Abram Yeudall (sometimes referred to as Abraham in census records and other sources) was born on the 15th of November 1828 and baptised on the 27th in Galston. He was the first child of the family, and he was born less than five months after the marriage of his parents.

He was married to Jean Forsyth, in Mauchline parish. The ceremony was booked on the 2nd of June 1849, and took place on the 22nd. The marriage was also recorded at Galston parish, wherein it was stated in an entry dated the 2nd of June 1849 that:

'Abram Yeudall in Henrietta Street Galston, & Jane Forsyth in the Parish of Mauchline gave in their names in order to marriage & were proclaimed 3 sabbaths.'

Mary, the first child of Abram and Jean (otherwise Jane) was born on the 17th of September 1849 and baptised on the 4th of November. In this connection, they were stated to be 'in Titchfield Street'.

However, the family had returned to Henrietta Street by 1851. Abram appears in the census of that year at 19, Henrietta Street, in a separate household at the same address as that of his father, William Yeudall. Abram is stated to be married, aged twenty-two and a joiner, born in Galston.

With him is his wife, here referred to as Janet, aged twenty-three, and born at New Cumnock. Present also is his daughter Mary, aged one, and also James Kerr, a lodger, unmarried, a joiner, twenty-two, from New Cumnock. (This may be the same James Kerr who was listed as a farm servant aged ten at Auchincroft, New Cumnock, in the 1841 census.) Abram himself was referred to as 'Abraham', and his surname was rendered as 'Yeudal'. The enumerator's handwriting is careless and difficult to read. This slap-dash attitude explains the discrepancies of detail.

Abram is described as a 'wright' on the death certificate of his first wife in 1858, and as a 'Joiner (Master)' both on the marriage certificate of his daughter Isabella Yeudall in 1877, and on his own death certificate of 1905. On Isabella's death certificate, he was recalled as a 'House Joiner (master)'. On the birth certificate of his son John Alexander Yeudall in 1862, he was designated as a 'Wright Master'.

Following Jean's premature death in 1858, Abram re-married. His second wife was Grace Kay and the ceremony took place at the Manse of Dunbog, Fife, on the 31st of May 1859. The place of the ceremony was later recalled (somewhat imprecisely) as Cupar on the birth certificate of Abram and Grace's son John Alexander Yeudall in 1862.

Abram was stated on the marriage certificate to be thirty years of age, resident in Henrietta Street, Galston, and a wright (widower).

Grace was stated to be twenty-seven years of age, and a maidservant (spinster). Her address was entered as Holmes, Galston. The names of her parents were given as John Kay, a labourer, and Cecilia Kay, MS Watson. The witnesses were Cecilia Kay and Andrew Kay (evidently the bride's younger brother).

On the birth certificate of his son William Yeudall in 1860, Abram was referred to as a 'Wright (Master)'.

By 1861, the family was living in Barr Street, Galston. Note that Abram is again referred to as 'Abraham'. The full census entry runs as follows:

Abraham Yeudall, head, mar., 32, joiner employing 5 men, 1 appr. (apprentice)
Grace Yeudall, wife, mar., 29
Mary Yeudall, dau., 11, scholar
Elizabeth Yeudall, dau., 8, scholar
William Yeudall, dau. (sic), 1
Andrew Kay, boarder, unm., 20, joiner

The Andrew Kay listed here as a native of 'Denboge, Fife' is almost certainly Grace's younger brother once again, who has presumably found employment with brother-in-law Abram. If so, Andrew would have been a maternal uncle to Abram and Grace's son William Yeudall, who had been born on the 6th of March 1860.

With the exceptions of Grace, whose place of birth was entered as Monimail, Fife, and Andrew, as noted above, all were entered as having been born in Galston. 'Denboge' is a clear reference to Dunbog, a hamlet, which, like Monimail, lies to the north of Cupar.

At the time of the 1871 census, Abram Yeudall and his family were resident at 18, Barr Street, Galston, in a house containing three rooms having one or more windows. The entry runs as follows:

Abram Yeudall, married, 42, joiner, b. Galston
Grace, wife, 39, b. Fifeshire, Monimail
Elizabeth, daur, 18, b. Galston
William, son, 11, b. Galston
John, son, 8, b. Galston
Martha, daur, 2, b. Galston
Abram Taylor, grandson, 3, b. Galston
Thomas Stewart, lodger, 33, colliery clark, b. Renfrewshire, town not legible

Abram was probably acquainted with Thomas Stewart through his own brother John.

