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

4 o THE JOHNSTOUNS OF CRAIGABURN
burn, who surrendered to the English in 1547 with sixty-four men, and was
outlawed by Act of Parliament the next year.
Besides Thomas, Herbert, Gilbert, and James are mentioned in 1545 as
sons of the deceased Symon Johnstoun of Poldean.
John, the son of Thomas, appears to have died before 1565, when a full
pardon was proclaimed. He was probably elder brother to Thomas of Craiga-
burn, Herbert of Powdene, Gilbert of Corhead, and William—all brothers. In
1550 Thomas Johnstoun of Craigaburn was a witness to the bond of manrent
between the Chief and his brother, James Johnstoun of Wamfray, and was also
one of the delegates sent by his Chief to Edinburgh in 1576 to adjust their
differences with the Maxwell clan.
In 1563 there is a contract between honourable persons, Herbert Johnstoun
of Powdene and Gilbert Johnstoun of Corhead. They are not described
as brothers, although two other documents prove this. John, son of the
said Herbert, consents to the document and signs it. Herbert died in 1576.
John married Katherine Carruthers, and had a son, Gilbert.
The eldest son of Thomas Johnstoun of Craigaburn, John Johnstoun
of Smallgills, also called "in Corhead," 1 was dead in 1577, when his brother,
Symon, took over Smallgills. In 1 581 Symon was killed by the Armstrongs,
several of whom offered compensation to the Chief, and to the children of
Symon, and to James Johnstoun in Chapelhill, his brother. They proposed
to come " to the church of Moffat or other convenient place in our linen clothes,
kneeling on our knees with our swords drawn in our hands, and shall deliver
them to you by the hilts, in token of repentance for that wicked and unprovoked
slaughter." This was an ordinary way of obtaining pardon for murder, and
avoiding hereditary feuds.
Thomas of Craigaburn died in July 1581. He left many descendants, and
appears to have been the third largest landholder among the Johnstouns.
A Charter from George Douglas of Corhead entails upon Thomas, his son,
John, and his heirs male whatsoever of the name of Johnstoun, reserving
the liferent to Katherine Johnstoun, his wife, the town and lands of Moffat,
Granton, Newton, and Corhead, except an acre of land called the Douglas
Acre lying at the end of the town of Moffat, with buildings, mills, woods,
and fishing, to be held of James, Earl of Morton, the superior. As Corhead
was not held of the Crown it was not a lairdship, but the next heir to
Craigaburn, young Thomas, called himself " of Corhead," so Monypenny places it
among the Lairds of the name of Johnstoun in 1587.
Thomas of Craigaburn's two Wills are dated at Craigaburn in June 1580
and July 1581. He begs his sons to rally round his eldest grandson,
Thomas, as the head of their branch of the clan, under the leadership of the
Laird of Johnstoun. His son, Symon, being also dead, he left Dryfhead to
Symon's son, James, half the lands of Smallgills to his widow, and the other
half to his own son, James, in trust for Symon's son, John, James to enjoy the
profits, but to keep the said bairn in meat and clothes till he was sixteen, if his
1 He drowned himself, and Symon received his estate as an escheat.