I thought that there is enough information here to be of great use to those who may be researching Caldwell's originating in Galston Ayrshire:

There were at least three Caldwell families in Galston at about the same time:

John Caldwell & Janet Mair

(It is faintly possible that this John might have been a brother of "our" John's father Alan and therefore his uncle. Though there is no Francis, Charles or Alan in this family nor is there George, William, James or Alexander in our line. Thomas, John and Janet are common to both lines. "Our" John had brothers Thomas, Charles and Francis but did not use Thomas or Charles for his children signifying a family split or untimely deaths.) The family names suggest a connection to the family of William Caldwell and Elizabeth Breckenridge who came from Kilwinning

Children:
George Caldwell born 8 October 1790 christened 10 October 1790 Galston Ayrshire
William Caldwell born 18 January 1793 christened 20 January 1793 Galston Ayrshire
John Caldwale born 15 October 1795 christened 1 November 1795 Galston Ayrshire (mother Janet Hair)
James Caldwall born 11 July 1798 christened 22 July 1798 Galston Ayrshire
Thomas Caldwell born 13 September 1800 christened 21 September 1800 Galston Ayrshire
Alexander Caldwell born 17 March 1806 christened 28 March 1806 Galston Ayrshire
Alexander Caldwell (2) born 19 September 1808 christened 7 October 1808 Galston Ayrshire
Janet Caldwell born 28 March 1811 christened 7 April 1811 Galston Ayrshire

"Our" John was first married to Mary Morton and then to Agnes McClanachan and had 13 children

John Caldwell Paper Maker (Labourer on Death Certificate) m (1) Mary Morton about 1802
John was the son of Alan Caldwell and Janet Guthrie and born at St Quivox on 24 February 1780 he died at 5 Kiln Knowe Galston on 4 February 1855
Mary was the daughter almost certainly of Matthew Morton and is wife possibly named "Mary"

Children:
Alan Coalminer b 14 July 1803 Maxwood Galston d 1835 Sydney Mines Nova Scotia m Janet Hunter @ Galston 18 June 1826
"Our" Mathew Coalminer b 2 November 1804 Straithmiln Galston d 1849 Riccarton m Helen Walker @ Galston 25 November 1827
Mary b 13 January 1806 Little Maxwood Galston d 1848 m Samuel Wallace @ Galston 7 August 1825
Janet b 1807 @ Galston d 1848
Jean b 13 May 1809 Straithmiln Galston d 1854 m James Templeton @ Kilmarnock 3 March 1826 OR m Malcolm Kerr @ Galston 22 June 1828
John Coalminer b 1811 Galston d 3 April 1869 Henrietta Street Galston m (1) Ann Woodburn Possibly (2) Martha Yeudall

m (2) 23 May 1815 @ Galston Agnes McClanachan b 4 May 1789 @ Muirhead Galston d 29 June 1865 @ Kiln Knowe Galston the daughter of David McClanachan and Agnes (Jean) Donald
Agnes b 1816 Galston d 1817
Francis b 1818 Galston d 1855
Agnes b 1820 Galston d 1855
David Coalminer b 1823 Galston d 13 November 1908 Temple Street Darvel m (1) Isabella McCallum (2) Isabella Robertson @ Galston 21 January 1844
Elizabeth b 1825
Ann b 1828 m 15 June 1850 John Robertson @ Galston
Janet b 1832 Galston d 1849

The other family was:
William Caldwell m Elizabeth Breckenridge @ Kilwinning 23 May 1800

Children:
John b 18 March 1803
Ann b 16 November 1806 Galston
Isabella b 18 Septemmber 1808 Galston m William Yeudall @ Galston 27 June 1828 d 9 June 1878 @ Henrietta Street Galston
William b 28 October 1810 Loudoun
James b 22 November 1812 Loudoun
George b 19 July 1815 Loudoun

All these "Caldwell's" in the Galston area and virtually none left - where did they go?

