 Samuel Peacock, Burns's partner in the flax-dressing business at Irvine, is said to have been a half-brother of Agnes.She is widely known to have entertained her young “Rabbie” with legends from local oral traditions, and folk songs.The biographer Hecht relates that ""her sweet singing was heard as she went about the heavy work of the day, for she had a good voice and a wonderful stock of old and new ballads and songs, such as were current amongst the people.