Hounded out of town...

Despite a little help form the local Burgh Fiscal who was an adherent Buchan found it difficult to continue her ways in the town. There were many times when violence was seen at the meetings as locals tried to capture the "witch wife." One time they drummed her out the town. It was not long until She again had to flee to Glasgow.

In 1783 Andrew Innes from Muthill met Buchan at a communion in Glasgow. Later after a meal and a walk on Glasgow Green, Innes was completely taken in by Buchan chats over scripture. Despite his family he decided to join the group in Irvine which was now about 40 in number.

Innes had persuaded the local s of Muthill that it would be worth hearing Buchan. So off the group went with Innes as body guard walking to Muthil from Irvine.  Rev Scott had taken special meeting in Muthill and denounced orthodox faith...claiming Buchan was to be the new incarnation of the Holy Ghost!

mean while the group in Irvine was growing and so was local hostility. By May 1784 the local magistrates were asked to proceed with action against the blasphemers.
The first night of the expulsion ws spent in a cart shed near Dundonald.
The group were now settling in Closeburn  south of Thornhill. General house keeping and some sort of established community was set up including care and finances.
In due time they were re housed in Buchan Ha at new Cample. The group now numbering 60.

Once again locals in December 1784 were agitated to try and deal with this un-orthodox group.


Elspeth died in 1791 of natural causes.
(My Thanks to Richard Hopkins for some of the details of the last few days.)

Buchanites

Buchanites

Mrs Buchan not Simpson

Mrs Buchan Elspeth Simpson daughter of John and Margaret Simpson was born in Banff-shire in 1739 in the parish of Fordyce. Her mother died when she was about three years old. Elspeth was brought up in hard situations. She was a herdswomen but did not like the work. As a girl she was allowed to run wild and spoke of seeing visions. A local relative tried to take her under her wing and taught her home skills like sewing and reading. The plan was to go to America with her cent husband and Elspeth to work in the plantations of Jamaica. Having spent some time in Greenock waiting for the appropriate ship the bored girl found the new life of the docks and city interesting and fun. She found her self in Ayr and fell in love with and ”married” Robert Buchan a potter. After having several children the couple moved to Glasgow allowing Robert to work at the Delftfield potteries. Elspeth managed to gain employment with the wife of one of the business partners of the pottery. Robert was ashamed of Elspeth's loose ways and thought that moving to Elspeth roots might help them regain some stability as a couple. They moved to Banff and set up their own pottery business. …..to be continued.


 Ann Lee (1736-1784) “Shakers”