Michael T Tracy

Niel Ballingall (1750-1843) Michael T Tracy

He was named after the minister of Kennoway, Dr. Niel Bethune who was ordained only a few months before the child's birth. Niel Balligall was born of humble parents and after growing up in Kennoway Parish, Fife, the history of the family suggests that he may have been a clerk for a time in a lawyer's office in Cupar, and may have assisted Mr. A. Small, Factor at Balbirnie, before succeeding him as Factor in 1770, at the age of 20. Another account of his early years suggests that he was apprenticed to Mr. Jamieson, writer at Brymers Newton west of Kennoway where he had the benefit of his library, of which he made the most diligent use. He would continuously serve the Balfour family whose residence was Balbirnie House until 1969. Today the Balbirnie House is a hotel. Niel and his first wife, Betty McKenzie, are said to have given the name of the newly built Factor's House "Sweetbank," on the Balbirnie estate. Unfortunately, she would die within a year of their marriage, leaving no children. Ballingall, within two years of her death, would marry Isabella Russell, another old Fife farming family and have 13 children while at Sweetbank. In his early days of his Factorship at Balbirnie, he took a lease of the farm of Auchmuty on the Rothes estate. It was thought that Ballingall needed more money to support his growing family. On a large estate like Balbirnie, Ballingall had numerous responsibilities which included the management of the farm steadings; securing new tenants; roads and bridges on the estate to repair or build; improvements on the estate which included extensive tree planting and drainage of any bog land's and other miscellaneous duties as required. One such stone bridge that may have been constructed by the Factor is still presently standing which would have been wide enough for a cart is located on the southwest boundary of Star Moss. As Ballingall grew older he was happy to have his son, William (1800-1888), as his assistant and successor as Factor on the Balbirnie estate. Niel and his son were successively Factors at Balbirnie for considerably more than a century. This then is the narrative of the life and times of Niel Ballingall, the Factor of Balbirnie.