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

THE WEDDEUIJURM BOOK.
Introd. 3. James WedderburD, afterwards Solicitor-General for Scotland at the early
'"^^^ °^ thiity-four, was
TheWedder
bora in 1782. He was au advocate,
burn^Maxweiis and rapidly rose ID hi.s profession. J.W. in his MS. pays a
andGienlai?. '''S^ tribute to his character and abilities. His career, however,
was cut siiort by an early death in 1822. He married
*° Isabella, \^^?,
dan-hter of Sir George Clerk or Jlaxwell of Penicuik
CO Midlothian, and iiiddlebie, co. Dumfries, and bv her ha.l is.sue four sons
and three daughters, luclu.liug Jemima (Mrs. Hugh Blackburn), who has lonrr
been well-known as au artist, distinguished for her represeutation and knowledge
of animals. His only surviving son, Andrew, succeeded in ISTO in ri^ht of his
mother to Middlebie and Gleiilair, and thereupon assumed the additional name
of Maxwell. He died in ISOG, leaving issue including two survivino- sons
James Andrew Colvile Wcdderburn, now .Ma.xwell, who succeeded his"fatiier'
and Harry George, both of whom are married and have i.ssue.
With Robert 'Wedderburn of Pearsie, second surviving son of Sir Ale.xander,
fourth baronet of Blackness, I pass to another and distinct
Wcdderburn
branch of the family. He was born in 1708, bred to his father's
profession, and admitted
to^ranol'
a notary in about 1726. In 1738, the
died 1786." year of his marriage, if not earlier, lie succeeded his father as
sherif}" clerk of Forfar, and retained tiiis otHce for many years,
in spite of the share which he took in the '45, wiien he, like his brothers!
Sir John and Thomas of Cantra, was engaged on the side of the Prince!
I do not find that he in fact joined the Jacobite armv, but he raised recruits
for the Gleu Proason company, which formed part of' Lord Ogilvy's regiment,
and_ when, after Cullodeu, Lord Ogilvy fled to Angus, it was Pearsie who
received him and furnished horses for his escape. He also assisted the escape
of his_ nephew, young Sir John Wedderburn, and in tht; result became liiniself
an object of suspicion. His house of Pearsie wa.s occupied by the government
troops, while he himself had to seek shelter in the hills, and lay hid on
Catlaw for many weeks, protected by the faithfulness of his servants. Ultimately,
in the summer of 174ti, he obtaii;od a protection order, and, armed
with that safeguard, attended a county meeting at Forfar, where an attempt to
arrest him was met by a production of the document. After this he was left
unmolested and continued his duties ns sheritf-clerk, and also superintended
as agent, the estates of John, Karl of Airlie. He died in Feb. 178G, and was
buried in the Howff of Dundee. TIk re aie two portraits of him at Pearsie
both of which are reproduced in this volume fpp. ;}2U-2I). One shows hiin as a
young man, the other (by Opie, of wWu-U a icpiica is at Birkhili) presents him in
old age. He had married at Dundee in 173M IsoUd Kdward, heiress of Pearsie
and by her (born 1718, died 1788) liad i.ssue three sons and three dauohters
from one of the former of whom de.sceud the Webster-Wedderbiirns, while from
tvro of the latter come the Maclagan.s, now of Pearsie, who have taken the
name of Maclagan-Wedderburu.
Pearsie's three sous were Jolm, Charles, and David. Of these the eldest
went out to India and joined tiie military service of the Eust India Comriany,
in which he became lieutenant-ci'luiiel in 1787. He died unmarried at Calcutta
in that year, and as, owing to a himily arrangement, Pearsie had Wen sold to his
brother Charles in 1771), he was never in possefsion of the estate. Charles
was also in the military service of the East India Company, but
retired as captain iu )7b.j,
wSidtl-burn
and was long in posse.ssiou of
of Pearnie. Pearsie, «hete he resided from 17.M) till his death in IS'^9 '
born 1 (48, If .- •],.-«-..-. < 11, ,
died I82i». ''e was twice married— (Ij m 1