Little bits and pieces may one day add up to something tangible:

They are here because they may be of interest but they are not currently connected to anything

Thomas Caldwell m Janet Wallace 17 August 1823 at Galston Ayrshire (probably son of John Caldwell and Janet Mair)

Allan Caldwall & Anna Wilson
Children:
John Caldwall born 31 January 1736 at Ayr Ayrshire
Francis Caldwall born 27 July 1747 christened 10 August 1747 at Ayr Ayrshire

Jean Caldwall m John Gottray 26 April 1698 at Ayr Ayrshire
John Caldwall m Jean Crawford 9 December 1697 at Ayr Ayrshire
John Caldwall m Marion Reid 9 September 1726 at Ayr Ayrshire

Robert Caldwell & Margaret Guthrie
Children:
Anne Caldwell christened 27 May 1827 Coylton Ayrshire

Allan Caldwell (known relation) m Jane Bowie 29 December 1871 Dreghorn Ayrshire
Elizabeth Caldwell m John Bowie 25 August 1871 Dreghorn Ayrshire
Janet Caldwell m John Wilson 13 December 1855 Dreghorn Ayrshire
Mary Caldwell m Archibald Gray 3 July 1857 Dreghorn Ayrshire

"Our" connection to Burns? (smile)
Janet Caldwell m Gilbert Armour June 1769 Irvine Ayrshire

CALDWELL Mary; SCT; 1740

Does anyone have any info about Mary CALDWELL - daughter of Thomas Caldwell and
Christina ( SANDERS or SANDBERG) - born about 1741 in Ayr - Mary Caldwell
married Francis DICKSON - I was told the DICKSONS lived on Wallace Street in
Ayr as a Robert Bruce grant for services rendered - Their son William DICKSON
is buried in St.Quivox cemetery in Auchincruive.

William Dickson would be my g.g.g.grandfather and I would greatly appreciate
any names, places, or other information about the family.

ailsamp@aol.com
Ailsa MacLean Peterson

Link to John Caldwell of Ayr's interest in the 120 ton "James of Ayr" expedition to Port Royal Sound, South Carolina (near present-day Beaufort) "Stuart's Town" 1684. Robert Rodger of Kilmarnock was his son in law:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/scotland/s_sw/article_1.shtml

Margaret ALLAN (487) (Elizabeth Logan, James, David, John); born 6 Sep 1800; married Alexander Caldwell (490) 1 Feb 1820 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr; died 3 Sep 1848 at Greenock, Ayr, at age 47.

Alexander and family emigrated to America after Margaret died.

Alexander CALDWELL (490) was born circa 1800.

Children of Margaret Allan (487) and Alexander Caldwell (490) were as follows:

i. Elisabeth (1363); christened 15 Apr 1821 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
ii. Andrew (1364); christened 23 May 1823 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
iii. Alexander (1365); christened 15 Jan 1826 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
iv. William (1366); christened 18 May 1828 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
v. William (1367); christened 7 Nov 1830 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
vi. Margaret (1368); christened 11 Aug 1833 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.
vii. James (1369); christened 28 May 1837 at Kilbirnie Parish, Ayr.

Barlanark Property: http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/smihou/smihou008.htm

Where did he go? Enthusiatic team members search for the opposition player.

Opposition player remonstrates over a brief break to inspect for grass stains on the uniform

I have decided that it is too hard to be able to write definitive articles on my genealogical research in "one hit" and it doesn't make sense to write updates and revisions in bits and pieces later. I have decided to go back and update, correct and amplify earlier writings from time to time as I find my notes and references.

I will have to find some means of indicating new material. If I do not do so please excuse me - I think it is better to end up with a few polished articles rather a miscellaneous series of disconnected and disjointed snippets.

Consequently it might be wise to re-check what I have written from time to time. Much of the early peices have been from memory as I get keen and dig through my notes I will be able to correct on and amplify some of the existing material and cite references better.

Bridge over the Never Never at The Promised Land near Bellingen. All we need are a few water nymphs playing.

Peaceful area will be a lot more famous shortly, take my word for it. Sorry - Russell Crowe's film "Eucalyptus" was "canned" at the last moment.