There is a headstone in Cumbernauld parish churchyard, probably a simple marker stone, that has the inscription "1833 John Stark and Margaret Horn".
It may have been erected around the time of their marriage or, perhaps shortly afterwards.
Around the year 1900, the Rev John Ogilvie, the parish minister, interviewed William Sawers, the parish Sexton (gravedigger), who had been planting the good folk of the parish for over 60 years. Following in the footsteps of his father and, I think, his grandfather.
The Rev Ogilvie wrote down, in William's vernacular, the statement the old man made about who was in each grave. No written records had ever been kept, William knew the churchyard and its inhabitants like the back of his hand.
There was a stone (but it has since either disappeared, been covered with soil or been broken) with the inscription "
R Horn and E Freeland 1828".
Sawers narrated what he knew about this family.
"
All on the stone was in America and died there. William Sawyers' good-daughter (daughter-in-law)
buried here & (a)
child. His father and mother put up the stone. James Stark a connection of Horn's. Two lairs".
Difficult to understand, Was William's good-daughter a Horn? Or, a Stark? It seems to have been William's parents who erected the stone? But why?
Oddly, there is a James Stark buried in the next grave to - "1833 John Stark and Margaret Horn".
"
Erected by James Stark and Janis Shaw in memory of their son John who died 29th September 1878 aged 6 weeks".
So, there's probably a connection there, with the Horn, Stark and Sawyers families, a joy for someone to unravel over the winter
Another stone has the inscription plus comment from William - "
James Horn and Janet Shearer 1815". "Connected with William Sawyers wife".
And yet another -
"
John Horn and Janet Brown, belonged to Wyndford, kept (the canal) lock, at least his folks did. 1818 family buried here. One son succeeded to his father's place and was drowned in the canal".
William Sawyers died 1915 aged 95 years.
