Ulva, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Ulbha)

Ulva, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Ulbha) is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Mull. This is the location of Janet Hamilton, the New Moorland parish and the Hamilton jail mentioned in the letter below.

Here is the letter July 6th, 1865 -- 18 days after the death of his mother): "My Dear Mr. Logan, Thank you very much for your present and I assure you that I read Janet Hamilton's book with very great pleasure and I thank her kindly for the kind words she uttered in reference to me. ... tell her that my maternal great grandfather was in New Moorland parish at a time when but few could use their views as she can -- and a poor woman who got but sixpence a month from the parish employed him to write a petition to the minister for more. This incensed his reverence so much that he committed my grand father [Gavin Hunter] to Hamilton Jail. He there imitated King David among the Philistines and feigned madness. A sergeant who had his pick of the prisoners to be drafted as soldiers said to him, "My footman and I don't believe that you are insane but tell me your case and...befriend you" He replied that he had a wife and three children who must starve without his services and was greatly distressed in mind on their account. The sergeant gave him  three shillings, a larger sum than he had ever possessed in his life before, for a common labourer...pay at the time was put three pence (Scotts...) per diem. The sergeant then went to his officer and said that one of their recruits was clearly out of his mind and obtained permission to dismiss him. Many a prayer there no doubt ascended on behalf of this soldier...of my great grandfather...all his kindness was returned unto his own bosom by Him who put the kindly feelings unto his heart. I heard this told by my grandfather and lately by my mother. We go off this afternoon. Many thanks for your friendship. For the departed now numbered...all no death for whom we give thanks that they died in the Lord.  David Livingstone"