THE SCOTTISH CROCKET AND MCKILL FAMILIES
CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANT NEW TASMANIAN LINK
|
The record of John's baptism is in Kirkmahoe OPR. Kirkmahoe is a parish north of Dumfries covering
a number of hamlets where the Crocket family came to settle including at Redbank. It was when
the Napoleonic war raised the price of grain that Kirkcudbrightshire became affluent, and John
was alive and farming at this time. Prices doubled and gold found its way into the district.
Houses were rebuilt and improved, fences erected, new steadings with threshing mills built
and rents raised. However, when the war ended in 1815, many farmers found themselves in dire
straits. There is a record of the Commissary Court, reference CC5.6.15, February 1768 listing John Crocket in a list of debtors in a testament. There is also a Commissary Court record, reference CC5.17.125, dated 1st Mary 1770, concerning William Crocket's testament, written 10th march, 1761. His son, John, is executor, and inherits everything except 3 bills to Margaret Coulter, 'my spouse', on condition that he gives £5 to 'my daughter', Margaret Crocket, and half a guinea each to the other daughters, Agnes and Jean, wives of John Ker in Holywood and John Faries in Tinwald. William had been servant in 1756 to Mr Iving, minister of New Abbey. Other Crocket families are found in New Abbey and feature in court records of the time. The Sheriff's Court on 3rd August 1753 recorded (ref. SC15.7) that John Clark, estate factor, claimed £6 from Robert Crocket of Killylung (a house on the west bank of the river Nith whereas Kirkmahoe is on the east bank) and his wife Ann Maxwell, as rent due at Whitsun 1750. The Commissary Court on 29th May 1751 recorded (ref. CC5.17.106) that John Crocket in Mid Killylung had a lease from Mr John Malcolm of half of Cae of Killylung, amounting to 6 acres, 1 rood and 13 falls. No date is given for this lease, but it possibly refers to a point nearer to the beginning of the century, and so is unlikely to be the concern of this John Crocket. Other Holywood Crockets are found in Cluden, Burnfoot of Cluden, Baltersan, Hollandbush, Slaethorncroft, Sanbed, Cowhill and Barfreggan. Memorial stone 55 in Holywood shows that John farmed in Redbank which is on the east side of the river Nith in the lowland beneath the higher land also farmed by Crockets. He is said to have died on 16th December 1844 at the age of 85, but the year could be a mistranscription for 1824 as seems sensible, and as often happened when trying to read very old headstones. It is hardly likely he could have been born to the couple said to be his parents, if so. It also seems likely that there was an earlier 'John' who died, and the name was reused 7 years later. Perhaps a son of this couple in Pigot's 1837 street directory for Dumfries: Thomas Crocket, Plasterer. Friars Vennel Friars Vennel, Dumfries, Plasterers. |