John Reid of Wester Kittochside

JOHN REID OF WESTER KITTOCHSIDE

John Reid of Wester Kittochside, here treated, is the great-great-grandson of John Reid of Kittochside (floruit 1574-1619) and the fifth member of his family, in direct line of succession, to hold the land which his aforementioned ancestor gave to his second son, James Reid of Wester Kittochside (floruit 1600-41), that is a twenty-two shilling two penny halfpenny land of old extent, which was part of the ten merk land of Wester Kittochside, in the Lanarkshire parish of East Kilbride.

Birth and Baptism

John Reid is the eldest son of John Reid of Wester Kittochside. He was born before 9 September1688, the date upon which his baptism was registered at East Kilbride in Lanarkshire, Scotland. His mother's name is not mentioned in his baptismal record. It reads as follows: "John Reid in Kittochsyd had a son baptized called John". [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, East Kilbride Baptisms, 1688-1749, reference OPR.643/1]

His Mother

It cannot yet be regarded as being certain, but it seems quite likely that it was John Reid of Wester Kittochside, here treated, was the nephew and nearest of kin to John Small of Crookedshields whose testament dative and inventory he gave up on 9 December 1719. The possibility of this suggests that John Reid's mother was a sister of John Small of Crookedshields.

Disposition and Assignation in his Favour

By means of a deed of disposition and assignation dated 1 November 1717, John Small of Crookedshields nominated and constituted his nephew, John Reid, younger, portioner of Kittochside, as heir to all his goods and gear. [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, The Testament Dative and Inventory of John Small of Cruiketsheill, parish of Cambuslang, reference CC9/7/51] Image of Testament

He succeeds his father

On 4 May 1719 John Reid of Wester Kittochside had a precept of clare constat from William Mure of Caldwell, liferenter of Caldwell, and William Mure of Caldwell, fiar of Caldwell. This confirmed that his father had died last vest and seised as of fee, and at the faith and peace of the sovereign, while in possession of a twenty-two shilling two penny halfpenny land of old extent of Wester Kittochside, as also an eleven shilling three penny land of old extent there, and recognised him as his father's nearest lawful heir. National Archives of Scotland, The Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS43/13-1/folios 1v-2r]

The Testament Dative and Inventory of his uncle John Small of Crookedshields

John Reid, younger, portioner of Kittochside, gave up the testament dative and inventory of his deceased uncle on 9 December 1719. His uncle died iin October 1719. The Commissary Court of Glasgow recognised him as the nearest in kin and executor dative and confirmation was granted to him on 18 January 1720. John Robertson, writer in Glasgow, acted himself as cautioner for John Reid. [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, The Testament Dative and Inventory of John Small of Cruiketsheill, parish of Cambuslang, reference CC9/7/51]

1. Image of Testament
2. Image of Testament
3. Image of Testament

His disposition in favour of his son William

In 1753 John Reid of Wester Kittochside (floruit 1688-1771) gave three small mailings or portions of land, parts of the three pound fifteen shilling land of Nether Philipshill, together with a seat in the Kirk of Kilbride, to his only surviving son, William Reid of Wester Kittochside (1720-64). He also gave him all the land he possessed in Wester Kittochside. When William died in 1764 this land passed to John Reid of Wester Kittochside (1760-1850): “eldest son procreat of the marriage between the sd Willm Reid & Elizabeth Jamieson & so nearest lawfull heir of his sd father in the sd lands”. John had a precept of clare constat or charter of confirmation on 3 May 1774 and took formal possession on the same day. [National Archives of Scotland, HM General Register House, Edinburgh, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/20/ff. 344r—344v]

The lands of Condorrat in Easter Lenzie, Dunbartonshire

John Gray of Condorrat borrowed £6,669.14.08 Scots from John Reid of Kittochside and Andrew Gray of Crookedsheill. John Gray used his lands of Condorrat, in Easter Lenzie, as the security for the loan and, for this purpose, he gave John Reid of Kittochside and Andrew Gray of Crookedsheill a wadsett over these lands on 1 January 1741. [National Archives of Scotland, Register House, Edinburgh, General Register of Sasines, reference RS10/8/57].

His Death

The Reid family historian believed that John Reid died in 1770 [Herbert Reid, M.C., M.A., The Reids of Kittochside (Printed for private circulation, Aird & Coghill, Ltd., Glasgow, 1943), page 15 and Table A] but he was mistaken about this.The date of his death is not known but he was still alive on 11 February 1771 when, acting on behalf of his grandson, another John Reid, who was the eldest son of the deceased William Reid and his wife, Elizabeth Jamieson, he sold the five merk lands of Thornton, called Tait's Thornton, to a Glasgow merchant named John Brown, [Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, National Archives of Scotland, reference RS42/19/ff.282v-234r] but he died before 1 February 1774, the date upon which his grandson took formal possession of all his lands.

Marriage

John Reid of Wester Kittochside married Isobell Gray. There is no record of the marriage but a marriage contract was signed on 16 July 1719 and, thereafter, John Reid of Wester Kittochside, following upon the actual marriage and in fulfilment of his "obligement" gave his wife one half of his lands of Wester Kittochside in liferent Among those present to witness her infeftment were a number of her male relatives, viz. John Gray of Condorat, John Gray and John ffinlay, portioners of Gartshore, and William Gray, portioner of Gartshore. [National Archives of Scotland, General Register House, Edinburgh, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS43/13-1/folios 1v-2r]

Children

1. John Reid, younger of Wester Kittochside
2. Anna Reid
3. William Reid of Wester Kittochside