GREG *

Alias Mary MEIKLE (12 Dec 1731)
Born 14 Apr 1708, Ayr Ayrs Scotland
Christened 25 Apr 1708
Died 23 Mar 1740, Ayr Ayrshire Scotland
OPR AYR: 'Mary lawful daughter to James Greg taylor in this parish and Elizabeth Kirkwood his spouse. Born 14 April 1708'.

Mary Greg lawful daughter to James Gregg, Taylor in Air & Elizabeth Kirkwood his wife was born on Wednesday the 14th April 1708, baptised on sabbath the 25th of that month by Mr Allen? Orr, Minister at the Stober? Willows?, witnesses James Gregg, Taylor in Ochiltree - grandfather to the child & Robert Loftus? Mercht in Air'

Mary had her last child in Mar 1740, and may have died at childbirth, and it can be assumed that she died before 24 Apr 1740 when her husband John Meikle married Elizabeth Rodgerson.

Born 1695, Ayrshire Scotland
Died Ayrshir Scotland


John Meikle appears to have married thrice
1. Name: Mary Dunlop
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 28 Nov 1729
Marriage Place: Ayr,Ayr,Scotland
Father: Adam Dunlop
Spouse: John Meikle
FHL Film Number: 1041331

1. Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910. John Meikle Marriage Date 28 Nov 1729. Marriage Place Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Spouse Mary Dunlop FHL Film Number1041331 Members. Mary Dunlop, Father Adam Dunlop, Spouse John Meikle

2. IGI Marriage: groom's name: John Meikle bride's name: Mary Greg marriage date: 19 Feb 1731 marriage place:Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. bride's father's name: James Greg: M11963-1

3. IGI - John Mickle bride's name: Elizabeth Rodgerson Or Greg marriage date: 28 Apr 1740 marriage place: Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland.: M11963-1

Alias Jonet PATERSON
Born 16 Aug 1716, Ayr Ayrs Scotland IGI - C11578-5
Christened 26 Aug 1716, Ayr Ayrs Scotland IGI - C11578-5
IGI- Jonet Greg Female baptism: 26 Aug 1716, AYR, AYR, SCOTLAND birth date: 16 Aug 1716 father's name: James Greg mother's name: Elizabeth Kirkwood: C11578-4 : Scotland-VR. Also SCR FR747

OPR AYR Birth ' Jonet Greg daughter lawful to James Greg taylor in Air and and Elizabeth Kirkwood his spouse was born on Thursday 16th of August 1716 and baptised on Sabbat the 26th of that month by Mr John McDermit minister. Witnesses John Hutchison younger Mauchline and John Smith baker there'.

Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.
Jonet Greg Gender Female. Baptism Date 26 Aug 1716.. Baptism Place, Ayr, Ayshirer, Scotland. Father James Greg. Mother Elizabeth Kirkwood. FHL Film Number 1041329
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Marriage: 05 Nov 1734 - Coylton, Ayrshire, Scotland. Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910. Name John Paterson Gender Male. Marriage Date 5 Nov 1734. Marriage Place Coylton, Ayr, Scotland. Spouse Janet Gregg. FHL Film Number 1041336
John Paterson (1709–1798)

Born 1709, Makiston, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died 1798

Born 28 Aug 1718, Ayrs, Ayrshire, Scotland IGI C11578-4
Christened 28 Aug 1718, Ayr Ayrshire Scotland IGI-C11578-7
Died 29 Jul 1817, .Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland
IGI - James Greg baptism, AYR, AYR, SCOTLAND birth date: 28 Aug 1718 : father's name: James Greg mother's name: Elizabeth Kirkwood: C11578-4 system origin: Scotland-VR
Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950: Name: James Greg. Gender: Male Birth Date: 28 Aug 1718. Birth Place: , Ayr, Ayr, Scotland. Baptism Place: , Ayr, Ayr, Scotland. Father: James Greg. Mother: Elizabeth Kirkwood
FHL Film Number: 1041329 Reference ID: 2:16C8JCP

A Transcription from the original OPR 28 Aug 1718: 'James Greg son lawful to James Greg ... .... Deacon of the taylors of Air and Elizabeth Kirkwood his spouse, a son was born on Thursday the twenty eighth day of August seventeen hundred.and eighteen years, and was baptised that same day by Mr John McDermit. Witnesses were Mr John Moor master of ..... school of Air, and David Campbell late Deacon of the Taylors there'
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James is recorded as Land Surveyor/ Master of Manners and Dance Master in various documents. His son William is also described as a 'Dance Master'
OPR records for children's births are a further source for this James' existence
The Scottish Musical Museum: Consisting of Upwards of Six Hundred Songs, with Proper Basses for the Pianoforte, Volume 6. W. Blackwood and sons, 1839 - Ballads, Scots

MY LADY’S GOWN THERE'S GAIRS UPON'T.

