There have been a few messages looking for information on McWhirters, and particularly on the children of Patrick McWhirter As far as I can see, Patrick McWhirter b. ca. 1740 in Stoneykirk, was my gggg grandfather, a crofter, and may have been married twice. The first time was to Mary Kimmin b. Ballantrae, Ayr ca. 1745 and d. 1773 in Stoneykirk. They had 4 children, Margaret b. 18 Sep 1764, Janet b. 14 Apr. 1767, Elizabeth b. 24 Jan 1770, and Mary b. 23 Feb 1772. Mary was still living in Kirkinner village, as a pauper, with her granddaughter Helen Gaw, then aged 9, at the time of the 1851 census and d. 4 Apr. 1856 in Kirkinner. She married David Kean in Kirkinner 8 Jun 1793 and was my ggg grandmother. Of their 10 children, John McKeand, b. 3 Feb 1799 d. 16 Jan 1871 in Sorbie, was my gg grandfather. Unfortunately the Stoneykirk records were lost in a fire in the Session Clerk's house in 1744, so there are many brick walls thereby constructed, or at least enhanced. A further detail came to light more recently, showing that Patrick, then at Altain, Stoneykirk, paid 4 shillings and 6 pence Farm Horse Tax in 1797. Altain, now Altain Cottage, apparently still exists and was recently for sale. Patrick's second marriage looks as if it was to Jean Kennedy in 1773 in Portpatrick, and they appear to have had 6 children, John b. 25 Jan 1776, Anthony b. 29 Aug 1778, Helen ca. 1780, Alexander b. 13 Apr 1780, William b. 29 Jul 1781 d. 17 May 1853, and Jean b. 15 Nov 1784. It looks also as if they lived at Cairnhandy in 1780 and at Allan?? or Allandos, Leswalt?? in 1784. Crawford MacKeand.