Biographical notes

Wallace Allan (1848 - 1931) describes this family in his reminiscences, written in 1930:

quote : Wallace Allan (Sargt Allan) my grandfather shoemaker, prominent f[ree] mason, mentioned in local mason book - quarrelled when young at a ball in Dailly with the Duke de Coigney's butler, fought a [brawl ?] enlisted in the militia to escape case at court. Second marriage - Mary Logie family Hugh L[ogie] Allan, Agnes [McLelland] Allan (Mrs Pettigrew). May mention as interesting, a brother of this Gt. Grandfather Robt. Anderson married a Widow - Mrs Logie and Mary Logie (grandfather Allan's second wife), was her daughter

This last comment conflicts with other evidence from parish registers and death certificates which show that Mary Logie was the daughter of Hugh Logie and Agnes Humphry, and, after Hugh Logie's death, Agnes (his widow), married a Robert Allan not Robert Anderson.

The only Great Grandfather referred to by Wallace in the reminiscence is his own; David Allan (b1758). It therefore seems possible that he meant to write: '....a brother of this Gt. Grandfather, Robert Allan, married a widow - Mrs Logie and Mary Logie (Grandfather Allan's second wife), was her daughter.' He may have become slightly confused and wrote 'Anderson' instead of 'Allan' as the previous paragraph of his reminiscence mentions 'Ann Anderson' (first wife of his 'Grandfather Allan').

It looks as if Hugh Logie Allan was named after his maternal grandfather Hugh Logie. Agnes McLelland Allan may have been named after her maternal grandmother Agnes Humphrey but the records are scant and the derivation of the name McLelland is obscure.

The Allan family are recorded in the 1841 Census as living in Cross Street (now renamed King Street), Wallacetown which is a suburb of Ayr in the Parish of St Quivox. Wallace Allan (who perhaps gave his name to his grandson; William Wallace Pettigrew), was aged 55 at the time of the Census and had the occupation of a Shoemaker. His wife Mary (maiden name Logie, who may have given her name to her granddaughter Mary Logie Pettigrew), was 45.

The eldest child, David Allan, was aged 20 and was Mary's stepson (from Wallace's previous marriage to Ann Anderson), and had the occupation of a Shoemaker Journeyman. Hugh (Logie) Allan was aged 6 and his sister, Agnes McLelland Allan 8.

Ten years later, in the 1851 Census, the family are still recorded as living at Cross Street but are depleted. Wallace's place of birth is recorded as Stranraer, Wigtownshire and has a recorded age of 67. His occupation is given as a Chelsea Pensioner which is a consequence of him serving in the Ayrshire Militia from 18th March 1803 (when he would have been aged 19), until his discharge on the 24th June 1829 . There is no record of his wife Mary and of the children, Agnes (17) and Hugh (15) are the only ones recorded. Hugh's occupation is given as Printer Compositor which is significant as he was later to become editor of the Ayr Advertiser - a post he held until his death in 1908.

Agnes (McLelland) Allan married Andrew Pettigrew 10 years later in 1861.

David Allan had left home and appears in the 1851 Census with a wife and family.