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ABSTRACT OF MY OWN LIFE AND TIMES Continued
Commenced writing on the 25th of March 1885
By George Taylor
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In May 1822, my Father had removed the Crailing Tofts as Shepherd, where he remained four years. I was always at home on the Saturday Evening, and a regular attendant at the Presbyterian Church at Jedburgh on the Sabbath. I was admitted to that Church the same year as a member under the ministry of the Reverend Porter Young. It was a large Church and Congregation, having been built in 1818. There was another large Church built the same year called the Relief, then under the Ministry of the Reverend James Porteous. There were two great times then with these Churches each year. These were the winter and Summer Sacraments. On this occasion, the first service commenced on Thursday, which was called the Fast Day, when Two Sermons were preached. Then on Saturday at one o’ clock were religious exercises with a Sermon and a distribution of Token by the Minister under the watchful eyes of the Session for admission to the Lord’s Table on the Sabbath. Then on that day of Service commenced at 10 o’clock with Praise and Prayer, and then what was called the Action Sermon was preached by the Minister. He would have two or three other assisting him in the remaining Services. The next thing in order was what was called the Fencing of the Tables. This was to show who were worthy Communicants and who were not. This was down by one of the assistants. The number of Table Services were five or six. A few special seats only being set apart for that purpose. The first Table service commenced with those who were already seated and were addressed for some time by one of the Ministers. Then the distribution of the Bread with certain appropriate words and then that of the Cup in much the same way. As the Table was dismissed and the people passed out, and as they were being filled by another Company, the Presenter gave out the line of a Psalm, started to the Tune of Coleshill, and continued with all the Congregation singing till the Table was again filled, and then the same service was gone through with another of the Ministers. It was well through the afternoon before all these Services came to a conclusion. And then one of the Ministers gave what was called the Cirection to all the members, as to how they should conduct themselves, when they should go out into the World. The conclusion for the day was a Sermon called the Evening Exercises. It was generally about half past six or seven before all was got through. It was a long day together, and more laborious to some in the Country who had seven or eight miles to walk home. The whole of this Sacramental Occasion was concluded on the Monday by the Preaching of two more Sermons. It seems to me, as I look back at these things, that there was far too much labor and ceremony, not quite I harmony with the simplicity of the Ominence and the living truth of the Gospel.
I was always fond of Books, and at that time Sir Walter Scott and Byron were the most popular. I sometimes got a reading of such as these at some the Gentlemen’s Houses, where I was working Gardens. It was also about this time that I got a share in what was called Balfours Library in Jedburgh. This I purchased from my sister’s Mary’ Husband, Robert Stevenson, who was about to leave for Edinburgh. It had many of the Standard authors, including the Encyclopedia Britannica.
It was in the beginning of 1826 that my Father gave up his situation, intending to go to America. I can recollect that in April I went to Hawick to see a Ship Agent there of the name of Gentle and found out all about the rate of passage. But some of out best laid plans “gaes aft aglee,” and so went this, for the money that my father had loaned could not be made available. And so our voyage was given up and Cot House or a dwelling without engagement was taken in the Village of Eckford. My Father took work in the time of haying and harvest and I kept on in my gardening Operations. I recollect that the summer of 1826 was one the most remarkable for drought and an early Harvest of any that was ever known in that Country. What I recollect about the early Harvest was that I was at St. Boswelly Fair on the 16th of July, and commenced my regular Harvest on the day following. The Wheat Crop was extra fine but Oats and Barley were short. The 26th of May, the Flitting day was a thorough wet out and out, but there was not another drop for three months.
I recollect that in our church relations, the Rev. Peter Young died in the end of 1824. The Reverend William Nicol was subsequently called and ordained in September 1826. He was a popular preacher and the large church was crowded every Sabbath. I was a regular attendant on his ministry for eighteen years and would walk over 10 miles every Sabbath.
I think I made my second visit to Edinburgh in the winter of 1827. This time I thought I would walk the journey and save the ten shillings for coach, and spend the money on books. I therefore started from Eckford on a moonlit morning about two o’clock. I went by the way of Smailholm, Earlston, and Lauder, and on to Carfrae Mill. I had studied before what to eat and drink by the way, so I put a cake of gingerbread in my pocket to eat that at different times. I took a drink when thirsty, of clear spring water by the way, and so when I came to Louries Den on the top of Soutre, I did not taste of the porter but kept walking on down the hill and on to Dalkeith and so on , till I arrived at the Old City about 4 o’clock. I had thus walked that altogether nearly fifty miles. The only thing I felt was my feet a little bluish, it being somewhat frosty and the road hard. After having team and refreshment at my sister’s house, then on Brown Street, I went across to the New Town, and made some calls on parties whom I knew. They were much surprised and oucld scarcely believe that I had come from home that morning. One of my great resorts, while in the city, was hunting through the book store and attending some of their cheap sales. In this way, I sometimes got some great bargains, but often spent a good deal more than what I saved from the coach hire.
When the weather was frosty that I could not do garden work, I have sometimes stayed a month in the city, and by this means I got well acquainted with its various institutions. I generally came home the same way on foot, so that my traveling and board cost me a very little.
My father made an engagement at the term of 1827 to be again the Shepherd at Wooden. My brothers, Alexander and James were hired out to farm service. My father, not being very stout, I often used to assist him in the Lambing season, especially at night. As it was imperative at that time for all householders on a farm to furnish an outworker, my sister Agnes, supplies that want for several years. And as a proof that she was strong and healthy, she proposed one winter to walk with me and see Edinburgh. I said that it could not be expected that she could walk all the way, but if we started early in the morning about two o’clock and walk so far on the way, then take the coach when it came up with us. So we started and she walked well, often going ahead of me, and we were a good deal more than half way when the coach came up with us. But here our plan went aglee, for it so happened that day the coach was loaded to the full—so much, that they could not take on another passenger. “Well then,” I said, “We will that lodgings by the way when you tire.” And so she kept on going ahead and sometimes slyly hinting that I was getting tired and to come on. In this way, she kept on going ahead, and we arrived at Sister Mary’s house in Edinburgh about four o’clock. After team and refreshment, we went out and made a call on some of our Southern friends, and it was very hard to make them believe that we had come from home that morning. I have never heard of any of our American Ladies that could make such a walk as this.
In 1829 my father’s health began to fail. For a good many years his stomach was in a bad condition, and was often subject to what was called the waterbrash. He had now frequent fits of coughing and his appetite began to fail. For sometime previous he was fully aware that he was dying, gave charge to me to look after my mother and the youngest members of the family, and even about how his funeral should be conducted. On the Saturday evening he was speaking earnestly with my mother, when he desired me also to come to the bedside, saying his time was now drawing near. I had earnest prayer with him, in which he seemed very happy. My mother also was quite calm and resigned. He passed rather a restless night, and in the morning his face gave signs that death was near. About 8 o’clock, after a slight spasm, he breathed his last. This was on the 9th of August, 1829. His age was only sixty years. It was the custom then, in Scotland to write letters of invitation to all parties, whom we wished to attend the funeral. And this took me a good deal of labor. Another custom was then prevalent of giving a service of a glass of wine or whiskey followed with shortbread cake all round the company. As I thought there was no use in this I wished to let it lye over but my mother wished it otherwise, as she said the fold would speak about us. The funeral took place on the 19th at Eckford Churchyard. There were no women who went in the funeral procession to the graveyard, only men. All the company stood around the grave till the Sexton filled in the clay and laid on the turf. And then the friend at the head, when all was finished would say, “My friends, I am very much obliged for your attendance at this time.”
My brother James had been taking charge of the sheep for the last few months, whilst I occasionally gave him help and advice. And some of the neighbor shepherds were also very friendly. I was always at home on Saturday evening and Sundays.
I recollect about the end of the year 1829, this was the occasion of the birth of Andrew Stevenson. (My Sister Mary's only son). My mother made a visit to Edinburgh and stopped a few weeks. My sister Agnes keeping the house at home. I think it was the year following that she was married to William Huggan, Millwright, and Hedburgh.
It was about this time that there was a good deal of agitation all over the nation, both politics and religion. George IV died in 1830 and was succeeded by his brother William IV. The Catholic Relief Bill had given some fear to the State Church for the safety of Protestantism. And now an urgent demand had arisen for a more full and equal representation of the people in Parliament. This brought on the great agitation for the Reform Bill of 1832. The two great parties were Whigs and Tories and a few Radials, these last held that Taxation without Representation was Despotism. This was all the more glaring from the place and relation of what was called the Rotten Boroughs in England, the most which were only represented by one or two individuals, some of which had their seat in the House of Lords. In Scotland at that time, things were only a little comparatively better. As an instance of this, a little previous to the passing of the bill, a member for the County of Roxboroughshire had to be elected, occasioned by the death of its member, Sir Alex. Don. This election took place in the Town Hall of Jedburgh. I succeeded after a scramble in getting a seat in the gallery and looking down on the privileged voters below. The whole number being only 150. This number for a county of fifty thousand. The candidates were Sir William Elliot of Stebbs, Whig and honorable Henry Scot, Merton, Tory. Among these privileged few sat the great Sir Walter Scott. I had never seen him before: he sat very dull and sleepy-like. The clerk had a list of the voters, and as he read out their names, each one answered by naming their candidates. I heard Sir Walter vote for Mr. Scott when called, and Mr. Scott was elected by a majority. I was a list of those 150 voters in a Kelso Per. Of 1884, and it stated that only one of that number was alive today. The agitation that was going all over the country while this pending was very great and made a far greater demand for newspapers. I know this was so with myself. They were neither so plentiful now so cheap as they are now, but I recollect I was so fortunate as to get a reading on of the London Daily Times for two years. It rather came to me in a round about way. In the first place, two young men in London got it, then it was sent by mail coach to their father in Kelso. Then he sent it by post to his friend Mr. Lillie Crailing, and then I got it from him at the price of one penny per paper. By this means I got posted up with all the doings in Parliament and all the great meetings that were being held through the nation. It gave an opportunity for men of talent to come to the front, such as Joseph Hume for Scotland, Brougham for England, and O’Connell for Ireland. Earl Grey and Lord John Russell had the honor to carry it through both houses of Parliament. This Reform Bill was only the beginning of Reforms, and some of these are being carried out in a higher scale (Eckford) and explain to the people nature and object. One great reason for this political war was that the Church’s one petition hand entirely ignored all the Dissenting Churches had done and was doing in building Churches and teaching the people. The Church Petition was in the hands and management of the Minister of the Parish, the Rev. Joseph Yair (who is still living). He got a day ahead of me and very urgent for signatures. One reason I was told, which he especially gave, was that it was to obtain the Gospel free to all without money and without price. I succeeded in getting a majority of the names in the Parish. One great thing against the State Church was the Law of Patronage, which was in the hand of one man to present a minister to the people of the Church and Parish when vacancy occurred. Not only was this held up as a glaring evil against the Church by Dissenters, but Dr. Chalmers and his party also found it to be the only great stumbling which stood in their way of reformation. In order to meet and overcome this the Evenelica Party passed what they called the Veto Law, by which it was declared: “That it is a fundamental law of this Church that no Pastor shall be introduced in any congregation contrary to the will of the people, and so enacted that a solemn dissent of a majority of male heads of families’ members of the vacant congregation and in full communion with the Church shall be deemed sufficient ground for the rejection of the presenter.” This veto act was soon the subject of litigation in the Court of Session. A verdict affirmed by the House of Lords was to the effect: “That the rejection of the presenter on the ground of this dissent was illegal and that the civil courts had a right to review and control all proceedings of Church Courts.” As the law was thus decided the majority with Dr. Chalmers came to the conclusion that they could no longer remain consistently with the Established Church of Scotland. This great contest was brought to a termination at the meeting of the General Assembly on the 18th of May, 1843. Four hundred and seventy four ministers led the way of an immense crowd. There was one plan which Dr. Chalmers had devised, and is peculiar to the Free Church, called the Sustentation Fund.
