Lyn was raised on a small farm near Austin, Texas. A lover of storytelling from the beginning, she got her start with goofy stories about wild horses and house pets, read aloud to family members on long car rides. From there her interest in fantasy and adventure blossomed, resulting in her YA fantasy novel “The Four Stars” and retro fantasy novel “Prism World.”
Lyn and her husband currently call the beautiful valleys of Chattanooga, TN home.
The Write Corner 
On your website, the Sentinel story sounds kinda interesting! I think it has real potential for a good story. Good luck!
Hi Lyn, meant to get in touch before this. I enjoyed your story of Willy Gilliland. Like yourself I thought I might be descended from him as my ancestors came from the same district, but I believe he is a work of fiction. Sir Samuel Ferguson did have a covenanting ancestor who had to flee after the Battle of Bothwell Brig even though he was too old to fight. He found shelter with a Gilliland family and later on his daughter married their son and they were Sir Samuels ancestors.
My own family returned to Scotland where I was born on the farm where the Battle of Drumclog took place. Would be happy to elaborate more on this information if you are interested.
I would be very interested in this information. I have always suspected the story was more fiction than fact (aren’t most legends?), but it still definitely fascinated me enough to spur the idea for Willy’s Covenant.
Hi Lyn,
Sorry for the long delay. This is all the evidence I have that says says that Willy was actually John who was not present at Bothwell Brig.
I have found no evidence to suggest that Sir Samuel Ferguson claimed Willy as an ancestor. The first claim is by Rev. W.D. Killen, a relative of Sir Samuel, who said he met with Sir Samuel.
Killen says that ‘Willy’ had 2 sons, one who lived at Tildarg, the other at Collin and his granddaughter Ellen was the great grandmother of Sir Samuel Ferguson.
From1660s Hearth Money Rolls we have John and Wm Gilliland both of Tildarg.
From the National Library of Ireland I obtained a copy of the Pedigree of Gilleland of Scotland and of Tildarg and Kilbride, Co. Antrim c1600 – 1787. From this we get:-
John Gilleland of Tildarg born c1620 in Scotland died 10 Dec 1706 aged 86. He had 2 sons:
1. William Gilliland of Tildarg and Kilbride born c1669 died 7 March 1746 aged 77.
2. John Gilliland of Collin who married Ellen daughter of Thomas Ferguson of Finnart in Ayrshire. This Thomas is the Ferguson laird in Paterson’s story below. John and Ellen are the parents of Ellen Gilliland of Collin who married John Ferguson of Fourmileburn. They were the great grandparents of Sir Samuel Ferguson who wrote the ballad of Willy Gilliland.
History of the County of Ayr: with a Genealogical Account of the Families of Ayrshire by James Paterson. Volume I, 1847. Published by John Dick, Ayr. pg. 250. FERGUSSONES OF FINNART. One of the Lairds of this family brought himself into serious trouble during the reign of Charles II. He had been heavily fined by General Middleton; and afterwards, although he did not, from his advanced age, appear in arms at Bothwell, having been suspected of supplying money to the insurgents, he was compelled to leave the country, and in his absence was forfeited. He took shelter in Ireland, and remained in the county of Antrim from 1683 till the Revolution…
….The Laird was at first in considerable distress; and, being anxious to remain in concealment, he entered the service of Mr Gilleland of Collin, a gentleman who lived in a remote district in the north of Ireland, and whose grandfather had been himself forced, in the preceding reign, to flee from his property in the neighbourhood of Dundonald. Finnart’s disguise was soon penetrated, and the greatest kindness shown to him by the family at Collin. After the Revolution, when Finnart had his lands restored to him, one of his daughters was married to Mr Gilleland’s eldest son, and ever since a warm friendship has existed between the descendants of these two families.
The Laird mentioned in this extract is Thomas Fergussone whose daughter Ellen married John Gilliland of Collin and were the great great grandparents of Sir Samuel Ferguson. I think Sir Samuel was brought up with the knowledge that he had an ancestor who had to flee after Bothwell to Ireland and probably not much else, maybe not even his name. Maybe he heard about the Gilliland ancestor mentioned in the extract who had to flee from Scotland and ‘Willie’ became an amalgam of the two.