Genealogical memoirs of the family of Robert Burns and of the Scottish house of Burnes

THE FAMILY OF ROBERT BURNS. 41
what short in stature, she had a line complexion, with pale
red hah-, and dark bright eyes ; she was eminently cheerful,
and delighted to sing the older ballads.
Though imperfectly educated, and of very ordinary capa-
city, Agnes Broun Avas a suitable helpmate to her husband.
She respected his virtues, and was not insensible to his
endowments. " Mrs Burnes," writes Mr Murdoch, " listened
to her husband with a more marked attention than to any-
body else. . . . When under the necessity of being absent,
she seemed to regret as a real loss that she had missed Mdiat
the good man said. She had the most marked esteem for her
husband of any woman I ever knew."
Mrs Burnes survived her husband thirty-six years. For
many years she resided with her son Gilbert. She died in
his house at Grant's Braes, Haddingtonshire, on the 14th
January 1820, in her eighty-eighth year. Her remains were
deposited in Bolton churchyard, near Haddington.
Of the marriage of William Burnes and Agnes Broun were
born four sons, Robert, Gilbert, William, and John; and
three daughters, Agnes, Annabella, and Isabella. In the
parish register of Ayr the birth of Agnes, the eldest daughter,
is thus notified : — " Agnes Burns, daughter lawful of William
Burns, gardener in Alloway, and Agnes Broun, his spouse,
was born September 30, 1762. Baptized by Mr W. Dal-
ryniple." She married hi 1804, at Dinning, Dumfriesshire,
William Gait, who became land-steward to M. Fortescue,
Esq., on his estate in the north of Ireland ; she died without
issue, at Stephenstown, county Louth, in 1834 ; her remains
were deposited in the churchyard of Dundalk, where a tomb-
stone has been erected to her memory. Her husband died on
the 1st March 1847.