History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

CHAPTER V.
Johnstouns of Elsieshields— Kirk — Kirkton— VVarriston— Kellobank—Auchinskeoch—
Lay Abbots of Saulsit — Milnbank and Lockerbie— Beirholme—
Gutterbraes—Annan.
THE
English Warden of the Marches, writing in 1583, estimates the men of
the name of Johnstoun able to respond to a summons in time of war as
300 in Annandale, besides those near the Esk and Sark, about twelve
more. He points out that this unity of all of the same surname constituted the
strength of their Chief. The small possessions of the family as it increased in
number obliged many to settle as copyholders or tenants on the lands of other
leaders— Murray, Herreis, Carruthers, Crichton, Charteris, Gordon, Kirkpatrick,
Jardine, Maxwell, Irving, Stewart, Douglas, and Scott. Some of them were
paying feus to rivals of their own clan, but joined under the Laird of
Johnstoun's banner directly it was unfurled, which led to many difficulties with
their landlords. It was only ties of blood that could have kept these unpaid
armies together with ruin to individuals; and there is no doubt that Elsieshields
was one of the early Johnstoun cadets.
This eminent branch divided into several families in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. The estate lay near the royal Castle of Lochmaben, in
the centre of the invasions and civil wars which long afflicted Annandale. It
grew a bold, strong race, who spread over Mid-Annandale into East and
Mid-Lothian, into Berwickshire, Yorkshire, and other parts. Gavin Johnstoun
of the Wood, who appears in 1419, married Mariota Scott, and lived till 1485 ; his
son, Archibald, predeceased him in 1480. Archibald's property was disputed
on the score of the illegitimacy of the claimant, Gavin of Esbic, whose tutor was
William of Johnstoun ; but another Gavin, probably the second son of the old
man, was ready to take it if the decision of the Lords in Council was against
Archibald's son. Whoever succeeded was born about 1465.
Thomas Johnstoun of Brackenhill, who, with his wife, Katherine, appears in
1496, was an Elsieshields.
Adam Johnstoun and his wife, Margaret Simpson, citizens of Edinburgh,
the proprietors of Mossop, under the superiority of Lord Hereis, in the parish
of Moffat, in 151 1, probably belonged to the Elsieshields branch. The witnesses