. His son is also dead and has left a widow and three children. We may also remark that the whole of them were celebrated in their day for curling. The Merlin Loch was one of his fields, and he always did his utmost to encourage young players. He has one son still alive in Stewarton, and one daughter considerably above eighty in Cumnock, widow of the late James Crawford, banker, there. Another of the families was James Wyllie, who is dead upwards of thirty years since. He was a sheriff-officer and town-crier. He used, on all public occasions, to go through the village with the drum, accompanied by another man, who carried the halbert, all of which is now long since done away. His widow, Agnes Cowan, died about the beginning of this month (March) at the age of nearly four score and ten years. He has a son James Wyllie, who is still in the village, and he has several sons who are miners and engine -keepers. Another of the families appears to have been long settled in Catrine, and still retain their burying place here. There is also Charles Wyllie, farmer in Whitehill, Cumnock, who is dead nearly 40 years since. One of his daughters is still alive in Cumnock (Mrs Anderson). His son Charles Wyllie, who was also farmer in Whitehill, died upwards of 20 years since; and his brother William, who was farmer in Barmickhill, Cumnock, is also dead many years since. There are none of their families in Whitehill or Barmickhill now. There are also the Wyllies in Cumnock who appear to be another branch of one of the families, and who are still represented in the male line by Mr William Wyllie, shoemaker in Cumnock. Such is a very hurried sketch of the Wyllies, many of whom deserve a better biography than we have it in our power to give them.
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The next we will mention is the Murrays. They also have been long residents in the parish, although none of the dates on their gravestones extend very far back. The earliest is William Murray, in Rodenhead, who died 4th March, 1807, aged 93 years, and his wife, who died ~Sept. 20th, 1798, aged 77 years. James Murray, their son, farmer in Roadenhead, died 4th Sept., 1829, aged 82 years. He was a man of very exemplary character. He died unmarried at Rodenhead. His brother, William Murray, farmer in Conniston, died at Catrine, 23rd December, 1831 aged 82 years; part of his family still live in Catrine; and Thomas Murray, another son, who died 3rd June, 1841, aged 83 years; and Jean Guthrie, his wife, who died 7th July, 1856, aged 85 years. Thomas left a numerous family, the eldest of whom was the late James Murray of the Dumfries Hotel, who died 13th October, 1853 age 51 years, and whose family is still carrying on the same extensive hotel, besides several farms in the district - part of the family are still living in Catrine.
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The next in order is the McKerrows. There has been a great number of families of that name but none of the dates on their gravestones go very far back. The oldest, we believe, is now removed; it was a McKerrow in Carbello. A son of his afterwards died at Sykeside in Cumnock. A grandson of his was George McKerrow, some time in Blackfauld, Cumnock, afterwards in Auchenbay, Ochiltree, who died lately, and left a numerous family, one of whom is a farmer at Doonholm, Ayr, another, farmer in Dedillan, Sorn. Another of the original families was Wm. McKerrow, farmer in Craigstone, who died in 1807, and Isabella Hood his wife who died in 1789. His son George McKerrow was farmer laterly in Dixton, and died at an advanced age. His son, James is still farmer there. Another of his sons still survives, David McKerrow who was long farmer at Cronberry and for the last twenty years at Rodenhead. He is a respected elder of the Church in Auchinleck, and is a man of good abilities. He has a large family. One of his sons (William) was a farmer in Crofthead, Sorn, but died in 1855 - his family still being in that farm. There is also the McKerrows in Darval, who were long there, but left a few years back. He has also a son residing in the parish. Another of the Darval family was long farmer in Garleffan, and had a very large family of sons. He has one son still in High Garleffan, another in the Black Bull Hotel, Cumnock, and several others. There is another branch of the McKerrows. James McKerrow, who was born at Tavreach, lately farmer in Boreland, died at Auchinleck 5th Oct., 1832 aged 98 years. His grandson still carries on the farm of Boreland, and another of his sons was Mr Matthew McKerrow, late banker in Cumnock. There are yet several families of the McKerrows that we have not mentioned. There was James McKerrow long a blacksmith in the village, whose sons carry on the business very extensively in the same line. One of whom is Mr A McKerrow, manufacturer, Beansburn near Kilmarnock, and his son James who succeeded his father in the smith trade here.
