John is the long-forgotten eldest son of William Symington and Betty Benson. There are few references to his existence.

He was baptized at Larbert on 4^th May 1796. His name is wrongly recorded in the baptismal register as John "Symonton," with his parents "Willm. Symonton" and Eliz. Benson. The witnesses were Duncan Graham and Wm. Benson. ^[1]

John Symington was eleven years old when he died at Westquarter on the morning of 1st June 1807.

He was buried on 3rd June in the nearby Old Polmont churchyard in an unmarked grave and has no headstone. However, a best quality mort cloth was hired for his funeral. ^[2]

The Polmont Churchyard registers were destroyed in a fire in the 1970's.

John Symington has never been included in any published family histories. Apart from his baptism entry, the only mention of his existence is an invitation to his funeral from William Symington to William Forbes of Callendar.

On losing his son, William Symington wrote to Forbes: ^[3]

Sir

The favour of your Company on

Wednesday the 3^rd Curt. At 4 O clock P.M. to

attend the Funeral of my Son John Symington

(who died this morning) from my house to the

Church Yard of Polmont will much oblige

Sir

Your Most Obt Ser

Willm Symington

Westquarter

1 June 1807

^[1] GROS OPR Baptisms (Larbert Parish) 484/10 page 336

^[2] OPR Mort Cloth Register 487/20/213Z page 121

^[3] Forbes of Callendar Papers, Falkirk Archives A727/171/882