James Andrew, father's great-grandfather, held a grant of land which they (the Andrews) had held for 300 years and had originally been granted the family by royalty for services of some kind. James Andrew, father of William and Adam was the last of family to have held the farm. 450 years ago the Andrews held lands at Waxford (now Wexford) and have been millers on the Irvine (River) since." (Ref. John Andrew, notes 1937).

In his autobiography (c.1944), Ernest Graham Guthrie (q.v.) great-great grandson of James, wrote that his grandmother Margaret Andrew (q.v.) spoke of "property that should have been hers, but it had gone into the Court of Chancery, from which, in Britain, we understand nothing ever returns." Perhaps Margaret was alluding to the loss of the land grant which prompted James's move to Lavemill.

James and Mary resided at "Hill" (possibly the location now known as Hillhouse) just south of Waxford and then later at Craigret Hill (now known as Craigrethill) just northeast of Waxford, before moving to Lavemill.

Lavemill or Lave Mill, on the Irvine River was also known as Lathe, Laithes, Leith, Lethes, Leithis, Leiths and Leve Mill.

-- Don Hutton, “Descendants of James Andrew & Mary Ferguson of Lave Mill, Ayrshire”

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“Hugh, William, and Adam Andrew, three brothers, were very musical and I saw invitations from castles etc. asking them to come and play their violins. They were made free burghers of Kilmarnock.”

-- John Ernest Andrew in a 1937 letter describing his visit to Ayrshire

“In more recent times the Messrs Hall of Ayr have long maintained a high reputation as violin players — so have the Andrews in Lave-mill, near Dundonald ; while there is scarcely a village throughout the county that has not its instrumental or vocal club."

-- From the Introduction to The Ballads and Songs of Ayrshire, illustrated with sketches, historical, traditional, narrative and biographical…, James Paterson, Editor. Ayr, Published for the editor by J. Dick, 1846.