The Pictorial History of Dundonald Lookup

[petercstevenson]

Hello,

I am looking for a lookup from The Pictorial History of Dundonald by Robert Kirk, published in 1989.

I am looking for information about the family of James Allan, who married Jean Brown in 1775 in Old Rome, died in 1790 in Old Rome, and was buried in Dundonald in 1790. He is the father of Alexander (Sandy) Allan, who started the Allan Shipping Line. Apparently this book has information about both this Allan family and its connection to the Allans of Edgar Allan Poe's foster family. The connection on that line would be William Allan, who married Elizabeth Galt in 1775, or possibly Agnes Allan, who married John Galt in Dundonald in 1743 and died 1778.

Thanks so much!

[helenmcasmith]

On page 81 of the book there is a little about John Allan, whose son James was related through marriage to William Burnes.  (Can’t see anything about Edgar Allan Poe connection).  James  Allan (in Old Rome) and Jean Brown (in Irvine) were married at Old Rome on the 21st April 1775.  Jean was a half sister of Agnes Brown (mother of Robert Burns).  The Allans had four son and three daughters.  The third son, Alexander, took up a sea going career and became founder of the Allan Shipping Line.   After 14 years of marriage, James Allan died leaving Jean with 7 children to bring up.  Jean then remarried, her second husband being Adam Baird.  Jean died in in March 1821 and her husband died within eight days of his wife’s death.   

[petercstevenson]

Thanks so much, Helen! Is there any further information about this John Allan or references to primary-source documents connecting him to his son?

[helenmcasmith]

The only acknowledgements on page 88 are the following (quoted):

"Useful primary sources of information and further reading are obtainable in "Dundonald, The Parish and Its Setting" by the Rev. James H. Gillespie and "Retrospect of An Artists Life" by J. Kelso Hunter.  Kyle and Carrick District Council's Library Headquarters at the Carnegie Library, Ayr and Kilmarnock & Loudon's Headquarters at the Dick Institute both have a wealth of books of local interest and local newspapers."

(Bearing in mind that this book was published in 1989, there are probably more resources available at Ayrshire Archives, Auchincruive; the world wide web; and possibly from the Scottish Records Office or National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh).