Born in Wanlockhead, the illegitimate son of Ann Millar, James was the first child of William Symington. William would marry Betty Benson of Falkirk in 1794 and the lives of their children who survived into adulthood are well documented. The 1862 Rankine Biography of William Symington fails to recognise existence of James and refers only to two sons: "one in Melbourne and the other in Kettle, Fife." Although James Symington has been largely overlooked, down the generations, his descendants had remained well aware of their connection with William Symington. The death certificate of William Symington 1824-1890 (my twice great grandfather) revealed his parents as James Symington and Catherine Menzies of Durrisdeer who had married in Sanquhar on 13 December 1812. [1]

There is no record of James Symington's birth or baptism but his place in Symington family lineage is established by his death certificate which confirms that he was the illegitimate son of William Symington, Engineer Journeyman, and Ann Miller, domestic servant. That he was born in Wanlockhead is confirmed by his entry in the 1851 Scotland Census. [2]

Ann Miller subsequently married Alexander McMillan, a Wanlockhead lead miner.

James was brought up in Wanlockhead where he would become a lead miner. 

In 1807-1809 he was mining on Williamson’s Drift at Wanlockhead (the Lochnell mine). [3] 

James married Catherine Menzies of Durrisdeer on 13th December 1812 in Sanquhar. [4]

In 1813 he was registered as a member of the Library at Wanlockhead (on the right of his stepfather Alex. McMillan.) 

In 1816 he transferred his right to his half brother James McMillan.

He lived his later years in Sanquhar where he worked as a coal miner and also as an agricultural labourer. [5] 

His first child, John, was born in Sanquhar in 1817.

The 1841 Census has James Symington living at Blawearie, Sanquhar, with his wife Catherine and three of their children, William 18, Helen 12  and Agnes 8.

The 1851 Census records James Symington living at Newtown, Sanquhar, with his wife and daughter Agnes, a dressmaker. His occupation is given as agricultural labourer.

In 1861 James and his wife Catherine were living in Queensberry Square, Sanquhar, in a single room abode.  The 1861 Census has his daughter-in-law Jane and grandson Peter also living with them.

James died at Newtown, Sanquhar, at 2.20 p.m. on January 1, 1862. He had suffered from disease of the heart and lungs for eighteen months, a likely legacy from working in the mines. His son, William, then a resident of Hillhead, parish of Cambusnethan, was present at his death.  He was buried, without a headstone, in plot number 504 in the Sanquhar kirkyard. [6]

Although there is scant record of the life of James Symington, his eldest son John reported in a letter to The Glasgow Herald in 1869 that James Symington had been privileged to take his turn at the helm of the Charlotte Dundas. [7]

The children of James Symington and Catherine Menzies were:  John (1817-1888), Ann (1821-1889), William (1824-1890), Catherine (1826-1891), Margaret (born 1827), James (c 1828-1908), Helen (born 16 November 1833) and Agnes (c1835-1923). 

Ann, William, James, Agnes and also Helen emigrated to Australia and settled in Victoria. John was a stonemason in Muirkirk where he raised a large family. William (1824-1890) married Jane Dalziel and worked as a farmer and coalminer. He resided at Castle Farm, Sanquhar, where his father in law William Dalziel was a tenant farmer of 600 acres of land. With his wife Jane and children William, Mary, James, Peter, and infant daughter Jane, he emigrated to Australia in 1862 in the clipper Great Australia and headed for the Beechworth gold fields. He would go on to secure an extensive and profitable pastoral holding at Huon Lane, in north-east Victoria. His son James carried on with cattle breeding and grazing on a large scale at their property Berringa Park until his death in 1920.

Catherine Menzies, the widow of James Symington, died on 14 January 1864 from "intussusception of the bowels". She died at 22 St. Marnock Street, Kilmarnock, the residence of her son-in-law, Peter Young, who was the informant in the death certificate.

[1] SRO OPR Sanquhar 848/ 10 page 157

[2] 1851 Scotland Census 848/00 004/00 018 His surname is digitised as "Lymington"

[3] Wanlockhead Mining Company Day Book 1801-1811 RH4/116/2

[4] OPR 848/1 Sanquhar BDM

[5] 1841, 1851 and 1861 Scotland Censuses

[6] Wilson, Tom, Memorials of Sanquhar Kirkyard.  

[7] The Falkirk Herald Thursday 28 January 1869 page 2

CHILDREN OF JAMES SYMINGTON AND CATHERINE MENZIES

JOHN born 1817 at Sanquhar; died 11 May 1888 at Smallburn Road, Muirkirk

ANN born 1821 at Cambuslang or Wanlockhead; died 18 November 1889 at Lower Buckland, Victoria. Married William Russell 9 January 1846 at Sanquhar

WILLIAM born 1824 at Sanquhar; died 7 November 1890 at Huon Lane, Victoria. Married Jane Dalziel 12 October 1844 at the Sanquhar parish church.

CATHERINE born c. 1826; died at Kilmarnock 1 November 1891 aged 65. Married Peter Young 17 November 1843 at Kilmarnock

MARGARET born 1827. She may have died young. There is no record of her emigrating to the colony of Victoria.

JAMES born c. 1828 at Sanquhar; died 28 March 1908 at Hawthorn, Victoria. Unmarried.

HELEN born 1833 at Sanquhar; died 9 November1876 at Beechworth, Victoria.

AGNES born c. 1835; died 23 March 1923 at 23 Lisson Grove, Hawthorn, Victoria. Married James Lionel Hill Darton 1857 at Beechworth.

WANLOCKHEAD MINING COMPANY DAY BOOK 1801-1811 SRO RH4/116/2 

JAMES SYMINGTON'S BARGAINS

Journal from the 7th to the 10th June 1807

Week 28

Bargain No 89 4 men £10 per ton

 “Agreed with Jas Symington Jas Watson Sr … to raise ore at their …   …     in the North end of Griers rousting roof of Wmsons drift cove vein at ten Pound per ton the Compy to wash and smelt” 

Week 52 Continued

James Symington &c 33 Bars wt. 273 St 10 lib or 1 Ton 133 stones 10 lib Raised in Griers roust Cove vein      

B 89 of 1807 @ 200/ £19.10.10  From 91/2 Bings Ore Produce 60 Stones

1809

W2 Continued

Bargain No.11 6 men £6 per ton

Agreed with Wm Wilson Jas Symington Danial Black Thos Walker John Nicol & Archd Weir to raise ore in the extention of Thomsons roust roof of Wmsons drift Cove vein by taking ore ?right through the ground or to the 28th. Feby next at six pound sterling per ton of smelted lead the Company to wash and smelt

Week 27 of 1809 Continued

William Wilson &c 58 Bars wt 483 Stones or 3 Tons 63 Stones Raised in Thomsons roust Cove vein    

B.11 of 1809 @120/ £20-14- from 15 3/4 Bings Ore    Produce 63 St 14