More from the pen of John Martine Chapter on The Parish of Whitekirk written circa 1883 <Mr ANDREW HOWDEN, third son of Mr HOWDEN of Lawhead, died at Lawhead, 6th November 1879, aged 57, and was buried at Prestonkirk. The following appropriate notice of his death appeared in the Courier, 14th November. 'Death has removed from our midst another connecting link between the present and the past generation of East Lothian farmers. Mr Andrew Howden, who died at Lawhead on Thursday, was come of a race of agriculturists, who have for generations been connected with the county, and whose name is still a household word amongst us. Mr Howden was physically a fine type of man, tall and stalwart, and with a commanding presence, which never failed to inspire respect. It is not too much to say that there is scarcely a farmer in the county whose loss will be more widely felt, especially at the present crisis of agricultural affairs. It is well known how frequently he was consulted, and how highly his opinion was valued both by the agents of landlords, and proprietors themselves, and there was perhaps no one man upon whom his brother farmers leaned so much for advice as Andrew Howden, the familiar name with which his memory will be associated. Possessed of a clear head, and strong intellectual grasp, he had less difficulty than most men in giving a decided opinion, and his judgments though not hastily formed, were all but invariably sound. In many other respects Mr Howden might be regarded as among the most remarkable men of his class, and above all as a typical Scotchman. His wit was keen and incisive, while his humour was simply irresistible. It beamed in the features of his dark expressive face, and was heard in the tones of his deep and powerful voice. His love of poetry was great, and the extraordinary facility with which he was in the habit of quoting Shakespeare, his favourite author, was well known. But the sterling and upright qualities of his character were those which will longest survive in the memory of that large circle of his acquaintenance, who on Monday last gathered round his grave, and who have now to lament the loss of a wise counsellor, a true friend, and an honest man." Mr HOWDEN's family are still tenants of Lawhead farm, being the fourth generation there, if not more; and Mr ALEXANDER HOWDEN is the last surviving son of old Andrew Howden of Tyninghame, Lawhead. Stonelaws farm was long tenanted by Mr WILLIAM MITCHELL, a member of an old East Lothian family. He was succeeded by Mr WILLIAM HOWDEN, and after him by GEORGE NELSON, Esq., who in 1890 finished a nineteen years lease, and retired from farming. Mr NELSON was a very extensive and enterprising farmer, having at one time four farms in his hands, viz. - Castleton, Blackdykes, Stonelaws, and Newtonlees, extending to 1100 to 1200 acres, and paid over £3000 of yearly rent. He was bred a banker in the office of the British Linen Company at Montrose. It is singular to note, that Mr NELSON's father, late farmer at Wester Broomhouse, his uncle, and others of his family were born at Stonelaws in the end of the last century.> Happy Easter to you all. George Wallace Scribbled without the aid of a spell-checker :-)