My brother James continued as shepherd at Wodden till the Term of 1832 when John Park, the Master, had a favorite ; he wished to occupy his place. This broke up our family arrangement as a home. In a family consultation we thought if he could find another place as shepherd it might be best for the present. We therefore attended the Hiring Markets of Kelso and Jedburgh, but no situation turned up. We then took a Cot House at Ormiston. My mother was working on the farm and James found some spade work in the neighborhood. I had got my brother apprenticed a year before to a country tailor, so that they were often all at home on Saturday night and Sunday. My youngest sister, Margaret, had gone to service with the Lady at Wrens Nest, Jedburgh, and my youngest brother John, was at school. When Spring came round James thought he would like to go to America, but had not quite sufficient money. I said I would remove that objection by giving him what was needful. And so he resolved to go. We gave him a large chest to hold his clothes and provisions, the very chest that my father and mother took thirty years before and brought back again. This same old chest is still at Delhi with our friends, the Mables. I saw it at that place in 1875. James therefore left us in the Spring of 1833, had about a month passage, and arrived at New York, and from there on to Delhi, where he stopped a few weeks with our cousins. He then left for Caledonia in York State where he was hired and got good wages. But the great boom for the west came and so he started out and came to Kalamazoo or Bronson in the end of 1835.
About the beginning of 1835 I made an engagement with Mr. William Mein of Orminston to work and take care of his garden and grounds, but in doing this I made the bargain, so as to preserve my independence. I was to a free house, all the potatoes I might require, and a certain amount of money. I could engage other men to help do the work. And then I was at liberty to go and work at other places. There was one great advantage in this, that my mother could do a great deal of the work in hoeing and weeding, taking the fruits and vegetables to the house, and being about on the place in my absence. Her services gave a great satisfaction to the servants and the Lady of the house. In this engagement I was induced to do a great deal of herd work. There was a great deal of lawn grass to mow and in doing this I often used to rise at three or four o’clock in the morning, and then walk two or three miles to do a day’s work at another garden.
In this way I was enabled to make some extra money, but I had to work well for it. After my brother Andrew had served his apprenticeship he though he would like to go South and follow out his business. So with some aid from me he went to Manchester in England and found work there for over a year in some of the best houses. This made him complete in business. After hearing encouraging news from James, he thought he also would like to go to America, but for this he had not sufficient money. Here again I advanced him the necessary amount, and my mother also got him a good outfit of all the necessary provisions. I mentioned that if my life was spared, it was my intention to come out to America, but in the mean time, I would entrust him with the sum of twenty pounds or a hundred dollars, to be laid out on land, either by himself or brother James, for me, suitable for garden or nursery purposes, and therefore I wrote out the following note to which he affixed his signature and from which I here copy:
“I do hereby affix my signature to show that I received the sum of 20 pounds from George Taylor, my brother, to be delivered to his brother James in America or otherwise to be appropriated for his benefit by either of us as witness my hand, this 18th day of April 1836. Signed Andrew Taylor.”
He thus left with some other young men of his acquaintance, also going out to try their fortune. They arrived in New York in about a month of the usual sea voyage. I believe he wrought for a few months in New York or some other of the eastern cities. But in corresponding with his brother James he was induced to come west toKalamazoo, and there commenced the business of tailor and clothier.
The winter of 1836 and that of 1837 was remarkable for a long and severe frost. There was comparatively little snow on the low grounds. All the rivers and lakes were frozen and skating was a great amusement with certain parties. I well remember a circumstance that occurred in this connection on the River Teviot at Kale Waterfoot. For about ¾ of a mile above the Ormiston Mill Cauld, the water formed a pool or a lake, and there were certain young men in the neighborhood who were in the way of meeting and skating all over this piece of water. A slight thaw had occurred, which caused a melting of the snow on the hills, and by this, the Kale water had been brought down in such a way as to break up a small portion of the ice at its mouth. But shortly after a sharp frost had again set in freezing it over, and then this was followed by a slight fall of snow. There were one of these young men who had been in the way of skating on this place, a James Ord of upper Nisbit. In coming home from the Kelso Market, instead of going around a little by the Chain Bridge, he went straight through across the Teviot on the ice where he had been previously skating, but he not being aware that a portion of this ice had recently been broke up and the snow covering it the same as the other. It gave away with him and after a struggle, as was apparent from the broken ice, his body was carried downstream. Not coming on the Friday evening as expected, search was made. At about 12 o’clock the Steward at Nisbit called at my house telling what they supposed had happened. They took our boat to aid them in finding the body. We lifted the boat into a long cart and went to the place. We had axes and saws. Our plan was to cut a certain breadth downward, the boat being placed across in the water and a man at each end with a long drawn hook of 10 or 12 feet long (this being the depth of the water). I took one end of the bat, raking bottom off the lake with the long hook. There was a keen frost and I found my hands far colder under water then out. But we were bountifully supplied with Whiskey, which deadened the feeling of cold for the time. We worked unsuccessfully all night. It was decided that the body was carried down to the Caul, 200 yards below. I agreed to begin working there, but first I desired them to draw the boat back a little so I might make two or three last throws below ice. I made one throw and nothing, but at the next one I found the hook had caught something. I held on and called for the other party to put down their hooks near to mine. We both pulled gently, then appeared the head of the body with its yellow hair. It was most singular and fortunate that I found it at the very last, for otherwise had we begun the next morning at the Cauld and wrought upward it would have been two days or more before we would have wrought up to the place where the body was found. It was at once put into the cart among straw and covered with a cloth. I at once turned my face for home, having about ½ mile to walk. As my clothes were wet I was nearly stiff frozen before I got there. It was with some difficulty that my clothes could be taken off, and then I found I had got a good many cuts and bruises on my hands and arms. These I had not felt by reason of the cold, the excitement, and the whiskey; but I felt the effects of them for days and weeks afterwards.
I now return to relate something of my own personal history where I had my home with my mother at Ormiston. I had never yet seen it proper to enter into a marriage relation, though I had many opportunities presented at the various places where I was working the gardens. I know I had great attention paid me by many of the servant girls, some of which were good looking and attractive, but as I always looked upon this relation from a Christian position, I was somewhat cautious in entering upon it. After coming to Ormiston I got acquainted with one of the servant maids of the Gentleman’s House. Her name was Helen Robson and was of a respectable family in the neighborhood. She was a church member and I had good reason to think from our conversation on religious subjects that she was truly what she professed to be. Our marriage was fixed on the 19th of January, 1837. We arranged to make a trip to Edinburgh, and so early in the morning of that day, we were united at the Presbyterian Manse in Keslo by the Reverend Henry Benton. We then had breakfast and took the stagecoach at 9 o’clock for Edinburgh, where we arrived betwixt three and four in the afternoon. We went to my Sister Mary’s house, and were well entertained. And then she had a room and private lodgings engaged for us from a Mr. Horn at No. 1 Richmond Place. We spent about 14 days in and around the city, seeing many of the great things and calling upon some of our old acquaintances. We also had a trip up the Firth of Forth by Steamer to Stirling. I had never been there before, and so I had great pleasure on viewing the fine scenery on each side. We spent two days viewing the Old City and its surroundings, and then came back in the way to Edinburgh. We did not commence our housekeeping till the 26th of May, and this was in a house in the same connection with that which my mother occupied. As the place and the people were all familiar, my wife seemed to be very happy in her new situation, and her relations with my mother were in every way agreeable.
Our first trial of affliction occurred about the end of October. In her very hard labor in giving birth to a strong healthy man child, and which in the language of a great poet, “was strangled in life’s porch”. She was very ill for some tome, but again enjoyed good health. But being of a good constitution, she ultimately got over it and enjoyed good health. Al things went only agreeable with us till sometime in the month of May 1839. She spent some weeks in a very painful feeling, and about the 24th under great distress gave birth to a still born child, and from which she died the following day. She was buried in Eckford Churchyard along side of where my father was in 1829. This was a very distressing circumstance to both myself and her friends, but these things after a little time close up again, and the more so when we are actively engaged in our worldly callings.
I had previously entered as a member in both the Horticultural Societies of Kelso and Jedburgh. And about that time there had arose quite a strong feeling of competition in both fruits and flowers. The culture of the Dahlia merely as a showy single flower was introduced about 1826. In every year they had been improving that flower by cross impregnation till now it was become a round double ball. Some new and improved varieties were coming out every year, and that such had received the Gold Medal last year at the Royal Horticultural Society. The price of such were advertised to be sent out in spring at ten shillings and six pence each. These had all names according to their characteristics. A delicate tinted white would be the Princess Victoria, a bright crimson would be Cardinal Perretti, and some other bold color, the Duke of Wellington. Great prizes were thus given by our Societies in competition for these, often a prize of 10 or 20 shillings for a single bloom of one of these last years’ varieties. The prize for the best 6 and the best 12 varieties, and sometimes what they called a sweepstakes for the best 12 or 24, each competitor paying in 5 or 10 shillings, and the best took the whole amount. The garden at Ormiston was walled round with all the finest fruit trees trained in both the fan and horizontal manner. They were in a fine bearing state and I often carried off some of the best prizes, and this was all the more honorable as I had some strong parties to compete against at Kelso. I had the gardeners of the Duke of Roxburgh, Newton Don Michell, Hendersid Park, Pinnacle Hill, and Springwood Park, and many others. At Jedburgh, I had to compete with Bonjedward, Monteviot, Ancrum, Cheters, and Minto in Jedwater. But in the competition for the Dahlia Prizes, I was especially successful; sometimes sweeping the whole board and carrying off more than 5 pounds. For these along I had a piece of the best land for growing them, and they had my best personal attention.
