This extraordinary farm which forms part of the Roxburgh Estate never ceases to move me every time I visit. I have traced my own family back here to the early 1700's and a one Robert Young who I know was tenant here in 1719 from the Sprouston Parish Registers of that time. There is a symbolic Stone in Sprouston Churchyard stating his date of death as 15.8.1737 at the age of 41 (?). He shares this stone with Janet Young wife of James Trotter, tenant in Kerchesters, who died aged 36, sometime after the birth of her youngest son Alexander Trotter who was Baptised in November 1738. The relationship between Robert & Janet is unclear - was Robert the brother or father of Janet? Given the unclear age on the headstone and the lack of a burial record this is proving to be hard to determine!
Thus begins the time of the Trotters. Following the death of Robert Young in 1737 it would appear the tenancy was taken over by James Trotter & his wife Janet, by whom he had 3 sons known to have lived until adulthood, Ninian, George and Alexander and 2 daughters Christian & Janet. Following the death of Janet (sometime between 1739 & 1744) James married his second wife Jane Hood (Jean Hud) in March 1744 by whom he had a further 3 sons known to have survived until adulthood, John, James & Adam. It is Adam's will that comprehensively provides evidence for his siblings and some of their offspring.
James Trotter tenant in Kerchesters died in 1786 aged anywhere between 78 & 91, as his birth date, and place remains inconclusive. He is succeeded by his second son from his first marriage - George. George continues to farm at Kerchesters until his death in 1811 aged 76. George is also succeeded by his second son - James. At his death in 1829 James passes the tenancy of Kerchesters to his nephew Henry Trotter & others, to be held in Trust for his own eldest son George until he reaches his majority. (He is aged 16 at the time of his father's death). Whether George ever took up the tenancy of Kerchesters himself, or whether it continued to be farmed in Trust by Henry Trotter & others remains unclear. What we do know is that in 1839 Mr John Clay takes up the tenancy "in succession to Mr Trotter".
Enter the Clay Dynasty at Kerchesters. The most puzzling aspect of the whole jigsaw from the family history perspective. John Clay's wife Ann Wilson (daughter of Charles Wilson & Anne Young) was an orphan, raised by her Uncle - John Young, tenant farmer in New Ladykirk, Berwickshire. Is it remotely possible that these Youngs were related to Robert Young known to be tenant in Kerchesters in 1719?
Should this be the case then there would be a relatively unbroken family blood tie to the farm of Kerchesters from approx 1715 until John Clay Junior surrendered the farm in 1896, a period of some 180 years!
The above is merely the tip of the iceberg! I have much more information and hard evidence regarding these fascinating families!