Thursday, March 9, 2017

More Roberton Family History (4)

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 7th, 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.)

7. This Robert of Earnock married Margaret, daughter of John Hamilton of Torrance, by whom he had

8. John, his son and heir, who succeeded his father, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Cleland of that ilk, an ancient family in Lanarkshire, whose mother was of Lord Sommerville.  He married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Allan Lord Cathcart by Helen his wife, daughter of William Lord Semple, and had issue John, his eldest son and heir, and Roberto, who went abroad and settled in France.

9. John Robertoun, next in succession of this family, married Margaret, daughter of James Hamilton of Torrance, by who he had James, his heir and successor; John, whose descendants succeeded to the estate; and Archibald of Stainhall, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Baillie of Jervieston, by whom he had James Robertoun, who became of the the Senators of the College of Justice, and first of the family of Bedlay, in the parish of Cadder.  Archibald had also several daughters. One married the Rev. David Dickson, of whom was descended the Dicksons of Carberry. John Robertoun of Earnock had also several daughters, of whom Abigail was married to Mr. David Forsyth of Hallhill, commissary of Glasgow;  and Margaret or Janet, to Robert Hamilton of Little Earnock, whose second son, James, was  founder of the Bangour  family in Linlithgowshire.

10. James Robertoun, next of the house of Earnock, married Christian, daughter of John Dundas of Newliston,  and widow of Rober Dalzell of that ilk. By her he had James, who succeeded,  and a daughter, Isabella, married, in 1567, to Gavin Hamilton of Airdrie, another married to Blair of Braxfield, and a third to Muirhead of Lynbank, of who was lineally  descended  Mr. John Muirhead, minister of Cambusnethan,  and William his brother. This James Robertoun was a partisan of Queen Mary, and, in 1572, he was indicted, along with fifty other gentlemen, as being accessory to the murder of Darnley, and the regents Murray and Lennox. In 1579, he became a cautioner, to the extent of £1000 Scots, for the appearance of James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh before the King and Lords of Council. He appears to have had some connections with the Hospital of St. Nicholas, in Glasgow, founded by Bishop Muirhead,  and was possession of the original charter of foundation, as is shown by the following minute of Presbytery:  - “June 1, 1586. – It is ordained that the Laird of Earnock be summoned to produce the foundation of the Almshouse of Glasgow, given to him by Sir John Moyne, if he have it to this day.”

11. James Robertoun succeeded his father, and married Alison, third daughter of George Hamilton of Rossaven and Preston, by who he had a numerous issue of sons – John, Matthew, James, George and Andrew. Several of these went abroad,  and served under the Marquis of Hamilton in his expedition to Germany in 1631, in the service of the renowned  Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden,  against the Imperialists. Matthew, the second brother, inclining to settle abroad, obtained from the marquis a certificate of his birth and family, which was drawn up in the form of a birth-brief certifiying the said Matthew to be a younger son of James Robertoun of Earnock.  John Robertoun (by corruption called Robtoun in France) was his grandson, and was a councillor in the Parliament of Paris. He left behind him a son, John, who was secretary to His Majesty George I, when Elector of Hanover.  He died in 1731, and left a son, George Robertoun, who was his heir.

In the commissary records of Glasgow, James Robertoun, Laird of Earnock, appears as cautioner in the testament of James Baillie of Jervieston, and Ellison Hamilton, Lady Earnock, occurs in February 1620, and in November, 1624.  From James, eleventh of the house of Earnock, the estate appears to have passed to the heirs of John, second son of John Robertoun, ninth representative of the family, whose wife, Margaret, was a daughter of James Hamilton of Torrance.

This John got an annuity out of the lands of Allirstocks, in the barony of Kilbride, from William Bannatyne of Corehouse, dated in 1586.  In the deed he is designed John Robertoun, brother-german to James of Earnock. It is taken to himself in life rent, and to Bartholomew, his eldest son, in fee, and to his heirs, which failing, to Robertoun, his second son.  John Robertoun married Christian, daughter of Robert Dalziel of that ilk, by who he had John, his eldest son, who died young and without succession , and Bartholomew, his heir and successor. For vouching the descent there is a precept of Clare Constat by Roberton Lord Semple: - “To Jas. Robertoun of Earnock, of the lands of Shawtoun, in the barony of Glassford, and to his lawful heirs, male; which failing to Jno., son and heir of Jno. Robertoun and his former wife Christian Dalziel, brother-german and sister-uterine of the said Jas. of Earnock; which failing to Bartholomew, their second son, and his heirs; which failing to the heirs whatever of their father, Jno. Robertoun; which failing to Archibald Robertoun of Stainhall, and his heirs, brother-german of the said Jas. and Jno. Robertoun.” This deed bears the date September, 1598.

John Robertoun, after the death of Christian  Dalziel, his first wife, married Margaret, sixth daughter of John Hamilton of Orbieston. The contract of marriage is dated at Blantyre Kirk, 16th May, 1594. Her brother, John of Orbieston, is her cautioner and witness to the contract.  John Robertoun had issue by his second wife – John, who was Sheriff-Clerk of Lanarkshire, of whom the Robertouns of Whistleberry, Kennedies, and others were descended;  and James, who also held the same office.  This James mortified a considerable sum of money for the poor of Hamilton, which is managed by the Town Council.  John Robertoun had also a daughter Anne, who was second wife of James Hamilton of Torrance.  She is described as “Sister of Bartholomew Robertoun, Sheriff-Clerk of Lanark, and afterwards Laird of Earnock.”