John Lapraik

The family name is derived from the French 'Laprivick' or 'Lekprevick'[1] and the first of the Scottish branch had accompanied Mary Queen of Scots to Scotland and after her defeat at Langside he settled at Dalfram Farm.

[5] Ruined by the collapse of the Ayr Bank in 1772, Lapraik had first to let and then to sell his estate; for several years he struggled to retain his mill and farms, but after an interval had to relinquish them.

He leased lands and the mill at Muirsmill a second time, moved to Nether Wellwood for a couple of years'[6] and finally in 1798 he opened a public-house at Muirkirk, conducting the village post-office on the same premises.

[3][4] Early in 1785 Robert Burns heard the song "When I upon thy bosom lean" at a "rocking", or social gathering, in his house at Mossgiel Farm, Mauchline.

(Burns was not aware that the song was an adaptation of an anonymous lyric published in Walter Ruddiman's Weekly Magazine, 14 October 1773.)