My youngest brother John, in some way got his arm hurt while a small boy. I kept him at school in order that he might make a living without hard work. He tried school teaching, but as he had no inclination for it, and as his harm had gotten pretty stout, he rather was inclined to follow out gardening, and as I had to hire help to do this work, he turned in and wrought with me till 1845.
There was one thing in which I had always taken a great interest in since I came to this district, and that was fishing, and here in the Teviot and the Kale, I had a fine chance to carry it out. In the summer evenings with the Rod and Fly, and when some of the large trout came up the stream, I frequently filled a basket of very fine large ones. There was another time in the fall and winter, when the river was flooded. I often caught a great many with what was called the pouch net. This was a net in the form of a bad with a large mouth sewed to and iron frame, with a mortise in which a wooden handle of 10 or 12 feet was fixed. The place to throw this was in the eddy of a stream, where a trout or salmon might be resting, and by pulling it down stream and drawing it out, you would sometimes have the pleasure of seeing a large trout and sometimes a salmon came stumbling out. But there was a certain season of the year called ‘Closetime’, in which we had to use caution in doing this work. This season was sometime in November till February, and so if I had been found by some of the Water Bailiffs using such a net at this time, I would have been liable to a very heavy fine. But I must confess that I was sometimes tempted to break this law when a flood came and knowing 2 or 3 casts in the river near to my garden and house, I frequently ventured out in the dark and had a successful throw when there was no Water Bailiff to see me. These fishing and Game Laws have in a great measure their origin and support from a landed aristocracy; and there is now every reason to suppose when the people are more fully represented that these and all such laws will either be done away with or greatly amended.
My old grandmother had been stopping with my mother for sometime, being now very feeble with certain symptoms that her end was drawing near. The Rev. Joseph Yair for some time was a regular visitor and she appreciated his visits very much. And when she died he attended her funeral all the way to Hounam Kirk. Her age was nearly 95 years. She had a good memory and could tell some old interesting stories, which she had witnessed on the borders.
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As I had been in the way of attending to the garden at Granceslaw for some time, I there got acquainted with who was to be my second wife and the mother of my family. Her name was Jane Dodds. Her father and brother John were for a long time Blacksmiths at the village of Bonjedward. We were married there at her father’s house in the month of March 1842, and I brought her direct home that same night to our house at Ormiston, which was already furnished to enter. Her relation with my mother was most cordial and everything that could be desired. Since I had come to Ormiston as gardener, I had also been at the same time Forester taking charge of the young plantation. Mr. William Mein had bought this Estate sometime in 1820 and commenced at once to make great improvements, especially in the way of Timber planting. In the course of ten years he had planted more than 100 acres. About a quarter of this was on the higher Moorland and consisted of Scotch and Austrian Pine, Norway, Spruce, and Larch. There was a broad strip bordering the Property on the West Side for nearly a mile. This was planted with the best hardwood mixed with certain quantity of the pines and larch to act as nurses for a certain time. Some of those that had been first now much crowded and required the skillful hand of a Forester. The old gentleman died in 1836 and his oldest son Robert came home from about the plantations, and if I had time and understood how it should be done, he would be glad for me to undertake it. I mentioned that I had been working several winters with the Duke of Burcleugh’s Forrester and was on intimate terms with the Foresters of the Marquis of Lothian, and the Duke of Roxburgh, and that as the winter season for such work, I would look out for a few proper men to go through with me. I therefore had some consultation with above Forresters and consulted some of the best books on that subject. I got a proper set of tools, consisting of axes, saws, pruning chisels—and with about half a dozen men commenced operations. My work was principally to go before mark or blaze those trees to be cut out. When cut down and side branches are pruned off and the trees of cut wood are piled together. The great thing to be studied was to give proper head room for the hardwood and at the same time prune off any lateral branches getting too strong for the leader. After going through one of those thick plantations for the first time, it seemed very destructive to one not acquainted with the business. The farm steward thought so and reported to Mr. Mein that I was destroying the whole woods. Mr. Mein came to me and said I was certainly overdoing the thing. I said I had been giving considerable attention to this matter both from observation and the study of the best authorities on Forestry, and it was just in this way that the work could be properly done. Well,” he said, “Go on. I have no doubt that you are right and I am wrong.” And so in this way in the course of two or three seasons the whole plantations were gone through. I thus got fully initiated into the art of forestry. And so it was when I look at our great country and see all the valuable timber being cut down, and so little comparatively done in the way of planting to meet the greater demands of the future—it is this that has prompted me to deliver several addresses before our Horticultural Society of Michigan on Hedging and Forestry.
Short time after this, Mr. Mein was induced from certain financial reason to sell this Estate to the Marquis of Lothian. It was then let as a farm to a Mr. William Broad with a condition that the garden and grounds be kept in the same conditions as they had been. I therefore agreed with him to do the work on the same conditions as I had done with Mr. Mein. The garden both on the wall and the standard trees produced a great deal of the very finest fruit, and this I sold at high prices. The Ribston Pippin Apple here was the most superior; wherever I showed it, it took prizes. The soil being of a clay loam all the fruit was of a superior order and hence when offered for sale brought extra prices. In the time that I was there I sold as much fruit as nearly paid my wages.
I see from a family record that my oldest daughter, Isabella, was born on the 19th of December, 1842. My mother being our next door neighbor gave her experience and attention to all our wants.
The following year, 1843, was famous for the great disruption in the Established Church, when Dr. Chalmers and his party left it and inaugurated the Free Church, of Scotland. All the ministers that came out carried the majority of their hearers, and they set about building a new church. In the meantime they secured temporary places such as barns, workshops, public halls. As I had been opposed to them, while connected with the Establishment, now that they had come out, I entered heartily into their movements. As an instance of this, in the adjacent parish of Crailing, the minister, a Rev. Milroy and leading members were looking around for a temporary place for preaching services on the Sabbath. One of the leaders spoke to me about it. The only suitable place I could see was a large grainery at the end of the Chain Bridge. But it belonged to a man that had no regard for religion and would not have church people near to him. However, as I knew him well I approached him gently about church matters and how this party at Crailing were in want of a place till their church was built, and how his grainery with very little trouble, could be made available for them on the Sabbath, stating also they would pay him for it. He said he did not want any payment but did not care to have such a meeting about the place. I insisted that he should grant the place and I added he would get the blessing of God. This idea he scouted but after a little he said he sympathized with them especially in the pluck they had shown in leaving the Auld Kirk, and that I could let them they know might have it. If they would send some proper person along he would help them to fix it up for their convenience. This was done and Mr. Milroy had large meetings every Sabbath till their own church was finished. I frequently worshipped with them instead of walking all the way to Jedburgh and sometimes acted as Presenter in leading their praise. In some places the Parties of the Free Church had great difficulties in obtaining proper sites, especially from some of the great landlords who were opposed. Some were forced to give way from force of public sentiment. It seemed in many cases that the Lord wrought with them. There was one particular case of this sort of which I was told in connection with the building of the Free Church at the village of Morebattle. In their beginning to build a church in that place, among the first things they wanted was sand for mixing with lime and mortar. There was a place on the Kale water near by called Grubit Mill, where was generally a good supply of this material, but certain parties had taken it all away. Another party near by who had a good store was applied to but being opposed to the Free Church, they would not let them have it, even though offered a high price. This as I was told, took place on the Saturday, but it so happened that on that night, an unusual heavy rain fell on Cheviot Hills, which brought down the Kale in a violent flood and deposited at the eddy of the mill such a fine bed of sand which was more than sufficient for the whole building. This fact I had from the Miller at Grubet, who was a member of the Church.
It was in this year of 1843, sometime in the month of August that I started for an excursion on Northwest Scotland. I took the stagecoach along with my brother-in-law, William Huggan from Jedburgh. It being on the eve of Harvest, the country looked beautiful. In coming near Edinburgh, I noticed bills posted up announcing a railroad excursion on the following day to Glasgow and from thence to Ayer and the Land of Burns. The price for the round trip was seven shillings. I said to my friend, Huggan that I would go. He did not seem inclined at first, but thinking it over, he thought he would go. There were several things that made this trip interesting to me. It was new ground and I had never seen the city of Glasgow. Then I never had before been on a Railway Carriage. And the pleasure of seeing what I had read so much about, the Land of Burns. The time of start was 8 o’clock and the depot was then at the west part of the city. It was an immensely long train, said to consist of over 1,500 passengers. There were some open carriages, and I preferred one of these, as by this I could obtain the best view of the country. We got started, and as the carriages began to move a little quick, my first sensation was that the wind was rising, and I expressed this to my friend Huggan, but scarcely had the word gone out of my mouth, before I saw the cause. But he got his laugh against me and told it afterwards. I enjoyed the varied scenery. As we went along in one place for two or three miles, we passed through solid walls of granite and at other places through beautiful fields of grain and turnips. Then when we came near the city, the engines were reversed and we were let slowly down a long tunnel, which landed us right into the city. Here we were instructed to walk through the streets and across the Clyde to the Ayer Station. This we did, having had a good look at some of the big things in passing.
