“Rabbie Burns”…

For years fellow genealogists working on the Begg Tree have been trying to link the famous and brilliant Poet Robert Burns to our family to no avail.

Burns’ Childhood:

Burns was born on January 25, 1759, the eldest of seven children of William Burness, a tenant farmer in Alloway (Ayrshire), Scotland. His father was self-educated, and he taught his children at home -- Rabbie’s formal education consisted solely of one summer term at a nearby parish school and several stays at an “adventure school” operated by his father’s friend John Murdoch. Most of Rabbie’s youth was spent laboring on his father’s farm(s), a hard life which took its toll on his health and contributed to his early death from heart disease.

It is true that his youngest sister Isabella Burns married a John Begg who lived a few miles away from Muirkirk where my ancestors lived in that time period.

As I am half Scottish and knowing many Scots as I was growing up I listened, and tried to understand why they loved him so much.  My father and my brother in law  would quote him endlessly, usually after drinking a pint or two.  Like the rest of the world many of his quotes and poems are familiar to me.
To a Mouse
Robert Burns
Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
He wrote this after plowing up a mouse nest on his fathers farm at night.  All 9 verses are well worth reading as he compares himself and his life to the mouse.

A Red, Red Rose
Robert Burns
O, my Luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June.
O, my Luve's like a melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune
A Grace Before Dinner
Robert Burns
O thou who kindly dost provide
For every creature's want!
We bless Thee, God of Nature wide,
For all Thy goodness lent
And who hasn’t sung this on New Years' Eve?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
  And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
  And auld lang syne!
Chorus.—
    For auld lang syne, my dear,
      For auld lang syne.
    We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
      For auld lang syne.
Written in 1788.

Burns Family Tartan
I may never be able to claim him as relative by marriage but I have so much enjoyed reading about his life and re acquainting myself with his poetry.
Thanks to the Internet so much knowledge is right at our fingertips.

This is my favorite kind of mouse!