Robert McRae (1777 - 1862) Robert McCrae (or McCrea or McRae or McRea) was baptised on 5 Apr 1777 in Old Cumnock, Ayrshire. His parents were John McCrae and Jean Cowan or McCowan. Old Cumnock is nowadays known as just Cumnock though the parish bears the name Old Cumnock. New Cumnock is also a parish as well as a village. The village expanded during the coal-mining era from the late 18th century, and mining remained its key industry until its pits were shut in the 1960s. The village is six miles south east of Cumnock, and 21 miles east of Ayr. Robert McCrae, an agricultural labourer, apparently married Elizabeth Hair and they had at least four children. Born Died Marion McCrea 14 Jan 1798 Jane McCrea 1803 1878 Sarah McCrea 17 Mar 1808 William McCrea 17 Sep 1811 10 Jun 1883
The name Cumnock seems to be compounded of the Gaelic words com, a bosom, and conoc, a hill; thus signifying the bosom of the hill. Cumnock is the nearest town. About the year 1600 two travelling merchants, each with a pack of cloth upon a horse, were dismissed from Ayr and gone Cumnock, and there sold their goods. There followed upon this such a plague in the town that the living were hardly able to bury the dead. The major land owners were: The Marquis of Bute; James Allason, Esq. of Gasnock W. A. Cunnnghame, Esq. of Logan; and Mrs. Boswell of Garallan. The land was primarily used for cheese, rye-grass, meadow hay, oats, wheat, barley, bear, potatoes, pea, beans, and turnips. The population in 1792 was 1632. The population in 1831 was 2763. Nearly two-thirds of the population of the parish belong to the Established Church, and rather more than one-third are Dissenters. This account was written in 1837. Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland (FS Library book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 5)