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Besides the Murdochs there is one name that stands forth illustrious with regard to the parish and that is the McGavins. How long they might be in the parish we have no means of knowing, but they were for a considerable time farmers in Darnlaw. From their monument we learn the following:-
"This monument was erected by James McGavin, late farmer in Darnlaw, in memory of John McGavin and Elizabeth Cochran, his parents - John McGavin died Oct. 17, 1777, aged 82 years; and Elizabeth Cochran, June 16 1765 aged 58 years."
James McGavin left Darnlaw with his family in May 1783, and died at Paisley 24th Jan., 1789 in his 59th year. John McGavin and Elizabeth Cochran were grandfather and grandmother to William McGavin, the author of "The Protestant", and James McGavin his father left Darnlaw when our author was only ten years old. They were brought up in the principles of the anti-burghers; they are now termed the Original Seceders. Before they had the meeting house at the Rigg, they used to preach at Darnlaw in a small field contiguous to the dwelling house. The house was built in 1746 when they were farmers there and office houses were removed and attached to the dwelling house about the year 1764. The dwelling house still remains, but the offices have been rebuilt a few years back. Some time after our author went to Paisley. He connected himself with the independents or congregational body. He afterwards removed to Glasgow, where he was first merchant and afterwards banker. During this time he wrote and issued "The Protestant", a work and a controversy that was carried on with great pith and merit, and has emblazoned around his a name that will go down to posterity as one that has benefitted his country and has been a great champion for truths of the Bible which he so nobly advocated. A number of his relatives still live in the parish and we have now the pleasure of seeing his name handed down to posterity in this district by a plain but neat monument erected to his memory by a "young mortality". It stands conspicuous near the gate at the entrance into the churchyard within a few yards of their burying place and on the old monument the inscription is as follows:-
"Sacred to the Memory of Wm. McGavin, Merchant in Glasgow, Author of the Protestant. He was born at Darnlaw, in this parish in 1773. Died at Glasgow 25th August 1832, Aged 59 years.
Princes and Lords are but the breath of Kings,
An honest man's the noblest work of God"
Such is the inscription which is on the monument. It was put up without any show or ostentation. The Rev. Dr Chrystal, and the other ministers in the district were willing to have given a helping hand, but as the weather was very unfavourable for an out-door display, it was considered better to dispense with it. As we have carried our notes to too great a length this week we will be obliged to put off the Murdochs of Bellowmill 'till next week, when we expect we will bring our churchyard articles to a close.
(to be continued)
continued April 7, 1866
Part 7
The Murdochs appear to have been residents of the parish from a very early date and to several of them we are indebted for many of the improvements which have taken place during the end of last century as well as in the present. It appears that they have nearly all sprung from the same branch of Murdochs; as their burial places are nearly all contiguous to each other. Many of their grave-stones are very old, but there are no inscriptions on them, with the exception of the initials and date, such as "A.M., M.C., 1681, J.M., J.F., 1742", and several others of a similar date. As we have stated, there are several branches, all of which appear to have been from the same family. About 200 years ago, one of the Murdochs in Commondyke was the originator of Murdoch and Aitken, the engineers in Hill Street of Glasgow, who have turned out so many engines to almost every quarter of the globe, and brought that celebrated firm into repute. Several of the family still survive - a sister of his being still in the parish, who has numerous family. There are also several grandchildren in the neighbourhood. Old Commondyke died upwards of 30 years ago at a great age.