When Abram's daughter Mary was married to Archibald Park in 1871, Abram was designated a 'Joiner (master)'.

At the time of the 1881 census, Abram Yeudall and his family were still resident at 18, Barr Street. The household now consisted of the following members:

Abram Yeudall, head, mar, 52, joiner, employing 1 man, b. Galston
Grace Yeudall, wife, married, 49, b. Fifeshire, Monimail
William Yeudall, son, unmarried, 21, sawmiller, b. Galston
John Yeudall, son, unmarried, 18, joiner, b. Galston
Martha A. Yeudall, daur, 12, scholar, b. Galston
Abram Yeudall, son, 8, scholar, b. Galston
Cecilia Jane, daur, 6, scholar, b. Galston

On the 13th of March 1883, Abram Yeudall, a joiner (master), acted as informant on the death certificate of his daughter Elizabeth, who had died at Duke Street, Galston, earler on the same day. Less than nine months later, on the 1st of December, Abram was required to perform the same office for his daughter Martha, who had died during the night while still three months short of her fifteenth birthday.

At the time of the 1891 census, Abram Yeudall and his family were resident at 20, Barr Street, Galston, in a house containing three rooms having one or more windows. Most probably the houses in the street had been re-numbered.

The full entry for the household is:

Abram Yeudall, Head, Mar, 62, Joiner, Employer, b. Galston
Grace, wife, Mar, 59, b. Fifeshire, Monimail
Abram, Son, Unm, 18, Calendar Cotton Factory, employed, b. Galston
Cecilia Jane, Daur, 16, Designer at Calendar Cotton Factory, employed, b. Galston
Cecilia Kay, mother-in-law, W, 87, formerly domestic servant, b. Fifeshire

Abram's household contracted once again on the 17th of January 1895 when he acted as informant on the death certificate of his mother-in-law 'Cecilia Hutton Watson Kay'.

In 1901, Abram and Grace were still living at 20, Barr Street, which had three rooms with one or more windows, but by this time the other members of their family had departed. Abram was a joiner, employer, aged 72, and Grace was 69. A single unoccupied property separated them from Abram's cousin of the same name, who was resident with his wife and daughter at number 24.

Abram Yeudall died on the 18th of December 1905, at 4h. 40 m. a.m., at Barr Street, Galston. His age was given as 77. Cause of death was apoplexy, after an illness lasting two days. The informant was William Yeudall, his son.

The 'Galston' column in The Weekly Supplement & Advertiser for Friday, the 22nd of December 1905 carried the following brief tribute:

'OBITUARY. - Death has removed this week our oldest joiner - Mr Abram Yeudall, who has been in business in the town for over 40 years. As tradesman for many years to the Galston Funeral Society, he has been well known and highly respected by all. He was for long an ardent and successful horticulturalist, and took an active part in the annual competitive exhibitions which used to be held. About eighteen months ago he sustained a paralytic stroke, and has been more or less laid aside since that time from active duty. The business is carried on by his son, Bailie John A. Yeudall, while another son is Mr Wm. Yeudall, wood merchant.'

His widow, Grace Kay, followed him to the grave on the 24th of April 1911. She died at (Gargieston?), Galston, and her age was given as eighty. The cause of death was certified as 'malignant disease of stomach', from which she had been suffering for two months. The death was registered on the same day, and the informant was John A. Yeudall, her son.

Abram's activities as 'an ardent and successful horticulturalist' who took part in 'competitive exhibitions', as referred to in his obituary, had led to honourable mentions in the press on a number of happier occasions.

