Scotland Part I: Archibald Found

We started our visit to Scotland in Langholm in the Borders region, meeting up with Arthur Bell, a man my aunt Cindy Cochran had contacted before we arrived who is knowledgeable about the history of the region.  Cindy had come across an article published in 1925 about my great-great uncle Andrew Little which states that his father William Little was from "Bombie Bush."  Mr. Bell had never heard of Bombie Bush, but he had heard of Bombie, and through discussion it was concluded that Bombie was most likely the location of William Little's birthplace.  The first picture is the ruins of a house built (most likely) on the exact site where William Little was born and where his father and mother, Archibald and Barbara Little, lived.  (It is my understanding that there is a law in the area that houses may only be built on the location of a previous house, so this is most likely the spot since this location is called "Bombie".)  The lambs were a bonus: they ran up to us expecting food! 

The second picture is of our wonderful guide Mr. Bell, who is 80 years old.  He's the one talking to Patrick--he looks much younger!  He took us to Westerkirk Church (pictured below), just up the valley from Bombie, where Clan Little donated a stained glass window. 

Mr. Bell arranged to get keys to the church so that we could see the window, and from there we walked a short distance up the road to the cemetery, where, after searching tombstone by tombstone, Ren found what was one of the highlights of our trip: the grave of Archibald and Barbara.  (Pictured: Archibald and Barbara's descendents my uncle Dave Cochran, Ren, and me.) 

The grave stone reads:

Erected in memory of Archibald Little who died at Bykine-burnfoot 30 Dec 1830 aged 79 years. Also Barbara Anderson his spouse who died at Bombie 13 Oct 1807 aged 53 years.  Also John Little their son who died 29 March 1806 aged 25 years and Andrew son of Archibald Little who died at Longholm (sic) 4 Feb 1855 aged 48 years. Also Janet Jackson second spouse to Archibald Little who died at Knockmains 7 Feb 1857 aged 76 years." 

Several things we didn't know before finding the grave: death dates or years, that Archibald had married again, and where he died.  Bykine-burnfoot is located between Bombie and the church and is really just a spot near the Bykine-burn river. 

 

We took a picture of the bridge that leads to the church and cemetery from Bykine-burn and Bombie, built in 1734.  It is certainly the one our ancestors crossed going to and from church.

It is an exciting feeling to find these locations, and we were blessed to have a professional researcher (Aunt Cindy, retired librarian) as our family historian and guide.  I'd like to believe that the connection I felt to the area wasn't just my imagination!  It is a beautiful area, and we felt so welcomed by Mr. Bell that we loved it even more.