My earliest known ancestors were Alan Caldwell and Janet Guthrie who christened their children at St Quivox near Ayr in Ayrshire.

I do not know where either were born or where and when they married or where and when they died. Their last recorded child (a second Thomas) was christened at Dundonald and I am led to believe that Alan and Janet were living at a place called Old Rome at that time.

From the names of their children fmaily names of fathers mothers and grandparents can be guessed at.

Children:

1. Janet b 1776 married Andrew McMurtrie (I think that Andrew might have been the gardener for John Taylor who owned the coal mines at Newton on Ayr). They named their first child John Taylor McMurtrie. The child was born the year John Taylor died and Andrew and family are also listed as living in the gardener's cottage on the John Taylor property. Descendents of this family settled at Dreghorn.
2. Jean b 1777 no more is known
3. John b 1780 d 1855 m (1) Mary Morton (2)Agnes McClanachan - there were 13 children all told - the second son was my ancestor. The children were all born at Galston, Matthew's family moved to Riccarton and many of the rest were prolific in Galston but most have "disappeared". I have found ne branch in Gore New Zealand and another in Nova Scotia, yet another, closer branch ended up emigrating to Gympie in Queensland.
4. Alan b 1780 m Janet Boyle known son Charles - this family settled at Dreghorn
5. Francis b 1783 no more is known
6. Thomas b 1786 (died young)
7. Charles b 1787 may have married Christian Murdoch at Ochiltree
9. Thomas (II) b 1789 no more is known (perhaps he is the Thomas Caldwell who married Janet Wallace on 17 August 1823 at Galston but he would have been 34 at the time - possible)

It looks like the parents moved to Old Rome sometime between 1787 and 1789 when the second Thomas was born. There were Miner's Rows at Old Rome and Alan snr would probably be working a pit nearby when the seams ran out at Newton Upon Ayr.

The elder sons seem to have carried on in the coalmining trade and the three younger sons have not been found. There is a possibility that I have found Charles' marriage as described.