Michael T Tracy

George Ballingall (1818-1914) Michael T Tracy

George Ballingall was descended from a long line of Fife agriculturalists dating back to the eighteenth century. In his Last Will and Testament his father, David Ballingall (1775-1859) stated that his son "has already been invested through me as tenant of the farm of Aytoun and that the whole stocking and effects of every description on that farm and crops belong to him..." After George got Aytoun, Abdie Parish, Fife he began his long path as an agriculturalist in Fife for over the next two decades. While at Aytoun he married Agnes Brodie, who was the daughter of James Brodie, who was the occupant of an extensive farm called Clarilaw in Bowden Parish, Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders region. George and Agnes Ballingall would have three children who were all born at Aytoun. During the summer of 1863 his wife contracted apoplexy and died from the disease. Shortly after her death George met her sister, Jane Brodie and they were married in Bowden Parish, Roxburghshire in 1865. In the year of 1868 Ballingall left Aytoun and entered into a lease with the Duke of Roxburghe's extensive farm of Clarilaw where he resided for over 45 years. Ballingall was an active member of the Highland and Agricultural Society for years; a member of the Bowden School Board and was appointed to the District Lunacy Board. This then is the narrative of the life and times of George Ballingall, a tenant farmer of Aytoun and Clarilaw.