The Old Family
and how we got here
We don't really know a lot about John except that he was a farmer. From his birth in Kirkliston there is no record until he is 50 and is the farmer, not just an agricultural labourer it seems, at Trinlaymire near Threemiletoun. In the next census he is a carter, which is strange, before becoming a retired farmer, both in Philpstoun Village with no address so probably in the farm itself, an assertion supported by the fact they had 4 rooms.
There is a gravestone in Abercorn churchyard which I came across by chance on a cycling trip down there. It's a bit worn but Trinleymire caught my eye and the rest of the detail fitted in. However it definitely looks like Frinleymire and there are a couple of other instances where this version is deduced and I'm unsure if this is due to worn gravestones and fancy handwriting or if it was called by that name at one time.