There was also Murdoch in Raw (now Blackston), who died about 40 years since. Several of his grandchildren being still in the neighbourhood, some of whom have carried on the building trade in Cumnock for a long time back. There was also another branch of them in High Park, none of whose descendants are now in the parish, but several of whom are carrying on engineering and other trades both in England and Scotland. High Park stood where the Railway Bridge now crosses the Birnieknow Road, but is long since extinct.
There were also the Murdochs of Pighall in North Auchengibert, several of whose descendants are still in the district.
There was also a David Murdoch in Highhouse, who kept an alehouse in his time. As the Highhouse stands in a line with the wall of the churchyard, many of those attending church from the parish brought their dinner of mashlam scones, and such other food as was common in those days, and went into the Highouse and got a bicker or stoup of stout yill for a penny. Old "Lord Auchinleck" was a regular attender at both diets of worship, and he also often went there during the interval, but David is now long gone the way of all the earth. The inscription on his tombstone says:
"Here lyes the body of David Murdoch, in Highhouse of Auchinleck, who died January 10 1789 aged 64 years."
There was also a David Murdoch who was the session clerk at the time when Mr Dun was settled minister here in 1752. There are also the Murdochs who were long in Common, and who were cousins to the author of The Protestant, a number of whose descendants are still in the parish, one of whom has long been a gardener to the Marquis of Bute at Dumfries House, and one of his daughters (Mrs Alexander) is considerably above fourscore, and has been a widow for several years, and has several sons, all of whom are farmers in this parish as well as one, who besides having several farms, has long been a carrier and cheese dealer in the neighbourhood.
Then there were the Murdochs in Dalsalloch. Old David Murdoch was long farmer and horse dealer. About fifty years ago he drove a large trade, principally in Irish horses. He was succeeded by one of his sons, who afterwards removed to the farm of Goatfoot, Galston, and died some years since. Several sons and daughters are still in the place, while many of their descendants are now in Australia and New Zealand.
There was a brother, Wm. Murdoch, who was long a mason in the place. We believe only one of his sons is alive, Mr Jas. Murdoch, who has long carried on an extensive trade as agent for hand-sewing.
There were also Murdochs in Cottar-tacks, a house which has long since disappeared. He was an elder in the church and much respected. He had a son, John Murdoch, who was a customer weaver, and though some dispute became very eccentric in his habits and manners. He left the church at Auchinleck and attended the Secession Church in Cumnock. His wife, also was most regular in her attendance, but in going or coming she had always to keep a respectful distance behind him, and if she happened to approach too near, he would turn about and tell her to keep her distance. As his house was near the school, seldom a day past but some of the boys and he were in contact. He used to play on the fiddle or violin; and, when a wedding took place, John was generally called into requisition, He generally made as much noise with his mouth , bum, bumming away, as with the fiddle. He went generally by the nickname of "Pin", which was given him as the Scotch Haggis says, in the following manner;- Being unwell, he was attended by a Dr Wilson from Cumnock, who ordered an injection. The next time the Dr called, he told him "He had cut the skin and drank the brae, but the pin he could not manage", which name he always retained afterwards; but both John and his wife are long since gone the way of all the earth. He had a daughter who died a few years ago in the village, considerably above fourscore years.
There was also a Murdoch in Orchard, who was brother to old Bellomill. He carried on the wright and joiner trade. He left two sons, who both carried on the joiner trade in the village. About 35 or 40 years ago the sons of George Murdoch established and carried on a new and very extensive trade at making boxes. It appeared at one time to be both flourishing and lucrative, nearly one hundred hands being engaged with them, but their trade soon got into disorder, and the box-making declined, so that it is now only carried on here by Mr Wm. Johnstone, who still employs a few hands at it. Their families are all now out of the place. The son of William Murdoch carried on the joiner trade. He was also a mechanic, but had not funds to carry forward his schemes. He invented several implements with regard to making boxes, which we believe other parties got the benefit of. He is only a few months dead, and his three sons still carry on the trade.
