Descendants of Will and Bessie LAIDLAW
 Second Generation 
2. Robert LAIDLAW (William O'Phaup1) was born on February 1, 1728 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on June 29, 1800 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 72.
Robert married Elizabeth BIGGAR, daughter of Walter BIGGAR and Helen MUIR. Elizabeth was born on October 7, 1739 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on March 18, 1820 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 80.
The child from this marriage was:
+ 6 M i. James LAIDLAW was born on April 4, 1763 in Phawhope, Ettrick Parish, Selkirk, Scotland,2 died on February 13, 1829 in Esquesing Twp, Halton Co, Ontario, Canada,2 aged 65, and was buried in Esquesing Twp, Halton Co, Ontario, Canada.
3. Margaret LAIDLAW (William O'Phaup1) was born on May 3, 1730 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on December 18, 1813 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 83.
Margaret married Robert Wallace HOGG, son of William HOGG and Euphemia "Effie" BROWN. Robert was born on April 16, 1729 in Bowhill, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on October 22, 1822 in Yarrow, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 93.
The child from this marriage was:
7 M i. James HOGG was born on December 9, 1770 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on November 21, 1835 in Yarrow, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 64.
James' mother (Will and Bessie's daughter) Margaret Laidlaw, was born here in 1730. She has been described as a "tradition-bearer". She told stories and sang songs of "spectres, ghosts, fairies, brownies", all seen in her lifetime. Walter Scott sought her out when he was gathering Border ballads, and she later reprimanded him for publishing them and spoiling them.
James was born in 1770, further down the valley (the cottage is gone but the spot is marked by a monument). His father went bankrupt and at the age of 6, after only 6 months of education, James was sent out to work in the fields. He decided to be a great poet, then remembered he couldn't read or write so he taught himself. In his teenage years he sometimes met in this house with other shepherd-poets. Once they were blamed for causing a violent storm \endash locals assumed they'd raised the devil.
He became a poet, novelist, sportsman, muso, drinker, shepherd and eccentric. He was known as The Ettrick Shepherd, and lived a life of chaos, fame, failures fun and literary masterpieces. One of his novels, Confessions of a Justified Sinner, is a classic. Irvine Welsh (who wrote Trainspotting) said it's one of the most brilliant books ever written. Ian Rankin says it's not only relevant but urgent in the 21st century. Biographer Karl Miller said James helped to give the word "personality" its modern meaning.
He died in 1835 and is buried at Ettrick kirkyard with his ancestors. His statue looks over Tibbie Shiels Inn (his favourite pub, and he was Tibbie's favourite patron). A sports event he started in Innerleithen is still going strong (the oldest in Scotland), and his writing is alive and enjoying a new audience today.
Provided by Bruce Gilkison, December 2016.
James married Margaret PHILLIPS. Margaret was born in 1790 and died on November 15, 1870, aged 80.
4. Agnes LAIDLAW (William O'Phaup1) was born on April 26, 1738 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on August 5, 1816 in Selkirk, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 78. Another name for Agnes was Agnes BIGGAR.
Agnes married Gideon LAIDLAW, son of Alexander LAIDLAW and Helen AMOS. Gideon was born on February 24, 1740 in Yarrow, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on October 8, 1815 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 75.
The child from this marriage was:
+ 8 M i. William LAIDLAW was born on April 16, 1773 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland and died on February 13, 1829 in , , Ontario, Canada, aged 55.
5. James LAIDLAW (William O'Phaup1) was born on July 23, 1738 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland1 and died on June 29, 1800 in Ettrick Parish, , Selkirk, Scotland, aged 61.
James married Margaret SCOTT, daughter of walter O'Phaup SCOTT and Euphemia TELFER. Margaret was born on May 3, 1741 in Cavers, , Roxburgh, Scotland and died on July 15, 1764 in Hobkirk, , Roxburgh, Scotland, aged 23.
The child from this marriage was:
+ 9 M i. William LAIDLAW 3 was born on August 21, 1768 in Bonchester, , Roxburgh, Scotland and died on November 9, 1858 in Hobkirk, , Roxburgh, Scotland, aged 90.
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