Peter Ralston, also called Patrick, first child of Thomas Ralston and Margaret Picken,¹ was born in Scotland at Brecklate, (View Map), Southend Parish, June 1791.² 1791 Parish Record. On 21 January 1820 he married, in Southend, Jannet Brown of Machrimore born 1802 in Scotland, daughter of Charles Brown and Elizabeth Ralston. 1820 Parish Record.
Peter and Janet traveled with six of their children from Campbeltown, Scotland in 1840 to New York on the ship "British Barque Tay" and went to live with her brother, Alexander Brown in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then to Illinois in 1843.^3,4

View letters to Peter from Scotland and Ireland.

He was a charter member and elder in the Willow Cheek Presbyterian Church, Argyle, Winnebago Co., Illinois, organized in 1844.

Peter, the father, died 8 April 1879 in Illinois.
His son, Thomas died a month later, 19 May 1879.
Family documents include a Letters of Administration designating his grandson, Peter W. Ralston as the estate administrator June 6th 1879, shortly after celebrating his 21 birthday on March 24th. Note: P Wm was also joint estate administrator of his father Thomas's estate following death on May 19 1879.
His wife Janet Brown died, in Illinois in 1845.

They had eleven children⁵ :

• 1) Elizabeth, born 20 Dec. 1820, Homeston, Southend, Scotland. 1820 Parish Record. She married William Fleming, 11 June 1840 in Campbeltown (1840 Parish Record.) and remained in Scotland in 1840. Both died in N Ireland. Cemetery Memorial
• 2) Child died as infant.
• 3) Margaret, born 26 April 1824, Homeston, Campbeltown, Scotland. 1824 Parish Record. She married John Picken, June 1849⁶ in Illinois, died in Ill. John Picken 14 JULY 1849 Winnebago Co, Illinois, he died 20 July 1891 in Rockford. They had five children.
• 4) Helen, born 24 Feb. 1826, Homeston, Campbeltown, Scotland died as infant. 1826 Parish Record
• 5) Thomas, born 30 Aug. 1827 Homeston, Campbeltown, Scotland, 1827 Parish Record, married Jean Ralston, 1 Apr. 1857, died 19 May 1879 with burial in the Argyle, Ill. cemetery. Peter Ralston Farm Harlem Township, Illinois
• 6) Charles, christened 27 Dec. 1829, (1829 Parish Record.)Homeston, Campbeltown, Scotland, married, Ella Jackson, Tennessee native and cousin of Stonewall Jackson in 22 Sep 1869, He died 1889, Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas, burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, she died1909 Lawrence, KS
• 7) Helen "Ellen", born 24 July 1832, Campbeltown, Scotland, married David Andrew, married David Andrews 10 May 1855 in Harlem, IL, He died 14 April 1901, Harlem, they had seven children. .
• 8) Janet, born 17 Sept. 1834, Campbeltown, Scotland, (1834 Parish Record.) married Archie McEachran, 15 May 1862, he died 14 Mar 1906, Caledonia. They had 4 children.
• 9) Peter, born 23 May 1837, (1837 Parish Record.)Homeston, Campbeltown, Scotland, bachelor, died 1916 in Lawrence, Douglas Co., Kansas, burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.
• 10) William, born about 1842 in Ohio, died about 1853, buried Argyle cemetery, lot 392.
• 11) Jane, born 8 Nov. 1845, infant died 20 Nov. 1845, buried Argyle cemetery, lot 392.