I too would like to know more about everyday life and changes in landholding, etc., patterns. When I was briefly in Stranraer last summer, I spent some time in the little museum there. Full of very interesting things about life and occupations! I seem to remember something about changes in farming patterns, from the small strip farms to somewhat bigger ones, around the time of the early 19th century (or slightly before)? Does anybody have more information on this, specificially for the Stranraer area farms? My Blains seem to have been farmers and farm workers, but this changed by the middle of the 19th century. In 1841 William Blain is still a farm labourer, and living in Sun Street. By 1851 he is probably dead and his children - with birth dates from the 1810s to 1838 - are scattered. The youngest became a boilermaker and spirit dealer, an older one possibly a seaman. I think that this William Blain may have been either brother or cousin of Peter Blain who farmed at Innermessan. Any more about farming patterns and land tenancy would be much appreciated! Regards, Jenny >Jim, I also went after the same thing about my McClellands, who lived in >Wigtownshire during the same period, ending up in Kirkinner parish until >they came to the US...to Michigan, in 1851. They originally came from >Ireland and migrated to Scotland about 1815. > >I also traveled to Wigtownshire and to the town of Wigtown and bought a book >about Kirkinner that told all about everything there at that time period and >was able to use it to write up my family's story. The book was one of a >series written about Wigtownshire, including a number of books about the >parishes. They are all found there in the library in Wigtown and they sent >me to the publisher in town where we bought a copy. It's called >"A History of the Parish of Kirkinner." > >I just discovered the publisher has a website where all the books are >listed. When you click on the home page, click on "Publications" at the >left and you will see them all. The address is: >http://www.gcbooks.demon.co.uk/ > >We know that our family were common laborers who moved from farm to farm to >work when there was work to be had. But the wife's family had immigrated 20 >years earlier to Michigan and got the rest of the family to follow in 1851. >Of course the big drawing thing was land in Michigan, as other places, and >owning their own land was the thing that drew these common laborers to this >country, as were other things, of course. > >Good luck in your searches. >Barbara Lewis Gillon