My daughter, Catriona at Old Alloway Kirk beside the headstone of the family of William McCreath. Relationship to William: “Ist Cousin, 5 times removed”. Click text for larger image.

William McCreath (1802-1879), who farmed at Forehill by Ayr, married Margaret Crichton (1802-1879).  Forehill was a farm of 80 arable acres, requiring the employment of two labourers. Interestingly, in the 1861 Census at Forehill, is listed a William Crichton, brother-in-law of William, the family head.  William Crichton was a Foreman Grain Merchant.

William  and Margaret  had fourteen children:

James McCreath (i) (1830-1837) Died age 7.

William McCreath (1831-1858) A Banker’s Clerk. Unmarried. Died, age 26, at Forehill on 13 July 1858.  Buried at Alloway Churchyard.

John McCreath (1834-1840) Died age 6.

Thomas McCreath (1836-1875).  Unmarried. Grain Merchant (earlier a Steam Boat Agent’s Clerk). The stone in Alloway Kirk records his place of death as Alexandria, Egypt. His nephew, John Barr, was part-owner of a Cotton business in Egypt.

James McCreath (ii) (1838-1855) Unmarried. Drowned  in Calcutta in 1855.

Robert  McCreath (1839-1894) Farmer at Forehill. Unmarried. Died, age 55, on 2 November 1894.

Christina McCreath (1841-??) Married John Barr.

John McCreath (1843-1902) Farmer at Comlongan Mains. Unmarried.

Margaret McCreath (1844-1917) Married Thomas William Glen.

Henry McCreath (1846-1916) Married Agnes Isabella Miller.

Andrew S. McCreath (1849-1930) Married Eliza Berghaus. Emigrated to USA

Jane Ballantine McCreath (1852-1941) Unmarried. Died, age 89, on 19 July 1941 at Ayr.

David McCreath (1853-1939). Married Jane Kirkwood Campbell.

James McCreath (iii) (1857-1939) A farmer. Unmarried. Died, age 83, on 7 April 1939 at Dumfries.