The Provosts of Dumfries
The early McBrairs were effectively hereditary Provosts of the burgh from 1469 to 1582. Many of the Provosts in the next two centuries were connected with the McBrairs, thorough marriage and descent. In fact the last Provost I have found with a direct connection to the McBrairs was Wellwood Maxwell of Barncleugh, Provost from 1781-2, who was directly descended from the first McBrair Provost!
Contributed by Ken Harvey
NAME DATE Robert Makbrar or M'Brair 1469 T. Welsh 1471 Robert Makbrar 1472 Robert M'Brair 1549 John M'Brair 1552 Archibald M'Brair 1570 Herbert Rayning 1572 Robert Rayning 1578 Robert M'Brair 1579 Archibald M'Brair 1581 Matthew Dickson 1582 John Mareshal 1582 Simon Johnstoun 1584 Alex. Maxwell of Newton 1885 Herbert Rayning 1586 John Bryce 1587 Roger Gordon 1588-9 Herbert Rayning 1591-2 Homer Maxwell of Speddo 1593-4 Herbert Cunmninghame 1612 John Corsane 1622 Roger Kirkpatrick 1623 John Corrie 1639 John Corsane 1642 John Corsane 1644 John Maxwell 1645 Thomas M'Burnie 1649 Thomas M'Burnie 1651-2-3-4 Robert Graham 1655-6-7-8-9-60 John Irving 1660-1-2-3-4-5 Thomas Irving 1665-6-7-8 John Irving 1668-9-70-1-2-3-4 Wm. Craik of Duchrae 1674-5-6-7-8 David Bishop 1678-9 Wm. Craik 1679-80 John Coupland 1680-1 James Kennan 168102 John Coupland 1682-3 Lord Drumlanrig 1683-4-5-6 John Maxwell of Barncleugh 1687-8 William Craik 1688-9-90 Thomas Rome 1691 Robert Johnstone 1692-3-4 John Irving 1694-5-6 Robert Johnston 1696 John Irving 1697 Robert Johnstone 1698 John Irving of Logan 1698-9-1700 Robert Johnstone 1700-1-2 Wm. Coupland of Colliston 1702-3-4 Thomas Rome of Cloudan 1704-5-6 William Coupland 1706-7-8 John Crosbie 1708-9-10 Robert Corbet 1710-1-2 John Crosbie of Holm 1712-3-4 Robert Corbet 1714-5-6 John Crosbie 1716-7-8 James Corrie 1718-9-20 William Craik 1720-1-2 James Corrie 1722-3-4 Thomas Edgar 1724-5-6 John Irving 1726-7-8 James Corrie 1728-9-30 Thomas Edgar of Reidbank 1730-1-2 Andrew Crosbie of Holm 1732-3-4 James Corrie 1734-5-6 John Ewart 1736-7-8 Andrew Crosbie 1738-9-40 George Bell of Conheath 1740-1-2-3 John Ewart 1743-4 George Bell 1744-5-6 John Ewart 1746-7-8 George Bell 1748-9-50 John Graham 1750-1-2 Robert Ferguson 1752-3-4 George Bell 1754-5-6 Robert Maxwell of Careen 1756-7-8 James Corbet 1758-9-60 Robert Maxwell 1760-1-2 Ebenezer Hepburn 1762-3-4 John Dickson of Conbeath 1764-5-6 Robert Maxwell 1766-7-8 Ebenezer Hepburn 1768-9-70 John Dickson 1770-1-2 Robert Maxwell 1772-3-4 Edward Maxwell 1774-5 Robert Maxwell 1775-6-7 John Clark 1777-8-9 Robert Maxwell 1779-80-1 Wellwood Maxwell of Barncleugh 1781-2 David Blair 1782-3 David Staig 1783-4-5-6 William Clark 1786-7-8 David Staig 1788-9-90 David Blair 1790-1-2 David Staig 1792-3-4-5-6-7 Robert Jackson 1797-8-9 David Staig 1789-1800 Robert Jackson 1800-1-2 Gabriel Richardson 1802-3-4 David Staig 1804-5-6 Robert Jackson 1806-7-8 David Staig 1808-9 Robert Jackson 1809-10-1 David Staig 1811-2-3 Joseph Gass 1813-4-5 David Staig 1815-6-7 John Barker 1817-8-9 William Thomson 1819-20-1 John Kerr 1821-2-3 William Thomson 1823-4-5 John Kerr (died in office) 1825-6 William Thomson 1826-7 William M'Kie 1827-8-9 John Fraser 1829-30-1 James Corson 1831-2-3 Robert Murray (died in office) 1833-4 Robert Kemp 1834-5-6-7 David Armstrong 1837-8-9-40 John Fraser 1840-1-2-3 Thomas Crichton 1843-4-5-6 Thomas Kennedy 1846-7-8-9 William Nicholson 1849-50-1-2 Miles Leighton 1852-3-4-5 Wm. M'Gowan (died in office) 1855-6 Miles Leighton 1856-7-8-9-60 James Gordon (resigned 1864) 1860-1-2-3-4 William Bell 1864 William Turner 1864-5-6-7 John Luke Scott ???? - 1896 Joseph Johnstone Glover 1896 - 1908