Hi Diana, Reading this, it sounded like this mill dam was close to the Smithy and SKIMMING's Sawmill at Braehead. As you are aware, I am familiar with that area, having recently spent time there due to my ancestors having been at the Milldriggan corn mill. I checked the maps, and found the mill dam for the threshing mill at West Mains, to be marked as reported, only 300 yards east of the Smithy and Sawmill. It is a little closer to Milldriggan corn mill, but that is on the opposite side of Milldriggan Burn. The boy definitely took the closest option, as continuing on to West Mains would have been in excess of 400 yards. Unlike the Sawmill and Milldriggan corn mill, which drew water from the Milldriggan or Markhill Burn, this mill dam was on Kirkland Burn. The overflow from this dam ran into Milldriggan Burn, which is called Lane Burn downstream of this junction. The raising of the alarm by the boy from Crook leaves me wondering if he had followed poor Edward RODGERS for some time, as at that point, Whilst he was heading toward Crook, he was still over a mile short. I also wonder if Edward had made it to Carseduchan, or got part way before heading back toward Crook. Although Carseduchan is almost 5 miles from Crook, I figure he could have been there for over an hour before returning, but in the state he must have been in, one wonders where he may have wandered. Regards, Bruce __________________ >From the WFP Archives 29th May, 1862 Edward Rodgers, aged about sixty years, residing with his family at Crook, parish of Kirkinner, took breakfast at home at about 5 o'clock on the morning of the 21st inst., purposing thereafter to proceed to Carseduchan to cut peats. About 8 o'clock a young man observed him coming down through the village of Kirkinner, talking as if arguing with another individual. Shortly afterwards he was seen going through a field on the east side of Kirkinner and putting off his coat at the back of the dyke, then making a race into the mill-dam which leads to Westmains mill. An alarm was given to the blacksmith and sawyers, at Kirkinner mill, by a boy who came from Crook. Macadam and others went to the place, and took the body out of the water, but found that life was extinct. Rodgers could not have been above 15 or 20 minutes in the water when he was found as the place where he threw himself into the dam (is only) about 300 or 350 yards from the smithy and sawmill. The friends of t! he deceased have for some time past considered his mind in a weak state. Diana