In Memoriam

Andrew Crawford,

A native of Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland, who died at Liberty Prairie, 9^th Sept. 1853,

Aged 81 years.

Amiable and beloved husband, farewell!

Thy years like thy virtues were many:

They are recorded not on this perishing

Stone, but in the Book of Life, and

In the hearts of afflicted friends.

William Logan

At a special meeting of the Club held on the evening of Monday, 8^th March, 1869 (and attended by the majority of the members):-

"It was unanimously agreed to record in the minutes the deep loss the Club has sustained by the untimely death of the late Mr. William Logan of Coldstream, Kilbirnie, who was for many years an honoured member of the Club. On the occasion of the 39^th anniversary in January, 1864, Mr. Logan occupied the President's chair, and on all occasions took the warmest interest in the welfare and prosperity of the club. To the deceased, the members are under a deep debt of gratitude for the patience and skill displayed by him in the construction of the "CAIRN", the elegant record of the proceedings of the Club, executed in admirable calligraphy with neat ornamental designs, and enriched with many of his own poetical effusions. Mr. Logan's death will cause a blank which will not be easily filled up - his genial smile and happy disposition will long live in the memories of surviving members, nor will the songs he sang with such taste and pathos be soon forgotten. In the painfull event which has deprived Mrs. Logan of a loving and honoured husband, her family of a kind and affectionate father, and the members of the Club of a genial and warm-hearted friend, the meeting deeply sympathise and instruct their clerk to transmit to her a copy of this minute."

In proposing the health of the deceased Members, at the Jubilee Anniversary of the Club, Dr. Blair spoke of Mr. Morris in the following terms:-

"Since we last met, one of the few remaining links that unite us to the first Meeting of the Club has been snapped asunder. Hugh Morris, like a shock of corn fully ripe, has been swept into the garner of the grave, and his place in that corner shall know him no longer. Since I have been a member here, Mr. Morris has never been absent on a single occasion. Bred to the weaving trade, which in his early years was a lucrative one, he devoted his leisure hours to reading, and few men in his position had a larger or more varied knowledge of the general literature of their country. Possessed of an acute intellect, a playful fancy, exuberant wit, and racy humour - and an enthusiastic admirer of Burns - he was a loadstone that, whilst it did not perhaps primarily attract us here, yet exercised a powerful magnetic influence in holding us together and bringing us yearly back to these meetings.

"In his earlier years he was somewhat nomadic in his habits, and had resided for some time both in England and in Ireland. How often has the buzz of general conversation been stopped, and every person turned an eager ear to catch coming from that seat some highly-spiced witticism, or racy reminiscence, or piquant anecdote of the men and manners he had encountered in his journeyings. And I am sure no one who has heard him will readily forget the rich and pawky humour he infused into such songs as "Dermott McFigg", "The Cornish Parson", or "Kissed Yestreen".

"All of you here knew Mr. Morris more or less, and I shall not extend these remarks , (more) nor by fulsome eulogy insult his memory. Wordsworth's fine lines well describe the old man before age had forced him to enact the part of the 'lean and slippered pantaloon':-

"Vigorous in mind, hopeful in spirits, untouched

by worldly-mindedness or anxious care;

Observant, studious, thoughtful, and refreshed

By knowledge gathered up from day to day.

Thus did he lead a long and innocent life."

Peace to his Manes."

The following obituary notice appeared in one of the local Newspapers shortly after Captain Paton's death:-

"Captain Paton, as he was familiarly called, from the fact of his having commanded the local Volunteer Corps for over ten years after its enrolment, was the second son of the late Theophilus Paton, Esq. of Swinlees. Born in 1827, he was educated at Irvine Academy, under the watchful care of Dr. White, a gentleman whom he always spoke of as an educational giant, whose influence for good was felt by every boy under his care, and who in later days entertained a lively recollection of the wonderful expertness of his pupil in arithmetical computation, of which branch of education he had at that time no compeer. Possessed of a keen perception, lively imagination, and extraordinary memory, he early gave indications of mental activity that would have secured for him an honourable position in the higher walks of life had his ambition led him in that direction. After leaving Irvine, he entered the office of the late Mr. James McCosh, writer and banker in Dalry, where he studied law for five or six years. On the death of his uncle, Mr. William Paton, he succeeded to the estate of Hillend, and being now placed in a position of independence, he resolved to devote himself to the life of a country gentleman. In the discharge of every duty pertaining to this sphere he was most conscientious. As a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Supply, and Road Trustee, he was conspicuous for the regularity of his attendance at all meetings; and his early legal training and knowledge of business, added to acute observation, enabled him often to detect points that required elucidation, and which but for his care might have passed unchallenged. After the passing of the Roads and Bridges Act, he had the honour of being appointed a member of the Central County Board. He took a warm interest in local affairs, and the parish is greatly indebted to him for the attention he bestowed upon the auditing of the books of the Parochial Board, a duty his thorough acquaintance with figures enabled him to discharge with peculiar fitness. For thirty-five years his presence was scarcely ever missed from the meetings of the Dalry Burns Club, and the sparkiling wit and racy anecdote with which he enlivened the proceedings will long live in the remembrance of all who have ever sat with him around its festive board. Springing from a liberal stock, he was an ardent politician, keen in the advancement of every measure that he thought would lead to improvement in the condition and welfare of the great mass of the people. As a conversationalist, he was lively in the extreme. His memory retained everything he read, and the extent of his knowledge on every subject was a daily surprise to his most intimate friends. No subject of conversation ever came amiss to him, whether historical, antiquarian, literary, political, mechanical or scientific; he seemed alike at home in every department. Those who knew him best could best appreciate him, will miss him most, and mourn him longest. While known to everybody, he may be said to have known everybody, and the kindly interest he manifested in the affairs of the poorest individual who consulted him, endeared him to the entire community. His purse was ever open for any public improvement that suggested itself as likely to be of permanent benefit to the town; and he was a liberal contributor towards the funds of the Volunteer Corps on its enrolment, the Dalry Bowling Green, the new Town Hall, and other public works. He was a member of the Established Church, and tookn a warm interest in the improvements that were carried on when the new church was built, personally superintending the re-arrangement of the old burial ground, which was in a wretched state until he took it in hand. His last appearance in public was at a Road Trustee meeting in Kilbirnie, where he caught a cold that lingered about him until a fortnight ago, when it developed into enteric fever, to which he succumbed at four o'clock on Monday last. The remains of the deceased were conveyed to their last resting place in Dalry Cemetary on the last day of January, 1884, amid a numerous cortege composed of all classes of the community, and as a mark of respect the shops of the town were closed during the funeral."

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