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John Burns (1769–1785) was the youngest brother of the poet
John was only sixteen when he died at Mossgiel Farm on 28 October 1785 from causes unknown. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Mauchline on November 1, said to be near the north-west corner of the present day kirk. however a commemorative plaque has been placed on the church wall by the Mauchline Burns Club that reads "''Within the walls of this churchyard is interred the body of John Burns Born 1769 - Died 1785. Brother of Robert Burns (poet). Mauchline Burns Club 1999.''"Williams, p.287
The entry in the church records reads "''John Burns, Mosgiel, Buried on 1st Nov. in second Mort cloth, for which the cost was 5 shillings''". The use of a second quality mort-cloth would indicate that the family were struggling financially at the time.
The Mort-cloth would have been black to indicate mourning and was drapped over the coffin or just over the body in cases where relatives could not afford a coffin. At Burn's time it was used by all classes of society, was not buried with the corpse and could be hired from the kirk session.
William Scott Douglas published a report in 1877 that Isabella Burns recalled that her youngest brother had died in 1783, whilst the family were farming at Lochlea and that he was buried at Kirk Alloway in what also became his father's lair when he died on 13 February 1784. It was said that when she was buried in 1858 at the family lair in Alloway kirkyard the gravedigger exposed the bones of both her father and of John.McQueen, Page 14 As stated however the Mauchline Kirk records however state that he died in 1785 whilst at Mossgiel and that he was actually buried in the Mauchline parish kirkyard. Isabella would have been around fourteen years of age in 1785.
John and his siblings religious education was partly taught at home by their father, using the
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who ha ...
and the last son born to William Burness
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
and Agnes Broun
Agnes Broun, Agnes Brown or Agnes Burnes (17 March 1732 – 14 January 1820), was the mother of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Agnes's father, Gilbert (1708–1774), was the tenant of the farm of Craigenton, in Kirkoswald parish, Sou ...
. John was born at Mount Oliphant Farm on the Doonholm Estate near Alloway on the 12 July 1769. He was christened circa 21 July 1769 by Rev. Rev William Dalrymple.
Life and background
His siblings wereRobert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who ha ...
(b. 25 January 1759); Gilbert Gilbert may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Gilbert (surname), including a list of people
Places Australia
* Gilbert River (Queensland)
* Gilbert River (South A ...
(b. 28 September 1760); Agnes (b. 30 September 1762);
William Burnes (b. 30 July 1760); Annabella
Annabella, Anabella, or Anabela is a feminine given name. Notable people with the name include:
*Annabella of Scotland (c. 1433–1509), daughter of King James I
*Annabella (actress) (1907–1996), stage name of French actress Suzanne Georgette C ...
(b. 14 November 1764); Isabella (b. 27 July 1771).
The family moved from Mount Oliphant to Lochlea Farm near Alloway in 1777 and then moved to Mossgiel Farm near Mauchline
Mauchline (; gd, Maghlinn) is a town and civil parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census Mauchline had a recorded population of 4,105. It is home to the National Burns Memorial.
Location
The town lies by the Glasgow and South Wes ...
in 1784 after John's father William Burness had died. At Mossgiel Farm John would have worked as a labourer like his brothers and here he shared a tiny room in the loft with his older brother William. John was an apprentice weaver however he had a history of illness.Westwood (2008), p.12
Death
John was only sixteen when he died at Mossgiel Farm on 28 October 1785 from causes unknown. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Mauchline on November 1, said to be near the north-west corner of the present day kirk. however a commemorative plaque has been placed on the church wall by the Mauchline Burns Club that reads "''Within the walls of this churchyard is interred the body of John Burns Born 1769 - Died 1785. Brother of Robert Burns (poet). Mauchline Burns Club 1999.''"Williams, p.287
The entry in the church records reads "''John Burns, Mosgiel, Buried on 1st Nov. in second Mort cloth, for which the cost was 5 shillings''". The use of a second quality mort-cloth would indicate that the family were struggling financially at the time.
The Mort-cloth would have been black to indicate mourning and was drapped over the coffin or just over the body in cases where relatives could not afford a coffin. At Burn's time it was used by all classes of society, was not buried with the corpse and could be hired from the kirk session.
William Scott Douglas published a report in 1877 that Isabella Burns recalled that her youngest brother had died in 1783, whilst the family were farming at Lochlea and that he was buried at Kirk Alloway in what also became his father's lair when he died on 13 February 1784. It was said that when she was buried in 1858 at the family lair in Alloway kirkyard the gravedigger exposed the bones of both her father and of John.McQueen, Page 14 As stated however the Mauchline Kirk records however state that he died in 1785 whilst at Mossgiel and that he was actually buried in the Mauchline parish kirkyard. Isabella would have been around fourteen years of age in 1785.
