William Park was not born in lawful wedlock. His grandfather, Andrew
Park, occupied for many years the farm of Efgill, in the parish of
Westerkirk, and county of Dumfries. He had two sons, William and James,
who were both men of superior intelligence, and both of them writers of
verses. William, the poet's father, having for a brief period served as
a midshipman, emigrated to the island of Grenada, where he first acted
as the overseer of an estate, but was afterwards appointed to a
situation in the Customs at St George's, and became the proprietor and
editor of a newspaper, called the _St George's Chronicle_. In the year
1795, he was slain when bravely heading an encounter with a body of
French insurgents. His son, the subject of this memoir, was born at
Crooks, in the parish of Westerkirk, on the 22d of February 1788, and
was brought up under the care of his grandfather. He received an
ordinary training at the parochial school; and when his grandfather
relinquished his farm to a higher bidder, he was necessitated to seek
employment as a cow-herd. In 1805, he proceeded as a farm-servant to the
farm of Cassock, in the parish of Eskdalemuir. In 1809, he entered the
service of the Rev. Dr Brown,[29] minister of Eskdalemuir, and
continued to occupy the position of _minister's man_ till the death of
that clergyman, many years afterwards.
From his early years, Park had cultivated a taste for literature. The
parishioners of Westerkirk have long been commended for their
inquisitive turn of mind; many years ago they established a subscription
library, to which Mr Telford, the celebrated engineer, who was a native
of the parish, bequeathed a legacy of a thousand pounds. The rustic poet
suddenly emerged from his obscurity, when he was encouraged to publish a
volume entitled "The Vale of Esk, and other Poems," Edin., 1833, 12mo.
About the same period he became a contributor of poetry to _Blackwood's
Magazine_, and a writer of prose articles in the provincial newspapers.
On the death of Dr Brown, in 1837, he took, in conjunction with a
son-in-law, a lease of the farm of Holmains, in the parish of Dalton,
and now enjoyed greater leisure for the prosecution of his literary
tastes. In May 1843, he undertook the editorship of the _Dumfries
Standard_ newspaper; but had just commenced his duties, when he was
seized with an illness which proved fatal. He died at Holmains on the
5th June 1843. His widow still lives in Eskdalemuir; and of their
numerous family, some have emigrated to America.
Park's compositions were not strictly lyrical, but "The Patriot's Song,"
which we have selected from his volume, seems worthy of a place in the
national minstrelsy. His style is smooth and flowing, and he evinces a
passionate admiration of the beautiful in nature.
[29] William Brown, D.D., author of "Antiquities of the Jews." Lond.,
1825, 2 vols. 8vo.