George Buist (1809-1889)

He was said to have "had the heart to feel and the hand to give." George Buist was known for his many acts of benevolence throughout his 80 years of life. He was born at Weddersbie, Collessie Parish and at an early age spent the rest of his childhood at Berryhill, Abdie Parish. He attended United College of the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews during the school term of 1832-33. He was granted the use of his father's farm of Ormiston in Abdie Parish where he was a tenant farmer until his father's death in 1865 when he received proprietorship of its lands. However, three years later tragedy would befall him as the dwelling house would be destroyed by fire. Only by Buist's own persistence and efforts was his dwelling house at Ormiston was rebuilt in a short period of time. George Buist never married and with advancing age, he decided to sell the property during the summer of 1877. He would later move to Edinburgh and finally settled at 25 Broughton Place where he lived for the rest of his life. This then is the narrative of the life and times of George Buist.