Having got into the carriages again, we kept moving on by the way of Paisly, and so on through other places till we reached Ayer. Here, we required some refreshments. And in the place was shown us where Tam O’Shanter and a Souter Jonnie used to enjoy themselves over their reaming swats. The Brigg O’Doon was nearly three miles distant. Here some of the more delicate took carriages, but the greater portion walked, as I did. Some of Tam O’Shanter notable places were pointed out in his famous raid, the place where the Packam was snoored away the Kinaves, the place where drunken Charlie broke neck bone, the place also where hunter found the murdered brain, and also where Munger Mither hanged herself. Passing on, we came to the house where Burns was born, and it was crowded. I noticed a very old lady who was resident there, and whom some of the genteel people were asking her questions about Burns. I saw she did not seem to understand their language very well, and so I put some of their questions to her in good broad Scotch. She at once brightened up and said, “Aye a ken what e say.” And we got into a talk, very much to the delight of the audience. Among other things, I asked her if she remembered when Burns first went away to visit Edinburgh. “Aye,” she said, “a ming it as weel as yesterday. An he had a dog and it waud gand wi him, and we had to take haund of is and bard up.” She would have talked on with us, but we had to push on and see other things. This old lady, I learned, was the real Tam O’Shanter’s wife. His real name as I learned was Tom Goudie, or in plain English, Thomas Goldie. I was the more interested in this interview, as in about six weeks after this, I saw in a newspaper an account of her death and who she was. I went to see of the old Alloway Kirk. It was in a ruinous state. The roof pretty off and the windows out. In the churchyard I saw the grave and tombstone of Burns’ father. We then visited the River Doon and the Auld Brigg. And an arrangement was made to come to order, when “Ye Banks and Braes” was heartily sung by the whole multitude. There was sort of a museum and monument there, where we saw a great many relic of the great Bard. Five hours were allowed us when we started from Ayr to visit the Doon and its surroundings. And so we returned back in time to look around the old city and see the “Twa Briggs” and certain other notable things. We then got on the railway, a little before six o’clock, came to Glasgow and walked through the city, then on to Edinburgh, where we arrived all safe about ten o’clock. In a day or two after this, I formed a plan to see some of the most noted sights in Stirling and the west of Perthshire, being the more famous for the scenery of Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake. For this purpose, I took the steamer, which starts from Granton in the morning for Stirling. I had traveled this route once before, but it was winter and now the whole landscape and the various scenery were in the finest order. Having been furnished with a guidebook, describing the places and the scenery on each side of the Forth, I therefore had chosen a situation where I sat on the stem or forefront of the vessel, with book in hand, taking notes of anything remarkable. While in this position, a young gentleman came up near me and asked if that was a guidebook I had got. I replied it was. I said that possibly I was a little more fortunate in that way than he was, as a friend of mine in the city was a bookseller, had made me a present of this. But I said, pointing to a space alongside, if it were his pleasure to sit down here, he might share the benefit along with me. He said he would be happy to do so, and took the place. He had a notebook and at once commenced to use it, and also a Scotch Book which he used for taking a view of any special object. And when we came to the Links of the Forth and some of the adjacent scenery, he seemed quite delighted, and the more so, as he was familiar with their history. In an interval, he asked how far I intended to g, and I said that I intended to visit the lake and the surrounding scenery. “Why,” he said, “that is just where I am going and I shall be most happy that we go together.” In a little time we arrived at the wharf at Stirling, and as I had been there before, I led the way up through the city. We made inquiry for the coach office and found that it did not start for Callender till 4 o’clock. We then secured our tickets for outside seats on the coach, as at this season it was crowded. We had thus about two hours to see some of the most notable things of the old city. Among the first places where we went was the top of the Castle. The view from this eminence is the most extensive, the most varied, the richest, and too, especially, is some of the most rugged scenery. Both this city and its surrounds are famous for their historical associations. The famous field of Bannockburn is only a few miles to the south, and a great many other of the varied conflicts of the old Kingdom can be pointed out.
We went to see the Drummond Museum, where all the Tartens of various Highland Clans are kept, and also other Scottish Relics. We had some eating and refreshments, and my friend avowed himself to be a total abstainer. We then went to take our coach journey, but before mounting, he took out his satchel, a Highland Bonnet, putting it on his head and says, “Now I must throw away my hat as it will encumber me when we come to walk.” Among the people standing round the coach was an old beggar woman. He called out to her, “Here, old woman, will you have this old hat?” She looked at him in astonishment and said, “Dear me, sir, how will e do wantin eir hat?” “Never mind,” he said, holding it out to her, “I have got this bonnet.” She then took it with the most grateful obeisance. It was a large coach, and the seats were all crowded, both outside and inside. The seats on the top were arranged in pairs, opposite each other. A great many of the travelers on this coach I found to be strangers of various nationalities. On the seat on which my new friend sat, at our right hand was a Frenchman and his wife who could not speak good English. My friend spoke a word to the lady in French, and she seemed perfectly delighted to talk with a stranger in her own language. And for sometime there was nothing to me but a great laughing and gabble in French. On the seat opposite sat two well-dressed ladies with gold rings and other rich trappings. I got into conversation with them, and they seemed to be well educated and in no way reserved. They told me that they were from South Carolina, were intending to visit some of the great places of Europe, and were now taking Scotland on their way. They had friends in Florence, Italy and would probably spend the winter there. I said I understood there were a great many who held slaves in those southern states, and hoped they had nothing to do with that business. This at once brought them out and they boldly confessed that they were slave-owners: and instead of being ashamed, they were rather proud of it, and the more so since they had spent a week or two in Ireland and seen the misery and starvation of the poor working classes of that country. They said that they used all their slaves well, that they had all the comforts of life and were happy, and knew they were kindly treated. They had a great love and respect for their master and mistress. I met these reasons they gave me with arguments that have now overthrown slavery, but they only the more asserted that they were right. My new friend had been giving a little attention to my arguments with the ladies, and he also gave his work against slavery, but they met him with arguments as having a just cause; and so there was quite a hot dispute for a few minutes till some scenery and things by the way called our attention to other things. As we drew near Callender, my friend said that he would dismount from the coach quickly and secure lodgings in the Inn. This I found was a good move, as at this season they are often overcrowded. That evening after supper in the sitting room, we met with some interesting strangers, among them were some Oxford scholars, with whom my friend had some interesting and learned conversation, thus showing that he was something of a scholar. He having secured a bedroom for us both, we retired to it, but before getting into bed, he had a minute or two of private devotion. I followed the same example and thanked God for the way I had been led through the day, and that I had met with a Christian friend. While in bed, we had some talk on religious subjects and then a good night’s rest. We had arranged to start early in the morning and take the road for the Braes of Balquhidder, where is the grave of Rob Roy. We went so far up the banks of the Teith through some fine scenery, some of which my friend took a sketch. At one time while he was sketching, I saw among the heather at our feet some fine bleaberries. He never had seen any of them before and I repeated to him the stanza of a song which says: “Let us go lassie go to the breas O Balquhidder, where the bleaberries grown mang the bonnie hill and heather.” As he looked and saw the way in which they grew among the heather which was then in bloom, he admired the truth and simplicity of the poet as a picture of nature and the beauty of which could be felt till it was seen with the eye. He had a small volume of Scott’s Lady of the Lake with him, and was reading a descriptive stanza when I took the liberty to correct his Scotch language and read it in the true idiom. He thanked me and said I must now take the book and do the reading. We went around the foot of the great Benledi. We passed alongside and saw some of the lakes or lochs, as they called such as, Lubnaig, Voil, and Earn. There were wild ravines between with rocky precipices and stream from the mountains rushing down. There was some cultivation of crops in the low grounds, and at one place we went into a house, where we had some good milk and bread; and they refused to take a thing for it. We put some questions to them about church matters and found that they were greatly in favor of the Free Church. We kept walking on, and I found my friend to be one of the best. He seemed at first to think that I would have some difficulty in keeping up with him, but he soon found that he had met his match. It was sometime in the afternoon when we reached Balquhidder, romantically situated among the hills and lakes. We looked round the place, saw what was said to be Rob Roy’s grave, and had a little rest and refreshments. We then turned toward the south and soon met with a gamekeeper, whom we found to be a man of intelligence, giving us the names of all of the great mountain peaks for 50 miles around. We mentioned we were now on our way for the Trosacks Inn, and he pointed out to us the most direct way. After going along a high range for some time, we saw a solitary cottage in a glen below. He said he had a great desire to see what sort of people lived in such a place. I said it was not far off our way. On going forward, we met at the door a middle-aged woman who invited us to come it. As we went in we were introduced to a very old lady, whom she said was her mother. She was nearly blind, but her hearing was still pretty good. My friend asked her some questions on religious subjects and she answered him readily and gave evidence that she was well acquainted with the Scriptures. She said when she was young and had her sight, she read the Bible and some other good books, and that she had great happiness now on thinking of these things. He asked her if the Parish Minister ever visited her and she said: “No vera often. We are poor folks and he dis na often come this way.” He then asked her if she would be willing that he should pray with her and she said she would be glad for him to do so. We then engaged in devotional exercises, and he put up a very appropriate prayer for her and her daughter. As he left he gave her half a crown and I gave her a shilling. After we came up to the high ground he expressed his great delight in visiting this humble cottage, and with that he took a sketch of it in his book. I now stated that I had never asked him where he was from, or what his profession, but now I suspected he was a Clergyman. He at once confessed that he was, and that he would have told me sooner but was afraid that it would have prevented me from expressing myself so freely as I had done on various subjects of our conversation. I said he need have very little fear in regard to that matter. He then mentioned that he was from Wall in England, that his name was Newman Hall, and that he was placed over a Congregational Church in that city, and that he was now on a vactional tour to see Scotland. He mentioned that on the day before he started on this excursion, he spent an hour with Dr. Chalmers and heard some of his plans in organizing the Free Church. We then pushed on our way, walking at a good pace through some rough grounds. But a good part of it was a downward incline. We arrived at the Trossacks Inn about 8 o’clock, when it was beginning to get dark. We found the house crowded with strangers. The landlord said he could accommodate us with supper and breakfast, but we have to sleep on a cot in one of the sitting rooms. We therefore had to accept the situation and make the best of it. After having got supper, I found our feet and legs were a little wet in coming through certain pools and long grass, and so I found the way to the kitchen, and in a friendly way asked the cook if she would allow myself and another gentleman to come and have our clothes dried for a few minutes at the kitchen fire. She replied that we should be welcome. I then went to Mr. Hall and told him what I had done, and he at once accompanied me. This gave Mr. Hall an opportunity of seeing a little of high life below stairs. There were a number of servants round, both men and women. We found that a good deal of the talk among themselves was in the Gallic language, but they spoke good English to us. On mentioning that we could not get a bed and would have to in a cot, one of the men suggested that the older gentleman should sleep with the cook and the younger, that was Mr. Hall could have the housemaids. This of course was passed over at the time as a bit of a joke. But Mr. Hall spoke of it to me afterwards that he thought there was too much freedom among those servants, as he observed that these young women rather seemed to favor the suggestion. The scenery around this Trossacks Inn is truly grand, and on-looking at these, we were led to turn our book and see how graphically Sir Walter had described everything. In passing through the Trossacks, there are two conspicuous mountains on each side. On the right is Benvenuae, and on the left is Benan, rising to the height of two and three thousand feet. In approaching Loch Katrine, we go through a narrow defile for ¾ of a mile, when the whole lake, about 10 miles long, and 2 in breadth. It is said to be 350 feet above sea level, and it now supplies the city of Glasgow with water. We were taken along it in a large open rowboat, the oarsmen frequently giving us a bit of a song (I see that they have now a Steam Vessel). After arriving at the west end, here were a number of men with Bonies to take any across to Lock Lomond. This is a distance of 5 miles, but Mr. Hall and I preferred to walk and were at Inversnaid about the same time as the riders. We had now got into some new scenery. The great Ben Lommand towered up on our left. In front on the west of the lake appears some prominent peaks, called the Alps of Arrochar. This lake is the largest and finest in Scotland, being in length about 30 miles and containing over twenty thousand acres res. The whole scenery is varied and beautiful. We soon saw the steamer coming, and in a little while we were aboard. It then goes up to the north, where the lake gets very narrow. The steamer now turns round, touching at places on each side to take in and let out passengers. At Rowerdennen, on the left, Mr. Hall left the vessel, intending to make the assent of Ben Lommond. I would have gone with him, but had arranged to go to Glasgow. I had a letter from him describing his assent to the top and the extensive view all round. He mentioned also that he preached to an audience on the Sabbath in the open air, being to a party that had left the Established Church. I had also a letter from him shortly after this from the lakes in Westmorland, describing its scenery with some its beautiful lakes and surroundings. But upon the whole, he thought it far behind the rugged scenery of the Trossacks, with its mountains and various surroundings. I then kept on with the steamer to the end of the lake, and then by way of Dumbarton, and from this on to Glasgow. I stopped there all night, looked around it for a little, and then took the rail to Edinburgh, and in a day or two after this, I was home at Ormiston. I had a very interesting trip, having never seen so much of Scotland before.
