People of the Parish

The following entry was made in the Buittle Parochial Board, Registration of Applications Register, in the year 1892.

"30 April 1892. William McFegan, Scroggiehill. Aged 82 years. Widower. An agricultural labourer now wholly disabled by old age.

"The Pauper was born at Bombie Hill, Parish of Kirkcudbright. His wife - Elizabeth Slater - died 8 years ago (October 1883). He has resided 2 years in present house and 52 years at Hopehead, also in this Parish. Has been confined to bed for about 5 weeks. His family are:
Jessie - Daughter, at home, field worker, unmarried.
Robert - Son, married with family (3 at home), Ploughman at Terreglestown, near Dumfries.
John - Son, married with family (2 at home), in service of horse-dealer, 82 English Street, Dumfries.
David - Son, Married with family (5 at home), 8 Ram's Road, Muirkirk (Ayrshire).
Jeanie - Daughter, married to Mr. William Anderson, Govan (Glasgow)
Nicholas - Daughter, married Mr. John Murray, Ploughman, lately of Boreland of Kirkcudbright. (Has a family).
Margaret - Grand-daughter (daughter of Mary McFegan) at service in Thornhill, has an Illegitimate son Matthew (15 months), being brought up at Pauper's.
Also an Illegitimate Grand-daughter Lizzie (Daughter of Jeannie McFegan) has been brought home from service just now."

The earliest record of William in Buittle Parish I have so far been able to find is in 1840. The Old Parish Records show the birth of a son on the 25th June 1840: William, born to William McFegan and Elizabeth Slater, at Hopehead. He was christened on 19th July of the same year.

The census of 1841 lists William, aged between 25 and 30, working as an Agricultural Labourer. Elizabeth is shown as being between 20 and 25 years old, and they have three children: The eldest was a girl, Nicholas (in this area Nicholas was regularly used as a name for a female child, as were Maxwell and Stewart) aged 5, Margaret, aged 3 and the above William, their first son aged 1 year.

In 1842 another birth is recorded, that of another son - Robert. He was born 11th September and baptised 3rd October same year.

The recording of deaths in the Old Parish Records around this time was not attended to very well, and there is no record of it, but the first son William must have died whilst still very young because, on 15th November 1845 another son was born and on Christmas Eve of the same year he was baptised, and also given the name William (a common practice if an earlier child died).

On 29th March 1847 another daughter, Mary McTaggart McFegan, was born, and on 17th May 1850 a son John. The 1851 census has four of the children there, as well as a visitor (possibly a seasonal worker - on Milton Park Farm where William worked.

Hopehead cottages, for there were three cottages there judging by the 1841 census, were tied cottages occupied by workers on Milton Park estate. They were situated at the crossroads of the 'Military Road', and Greenthorn Road which ran from Palnackie, past the church and Halketleaths, to Mollance in Crossmichael Parish. It is mentioned in the 2nd Statistical Account of 1844, viz:

At Hopehead, on the line of the old military road from Castle Douglas to Dumfries, there is a common plane tree, known by the name of the Forge-tree, equaled by few if any, in this neighbourhood. It girths 15 feet at three feet and a-half from the ground. Its branches extend horizontally, and form an exact circle of 76 feet in diameter, the extremities of which are not more than five feet from the ground. The top is of a conical shape, and, when covered with foliage, affords an agreeable shade, and presents a magnificent appearance. There are no records from which its precise age can be ascertained; but, according to tradition, it was a full-grown tree in the reign of King William III.; and it may have derived its name from His Majesty having passed that road with his army on his way to Ireland, and his cavalry having erected a forge there for the purpose of shoeing their horses. The trunk contains 100 feet, and the branches upwards of 200 feet of measurable timber. There is a considerable cavity above the first row of branches, the depth of which has not been ascertained, owing to its being filled with stones. This is the only mark which it exhibits of decay.

Another son, David. is recorded as being born 6th August 1853, but with the introduction of the Registrar a year later, I have not been able to establish the date of birth of Jessie or Jeannie, who appear to have been born after this.

The final chapter in William McFagan's story is recorded on a gravestone in Buittle Old Church Yard. He must have been taken to his son Robert's at Dumfries for his terminal care because the stone reads:

Erected by David McFegan, in memory of his mother Elizabeth Slater, wife of William McFegan, who died at Hopehead, 25th Oct. 1883, aged 67 years. Also William McFegan, her husband, who died at Terreglestown, 17th Oct. 1893, aged 84 years.

After his death many of the valuation rolls list the house(s) as being empty, and eventually ruinous. Whilst there is no good news regarding the Forge Tree, which was only relatively recently I believe, removed, the house has now been fully restored and modernised, with an attractive and mature garden.

Should any member of William McFegan's family ever read this, I would be delighted to hear from them. I would especially like to get a photograph of him, or of Hopehead around the time he lived there. I can be contacted by e-mail as shown below, or personally at the address/phone number shown on my home page.

James Bell
Sept. 1999

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Last modified: October 05, 1999