In 1723 Mr William Simson or Simpson obtained the property from the Earl.Dobie (1896), p. 173 in 1721 he married Barbara Barclay of Warrix and after she died, to Elizabeth Moore of Bruntwood in 1726. His first wife's father had been a Provost of Irvine. He also had a third marriage in 1736 to Hannah Crochet or Crokat of Glasgow. He had three daughters, Janet, Margaret and Elizabeth, together with a son William. William Simson was said to be a man of expensive tastes and his son William was forced in 1772 to sell the estate to Mr John Ker of London. By 1777 Mr Ker had sold the property to Mr John Neale or Neil of Edinburgh. In 1804 John Neale sold the property to Mr Robert Steel of Port Glasgow with John and Robert Duncan recorded as tenants.Dobie (1896), p. 172 By 1833 William Wilson (son of Janet Simson) had purchased his ancestral lands of Willowyards and his nephew, Alexander Shedden of Morishil later inherited.