Ever since the hot and dry season of 1826, the potatoes had frequently been subjected to a disease commonly known as the Curl in the Shaw. It varied a good deal in some years, being much worse than others. This year, 1843, it was particularly bad and was a great loss to the whole country, especially to the working classes. I noticed that where I had been traveling all through the Lothians and the best lands, this disease was everywhere prevalent, but I noticed that ll through the Tresacks and the Lake Country, the potatoes were remarkably green and healthy. I asked some of the people if they had ever seen anything of the Curl on their Shaws. They said they had never seen anything of it. This fully confirmed an idea that I had entertained that the disease was principally caused by an over ripening of the Tubers, by which the germination powers of the plant became much weakened. It so happened that at the Winter Meeting of the Highland Society this year, the great loss that has been sustained by the disease of the Curl in the potatoes was particularly referred as what reason could be given, it was resolved and sanctioned that a prize be awarded by this society to any person who could write an article stating the cause of the disease and a remedy for the same. Here I thought was a chance for me to speak out, and so I at once wrote an essay, giving my experience and observation on the subject and addressed it to the president of the society. I never heard anything more about this till sometime in the summer, the late Dr. Suart of Kelso being on a visit to Ormiston, and seeing me on an outside border of the garden near the road, he at once paid me a complement for the high honor I had received from the Highland Society. I said I was not aware of it. He said did you not write to them something about a disease of the potatoes. I said I did sometime ago but had never heard anything about it. He said that he saw in an Edinburgh Paper this morning that I had been awarded the Societies Large Silver Medal for a valuable Essay on the Potato Disease. This was my first notice but in a day or two after, I had a letter from the president stating the fact to me, and that I would receive the medal when I called at the office, giving them my proper initials. This I did and I still retain it as a momento of Scotland and the Highland Society.
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There was another event in my life which occurred about this time, and this was in a matter of relation to my religious sentiments. The Presbyterian Church of Jedburgh of which I had been a member since 1822, was now thinking of having an addition to the Eldership. Having mentioned certain districts in which they were required, it was suggested that the members in these several places call a meeting for the purpose of nomination one of their member as most fitting for the Eldership. The district of Eckford was one and wanted Thomas Robson, who had been a useful Elder in that place and had just left for America. In the meeting that was called, I was nominated as the most fitting for that office. The next stage of proceeding was for the parties nominated to meet with the minister and elders in the Vestry and to state their willingness to accept office or to give any reason why they could not. I had been thinking over this matter very carefully, and all the more so from the late celebrated trial before the Synod of the Rev. James Morrison of Kilmarnock for heresy. He had ignored the doctrine of a Limited Atonement, had been holding revival meetings, and a great many had been brought to the knowledge of the truth. But then some of the jealous Orthodox had been taking note that he had been doing this not according to the religious standards of the Church, such as the Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. So he was the first to be accused of heresy by his Presbyterian . The Synod pronounced a sentence against him. He then left with a solemn protest against the action of Synod, and with several other ministers who favored his views, established a religious denomination of their own in Scotland, the Evangelical Union Church, which soon drew to their number a great many from all the other churches. I now come back to my own case. As I stood in the Vestry before the Minister and Elders at Jedburgh, they seemed to give me a very cordial welcome. But before proceeding, I said I wished to ask them a question or two and it was—if they required from me a verbal assent to the Doctrines of Confession of Faith, especially as they related to that of Election and a Limited Atonement. Here some of the old Greyheads got up and said it was a piece of presumption on my part to question any of these things, and one of them to convince me, took a Testament and read several verses of the 9th chapter of Romans, finishing off with the emphasis: “Jacob have I loved and Esau I hated.” In turn I gave them some Scripture reasons for my belief, such as John 3 and 16. The Rev. Mr. Nicol expressed no opinion farther than he was sorry that such a question had been brought up before them. I thus got free from being an Elder and they made no attempt to exclude me as a member of the Church.
It was shortly after this that I was induced to change my situation to that of nursery and seedman. There was a Mr. Andrew Lockie in Kelso, who had long held that situation and for some reason was induced to give it up. Dr. John Stuart had made an arrangement with him to take the business for his brother, who was a writer with a lawyer in the town, but who was often dissipated with drink. He naturally thought that this business might reform him, especially if he could find an active foreman to carry out the business. He thought he had found one in a smart fellow named Black. Together they made a poor combination. And so it was one day in the fall of 1845 the Doctor called upon me at Ormiston and told me all about how matters were going with his brother and Black. He asked if I would undertake to run the business. I said I had never been practiced in the Nursery business and less among seeds, and therefore felt a difference to undertake such a situation. He said he had no fear for a man who had distinguished himself as a gardener as I had done, and that I should have a good wage and a certain percentage on all the Nursery Stock sold, and if his brother could be kept from drink, he could manage the Seed Store and all the writing correspondence in quite a business manner. I said I would think over the matter for a few days and let him know. I thought over the matter carefully and prayerfully. I had for the last 10 years, nay I might say 20, been working very hard, and thought this might be easier and bring me into good society. Another inducement was that my brother John, could take the garden at Ormiston along with my mother. I therefore accepted the situation and entered upon it the 1st of February, 1846. My wife and family remained at Ormiston till the 26th of May. At that time I had two children, Isabella and Andrew. I took a house where I had been boarding alongside the Nursery at Forrestfield. It had four rooms with coalhouse and gas. The rent being about ten pounds a year.
The Evangelical Union Church had just been formed the year previous. The minister at that time, the Rev. John Rutherford, a young man, and most devout Evangelist. Revival meetings were being held and a good many from various churches in the Town and Country joined our Union. Several of these Elders and leading members who got new spiritual light, and came boldly out as witnesses for a free Gospel, I joined this body at once. When I came to the town I was cordially received by the Brethren. >From the way in which the Church had been formed and was being augmented, it can be easily seen that our little church was looked upon by other churches with very jealous eyes. There were several Baptists and Methodists who at once joined with us. Our only test was a confession of Sin and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for Pardoning Mercy. We were in they way also of forming plans of visitation through certain parts of the town, especially in the Sabbath afternoons. We often had Gospel Tracts to give away, and those who were sick, and we always gave them a free invitation to come to our Church by this means. We preached the Gospel and were fishers of men.
It was in the year 1845 that the Blight and Potato Rot was first seen in Great Britain and Ireland. I first saw its effects in the fall of that year. The leaves and stems being blighted, and when taken up a few of the tubers were diseased. But after being put in pits a great many rotted. But the next year, 1846, the blight was seen on the Shaws early and many of the tubers began to rot before they had attained their size. The cause of this disease gave rise to great speculation, and the papers were flooded with letters of all sorts of reasons, the most of them, as I soon found, were a great way from the truth. I had formed an opinion from the first that the cause was atmospheric, being aggravated or mitigated according to circumstances. In order to test this I had planted a large quantity of Early Ash Lead Kidney Potatoes, to meet the demand for customers in spring. I therefore took up the greater part of these potatoes just as the Shaws were beginning to show blight. I had them put under a large open shed and covered with mats and straw. In front of this shed, I put down two bushels of these same potatoes, spreading them out thin in the shape of two distinct squares. One of these, I covered with a double thick mat, the other square I left fully exposed to the sun and atmosphere. In the course of a week, those exposed began to show a brown decay on the skin, and in the course of another week, were nearly all rotted. But on taking off the mat from those alongside, I was agreeably surprised to see every potato sound and healthy, and I found it also to be the same as those covered in the shed. I think I had a similar feeling at that time, as is related of Benjamin Franklin, when with his kite he had drawn the lightening from the cloud to his feet and seeing its effect, he exclaimed, “I have found it!” I had left a few of the same standing in the ground; these I found also to be nearly all rotted. There was another point thus disclosed in potato and seed culture; that by taking them up and winnowing them in this green state, they become greatly strengthened and improved in their future growth. This was just something of the same in a varied form, from which I had seen when passing through the Crossacks a few years before and led me to write the essay on the potato, for which I was awarded a prize by the Highland Society.
