Andrew Fraser, 2nd Lord Fraser

• The Scots peerage, Vol. IV, page 114-117

II. Andrew, second Lord Fraser (born to Andrew, First Lord Fraser, d. 10 Dec. 1636, with his first wife, Elizabeth Douglas, youngest daughter of Robert, Earl of Buchan). Before his father's death, there was commenced a protracted feud with Sir William Keith of Ludquharn (an estate adjoining that of Kinmundy, and within two miles of the house of Faichfield) about seats in the newly built parish church of Peterugie, now called Longside. [Narrated at length in volumes xii and xiii, P.C. Reg., and briefly in Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, iii, 539.] This led to the sacking by Ludquharn's followers on the night of Christmas Day 1621 of the house of Faichfield, at that time the residence of Andrew Fraser, the younger, and his family, followed by the death, soon afterwards, of his infant son Andrew.

The termination of this bitter feud is indicated at a meeting of the Privy Council on 12 November 1622, when a submission and discreet arbitral dated 9 November 1622, between the two Frasers, father and son, on the one side, and Sir William Keith on the other, was ordered to be registered in the books. It is evident the feud had been brought under the notice of King James VI. The warrant for the submission and discreet-abitral is a missive by the King, dated at Royston 21 October 1622, in the course of which the arbiters are authorised in the event of "Muchall" being found obstinate and unwilling to agree to the conditions to be imposed "to compell him in respect of his promises made to us to doe in that matter as we should be pleasit to command him." [P.C. Reg. xiii.. 86]

He was retoured heir to his father in the estates 21 April 1637 [Retours, Aberdeen, 236]. He, or rather, in the first instance, his father, gave offence to Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth (afterwards Lord Saltoun), patron of Rathen church, by setting up his name and arms on the kirkstyle, and by encroaching upon the lands of Philorth in the rebuilding of the kirk dyke. The matter came before the Privy Council in 1637 [Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff., iv. 126], and both points were eventually decided in favour of the Laird of Philorth, not however, until 1667, some years after Andrew's son, the third Lord Fraser, had succeeded to the title and estates. [Frasers of Philorth, i. 182.]

In the Civil Wars, Lord Fraser took the side of the Covenanters, and is often mentioned in Spalding's Memorials of the Troubles and in the Acts of Parliament. He was one of the Parliamentary Commissioners appointed for suppressing the Royalist insurrection in the north, and for proceeding against rebels and malignants 19 July 1644 [Rescinded Acts]. In the same year he was associated with the Laird of Philorth and the Forbes family in support of the Marquess of Argyll against the Royalists under the Earl of Huntly and the Marquess of Montrose [History of the Troubles, ii. 338, 429], and on 14 October, the Castle of Muchalls suffered spoliation at the hands of Montrose, "who at the time was visiting with fire and sword the estates of those proprietors friendly to the Covenant." [Sir A. Leith-Hay's Castellated Architect. of Aberdeenshire, 96]

He was appointed a member of the Committee of Estates in 1645, and for putting the kingdom in a posture of defence 15 February 1649, on which committee the names of the Master of Fraser and Francis Fraser of Kinmundie are also included. He was one of the Committee of Estates appointed on 14 March in the same year for carrying on the government of the country and providing for its defense until the meeting of Parliament [Rescinded Acts]. On 5 June 1651 he settled his estates upon Andrew, his son by Anna Haldane, his wife, whom faliling, upon Thomas Fraser his son by Elizabeth Crichton his then wife [Aberdeen Sas. xv. 117], and he died between July 1656 and July 1658. [Aberdeen Sas. xx. 154]

