Hullo Susandun,
thanks for your response and interest in Family speir.
I have been seeking info re Robert Speir b abt 1703 and his brother James b abt 1705 - no luck so far. I have an original letter written by Jas to Rob in 1741. Jas' testament is available from Scotlands People. I have data re Jas' marriage and children but have not followed the line down any further.
Robert Speir m Jean Broun and produced Robert - known later as Robert 'younger' or 'ygr', James, Mary, Eliz, Martha James and maybe etc.
Rob(ygr) m Marion Kirkwood and produced your James, Rebecca, Jean, Mary, Robert who was later on South Camphill Farm (m Martha Dunlop), Hugh (my line and eventually to Australia), John, Martha, Martha and William. From here on I have followed my line down from Hugh however I have investigated the wider family to some extent in order to clarify the Camphill (north and south) story and also because a grandson of your Jas, William (m Margaret Harvie) went to farm on Ardenslate Farm in Dunoon and produced a daughter, Jeanie, who married back into my line. I have a bureau known in the family as the Ardenslate Bureau.
The data concerning the Camphill Farms (including Blair Park, Routedaneburn etc) is available from the various testaments, census records and sasine documentation from Scotlands People as well as from some of the cemetery inscriptions - admittedly, these do require a lot of work.
As it is impossible to cover everything perhaps a few specific questions might be easier?
I note you use the 'Spier' spelling - it is my understanding that, at the time, 'Speir' was used for this particular branch of the family (with occasional variations), however this is an old problem and familiar to anyone carrying any version of the name . In my particular case the 'ei' form was retained and a final 's' was added a couple of generations down the tree.
regards cec