I practiced this same method every year with our early seed potatoes. Our customers found them to be extra good and the demand greatly increased. It is to be observed however, that this method applies to the saving of seed potatoes. Those for table thus require a certain time to mature, in order that starch may be deposited. This potato disease of 1846 was very bad in Scotland and England. I made a tour that year in the month of September through a good part of Scotland in the way of selling turnip seeds, and had thus an opportunity of seeing this disease in its worst form. I saw a great many people foolishly taking them up and spreading them on the ground in order as they thought to save some. But this disease will be ever memorable as it was manifested in Ireland. The poor people at that time were in a great measure dependent on the potato as chief staple food, and the disease being so bad, nearly the whole crop rotted. This caused a perfect famine in that country and thousands died of starvation. Assistance had to be rendered by the government. America and other countries sent large supplies. There was one thing that this potato disease brought to a speedy termination and that was the abolition of the obnoxious Corn Laws. Sir Robert Peel, the Prime Minister, who had always been a strong advocate for protection, when the distress of the country by the potato disease, and more specifically, the great suffering in Ireland. So soon as a motion was made for the abolition of those laws, he gave his consent, and they were blotted from the Statute Book.. This disease has frequently visited the British Isles, but never to the same extent as 1846. They found that some of their best old varieties were most liable to disease, and there has been certain new varieties introduced that more readily resists the atmospheric influence.
In entering on my new business, I found no difficulty in discharging its duties. There was one thing which we just now found to be sort of an “elephant” on our hands, and that was the immense stock of turnip seed. My predecessor, Black, had bargained with the farmers to grow large quantities. A good part of this had been threshed out and cleaned and there were two or three granaries full, and several large stacks yet to thrash, which would call for more storage. This all had to be paid for on delivery. The Doctor mentioned to me that Black had acted foolishly in having engaged so much seed, and which would be a dead stock on hand for some time. He thought therefore that it would be well for me to take a turn through some of the principle parts of Scotland and try to sell part of this seed to dealers at wholesale prices, even if I could get only one or two shillings per bushel more than it cost us. I said I was afraid there would be little demand at present, as Market Quotations were low. He said it would not cost much, only my traveling expenses, and it would let them know at any rate that we had such a stock. So I said I would try what could be done. I started out on this tour sometime in September, took Edinburgh first, calling on the different Seedsmen. But I could make no sales, though I offered as low as 15 shillings per bushel. Then I went by the way of Dundee and Perth, but they had a supply and none was wanted. Then I went to Stirling and called on Mr. Drummond, but he also was full. It was the same old thing. So I came home and told the Doctor that I could not make any sales. He said the seed would keep for another year or even 2 or 3. But it still had a little more hopeless aspect, as the winter of 1847 was one of the mildest that had been experienced for many years. This had a tendency to preserve the turnips and would favor a large crop of seed for this year.
I shall now refer a little to our church matters and some other things in that connection. We were still adding to our members, and some of these had been pulled out of the dregs (and these being well known in the town), their change of life was a powerful witness that our work was of God. But there were also others, young people of respectable character who were also attracted. I had something to do with one case and it came round in the following manner: Alongside of our nursery were a range of gardens only divided by a hedge 5 feet high. These were either owned or rented by merchants. One of these belonged to a Mr. Adam Nical, who kept a large grocery store. It was his custom to be there early, weeding or planting before breakfast, and in this work he was often assisted by some of his clerks or apprentices. As I was often alongside we had frequent converse, especially with one young man, William Aitken. We had often talked over religious matters and some that had joined our church lately. I urged him also to come and join with us, but he said he could not see his way to leave the old church in which he had been baptized and brought up. I then invited him to come and hear the Rev. William Scott, former minister of his church. Mr. Aitkens said he would gladly come. The church that day was crowded to its utmost capacity. It so happened that I was the Presenter that day to lead the singing and had a good view of the audience. Among them I say my young friend. Rev. Scott preached an arousing sermon, in which blended both law and gospel. As this church was dismissing, Aitken came and shook my hand, saying, “Now I see you are right and I feel very happy.” We attended the services of the afternoon and evening. When I introduced him to Mr. Scott, with whom he had considerable conversation. We found afterwards that there had been several other parties aroused by the day’s preaching. William Aitken joined our church at once and showed a most devoted spirit in all our prayer meetings, and at the same time showed the greatest diligence in going out and conversing with others. Later in life he devoted all his time to religious work and was one of the party that organized the Young Mens Christian Association in London.
Our church was frequently visited by strangers who might be stopping in town for a time or passing through on a business trip. A very memorable case of this kind occurred to me about the end of 1846. One Sabbath morning I noticed a well dressed gentleman of middle age come into our church and listen very attentively to the sermon. I noticed also that he was at the afternoon and evening services. After church was dismissed I was in the way with another of the Brethren counting the collection. This was taken in two close boxes placed on each side of the entrance. I counted mine and found among the small change two half crowns. I then asked my neighbor, Samuel Dickie, if he noticed that stranger gentleman who had been with us all day. He said he did and was wondering who he was. I said I did not know but wished he would come everyday, for I had two half crowns in my box, and believed they were from him. In the Monday just after I had got dinner and gone out to the nursery, when our shop boy, William Mein, came up and said that Mr. Handside, the Nurseryman, was at the Cross Keys Inn, and I was to come down and see him. I went down and found him in the Sitting Room, and received from him a very hearty reception. I was acquainted with this gentleman before, having several times purchased some of his fine Dahlias. He at once asked me what I would like to drink, I thanked him and said I would rather not take anything at present. But you must he said, and with that rang the bell and ordered some whiskey. We talked over some business and when the whiskey came, I had to take a sip of it. Turnip seed was talked about and he thought it likely that prices would be lower than last season. While we were talking, I was rather surprised to see sitting in another corner of the room, the same gentleman who attended our church yesterday. And I soon perceived he had his eye upon me. As I was about to go away, I noticed that he went out to the door, and after I had bade goodbye to Mr. Handside and had come out to the hall, there was the gentleman standing. There was at once a mutual salute. I mentioned that I thought he was the same gentleman which I saw at our church yesterday, and he said he was. He said he was very highly pleased with our minister and the devoted Christian appearance of the people, and he thought such a church was calculated to do much good, but he said in a feeling way: “Dear Brother, I am sorry to see that you have not joined the Temperance Society. I hope you will soon se it your duty to do so.” I said I had no desire for drink, and was well aware that it was a great evil to many, but that I was peculiarly situated in my business as a nursery and seedman, and that it was often necessary in making a sale in that line to treat your customer. He said he was well aware that this was the habit of the world. But he held it to be the duty of every Christian to witness against such things, that we are our brother’s keepers. “Now,” he said, “to bring this case home to yourself, you are the third man within the last two hours that has been doing business with this gentleman in the same way, and there is no doubt if he goes on, that in a little time he will die a drunkard. Now, my brother, in that day when we must give an account of all our duties and relations with each other, will you be free of the blood of this man?” I felt the truth of this. It touched my conscience to the quick, and with emphasis, I said, “God helping, I will give it up.” I asked him his name and where he was from; he told me he was a traveler in business for Lord Mayor of London. He gave me a specimen of some Gospel Tracts which he said he always carried for distribution. He was going with the stagecoach to Berwick, and then take the train to Edinburgh.
It was about this time that the first great wave of Temperance came over Great Britain and Ireland. In Scotland the Temperance League was formed and certain agents were appointed to travel and deliver lectures. The wave had also struck Kelso, and several with myself were laboring to promote the course. We had some noted cases to work upon. Among the most prominent was James Hooper Dawson, editor of the Kelso Chronicle, a man with all his brilliant talents in advocating political reform, was a slave to drink and was therefore found wallowing in the mire. He was talked and reasoned with, signed the Pledge and became Champion in the cause. There was also another, Andrew Dun Miller. He spent all the money he could lay hands on for drink, while his wife and family were starving. He was that far gone in the habit that he often saw what they called the “Blue Devils.” I was first introduced to him by Robert Rutherford, who was a member of our church. We reasoned and pled with him and got him to sign the pledge. He kept it, became a man, and settled down to business. His sons joined him in the milling and grain business, and now they are the wealthiest firm in that place. The Temperance reform in this way received a great impetus and a Temperance Society was formed. Mr. Dawson was the president and myself vice president. We invited some of the greatest Temperance Lecturers, amongst which was John B. Gough.
I now again come to speak of our nursery business. The winter of 1847 was one of the mildest. Hence a great deal of the turnip crop would not be used, it would be used for seed. This naturally caused a very poor outlook for us. About the end of March, whole fields could be seen standing about, coming into bloom. Then a cold spell came over the fall of snow. Following this there was night of moist frost, and as vegetation had been prematurely advanced, it met with a thorough check and kill. I hastened down to our seed store and found our boy Archie rubbing his hands and with a wry face, saying what an awful morning it was. I said, “Well however you may feel, it has been a grand night and morning for us.” He did not understand my meaning, when I said the cold night had killed all the growing turnip seed. I told him that I had been examining Mr. Tait’s patch and found it thoroughly destroyed. That day the papers mentioned that the frost had been most severe over the whole country and that especially the growing turnip seed had been destroyed. “Now,” I said to Mr. Stuart, “you will have a number of letters asking about our turnip seed and our prices, but don’t commit yourself for a little while.” This just happened so, and for a time we were flooded with letters. He answered those parties by saying, “We have a very large stock of fine turnip seed but have not yet made up our minds as to the price. Our foreman will call upon you in a few days, when prices will be submitted.” I talked the matter over with the Doctor, and as there was yet a great uncertainty as to the price, I said that when I started, I would first go to Edinburgh and call upon Mr. Lawson, the leading seedman in Scotland to ascertain what he thought might be the price. This I did and had a considerable talk with him. He said that since the crop of that year had been destroyed, there were many rumors and talk about prices and some of them were very extravagant. He said there was no doubt that prices would be much higher than ever before, that he had decided to make his retailing price two shillings per pound, and as he would require a considerable stock to supply customers he would give me an order for 100 bushels at 75 shillings per bushel. This I knew was a great difference of that I had been offered at only 15 shilling. I accepted his offer, and signed the contract. I then called on other seedmen of that city and showed them Mr. Lawson’s order. In this way all my sales afterward became a very simple matter. I then went to Dundee and made large sales, also at Berth and Stirling.
While waiting at the station for the Glasgow train, I was agreeably surprised to meet with my old friend who tackled me on the Temperance question at Kelso. I was surprised that he knew I was carrying out my Temperance pledge. He said he knew because that night when he prayed, he had at once a most assured confidence that his prayer would be answered. He asked me if Temperance had hurt my business, and I told him about our good luck. “Thank God!” he said, “That is another answer to prayer for in that connection with Temperance, I prayed also that the Lord would bless and prosper you in all business relations.” Thus was our meeting terminated by the train coming along, he going in the other direction.