At the Kilmarnock Farmers' Cattle Club Show, held at the Cattle Market on Friday, the 17th of April 1863, prizes awarded for Poultry were:

'Cock and hen, Spanish breed - 1st, Robert Blair, engineer, Kilmarnock; 2d, Abraham Yeudall, Galston' (Glasgow Herald, 20th April 1863)

At the Glasgow and West of Scotland Horticultural Society, held in the City Hall on the 11th of July 1866, he took 3rd prize for:

'One pot parsley (single plant)'. (Glasgow Herald, 12th July 1866)

The following year at the same venue on the 17th of July 1867, he was rather more successful:

'Twenty-four varieties of wild flowers, correctly named, and giving the locality where found - 1st, Abraham Yeudall, Galston; 2d, George Meck, Kilsyth.' (Glasgow Herald, 18th July 1867)

Abram must have travelled far and wide, for we next hear of his success at the Birmingham Cattle and Poultry Exhibition, held at the Bingley Hall on the 14th of December 1876:

'Class 44.-Malay. Pullets; Mr. A. Yeudall, Galston; 2nd, Mr. T. B. Lowe, Wigston.' (Birmingham Daily Post, 15th December 1876)

Abram's interests as a horticulturalist and poultry fancier were inherited by his son John Alexander Yeudall, as attested by the latter's obituary.

Brothers and Sisters

Abram was the eldest of a family which appears to have consisted of four boys and three girls. The brothers and sisters who followed him were:

2. William, who was born on the 20th of April 1831 and baptised on the 11th of May at Galston. He appeared in the 1841 census living in his parental home in Henrietta Street, Galston, as a scholar, aged ten. In 1851 he was still living at home, but was now a sawmiller aged nineteen. William died at 3.00 a.m. on the 9th of February 1856 at Henrietta Street, Galston. His death certificate gave his aged as twenty-five but it will be noticed that he was actually just over two months short of his 25th birthday. The cause of death was entered as lumbar and pelvic abcesses, as certified by William Rodger, surgeon, who had seen the deceased on the 1st of February.

3. A sister, Elizabeth, the 3rd child of the family, was born on the 12th of September 1834 and baptised on the 12th of October at Galston. She died on the eighth of December 1836 aged just two years of age.

4. John was born on the 14th of November 1837 and baptised on the 16th at Galston, and was entered in the OPR as the fourth child of the family. In 1841, 1851 and 1861 he was entered as living in the family home. In 1841, he was three years of age. In 1851, he was a scholar aged thirteen. In 1861 census John was twenty-three, unmarried, and employed as a colliery clerk.

John was married to Isabella Morrison on the 2nd of June 1862, at the Free Church manse, Galston, after banns according to the forms of the Free Church of Scotland. John was then a grocer (bachelor), aged twenty-four, residing in Henrietta Street. Isabella was a domestic servant (spinster), aged twenty, residing at the Free Church manse. She was presumably in service there. Her parents were George Morrison, an engineer, and Isabella Morrison MS McPhee. The witnesses were John's brothers, Robert and Abram.

An entry in the Register of Corrected Entries 'for the District of Riccarton in the County of Ayr' dated the 16th of April 1880 runs as follows:

'With reference to Entry No. 246 of this Register Book of Births for the year 1872, a Certificate in the Form of Schedule (F.) to the following Effect has been received:-

In an action relating to the paternity of a Female child born at Riccarton, in the Parish of Riccarton, in the County of Ayr, on the thirteenth day of November 1872, at the instance of Mrs Mary McCulloch or Sloan, New Street, Riccarton, against John Yeudall, Coalmaster, Galston, the Sheriff Substitute at Kilmarnock upon the fourteenth day of April 1880 found that the said child was the illegitmate child of the said "John Yeudall"

15th April 1880'

Janet's original birth certificate had given her date of birth as the 30th of November 1872 (so that 'thirteenth' entered above may be taken to be a clerical error) and her place of birth as New Street, Riccarton. Her mother Mary was then a bonnet knitter and was illiterate. Janet was stated to be illegitimate and the name of her father was left blank.

Since John Yeudall, born in 1837, is the only man of that name thus far identified as connected with the mines, he is by far the most likely candidate. One wonders however whether 'coalmaster' might be a further clerical error, for 'schoolmaster'.

