History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

CHAPTER XIV.
JOHNSTOUN OF GALABANK—WITCHES BURNT—CIVIL WAR—WESTRAW—ELSIESHIELDS—
Johnstoun—Janet Kirkpatrick—Famine—Edward Johnstoun— His Marriage,
Death, and Will—Westraw—Lockerbie and his Descendants—Carliles.
ON April 4, 1665, the Register of Retours 1 contains the name of John
Johnstoun, 1 who was declared by David Johnstoun 2 and eleven other
witnesses to be the heir of John Johnstoun, lately Provost of Annan,
his grandfather, in the lands of Galabank, the "vast stone house in Annan, once
occupied by Edward Johnstoun of Ryehill," the lands in Stank, Gallowgait,
Closehead, and some minor properties. Unless he was twin with his brother
Edward, John must have been about twenty-three at this time. They were brought
up near Dumfries under the auspices of their mother, Agnes Graham, and her
second husband, Robert Fergusson of Halhill, and in the narrow limits of this
little town witnessed many exhibitions of revolting bigotry and ignorant barbarity,
for it was a stronghold of religious rivalries and superstition. Their
relative, Robert Graham, was Provost of Dumfries from 1643 to I 645, when his
retirement was apparently caused by having, like many other members of his
family, joined the army of Montrose in support of Charles I. ; and he was
probably one of the two Robert Grahams who were seeking refuge in the
Debateable Land in 1648. His cousin in Netherby Hall was a Royalist, and
so much indignation was caused in Scotland by the barbarities of the almost
naked Highland and Irish mercenaries whom Montrose had called to fight for
the King, that his supporters were not safe in their own county.
John Maxwell, an Episcopalian, who succeeded Graham as Provost, is
called "a Papist" for letting a Roman priest escape from the district, after a
fanatical crowd had destroyed the wafers, vestments, and sacred vessels which
he carried in a bag to minister to a dying co-religionist.
The Burgh accounts for 1657 include thirty-eight loads of peat, tar barrels,
and stakes intended for the burning of two women accused of witchcraft. The
peat alone cost £3, 12s. In 1659 nine more female victims were first strangled
1 Among the witnesses to the retour are Adam Carlile, Treasurer, Robert Johnston, Dean,
Mr Robert Bell of Hardrigg, Adam Johnstoun in Redgatehead (Graitney), John Johnstoun of
Gotterbraes, John Murray, William Stewart, etc.
2 David was possibly great-uncle to Galabank. He was Provost in 1678, and had a son,
Robert.
L