This song was written for the Museum by Burns in 1788. The words are adapted to a well-known strathspey, or reel tune, composed by the late Mr James Gregg, an’ eminent teacher of dancing in Ayrshire. Gregg composed the strathspey, called “ Gregg‘s Pipes,” and many other excellent dancing tunes. He had a taste for painting, mechanics, and natural history; made and improved telescopes; he was also skilled in the mathematics, and was frequently employed as a land-surveyor. He taught dancing, until, by old age, he could scarcely see his pupils, or hear the tones of his own violin. He died, regretted by all who knew him, in November 1817, at a very advanced age. Johnson long hesitated to admit this song into his Museum; but, being blamed for such fastidiousness, he at length gave it a place in that work. '

The Gentleman's Magazine Volume XXXVIII - Part two - page 636 (1817) - Obituary
At Ayr at a very advanced age, Mr James Gregg, who for many years was well known in Ayrshire, Galloway and Dumfriesshire, as an eminent teacher of dancing, he was a man of happy temper, and of considerable originality of genius.
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Thanks to William Douglas Morrison (Doug) of NSW Australia for the following information:
The Gentleman's Magazine -: The Gentleman's Magazine Vol LXXXVII Part II p.636 (1817)

Obituary of James gregg:
" At Ayr, at a very advanced age, Mr. James Gregg, who for many years was well known in Ayrshire, Galloway, and Dumfriesshire, as an eminent teacher of dancing. He was a man of happy temper, and of considerable originality of genius. He was remarkably skilled in musick,(sic) and performed with great taste and execution on the violin; and besides "Gregg's Pipes" and "Strathspeys", which bear his name, he composed many other excellent pieces, which, his modesty prevented him from acknowledging, though he contributed to many musical publications. He had a taste for Painting, Mechanics, and Natural History, made and improved telescopes, and no inconsiderable knowledge of Mathematicks, and was frequently employed as a measurer of land, until his advanced years rendered him incapable of bearing the fatigue. He taught dancing until, by old age, he could scarcely see his own pupils, or hear the tones of his own violin."
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Proving the fact that James Gregg wrote music for the famous Bard Robert Burns: POEMS AND SONGS.

G3 My lady's dink, my lady's drest, The flower and fancy o' the west ; But the lassie that a man lo'es best, that 's the lass to mak him blest. My lady's gown, &c.

[This is a production of the same class with that immediately preceding, executed with even more felicity. It paints too true a picture of aristocratic life as it prevailed in the days of Burns, and which perhaps too often found imitation in a lower scale of society. It was furnished to Johnson at an early date in the progress of his undertaking, and Stenhouse accounts for the late publication of it by telling us that "Johnson long hesitated to admit the song into his work ; but being blamed for such fastidiousness, he at length gave it a place there.

"The air is a very lively strathspey by James Gregg, a distinguished performer and composer in Ayrshire, who died at an advanced age in 1817.

As it is not much known, we have pleasure in subjoining the melody.]

Chorus. Strathspey by James Gregg.

BOOK: The Works of Robert Burns - With His Life Vol 2 Page 451 Is the same wording as The Works of Robert Burns - Complete In One Volume. With Selected Notes: Page 248

BOOK: The Works of Robert Burns - Complete In One Volume. With Selected Notes: Page 248 My Ladies Gown - Theres Gairs Up Front. To the tune of " Greggs Pipes"

[The idea of this song is believed to be old, and some of the words also; most of it, however, is the workmansship of Burns.

The air to which it was writen was the composition of James Gregg, a musician belonging to Ayrshire. whos memory still

lives in the west as an improver of the telescope, a mechanist and a painter. He is still more remembered by this tune

which is often called for, when the dancers are on the floor --- "and all goes merry as a mariage bell" ]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Scottish_Song/My_Lady%27s_Gown

BOOK: EXCERPT: From' The Book of Scottish Song (1843) edited by Alexander Whitelaw' - My Lady's Gown.

[This song was written by Burns in 1788 for Johnson's Museum, but it does not appear in that work till near the close. It is supposed that Burns was indebted for the idea and some of the words of the song to an old licentious ditty. The tune to which the song is sung is a popular strathspey or reel tune, composed by James Gregg, a teacher of dancing in Ayrshire. Gregg was a very ingenious man, and distinguished in particular for his skill in mechanics. He died in 1817.]

My lady's gown there's gairs upon't,
And gowden springs sae rare upon't;
But Jennie's jimps and jerkinet,
My lord thinks meikle mair upon't.

My lord a-hunting he is gane;
But hounds and hawks wi' him are nane;
By Colin's cottage lies his game,
If Colin's Jennie be at hame.

My lady's white, my lady's red,
And kith and kin o' Cassilis' blude;
But her ten-pund lands o' tocher gude
Were a' the charms his lordship lo'ed.

Out ower yon muir, out ower yon moss,
Where gor-cocks throush the heather pass,
There wons auld Colin's bonnie lass,
A lily in a wilderness.

Sae sweetly move her genty limbs,
Like music-notes o' lovers' hymns;
The diamond-dew in her een sae blue,
Where laughing love sae wanton swims.

My lady's dink, my lady's dress'd,
The flower and fancy o' the west;
But the lassie thrtt a man lo'es best,
O, that's the lass to mak' him blest.

Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Scottish_Song/My_Lady%27s_Gown
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Alias Janet GREG (EST 1752)
Born 12 Jan 1731, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died 19 Jan 1814, .Louisville, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire Scotland
Janet Henderson's existance is further verified from her Childrens OPR's

ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITY BIRTH: Janet HENDERSON Sex: F Birth: 5 Nov 1732 Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland Parents: Father: John HENDERSON Mother: Beatrix CADDELL Film Number: 177912 Page Number: 1096 Reference Number:42328 )

ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITY BIRTH: Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Janet Henderson. Gender: Female. Birth Date: 4 Jul 1732. Baptism Date: 6 Jul 1732. Baptism Place:, Abbey (Paisley), Renfrew, Scotland. Father: James Henderson. Mother: Agnes Stinson. FHL Film Number: 1041088. Reference ID: 2:17DF20V

OPR DEATH: 19 January 1814 - Louisville, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland at an advanced age, at her son's house, Louiseville, Kilmarnock, on 19th inst. Mrs Janet Henderson, wife of Mr James Gregg, senior, late of Ayr