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William Hardie (1790 - 1869)

William was born at "Broomie Knowe" in Saline Fife on 15 June 1790. He was the third child and second son of John Hardie and Isabella Cousin.

William secured a lease on a farm in Kilmadock, Perth some time before 1821. The parish of Kilmadock lies between Dunblane and Callander with its focal point the Burgh of Doune where a 14th Century castle stands above the River Teith. It is very close to the boundary of Clackmannanshire, and boundary revisions later put Kilmadock in Stirlingshire.

It was in Kilmadock by Doune, Perth on 4 Feb 1821 that he married Jean Taylor. They had one child:

In a letter dated 28 September 1822, John Hardie wrote from Huntsville, Alabama, to his brother Joseph: “Tell William I wish him much joy of his little daughter.”

It appears that some time between the 1821 and 1825 Jean died, because later, by letter dated 4 June 1825, John Hardie wrote from Huntsville to Joseph acknowledging that “William’s supporting his untimely misfortune with fortitude.” Evidently this referred to the death of his wife, but unfortunately the letter from Joseph to which John was responding does not exist.

William continued to farm in Kilmadock where he married for a second time on 30 Jun 1833 to Catherine McFarlane (also recorded as McFarland). William and Catherine (Kate) had 8 children:

William and Kate moved from Kilmadock, Perth to Ayton near Berwick about 1836. At Ayton William took over the tenancy lease on the Redhall Farm and it was here his last 6 children were born. The Redhall had been in existance for a number of years with two farm plans (one from 1786 and one from 1813) stored in the National Archive of Scotland.

In September 1850 he was made executor of his brother David Hardie's will, in this document he is noted as being a "Farmer at Redhall in Berwickshire". In 28th February 1855 William borrowed £200 via a promissary note from his brother David. David died in May 1856 and by the time his will entered probate in June 1856 he is recorded as being "sometime farmer at Redhall in Berwickshire, now at Ross in Northumberland shire", so it is possible that he borrowed the money in order to secure the tenancy lease of the Sunnyside & Kenneddar West Mains farm at Ross near Belford in Northumberland, England. It appears the tenancy lease on Redhall was taken over by the Redpath family.

While he was farming Sunnyside the family resided at Ross Village, where it appears they continue to live after his death from a heart attack on 9 August 1869.

His son William Hardie Jnr took over the management of the farm after his death, but he died just over three years later at the age of 33. He left a will registered at the Edinburgh Sheriff Courts which was read on 22 Mar 1873. It appears that his youngest son Alexander McFarlane Hardie may have taken over the farm after Williams death. The 1881 census indicates that Alexander was residing in Ross Village and was a "Farmer Of 1400 Acres Employing 11 Men 8 Women & 3 Boys". He was married at the time and living with his wife, Annie, and 3 sons (William John - 3, David Fulton - 2 and Alexander McFarlane - 6m). The family were obviously quite prosperous as they had 3 domestic servants.

It appears that his daughter Janet Ann may have been raised by his wifes family in the Kilmadock region of Perth. After her marriage to William Wyper her six children were all born in Kincardine, near Doune, Perthshire (very close to Kilmadock). The children were Janet Taylor Wyper (1853) ; stillborn Female (1855) ; Margaret Wyper (1856) ; James Wyper (1858) ; stillborn Male (1860) ; William Wyper (1863).