In the late 17th century, amidst the turmoil and suspicion that characterized the witch trials in Scotland, a woman named Jean Umphray, residing in Newark, Kilmacolm in Lanark, became entangled in the web of accusations and fear that pervaded the period. The specific incident in question occurred in April 1699, where Jean's name emerged during a gathering of testimony in Paisley. Six men and one woman testified against Jean, denouncing her as one of the tormentors of Margaret Laird, a troubling claim that reflected the heightened anxieties of the time regarding witchcraft and malevolent forces.
Despite the intensity of the accusations, the historical records indicate an absence of formal legal proceedings against Jean, suggesting that the denunciations may not have progressed beyond the initial testimonies. It appears Jean Umphray was never formally tried for witchcraft, an outcome that, while fortunate, still leaves her personal history shrouded in uncertainty. Her fate, like that of many individuals caught in the vortex of witchcraft accusations during this period, remains obscure, with no surviving documentation to provide clarity on her life following this fraught moment in 1699.