Author: Pagan, Isabel
Biography:
PAGAN, Isabel (1741/2-1821: ODNB)
She was born with a deformed foot at New Cumnock, Ayrshire; her parents, whose names are not known, seem to have abandoned her and she had very little if any education. She lived rent-free in a derelict cottage in Muirkirk; there she made and sold whisky and became known for her singing voice, sarcastic wit, and convivial gatherings. She was known locally as “Wicked Tibbie.” The two poems for which she is best known are not included in her published book: “Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes” (revised by Robert Burns who added a verse) and “Crook and Plaid.” Because she could not read and write, her poems were transcribed by a friend, William Gemmell. She was buried in Muirkirk churchyard where she is commemorated by a stone monument. (ODNB 17 June 2020)