Association with Robert Burns
John was Robert's youngest brother, but little is known about him as he is not mentioned in any of the surviving letters written by Burns.
John and his siblings religious education was partly taught at home by their father, using the A Manual of Religious Belief
The surviving manuscript of the instructional work ''A Manual of Religious Belief'' is written in the form of a theological dialogue between father and child written out in holograph by John Murdoch (teacher), John Murdoch for William Burnes, ...
that William Burnes
William Burnes or William Burness (11 November 1721 – 13 February 1784) was the father of the poet Robert Burns. He was born at either Upper Kinmonth or Clochnahill Farm, Dunnottar, Kincardineshire, and trained as a gardener at Inverugie Cas ...
had written for that purpose, assisted by John Murdoch.
Whilst at Mount Oliphant or Lochlea Farm Robert wrote a story, '' The Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren'', for his young siblings. John's youngest sister Isabella remembered this story and told it to Dr Chambers in 1850/51. The story was published in Chamber's ''Nursery Rhymes of Scotland.''Boyle, Page 27
It may be significant that Burns's last, somewhat abrupt entry into his First Commonplace Book was on an unrecorded day in October 1785, the same month, possibly the same day, that his youngest brother died, the first of his siblings to do so.Mackay (2004), p.160
The entry was: "''Oct: 85 } If ever any young man, on the vestibule of the world, chance to throw his eye over these pages, let him pay a warm attention to the following observation; as I assure him they are the fruit of a poor devil's dear bought Experience''; Burns finished with ''In the first place, let my Pupil, as he tenders his own peace, keep up a regular, warm intercourse with the Deity''".
See also
* Jean Armour (sister-in-law) * Robert Burnes (uncle) * Gilbert Burns (farmer) (brother) *William Burnes
William Burnes or William Burness (11 November 1721 – 13 February 1784) was the father of the poet Robert Burns. He was born at either Upper Kinmonth or Clochnahill Farm, Dunnottar, Kincardineshire, and trained as a gardener at Inverugie Cas ...
(father)
*Agnes Broun
Agnes Broun, Agnes Brown or Agnes Burnes (17 March 1732 – 14 January 1820), was the mother of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Agnes's father, Gilbert (1708–1774), was the tenant of the farm of Craigenton, in Kirkoswald parish, Sou ...
(mother)
* Annabella Burns (sister)
*Francis Wallace Burns
Francis Wallace Burns (1789–1803) was the second son of the poet Robert Burns, born when the poet was 30 and his wife Jean Armour was 24. Francis was born at Ellisland Farm in Dunscore parish, Nithsdale on the 18 August 1789. His first and mi ...
(nephew)
*Elizabeth Riddell Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
(niece)
References
;Notes ;Sources and further reading # Boyle, A. M. (1996). ''The Ayrshire Book of Burns-Lore''. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. . # Douglas, William Scott (1938). ''The Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns.'' Glasgow : Scottish Daily Express. # Hogg, Patrick Scott (2008). ''Robert Burns. The Patriot Bard''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # Hosie, Bronwen (2010). ''Robert Burns. Bard of Scotland.'' Glendaruel : Argyll Publishing. . # Mackay, James (2004). ''A Biography of Robert Burns''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # Mckie, James (1875). ''A Manual of Religious Belief with Biographical Preface'' Kilmarnock : McKie & Drennan. # McQueen, Colin Hunter & Hunter, Douglas (2008). ''Hunter's Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns.'' Published by Messrs Hunter Queen and Hunter. # Purdie, David; McCue Kirsteen and Carruthers, Gerrard. (2013). ''Maurice Lindsay's The Burns Encyclopaedia''. London : Robert Hale. . # Westwood, Peter J. (1997). ''Genealogical Charts of the Family of Robert Burns.'' Kilmarnock : The Burns Federation. # Westwood, Peter J. (2004). ''The Definitive Illustrated Companion to Robert Burns.'' Scottish Museums Council. # Westwood, Peter J. (Editor). (2008). ''Who's Who in the World of Robert Burns''. Kilmarnock : Robert Burns World Federation. # Williams, David (2013). ''Robert Burns and Ayrshire''. Catrine : Alloway Publishing. {{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, John Robert Burns 1769 births 1785 deaths John