Wedderburn book; a history of the Wedderburns in ... - waughfamily.ca

Ivi. THE WEDDKKBURN BOOK.
Introd. the churchyard of Aheriady, though one still remains ia the parish in the form
of four beautiful silver cupa presented by him to the church there for use
ia the sacrament. He also left a large and valiialde library to his old colle"e,
a letter from the authorities of which, acknowledgiug the receipt of the bequest
from Sir Peter, and recording Sir John's goodness, is priuted in this volume
(post, p. 137). A portrait of him by Jamieson is also reproduced tiiore.
The six daughters of Kingtnnie were Elizabeth, Magdalene, Margaret,
Marjory, Jean, and Elspetli. Of these the eldest married
Kin enniea
Daughtere.^ (1) George Campbell of Crinan, co. Forfar, who died s.p.,
and (2) Mr. Peter Bruce, principal of St. Leonard's College.
by whom she had three daughters, one of whom, Elizabeth Bruce, married
Simon Mackenzie of Loch Slin (brother of George, Earl of Seaforth),
and was mother to the famous Sir George ALickenzie of Rosehangh, known
in_ history as " bloody Mackenzie." The remaining five duughters of
Kingennie were all married, and had issue, viz.: Magdalene twice (1) to
her cousin, Wdliam VVedderburn, minister of Dundee (ante, p. xxxviii.), and
(2) to Mr. George Haliburton of Fodderance, afterwards a lord of Session
under the title of Lord Fodderance; Margaret, to Thomas Haliburton of
Dundee ;
Marjory, to Robert Carnegie of Leuchland ; Jean, to James
Boyter of Pilmor ; and Elspcth, to Alexander Fotheringhamc of Parkzeat.
Their "tochers" ranged from three to eight thousand merks, substantial sums
at the time, and indicative of their father's prosperity.'
I shall return later to Kingennie's second son, James, from whom
descends the Blackness line. From his eldest son, however, descended the
families of Kingennie, Easter Powrie, and Wedderburn, represented since 1778
by the Scrymgeour-Wedderburns of Wedderburn, as his iieirs of line on
the extinction of his male descent in 17G1.
He was born in 1-583, educated at S. Andrew's, and originally intended
to succeed his father as clerk, being in fact nominated as
eerond ot'^'
his successor in 1604. This appointment .-'eems to have
^^1^^ been questioned at the time, but w.ts expressly ratified by
the King " in respect of his father's faithfull service done
to us" by a letter under liis hand, which is among t'lo family papers.
Almost at once, however, his father made other plans, and got a gift of
the clerkship in favour of his second son, so that at liis death tiie ofTice
went to that son, while the eldest inherited the landeil ertaies. It so
chanced, however, that James did not long survive liii lather, and thus
Alexander did in fact become clerk for some years. Ilj27-3:i, in oidcr to
keep the place warm for his brother's eldest son. During his fitln-r's life,
he was already active in burgh atfuirs. He was admittet,! a burgess
in 1609, and thereafter acted as bailie, auditor, and ilean of gild in
several years. In 1618, too, he represented Dundee in the (Jeneral
Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland. On the death of his father iu ltJ26
he succeeded to Kingennie and Wester Gourdie, and when in tli.i ft)ll()wing
year his brother James died, he took up the office of clerk, havmjj (K•^n
already (but at what date I have not ascertained) duly adniitteil ii noUnry.
Facsimiles of his signature and his notarial symbol may be i..iiiid ..j.j«.»it.«
pp. 24, 32, and 187 of the second volume of this book. A volume of Idi
protocols as clerk is referred to in the Dundee records, but is unl-uluii.it.ly
missing from the charter room, and the Burgh and Head Court i^ecurtin during
his tenure of the clerkship are also not forthcoming. On cea^sing to !«• 'I'-ric
he in 1633 represented Dundee in the Scottish parliament, and also act.'^J a.i
'
At this pcrioil and uutil the close of tlie century the purchasing power of a |yun