More Roberton Family History (2)

While looking for the author of The Robertons - A Noted Lanarkshire Family which appears in three previous posts (originally printed in the Hamilton Advertiser on August 7, 1943), a librarian at the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Center also found another piece on Roberton history, again from the Hamilton Advertiser, but published in July 1874. Entitled Earnock and its Early Proprietors, it is another lengthy writing that I will present in a number of postings.

Earnock and its Early Proprietors (continued)

(from the Hamilton Advertiser, July, 1874)

The Robertouns (cont.)

2. The next of the surname is Robert of Robertoun, who, about 1250, along with William of Douglas, and Archibald, his son, is witness to a charter by Thomas, son of Thancard the Fleming, of a ploughgate of land in free heritage to John Logan, and Beatrice, his wife.  The charter was in the possession of the Robertoun  family about the middle of the last century.  Robert was succeeded by

3. Stephen of Robertoun, who lived during the competition for the crown of Scotland after the demise of the Maid of Norway, grand-daughter of Alexander III.  In 1296, he, amoung other barons and freeholders in the county of Lanark, swore fealty and allegiance to Edward I.  The traditions of the family averred that, in the unhappy contest for the crown between Bruce and Baliol, Stephen adhered to the latter, for which, on the accession of Bruce to the throne, he was forfeited.  The barony of Robertoun was given to Sir James Douglas, ancestor of the Douglases of Dalkeith, which was held by this family upwards of a century afterwards, as William, son and heir-apparent of Sir James de Douglas of Dalkeith, is designed  Dominus de Robertoun about 1404.  The lands of Earnock, in the barony of Cadzow, which was then the patrimony of the Crown, were given to Sir Walter, son of Sir Gilbert de Hamilton.  Although Stephen lost his estate by adhering to Baliol, it appears that his son,

4. Simon, by the favor of Sir David Hamilton of Cadzow (one of whose daughters he married), got back the lands of Earnock.  Simon had two sons, John and Robert.