We now come to the Murdochs of Bellomill, whose name has put a halo of lustre around our native village. Bellomill is situated at the junction of the Bello-water with the Lugar, and quite contiguous to the Lugar Iron Works. How long they were in the mill we have no means of knowing. In 1745 one of them left a staff to be always kept by the oldest Murdoch in the parish, and it appears he was the oldest at that time. The inscription is as follows;-
"This staff I leave in pedigree to the oldest Murdoch after me in the parish of Auchinleck, 1745."
The staff at the present time is in the possession of Mrs Rankin, Lugar, who is a niece of the celebrated Wm. Murdoch.
We may mention a few of those who have had the staff in our day - we think the first was James Murdoch, Commondyke; next Hugh Murdoch, Common; next Robert Murdoch, High Park; next James Murdoch, Raw; John Murdoch, Pin; John Murdoch, Raw; Jean Murdoch, and now Ann Murdoch or Rankin, Bellomill. The whole of these, with one exception, lived from 80 to 90 years. Old Bellomill was a millwright. He had several sons. He also carried on the mill.
(concluded in our next)
May 19th 1866
Part 8
The next in order after the Murdochs are the Gibbs. They appear to have been residents in the parish from an early date, and there have been a number of families of them. The oldest stone is on the grave of Henry Gibb, cooper, who died in 1743. They appear to have been coopers from an early date and the place where they lived was called Cooperhall, most probably from their trade being that of coopers. At that time there were no feus in the village - the only houses that then were, was the Kirkland, which is now enclosed into the churchyard. There were no feu leases in what is now the village of Auchinleck 'till about 1770. About 1757 Lord Auchinleck purchased the ground on which the village is built, and all the land as far up the parish as the farm of Common, from John Cochrane of Waterside, whose house was at the foot of the new Dumfries House garden, in this big parish where may still be seen the rows of big old healthy trees close to where the mansion stood.
The boundary between the barony of Auchinleck and Waterside property was in a small run of water or syke, taking its rise in the moss above the High Park Quarry, and finding its way down thence all the way through a meadow to the west of the church to Cottartack's Quarry (so named from some small dwellings or cots standing near to it). This syke or burn, crossing the middle of the village is now called the wee burn.
In 1744 John Cochrane of Waterside granted a lease of nineteen years to those houses, yards and particles of land, lying near to the kirk of Auchinleck, commonly known as Cooperhall, near Kirk Affleck, to Andrew Gibb, cooper, deceased. The high and laigh parks, meadow and yards measuring 13 acres, 1 rood, and 29 falls Scots (exclusive of the yards); and also, the right to the cutting and carrying away of peats from Airsmoss, at the yearly rental of £15 Scots, payable at Whitsunday and Martinmas, in equal portions. The lease is written on a ninepence quire sheet, and sixpenny stamp, by John McCroskie, writer in Cumnock, and he along with Archibald Campbell, writer in Edinburgh, are witnesses. The above lease appears to have been cancelled after a 13 years' possession, when Waterside sold to Auchinleck. As Lord Auchinleck, in 1757 granted a 19 years' lease of the same possession at the yearly rent of £3 17s 5½d to Andrew Gibb, cooper and which was continued by James Boswell Esq., to his widow, Elspeth Gemmill, sister to the Laird of Berg, New Cumnock, 'till her decease in 1794. Cooperhall was, about the year 1760, let as a feu by Lord Auchinleck to the present Andrew Gibb, cooper, for 999 years, it being about the third or fourth feu that was let in the village. There were only three houses in what in now Auchinleck, in 1740, viz., Meadowhead, occupied by James Gibb, which is near to where the railway crosses the village; Cooperhall, at the Saugh Tree, now occupied by Mr John Reid, inkeeper; and Gateside, now called the Boswell Arms Inn, at the Cross-roads.
