(Plough A Straight Furrow)

Lyrics composed by 70 year-old John Henderson, on the 6th of June, 2010,
to John Valentine Eppel's 'Missouri Waltz',
in memory of his Ploughman then a Carter, Great Great Grandfather John Henderson
who was christened on the 14th November 1814 in Kennoway, Fife, Scotland,
and died of Typhus Fever at Prinlaws, Leslie Fife on the 25th June, 1868.


GG G-F John and his wife Agnes Hunter had six children, James (1850), Janet (1852),
Margaret (1854), Catherine (1859), William (1861) and John (1864).

The song represents Farm Labourer GG G-F John singing about his father,
Ploughman James Henderson (1874, Markinch - 1846, Thornton),
and John's youngest son, John (1864-1922) of Leslie, Fife, who became a Flax Dresser.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Aince upon a day ma plooman faither said tae me,
"Nivver be a riever, nivver ivver tell a lee;
Aye 'pleugh a stracht furra' sae aa fowks wull ken, weel
Thit a siccar like loon bides in oor but-an-ben."
Aft I mynd the day ma faither spak thase wirds tae me;
An syne I seen-gied sich wycedom tae ma bairnies tee;
Furth-gate I've aye been an it's deen me nae hairm, fur
I've noo a fairm!

Gif ma John ae day a fairmin man he wints tae be,
Nivver bein a rogue an nae bein yin tae tak the gee,
I'll be a prood faither an aa fowks micht aft say
Thit ma guid wirkin loon fully airns his day's pay.
Bit gif John ae day fins oot the fairm is nae his chyce,
Fit e'er he's tae be I'll gie him aince mair ma advyce,
"Aye 'pleugh a stracht furra' sae aa fowks wull ken, thit
Ye're the wale-o-men!"