After visiting Glasgow and making sales, I came home by the way of Edinburgh and spent part of the day with my sister Mary. On coming home I had a hearty reception from the Doctor and his brother. The seed put our firm in the higher position and enabled us to carry out our nursery business on a more extensive scale.
The extension of the Railroad at this time and certain things in necessary connection with it, gave an impetus to the nursery business for certain things wanted. Among the first was young Hawthorne quicks. But as other nurseries had an oversupply, the price was often less than cost. Another thing railroads brought into requisition was the Larch Tree for railroad ties. This induced all landed proprietors to plant a great number of these trees on waste lands. I spoke to Mr. Stuart that I thought we ought to put out a good number of Larch. He thought it might be well but not too many, considering the Hedge Trade had been a failure. I knew of a piece of land with reasonable rend adapted to these trees. He said for me to make a trial of it. This I did. I ordered two year seedlings from Mr. John Reid at 18 pence per 1,000. The trees were carefully planted and cultivated through the summer and were fine stock in the fall. I advertised them in the London papers as being adapted for estate plantations. In a very little while we had a letter from a gentleman of Kent and he wished us to send to his address 31,000 Larch trees. Mr. Stuart was proud of such a large order and he hoped I would send our best trees. I though it would be better to send to Mr. Reid in Edinburgh to take up and pack in crates for us our large order and have them shipped by sea to the address in Kent. This piece of business wrought well and left us with a good profit, and the gentleman was well pleased with his trees, procuring us several other orders from his neighbors. We had a good many orders from gentlemen nearer home.
We also made a good deal from our nursery in the floral and ornamental departments. Certain new varieties of flowers were being brought out, and at the various meeting of our Horticultural Society there was often keen competition. There were several amateurs in the town who were quite enthusiastic in this way, speaking to obtain every new variety that came out. This had the effect to stir up the gardeners of the various gentlemen in the neighborhood. We had a long and broad gravel walk in the midst of our nursery with tall growing plants, as Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Standard Roses, and some of the new flowering shrubs. Nearer to the walk were many varieties of roses, and next to the box edging were all the finest Annuals, which were then making their first appearance from California. This became a great pleasure walk for all parties, especially for those who were fond of flowers. It also afforded me a fitting opportunity to show off to the best advantage any new variety of flowering plant, which had met with the highest commendation from London Horticultural Society. Such parties were often asking a great many questions about such plants. Often it resulted in a large order. Some of those new varieties of flowers and plants were offered to the public at first at very high prices, but in order to carry out our business, it was necessary that we should have them. I had some difficulty with our boy Archie on some of these things. New roses being all the rage, a variety called Queen Victoria came at 10 shillings and sixpence each. The company had such demand for this rose; they could only send us sleeping buds, two for a guinea. One of these buds did not develop, but from the other I was able to bud 27 from it and every one grew. I sold a good many of the strongest of these for 5 shillings. Archie had thought the guinea wasted at first.
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Our Horticultural Society increased in prosperity. Mr. Stuart was chosen secretary and did all the writing in that connection,while I made the arrangements of the Hall and the various things exhibited. We divided into two classes: one for the Gentleman Gardeners, and the other for amateurs. This gave the letter the privilege of showing in the first class, and we found that this had the effect of stirring up much greater emulation. It was also my endeavor to make a good display at these meetings from our Green House and Nursery. All new roses, Hollyhocks, and Dahlias were always shown to the best advantages. When the ladies came round and were admiring such things, I was always there to answer questions, and often got good orders. I was in the way also of attending some of the adjacent—such as Jedburgh, Hawich, Berwick, and Coldstream. I was often called up to act as a judge. I brought a box of special flowers with me, bringing something before the public in order to make a sale. In going about in this way, I met all the gentleman gardeners and many amateurs in horticulture. I also got well acquainted with all the farmers in the district, as it was my business to sell all the various seeds they might require, such as turnip, clover, and grass seeds.
There was another thing which came up in our line of business at this time, which was the sale of certain farm manure—bone dust and guano. Both of these were found most efficient in improving the growth of the turnip crops. Mr. Stuart’s brother-in-law, Mr. John Roberten, who was farmer at Edinburgh, a little below Kelso, had got up a mill especially for grinding bones. Many people made a business of collecting and bringing them to Mr. Roberton. I think he paid them 5 pence per stone of 14 pounds. He got his main supply from towns and cities by the railroad. We were his agent to sell those ground bones and had a large house in town on the banks of the Tweed, where they were stored and ready for sale. This was not a pleasant business, for the bones in a large heap emitted a smell. Soon we had collected all the rats in the neighborhood, but we soon found a method of turning this Charnel House into a trap for catching rats. On one side were open windows with blinds, where rats could readily come. These were often so constructed that they could be shut from outside in a few seconds. The only entrance was through several open latticed windows on opposite side, and this was upon a perpendicular wall of 12 feet on the banks of the Tweed. I told this to some who had Terrier dogs and they upon told others, and I have seen more than a dozen assembled to have a hunt. The first process was to shut the windows on one side, then the parties with their dogs standing at each end of the building on the bank of the river. Then the door at the end opened, and when parties rushed in with long sticks pounded the bones and the rats who had to make their escape, leaped out through the open slats into the river. And there was such a scene of splash and worry and felling with long sticks which for some time made quite an exciting scene. I think I have seen as many as 100 rats at once. Another thing in connection with this bone manure was sulfuric acid. It was found that this ingredient, when mixed with broken bones, reduced them to a fine dust, and a small quantity of this sown along the drill produced a superior crop of turnips. This article was also sold and it came in large glass bottles, called Carboys (which weighs 150 lbs.). It was just a little before this that Guano came to be known as manure, and we sold great quantities of it. One great advantage of this concentrated manure, was the ease in which they could be applied and their immediate effect on the crop. The first time I found this out was on a piece of land of about two acres. From this crop of Hawthorne plants had been taken. This ground was ploughed without any manure and a crop of potatoes was planted in rows with a dibble 2 ½ feet apart. After they came up, so as to show where the rows were, I sowed along these a very light sprinkling of Guano, which seemed to have an immediate effect, as the shaws assumed a dark, bushy growth and a fine crop of potatoes was the result. This, I more fully tested by leaving a row or two without the Guano. These were stunted and growth with yellow shaws and a poor crop of small potatoes.
After taking a prominent part in the Temperance cause, it naturally brought me into acquaintance with many of the best people of the town, and then we found that there were certain other evils that required attention. There were two of these—the opening of the Post Office and running of Railway Trains on the Sabbath Day. One of the most prominent Clergymen in Kelso at that time was the Rev. Horatious Boner. He warmly took up the subject and preached some sermons about it. A delegation of two from the various churches were drafted to meet together and discuss the matter. It was therefore resolved and adopted that Tracts bearing on the subject should be distributed to every house in the town and neighborhood.
I think it was about 1848 or 1849 that Cholera again visited the British Islands. It was very malignant in Kelso. I noticed that in many of the fatal cases were those who were addicted to drink, and some with a weak habit of body. I have seen some perfectly well and in 6 hours they were corpses. There was no doubt that it was an atmospheric disease, and that it was also infectious. Of this I had a notable instance in a young man whose name was Dalgliesh, drayman at Kelso Mill. He was suddenly seized and died. Notice of his death was sent to his parents who lived 6 miles in the country. One of our seed graineries was adjacent to the mill, and I was just coming from it in the morning when I met Simon Dalgliesh and his burial. After they went home they were seized with cholera and died. Another thing I found peculiar in this disease was that it followed a good deal along the course of the rivers. There were two cases on the Teviot with which I was well acquainted. One was a Robert Heron, a tailor at Kale waterfoot, which was fatal, and the other case was that of my mother at Ormiston Garden. A special message was sent to me that my mother was ill. I went at once and found her very weak, but the doctor said the disease had taken a turn which gave some symptoms of hope. And so it was, for she soon got better. There were also several other cases alongside the Teviot.
Mr. John Rutherford left our church about a year after I had joined it, and did some Evangelical work in other places. Most of the preachers that followed were young men and boarded at my house. We ultimately called a permanent pastor, a Mr. James Howrie, a native of Ayrshire. He was married and had a family and did some good work in our church. Our mode of support was voluntary, each giving in accordance to their ability; and it wrought well. But we had also some trials in our church connections. A Baptist preacher created much strife and drew away all our Baptists converts. Some of our Brethren were very intolerant with those who had been Immersed. I saw the danger and took a stand between parties, advising Toleration and forbearance, but the feeling ran high and I was in the way of getting a little bit of a kick from each. This state of matters continued until the party formed a church. But after struggling for a year or two they had to disband.
From the movement that had been made in Kelso for better observance of the Sabbath, it was resolved that a prize of five pounds be given for the best essay on the Sabbath, and two pounds and ten shillings be given for the second best. The Sabbath essay was confined to working men in counties of Roxburgh and Berwick. I tried my hand and sent in an essay. I was so far gratified in being awarded the first prize, and I have no doubt it would have been printed, if I had belonged to a more fashionable church. I have however a manuscript copy in a book.
