From: Maisie Egger Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 1:47 PM To: LANARK@rootsweb.com Subject: Almost touching Robrt Burns, Scotland's bard Just as we are about to note the 254th birthday of Robert Burns, author of Auld Lang Syne, sung worldwide January 1, I think I am almost 99-95% sure that a great-great-great uncle of mine, referred to as Mr. Clint of King’s Arms, Dumfries, was the courier who delivered the poems of Burns to a mutual friend, John McMurdo, about 1795 (Burns would die a year later in 1796). This occurrence is mentioned in a few articles online, so it’s not made up! I’m SO excited about this as I have soaked myself in Robert Burns’s life and works forever. This Mr. Clint (Henry) could very well be the brother of John Clint whom I’m trying to pin on my tree as my grandfather three times removed. I think I am almost there as the names/location are too coincidental. It is not a common name at all in Scotland, moreso in northern Ireland and the north of England. Both Henry Clint and his father, Thomas, were vintners and landlords of the King’s Arms, Dumfries, Thomas for ten years. Something went awry with Henry and under “sequestration” --- an old term for bankruptcy---he was sued by debtors, this after his connection with Robert Burns, maybe 1798. If I can document Thomas, Henry and John Clint as being on my tree, I’ll be bragging all over the globe about “my” connection to Robert Burns! Yes, 99.95% is not 100%, but it’s a very good start! Maisie