Forefaither Andrew sailed away
To America one dreary winters day,
Leavin his ain wee Scottish toon
Sailin the world, half way roon.
Coalminin wis oor Andrews wurk
Ablow the grun, abin the durt,
Toilin sair frae dawn tae dusk
Back broke bent; his hert broke worse.
Nine weans oor Andrew hud tae feed
An take care o' twa wee brithers need,
A wife caud Jane stid by his side
In a yin room'd hoose they aw'd abide.
Sickness struck the hoose richt doon
His wife an' weans neer left the toon,
South Dalziels graveyard is where they bide
Frae then tae noo side by side.
Aw, bit four survived that fate
An'ither wife did Andrew take
She hid nine weans left tae hur
An' woneret whit life held hur fur.
Mair sickness came an' mair weans deed
When Andrew finally loost the heed,
So much sorrow an' so much tears
Had followed Andrew thru the years.
Life wis hard an' life wis tough
In 1880 enough wis enough,
Nae mair squaller, nae mair disgust
Nae mair eatin black coal dust.
Turtle Creek is where he went
An' where the rest o' his life wis spent,
Oot in the sun he wis alive
An lived till he wis eighty five.
By Anne Macgregor year 2001
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for non-profit
Giving reference to the writer.
Dalziel Parish
1798
Parish of Dalziel
1836
g-g-grandfather
Andrew Paterson.
Many people could not read or write. He emigrated to Turtle Creek P.A. America.