He married, first, in 1618, Margaret Elphinston, eldest daughter of James, first Lord Balmerino [Gen. Reg. Sas., ii. 45 and xxxvii. 34; Spalding states (ii. 44) that the second Lord Balmerino and the second Lord Fraser were brothers-in-law], by his second wife. By this marriage, says Spalding, "he had gryt moyan in all his adois aganes Haddoch Gordoune"; secondly (contract July 1634 [Reg. Mag. Sig.], Anne, daughter of James Haldane of Gleneagles, who died about June 1640 [Spalding, i. 294]; thirdly (contract 21 August 1644 [Aberdeeen Sas., xiii. 145.]), Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James Crichton of Frendraught, and sister of the first Viscount Frendraught. She is there called eldest daughter of the Viscount, which is impossible, he having married his first wife in 1639. Spalding, who sub anno 1645 calls Lord Fraser "goodson to the old Laird of Frendraught," [Spaulding ii. 453.] is more correct. She survived him for many years.

In 1685, as "Dame Elizabeth Crighton, Lady Dowadger of Frazer," she petitions the Privy Council to be released from payment of a sum of 1833 pounds, 13 shillings, 4 pence Scots, the amount of a fine specified in a decreet obtained against her for alleged contravention of the laws and Acts of Parliament against withdrawers from the public ordinances. She was then residing in "her joynture house at Cairnbulg." In 1696, she was living with her son Thomas at Torhendry, in Longside Parish. [List of Pollable Persons, 1693.]

By his first wife (Margaret Elphinstone), Lord Fraser had:

• 1. Andrew, who was a "young bairn" in the house of Faichfield when it was sacked by Ludquharn's followers on Christmas Day 1621, as narrated before, and died within five weeks thereafter "of the extraordinary fear and fray given to him." [Aberdeen Hornings, 30 July 1623; Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, iii. 539]
• 2. William, Master of Fraser, who, with his father and stepmother, had a charter of the barony of Durris 31 July 1637. He was alive in 1646, but must have died v.p. before 5 June 1651. [Vide supra]
• 3. Elizabeth, who married Walter Barclay of Towie. [Charter to her as his future wife, 19 July 1652, Aberdeen Sas. viii. 25.] She and her cousin Elizabeth Fraser, Lady Cowburtie, are called as heirs of line of James, Lord Coupar, her mother's brother, 12 March 1676. [Reg. Mag. Sig., Paper Reg. x. 10]

By his second wife (Anne Haldane), Lord Fraser had:

• 1. Andrew, third Lord Fraser.

By his third wife (Elizabeth Crichton), he had [issue all named, Reg. of Deeds, Durie, 3 February 1671, and Aberdeen Inhibitions, 12 October 1675]:

• 1. Thomas of Cairnbulg, probably born in 1649. He was under age 13 June 1670, but was apparently of full age 29 July 1670, when he was served to his father as heir of provision general. [Retours, Gen. 5341] He was living with his mother, wife, and children at Torhendy, in Longside Parish, in 1696 [List of Pollable Persons, i. 592, 593]. Thomas must have died before his nephew, the Fourth Lord, or he would have succeeded to the title on the latter's decease.
  • He married, first (contract 23 June 1680), Margaret, elder daughter of Robert Forbes of Ludquhairn, tutor of Craigievar [Contract among Camphill titles, noted by Riddell]. By her he had three daughters:
    • 1. Margaret, of whom was married (contract 2 December 1699) to Sir James Innes of Orton, Baronet [Banff Sas., v. 33; Douglas' Baronage, 79].
    • 2. Jean
    • 3. Sophia
  • He married, secondly, Margaret Seton, who survived him, and on 30 November 1717 was appointed executor-dative to James Seton of Meanie, her brother-german [Edin. Tests.].
• 2. James, matriculated at Kings' College, Aberdeen, 1670 [Fasti Aberdonensis, 489]. He died young, probably before 26 June 1676, when he is omitted in a list of the family [reg. of Adjudications, xxv. 71].
• 3. Margaret, married (contract 5 June 1679) to Thomas Gordon of Newark, M.D. [Aberdeen Sas., x. 274]
• 4. Elizabeth.