There were then several dwellings with gables and lum-tops, close on the east side of the kirkyard, which still bears the name of Ringan's yard, which is so called from a Ninian or Ringan Wilson living in them. The writer of this article recollects of some of these houses being occupied, but they are all now enclosed in the beautiful grounds that surround the church, and on the west side, High-House, occupied by John Gibb, hosier, father of Elspeth Gibb, Coal Creoch, New Cumnock. The road from the church to Auchinleck house then went past High-House, and along the side of an avenue of large trees, still to be seen and away along the foot of the Hill Crofts.
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Smuggling was carried on to a great extent in the village. Between 1780 and 1790 there were no fewer than ten wee stills at work. Some of them often made hairbreadth escapes. We may afterwards particularise a few of them such as "Provost Gibb", "Captain Mc Burnie", etc.
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About the same time there were a number of silk weavers in the village, but there were no muslin wavers then in it. It is only a few years since one of these silk weavers died- a much respected laird in the parish of New Cumnock.
The females in the industrious families in these days made what was called woollen sale yarn. The writer's aunts, Jean and Janet Gibb, daughters of Andw. Gibb, and Elspeth Gemmill, used to purchase the Whitehaugh Farm wool from their uncle, Gavin Gemmill in Garpel, Muirkirk, and Jean spun the wool on the big wheel, and sold the yarn to purchasers who came round with carts periodically for the purpose.
Cooperhall was a public house in 1791. The licence was granted by purchasing a sheet of paper, on which was impressed two stamps- one 20s, and the other 10s 6d. The whisky was sold at twopence per gill, and the ale at twopence per bottle.
In these days salt was carried in sacks on horseback, from Salt Pans, near Troon, to Auchinleck.
John Foster, for many years mail driver between Cumnock and Kilmarnock, who was born at Rodgerton in this parish, and was a most trustworthy man recollected when there were neither plantation trees, hedges, nor stone made roads between Hill Farm and Hillend Burn; and no made road from Auchinleck to Sorn. The first of it that was made was by the late James Gibb in Backhill and Glenshamerock, and the bridge that was built over Hillend Burn was built by John Hutchieson, father of the late Mrs Dr. Boyd, and grandfather to Dr A.R.H. Boyd, St. Andrews. John Foster also recollected the time when there was neither tree, fence, nor hedge between Bridgend and Woodend, at Cumnock bridge, and no avenue of trees at Knockcroon; all round Gateside was heather, and 'till lately, was called Knockroon Muir.
Andrew Gill, cooper, had a son, Andrew Gibb, who was for half a century factor on the Auchinleck estate. He also left a large family, several of whom still survive. The inscription on the stone placed over his grave is as follows.
"In memory of Mary Rankin, spouse to Andw. Gibb, overseer at Auchinleck, who died 25th Feb, 1804, aged 27 years. Andw. Gibb, cooper, in Auchinleck, his father, who died 28th Feb. 1773, aged 50 years; and of Elspeth Gemmell, his mother who died 10th May, 1794, aged 67 years; Janet Gibb, his sister, who died 7th March, 1837 in her 74th year. The above named Andrew Gibb, factor, Auchinleck, died 2nd March 1839, in the 72d year of his age."
There is also a family of the Gibbs still carrying on the cooper trade, both in Old and New Cumnock.
There were also the Gibbs of Barglachan, who were also related to the Gibbs of Cooperhall, the Gibbs , lairds of Dalblair in this parish, and the Gibbs in Backhill, several of whom still survive, and who have numerous descendants.
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We are indebted, for the greatest part of this article, to and old parishioner who is now in Roxburghshire. He says "Great changes have taken place since I was a school-boy, and I may say indeed, where are my companions of these days? Few of them now live, either at home or in the colonies. I may yet assist you in giving you a note of the worthies who lived in and around Auchinleck from 1810 to 1825, such as Sandy Walker, Johnny Crawford, Katty Louponstane, Old Grindlay the guager, Jeanock, Annock, and Dorothy Marshall and their aunts of the woollen and tow card making, and mending notoriety, etc." an account of which will amuse many of the readers of the Herald in this district.
There the article ends, and so far we have not discovered the tantalising tales of Sandy Walker etc......
