Dear Sir:

Annie Laurie of Maxwelton married Alexander Ferguson of Craigdarroch, Dumfrieshire Scotland. There grandson, John Ferguson married a Dumfries girl in Preston Lancashire. The family goes back and forth. The parish churches were Craigdarroch, Glencairn. Dumfries, and St. John's in Preston. Alexander and Annie's son, James Ferguson, married Eleonora Dalrymple. Her nephew, settled in Preston. There were a significant number of Scots in Preston which lead Bony Prince Charles to take his army to Preston; at which time the Preston Scots refused him aid (1745) Dumfries and Preston were two of the ealiest examples of cities that could elect their representative to Parliment. Gentlman General Johnny Burgoyne was their representative before and after the American Revolution. I suspect from my research that Dumfries and Preston were full of free masons that opposed the devine right of Kings to rule and did everything possable to further the voting rights of the citizens; and to free both parties in Parliment from the influence of the King. George the III was the true leader and not the Prime Minister during the American Revolution. I would urge you dig deeper into your own ancestors life between Preston and Dumfries.

A Ferguson researcher,
Dean W. Sandeman