I had frequent letters from my brothers James and Andrew in America, that they were getting along well. The year 1851 will always be famous, as that in which the first great World Fair was held in London. In the opening of that year I had a letter from James, saying that he and his wife were intending to make a visit to see all the friends and the World Exhibition. This was realized, when he and his wife arrived at our house in Kelso about the end of May. I had a good time visiting round with him, and he seemed to look at some of the proud farmers and landlords with a little disdain. Among others he visited John Park of Wooden, who gave him the kick that made him go to America. He said to Mr. Park that he had called to thank him as one of his best friends in being the first means of bringing him to America, where he had now 400 acres of land of his own, besides other house property. I have no doubt Mr. Park accepted this as a sort of left-handed compliment, but it went to show that there was a Divine Power overruling all things for good. It was sometime in the month of July when he thought to go and see London and the Exhibition. As I had never seen London before, I thought I would go with him. And so with his wife, we took an Excursion Train from Edinburgh. This train started on the Saturday evening, causing us to travel a part of the way on the Sabbath, which, in other circumstances, I would have avoided, but I made the best of it by distributing Tracts and talking with some parties on religious subjects. We arrived at the great city in the forenoon. I had a map and a guidebook with me which I had previously studied, and so I took a Hack at the station which took us and our baggage to Bow Lane, Cheapside, where our Hackman said he could get us lodgings with a lady in a comfortable way and at a lower rate than we expected. After having dinner and a rest, I proposed to my brother to take a walk out and see a little of the city. He said he was afraid we would lose ourselves. I said I had no fear, but that I could travel by the map over the whole city. So we started down Cheapside by the bank and Leadenhall to the end of the bridge. On going down to the Themes, here we saw vessels of all sorts, going up and down. And just at the wharf, where we were standing, was one of the steamers that was to start in a few minutes for Chelsea, about 3 or 4 miles sail up the river. Perhaps there was no other way in which a stranger could see so much of the city in so short a time. There was one place on the way up most peculiar at this time—that was from the London Bridge and two miles upward were the Themes Embankment now is. At that time you could see nothing but ragged cable ends and warehouses. Now the fine Boulevard and ornamental grounds in front presents a scene of beauty and variety. Our vessel passed other crafts of all sorts and sizes, while the water of the river seemed a sort of mud puddle. The river takes a winding course when passing along by the Vauxhall Gardens and the new Houses of Parliament. On coming up the Chelsea, the view opens up considerable to the north and where at that time could be seen the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. After leaving the steamer, we took a sort of a beeline for the great building. We had a look at it from the outside, as it was not open on Sundays. Then we took our way down to what is called Rotten Row, past Apsley House, then occupied by the Duke of Wellington, then along Piccadilly to the foot of Regent, then down by the way of Trafalgar Square, the Strand, Fleet Street, Ludgate Hill, round St. Paul’s Cathedral, and to our lodgings in Bow Lane. We spent over 14 days in and around this great city. Of course the Exposition was most attractive, and being the first time the world had ever brought its various productions together. Some great men were also to be seen, such as the Duke of Wellington and Prince Albert, and also Queen Victoria at certain times. I visited Kew Garden and Sion House, the beauties of which I could appreciate. One day brother James and I went out to Windsor Castle and were permitted to walk through the principal rooms of the palace. Then in the park adjoining was held at that time the great Agricultural Show of the Royal Society in which the finest stock of all various sorts were exhibited. There was also a very large and elegant pavilion where there was to be a great dinner in honor of Prince Albert. We learned he would make his appearance in a Royal Carriage. We saw a great crowd gathering and so pushed down among them. I recollect brother James, in order to have a good view, contrived to perch on one of the stone pillars of the gate. In a little time his Royal Highness appeared sitting in an open carriage, and graciously acknowledging the honors done him.
I spent one or two very interesting days in the British Museum, and the first day that I went was something more than ordinary interesting. I had seen in the paper that evenings before that a ship load of Niniveh Marbles had arrived at Portsmouth and would be brought to the museum right away. So I thought I would spend a day there anyway. It so happened that when I went in, there was an immense crowd, all round about. The marbles had arrived and they were just in the act of carrying them in. It struck me afterwards on reading the Prophecy of Nahum on the Destruction of Nineveh how very literally I had seen that prophecy fulfilled. Not only does this prophet speak of this city being buried in her grave and become vile, but also about being raised up to become grazing stock to the Nations. This was very literal that day, as all the nations of the earth were then represented in London. In the time I was in London I visited many of the great sights in and around the city, such as the Old Tower, the shipping docks, and Thames Tunnel. There is a vast amount of history associated with all these. The Regent Park with the Menagerie of the great variety of animal life is highly interesting. Another great sight was Madame Tassards great historical collection of famous men and women of the world: there you see them standing dressed, as they were living. In the great Exhibition, the various industries of all the nations were fully displayed. In the American Department, though not a large display, there were some things that attracted great attention. My brother’s wife had often been telling us about their American cooking and heating stoves, and how much they were superior to our open fires. When we first came into this department she at once directed my attention to their stoves. First by opening the iron door and showing how wood was put in, then with a handle taking off the circular covers and placing on a pot or kettle. There were ovens for roasting or baking, and above a fountain for a constant supply of hot water. While she was showing off this and talking, a great crowd of people were soon attracted and many questions were asked and answered. Another thing in this department which attracted by far the greatest attention was the McCormack Reaping Machine. This was the first time it had been shown in England, and was always surrounded by a crowd. When harvest came on, several were put in operation in various places and were witnessed by thousands. But at that time it was a very plain affair to what it is now with all its various apparatus for cutting, gathering, and binding.
There were also some great meetings held in London at this time. I attended two of these in Exeter Hall. One of these was for the purpose of forming a National Alliance to settle all disputes that might arise and so prevent war. Mr. Cobden and a French Emile de Gerardine were the principle speakers. They enunciated some great truths and passed some resolutions which have scarcely ever been acted on except in the case of the Alabama. The other meeting that I attended was also philanthropic. Its principle object was a protest upon the evils of slavery. Some things were said about the strange anomaly of the American Government. Elihu Burritt, the learned blacksmith was a principle in this meeting and some Americans from the south were very much disgusted.
I think it might be necessary at this time in 1851 to give some account of my family relations and their places of residence. My oldest sister Mary was married to a Robert Stevenson who was a baker in Crailling. About 1824 he lost in business and they went into Edinburgh, where he had difficulty for some time in finding employment. They made a shift to get along by keeping some of the student boarders. Then Robert got permanent situation in a large confectionery store. Their family consisted of one girl till Andrew, their only son was born in 1820.8 (?) The girl died from scarlet fever. Andrew went to school and used to come out and spend a few weeks with friends in the country, and then served an apprenticeship of 5 years as bookseller. His father died, and in 1852 or 1853 he commenced bookseller on his own account at the same place, where he is still at No. 9 North Bank Street. My second sister Agnes was married to William Huggan about 1833. His trade was millwright and he had just commenced business on his own account and seemed successful. He bought a piece of steep property on what was called the Abby Bank and by cutting in and leveling down, got as much land, where he built a good dwelling house and a large range of work shops. About this time they had a large family of sons and daughters. Alexander, my oldest brother, was married in 1829 to Isabella Robson. For two years he wrought at laboring work, where he could find it, but in a little time engaged as Farm Steward to Mr. William Purvis, farmer. There, he brought up a large family, mostly daughters, where they were all well employed for a time on the farm. The management of the farm was greatly entrusted to Alexander. I pass over brother James’ history, as it has been already related and also that of Andrew, who had settled and was doing well in Kalamazoo. My youngest sister Margaret was married about 1843 to a George Telfer of Jedburgh, a cabinetmaker, and was considered a good expert at his business but was apt at times to be led away by social companions into dissipation, which sometimes caused an unpleasant feeling in the family. My youngest brother John left the garden at Ormiston about 1850 for the situation of gardener at Hartrigge near Jedburgh. This extensive estate had lately been purchased by Lord Campbell, then Lord Chief Justice of England. The garden had to be remodeled and laid out anew, and I recollect I was in the way of rendering John some assistance in this matter, and also in laying out some new drives in the park. I also supplied from our Kelso nursery a great many fruit trees for the garden and some of the finer sort of shade trees for the park. My mother also left Ormiston and took a house at Bongate, where she was close beside John and her other married daughters, Agnes and Margaret, where she was always a welcome guest.
I was now getting into a family myself. I had their names and births all registered in a book. The first is Isabella Taylor born at Ormiston Parish of Eckford December 10th, 1842. The next is Andrew Taylor born at Ormiston December 20th, 1844. Next James A Taylor born at Kelso, April 15th 1849. Then Violet Stevenson Taylor born at Kelso January 24th, 1852. George Taylor born Kelso February 4, 1847.
It will be seen from what I have above mentioned that brother James and his wife had a large circle of friends to visit. It was a pleasant time with all parties, and so they left for home about the end of August. I mentioned to James that it was my intention to come out to America and start a nursery, and as I had sent 100 dollars with Andrew to purchase land, I hoped he would have it ready for me whenever I came, and that 10 acres of good land would be enough. He thought a nursery to raise fruit trees would pay well, as they were in the way of purchasing all such from eastern dealers, but that there was no need for Evergreen and Forest Trees, as they had far more of these than was wanted. It therefore remained in the Kelso Nurseries till 1855.
Since a Temperance Society had been formed in Kelso with James Hooper Dawson as president and me vice president, we kept the subject before the people by having frequent lectures by prominent leaders in that cause. The Scottish Temperance League was formed and it sent out agents who frequently visited the southern district was George Easton. He was from a peasant family in Liddiesdale, and having joined the Temperance Society, he began to talk on the subject, and with so much acceptance that he was appointed one of the League’s agents. It was at that time that the celebrated John B. Gough made his first visit to Scotland and England. When he came to Edinburgh I recollect Mr. Dawson and I both went in to hear him. The meeting was in the music hall with a crowd of about four thousand. It was quite common at that time to begin such meetings with what was called a soiree or swarie as it was spoken. This consisted of tea and coffee with varieties of bread and cake. This meeting was conducted in this way. On entering, you purchased a ticket for sixpence or shillings. Then you are handed a cup and saucer. You pass into the hall and find a seat. Then when the house is full, tea and coffee is served by parties coming around with a tea and coffee pot in each hand. You hold your cup and get a supply of what you name. Other parties follow with trays of bread and cake, so that you can take what you please. When you get through, there are parties ready to take your cup and saucer. The whole of this vast assembly were served in the way I have described in half an hour. After the leaders had made some remarks, Mr. Gough was introduced to the audience. This manner seemed rather diffident at first, but he soon warmed up, and for an hour and a half, kept the audience spellbound, as he portrayed the effect of drunkenness. There is no doubt that the thrilling lectures inducted a great many to join the Temperance Society, but it is evident that so long as the root of the evil remains, that is license and is under the fostering care of the government, so will drunkenness abound. At that time it was quite common to see farmers and tradesmen who regularly attended the Kelso Market on Fridays going home drunk. There were instances of lives being lost in this way, I have seen more than once some of the ministers of the gospel going home in this way. One noted this was on the Monday after the sacrament at Ednam. I was downtown that evening, sitting on the steps of Johnston the Saddler. Along with some others, when we saw three riders come into the market square from Union Street. We soon perceived they were the worse of drunk, and as they came nearer, I saw they were ministers and knew them all. It was a sad sight, and went to show the great necessity for reformation beginning in the house of God.
LINKS
| Intro & 1 Thru 4 | 5 thru 8 | 13 Thru 17 |
| Celery Production in Michigan | Celery Historical Marker |
| Celery Cultivation In Kalamazoo | Celery Flats Interpretive Center | Celery Growers and Shippers in Kalamazoo |
| Celery Image Gallery | Dutch in Kalamazoo | George Taylor's Recollection's The man who started celery cultivation in Kalamazoo |
| Portage Bicentennial Park |
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