A HISTORY OF THE KNOWE AND FAMILY ESTATES IN SCOTLAND
By Judi McNairn
Map of the Knowe Area;  Photos of Knowe farm and Village

  William M'Nairn/McNairn (1704 -1769) was the first Laird of Knowe and acquired Sasine (legal possession) of the Knowe in 1767.  It would appear that he took ownership but did not live there - he was a tenant in Barskeoch (pronounced Barskew).  Here is a quote from a letter from Sarah McNairn to William Harvey McNairn in 1907 that would suggest that William purchased the Knowe with money gained from smuggling.

    I had a chat with my old aunt at Beoch one night when all her family were out.  The little I got from her was a funny story, and I will tell you it.  The truth of it I can hardly credit.  She said her father told her that this country at one time was much given over to smuggling, and that it was considered no wrong but cleverness on the part of those who carried it on successfully, and that the money made for the purchase of the Knowe was got that way."

    William's son Alexander (1739-1821) inherited the Knowe at the time of his father's death but the estate was run by trustees until the Trust was wound up and Alexander took Sasine on March 14, 1788.
    There are several Sasines listed in Scottish records indicating that there were numerous mortgages taken out using the estate or parts thereof for security.   It would appear that even though the McNairn family had purchased the estate of at least 800 Acres and had tenants, they still had money problems.
    Sasine in 1792, part of the Knowe to Archibald McCreadie, a merchant in Glasgow.  Sasine in 1800, to creditors of Elizabeth McNairn (spouse of Alexander Sinclair).  Sasine in 1809 to Edward Boyd as heir to Dr. William Boyd, in 1845, the Mill of Fintalloch was sold to David McKeachie by William McNairn, in 1852, William McNairn as heir to Alexander McNairn, seized the lands known as Know of Fintalloch.  Here is an interesting set too - Sasine in December 1852, William McNairn borowed £900 from George McHaffie, then in Jan 1862 (9 years later) the trustees of the late George McHaffie, declared their right to that money.  A few days later William McNairn finally repaid that £900.  At the end of January 1862, a Col. William Henry Stoppford Blair of Penninghame received disposition by William McNairn of Know of Fintalloch and other lands. 
    By 1855 Valuation Rolls began in Scotland and the ones in 1855 show that Col. Stoppford Blair owned Fyntalloch (which was tenanted by William McNairn) and Waterside which was tenanted by James Forsyth.  The Knowe was owned and occupied by William McNairn.  In 1855, there were two William McNairns - one was father (1780-1865) and the other was his son (1819-1898).  I am not sure who this James Forsyth is, however, I do have information that a Jane McNairn (born 1836 and daughter of William) married an Alexander Forsyth.  I presume they were somehow related.
    By 1891, Knowe was owned by Mrs. Stoppford Blair and William McNairn was tenant.  Fintalloch was also owned by Mrs. Blair with William McNairn as tenant.   Waterside, nearby, was owned by Mrs. Blair with James Forsyth as tenant.   However, in 1944 the estate was sold by the Trustees of William McNairn to Mary Kirby, so this would likely confirm that the Stoppford Blair family only held ownership as security for money that was borrowed.
    According to records William, who originally purchased the estate, was the First Laird of Knowe, Alexander (1739-1821) was the Second Lair of Knowe and William - Alexander's son was the Third Laird of Knowe.  This is a quote from a record book kept by William the 3rd Laird of Knowe.

    Knowe, 30 Sept., 1840
"My father Alex M'Nairn was born in Barskeoch in this parish 1739 Feb., and died Feb. 27, 1821 aged 82 years.  His father William M'Nairn purchased the farm of Knowe to which he entered at the expiry of the lease in the year 1788.  I built the dwelling house in 1812, and the barn and stable in 1820, and the rest of the office in a few years thereafter, put up a threshing mill in 1840......"

    All of this fits with the records above, and it is interesting that after William, this Third Laird, there doesn't seem to be anymore Lairds of Knowe - perhaps it is because of the way the ownership went, since the family owed money.

Many thanks to Ian McClumpha, Scotland for research.