Thomas Shiels (5th Gen) 1795-1839 & Barbara Jean Cranston

Thomas Shiels was born Sept 27, 1795 in Traquair, Peebles, Lanarkshire. He was the 2^nd child and oldest son of Robert Shiels & Annie Dickson.

He loved horses and got a job in a stable for the 4^th Duke of Buccleuch. He advanced quickly and became head man with good wages. Thomas fell in love with the governess of the Duke’s two little girls, Barbara Jean Cranston. Barbara Jean was born Jan 1, 1792 in Culter Parish.

On Apr 5, 1817, Thomas Shiels & Barbara Jean Cranston were married in Peebles, Scotland.

From our research, we have found that Thomas & Barbara purchased East Mains and that is where they raised their children. East Mains was about 3 miles from Coulter and we visited the home in 2008. The home remained in the Shiels Family for nearly 200 years. Some of our Scottish relatives remember walking out to East Mains in the 1950’s and 1960’s. At that time, it had no electricity or running water. The photo on the left is what East Mains looked like back about 1820 when it was purchased. The photo on the right shows what it looked like in 1980 when it was sold from the Shiels Family.

Thomas was a very good sport. He liked good company and was a great hand with the fiddle. He was a kind-hearted soul and “his own worst enemy”. He went on to become game keeper for the Duke and was an expert with a gun. He was shot by a poacher and was badly wounded, from which he never completely recovered.

Thomas died in Mar 1839 and the Duke erected a marble slab at the head of his grave which read “Here lies a Gallant and true Scotsman”.

Barbara Jean raised her children on her own after Thomas died. The 5^th Duke of Buccleuch built a school in the Village of Biggar at the end of what is now Manse Road and Goldscaur Row. He hired Barbara Jean and paid her a living wage to teach the village children. The school was known as the Duke of Buccleuch School and was built in the 1840’s. It closed in 1976 and became the Wanlockhead Community Centre.

Barbara continued to teach until she was eighty-one years old and was still quite spry. Barbara Jean lived to be ninety years old and died on Nov 24, 1882 in Culter Parish.

Thomas and Barbara Jean had a large family with 8 children, 6 sons and 2 daughters.