John Yeudall, a retired schoolmaster, married to Isabella Morrison, died on the 5th of December 1909, at Gillespie Street, Edinburgh, aged seventy-four years. The cause of death was certified as a cerebral haemorrhage, from which he had been suffering for ten days and cerebral softening from which he had suffered for two and a half years. The informant was J. Smith, the deceased's son-in-law, who had been present at the time of death.

Janet McCulloch, a steam-loom weaver (spinster) was married to James Lang, a carpet weaver (bachelor), also aged twenty-one, on the 22nd of December 1893 at Riccarton after Banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. By this time her mother had apparently remarried, as she was now designated as 'Mary Connell previously Sloan MS McCulloch'. Janet's father was entered as 'John Yeudall Coalmaster (reputed Father)'.

Isabella Yeudall, the 'widow of John Yeudall School Teacher', died on the 1st of August 1922 at 4, Main Street, West Kilbride. Her usual residence was given as Avonside, Troon. She was seventy-nine years of age, and the cause of death was certified as chronic bronchitis. The informant was the deceased's daughter Isabella, of Avonside, Troon. Isabella junior's married surname was the subject of a clerical error and is hard to read, but it appears to be Stevenson. The maiden name of the deceased's mother on this occasion was given as Boag, which conflicts with the entry on her marriage certificate, according to which it was McPhee.

5. Robert was born on the 18th of September 1840 and baptised on the 4th of October at Galston. He was listed in the OPR as the fifth child of the family. Robert appears in the family home in Henrietta Street, Galston, in the 1861 census. At that time, he was unmarried, 20 years of age, and employed as a wright. Robert appears as the informant on the death certificate of their mother, Isabella Caldwell. It was also stated that Robert had been present at the time of death. Robert died on the 6th of March 1911, at 7h 30 p.m., at Burnawn, Stirling Road, Dumbarton. He was a house joiner (master) and was married to Jeanie Lauchlen. He was 70 years of age. The cause of death was certified as a cerebral haemorrhage, from which he had been suffering for seven days. The informant was his son, Hugh R. Yeudall, of Belmont, Dumbarton, who had been present.

6. Martha Allan Yeudall was born on the 19th of May 1843 and was baptised on the 13th of June at Galston.

She was married to Hugh Hutchison on the 17th of April 1865 at Henrieta Street, Galston, After Banns According to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland. Martha was a spinster, aged 22, and her usual residence was Henrietta Street, Galston. Hugh was a railway guard (bachelor) aged 25, and his usual residence was Wallace Street, Galston. His parents were John Hutchison, a cotton weaver, and Euphemia Hutchison MS Wilson.

Martha died just seven months later on the 19th of November 1865 at 3h 30m pm at Henrietta Street, Galston. She was twenty-two years of age. The causes of death were certified as bronchitis, from which she had been suffering for four months, and phthisis, from which she had been suffering for two months. The death was registered two days later by her father William Yeudall, who had been present. Hugh was designated as a sawyer on this occasion, so perhaps he was working for his father-in-in-law.

Martha left behind an infant daughter, Isabella Hutchison, who was only five months old at the time of her mother's demise, and followed her to the grave four months later. Isabella died on the 20th of March 1866 at 11.30 p.m. at Henrietta Street, Galston. She was nine months old. The cause of death was certified as phthisis, from which she had been suffering for three months. The child's father, Hugh Hutchison, who was present at the death, acted as informant. He was again designated as a sawyer.

7. Isabella Caldwell Yeudall was born on the 11th of September 1849 and baptised on the 30th at Galston. She died on the 1st of January 1875, at Henrietta Street, Galston. She was aged twenty-five years of age. She was a housemaid, and single. Death occurred suddenly, and it was certified that it had probably resulted from an embolism. The duration of the illness was about two hours. The death was registered three days later by her father William Yeudall, who had been present.

The only children of the family surviving at the time of their father William Yeudall's death in 1890 were his three sons, 'Abram Yeudall, Joiner, Galston, John Yeudall, Teacher, Alton by Galston, and Robert Yeudall, Joiner, Dumbarton'. In his will, William appointed these three the executors of his estate and made them his beneficiaries. In a later Codicil, William modified this settlement to bequeath John's share to John's wife, Isabella Morrison. It may be taken that he did so out of disapproval of John's extramarital activities with Mary McCulloch.