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Hi Norvals,
I have come across the Hall-Buttery firm before, and their engineering company. The third child of Rev Robert Colvin and Marion Laidlaw of Johnston parish, Dumfries-shire, she was born in 1818. her full name was Mary Hope Johnston Colvin, and in June 1839, she wed Alexander V Buttery, later of Monkland Iron and Steel Works.

I'm interested in tracing the life of the Rev Colvin's 6th child, Jessie Hunter Colvin, who was born in 1826. She died in 1890 in Stirling, which is the town I'm interested in. Mary HJ Colvin and Alexander Buttery had no children. She died at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, Morningside and an inventory was made. She died on 21 Dec 1892, outlliving her sister Jessie, who died in 1890. Alexander left considerable legacies to his siblings, including the wife of the minister of Inchinnan.

Mary HJ Colvin or Buttery died in Morningside Lunatic Asylum, and her inventory says she held a bond secured over property in Govan. She had a curator from 1892, suggesting that she was not capable of running her own affairs, although no reason was given. Considering that she was born in 1818, she was now about 74, so was possibly suffering from dementia or another age related disease. Another outdated title for the institution in her inventory is Royal Edinburgh Asylum for the Insane. She was apparently admitted in September 1892. It is signed by William Colvin, stockbroker, who was her great nephew, not her brother of Craigielands (he was already dead).

I'm in search of a photo or other image of Jessie, but the Buttery family are even more intersting, although they're not the subject of my reasearch.
Does anyone have a picture of Jessie or any other of the Covlins?
Thanks

Hi, I'm also new here and I've tried to reply to this a before, but without success. I am researching the life of Jessie Hunter Colvin, 1826-90, who was the daughter of the Rev Robert Colvin, and his wife Marion Laidlaw. Her father wrote the New Statistical Account for the parish of Johnston, Dumfries-shire and she lived with her parents until his death.

As the eldest unmarried daughter, Jessie then looked after her mother, until Marion died, and then went to keep house for her brother William. He was an iron and steel merchant, who bought Craigielands estate in 1856. She lived with him for many years before moving to Stirling in later life. Jessie was involved in various charities in Stirling, and took part in the local branch of the Scottish Girl's Friendly Society, an 'association for the benefit of the girls of the working class'. 

I know her sisters and nieces made 'good' marriages, and two of her brothers were ministers with large families. However, Jessie never married. I'm trying to find a photograph of her, but this is proving quite difficult.

Her sisteer Elizabeth married a Rev James Goldie, a Presbyterian minister in London. Her sister who married into engineer Alexander Buttery, had no children. Her brother William died unmarried, so her two minister brothers are the most likely families to have images of her. Her youngest brother, was Rev Robert F Colvin, of Kirkpatrick Juxta parish, whose church she attended while living at nearby Craigielands.

A niece, Mary Ramsay Colvin, married William MacFie of Clermiston House, Edinburgh, in 1872. He was one of the well known 'Sugar MacFie' family of Leith. Mary R Colvin was daughter of the other minister brother, Rev  Walter L Colvin of Cramond, also in Edinburgh.

I'd love to find any pictures of Jessie Hunter Colvin, as I'm hoping to compile a short local history article on her. Thanks to any one who can help.