My Family Tree

name: James Humphry
baptism/christening date: 27 Nov 1755
baptism/christening place: , TARBOLTON, AYR, SCOTLAND
father's name: William Humphry

1755 Tarbolton Births Registry Extract, 619/ 010/ 084:
"William Humphry in Tarboltown Son James was baptized Novbr. 27th 1755."

James Humphrey lived in Torbolton or Tarbolton, a village that was 12 miles from Irvine, 8 from Kilmarnock, and 7 from Ayr. That was where he married Janet Lamont.

groom's name: James Humphry
bride's name: Janet Lamont
marriage date: 16 Feb 1782
"James Humphry in this parish and Janet Lamont in parish of Kilmaurs gave in their names for proclamation in order to marriage Feby. 16 1782." 1782 Tarbolton Marriages Registry Extract, 619/ 010/ 248

James and Janet had at least 7 children: George (bap 14 Sep 1783), Matthew (bap 28 Mar 1785), Janet (bap 13 May 1787), John (bap 7 June 1789), James (bap 13 Apr 1791), Charles (b 5 Oct, bap 25 Oct 1802) & Agnes (bap 3 Nov 1804). There was also a Robert, born to James and Margaret (Lamont) around 1799 that could be another couple - or a mistake. And there were two sons baptized as John, the second in 1793.

James was a stone-mason, and knew the poet, Robert Burns, with whom he had discussions on religion. He was said to be the James Humphrey who was the subject of a fake epitath written by Burns, where Burns called him a "bletherin' bitch". According to the book Robert Burns as a Freemason, pages 16-17, "Sometimes the discussions in the Lodge took a theological turn. James Humphrey, who was the Senior Warden at Burn's initiation, is described as a critic of sermons, a meddler with ministers, a long-tongued disputant about texts who had a remarkable flow of language and a rare gift for controversy, this noisy polemic as Burns calls him came frequently to grips with the poet on the subject of New Light and their debates added a spice of excitement to some of the harmony nights. As a result of these disputations Burns wrote an epitaph upon James whith has invested him with an inglorious immorality. But, like the original Doctor Hornbook, Humphrey was not displeased at the notice taken of him."

He was the member of a Dissenting Church, but was often chastized for his behaviour. Upon being refused a seat at the communion table, he retalliated by trying to sell his vacant seat.

Janet predeceased James, as he was said to be living alone by 1835. He lived his final years in an Almhouse, with a small pension from a wealthy benefactor that he supplemented by begging. He wasn't above using his connection to Burns.
Epitaph on a Noisy Polemic - Robert Burns writing about James Humphrey:
BELOW thir stanes lie Jamie’s banes;
O Death, it’s my opinion,
Thou ne’er took such a bleth’rin bitch
Into thy dark dominion!

Still, James recalled Burns with affection when he was interviewed in 1835.

Name: James Humphrey
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1841
Age: 83
Birthplace: Ayrshire
Parish: Tarbolton
County: Ayrshire
Birth Year (Estimated): 1758

He died there in 1844, at the age of 86.

The Herald - BACK BITE December 30, 1844
From the archive
THE Herald noted: ''Died, at Blackhill, near Tarbolton, James Humphrey, in the 86th year of his age. The deceased was a contemporary and acquaintance of our great Ayrshire Bard. ''When the Sons of Burns visited Tarbolton some months since, Humphrey was brought to that town in carriage and introduced to them. In the removal of the deceased, another of those links, which connected Burns to the present generation, is broken. A few years more, and the scanty number of his personal acquaintances will be gathered to their fathers.'' Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Monday, December 30, 1844; Issue 4374.

 

This obituary was widely replublished in English newspapers.
London Sentinel, Saturday, January 18, 1845, Page 6
James Humphrey, in the 86th year of his age. ..

from Mauchline - Its History and Associations by Helen Stevens: "Outside of the enclosure belonging to the Armours there is a nameless grave, where James Humphrey lies. Some old people of Mauchline still remember him. He used to haunt the Loudoun Arms in the old stage coaching days and amused the passengers as they waited with playing upon his fiddle. He was a clever man in his day and often crossed swords in intellectual matters with the poet. Burns wrote his epitaph, and poor Humphrey carried the opprobrium of the nickname to the grave with him. It is perhaps as well that his name is unrecorded in stone. Someone would not have inscribed upon it the satirical lines of his one time friend." and page 22 "Jamie Humphrey, a mason by trade, a clever tongued man and an intimate of Burns, haunted the house in the stage coaching days.
The uncomplimentary epitaph written for him by Burns gave him a little notoriety, and strangers were often very liberal with him when he told them of his association with the poet. He was then a poor old man, living at Blackhill, and attracting attention to himself, first of all, by scraping upon a fiddle which he made no pretentions to play."

"Scotland Census, 1841," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VYCN-Z54 : accessed 30 December 2014), James Humphrey, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland; from "1841 England, Scotland & Wales census," index, findmypast (www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing p. 9, PRO HO 107, New Register House, Edinburgh; FHL microfilm 1,042,739.
Citing this Record: "Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT2L-4PB : accessed 02 Nov 2012), James Humphry and Janet Lamont, 16 Feb 1782; citing reference , FHL microfilm 1041472.
Citing this Record: "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTKG-82K : accessed 02 Nov 2012), James Humphry, 27 Nov 1755; citing reference 2:15HJWXK, FHL microfilm 1041472.

see The Poetical Works of Robert Burns: With All the Correspondence and Notes by Robert Burns and Alan Cunningham

The Times Scotland 2008 "A chair named the ‘Bletherin Bitch’ that once belonged to Robert Burns is for sale"

MAUCHLINE KIRKYARD
Located between Poosie Nansie's pub and the Burns House Museum, there are many interesting graves in this place. An excellent leaflet is available for free from the museum, and I would highly recommend that you pick one up. Amongst those whose remains lie here will be found James Humphrey ('the bletherin' bitch'), Poosie Nansie, Nanse Tinnock, Holy Willie, and Gavin Hamilton (lawyer and friend of Burns).

http://www.mauchlineparish.org.uk/stone-g.html

https://bigrab.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/bletherin-bitch/

DNA