John Edmonstone of Broich

MR. JOHN EDMONSTONE OF BROICH

Tutor of Duntreath; Commissioner for War for the County of Stirling; afterwards Mr. John Edmonstone of Bailliebentrone in County Antrim, Ireland

It should not be regarded as being certain but it is possible that John Edmonstone of Broich, here treated, was a lawyer. As much is suggested by the fact that he is referred to as Mr. John Edmonstone of Broich in a charter witnessed by his son William on 29 April 1677 Laing Charters: 2770 and, post mortem and more significantly, perhaps, in the testament dative and inventory given up in his name by his daughter Katherine, Image of Testament It was not usual at this period in Scottish history to award the abbreviated title Mr. (Magister in Latin, Master in English) to men of ordinary status. It is true that it was sometimes used as an honorary title, more often than not for writers or lawyers, but more frequently it was used to identify someone who held the degree of Master of Arts. One of Mr. John Edmonstone's grandsons was a lawyer or writer in Edinburgh, also named Mr. John Edmonstone. He is noticed using this style when he acted himself as cautioner for his aunt Katherine, when she give up her deceased father's testament. [Ibidem] Image of Testament

Mr. John Edmonstone of Broich is the third son of William Edmonstone of Duntreath. Strathblane: 96 Following the death of his older brother James in 1644 he was appointed tutor to his nephews, William Edmonstone and James Edmonstone, the sons of his eldest brother Archibald Edomstone of Duntreath, who were still minor children at this time. He was appointed to attend the Scottish Parliament of 1649, who nominated him as Commissioner for War for the County of Stirling. Duntreath: 49

An Account of His Family

‘The seventh Laird of Duntreth called, William Edmonston, married Issobel Hadden, Daughter to the Laird of Glennegies, and had by her five Sons and two Daughters, . . . . . . . . . . John Edmonston third Son to said William Edmonston of Duntreth, married Eliz. Edmonston, Daughter to John Edmonston of Broich, and got with her both the Lands of Broich in Scotland, and the Lands of Bellibantro in Ireland; and had by her four Sons and five Daughters; William his Eldest Son, James his second Son, Robert his third Son, and [blank space] Edmonston his fourth Son: His eldest Daughter called Issobel, married to Crawfurd of Walston, and had issue; his second Daughter called, Jean; his third; his fourth Helen; and his fifth Agnes, married to Andrew Adair, and had issue. Secondly the said John Edmonston married Catherine Cunningham, of the family of Glengarnock, and had by her five Sons and two Daughters: The Eldest Son called Archibald; the second John; the third Son James; the fourth son Robert; the fifth Son Alexander: His Eldest Daughter called, Katherine, and Anna his second Daughter. William Edmonston Eldest Son of the said John Edmonston by his first Wife, married Jean Buchanan, of the Family of Buchanan, and had by her six Sons and four Daughters; William, John, Archibald, Robert, James; his Daughters, Eliz. Mary Jean & Anna-Helena: James Edmonston the third Son of the said John Edmonston by his second Wife, married Margaret Lindsay, Daughter to the Laird of Dow-hill in Fife, and had by her two Sons and five Daughters; John and Robert, Katherine, Anna-Helena, Margaret, Eliz, and Lettice’ Duntreth: pp. 13-4 Link supplied by Tamás Flinn Caldwell-Gilbert

Death

The testament dative of Mr. John Edmonstone is defective and does not identify the date of his death, which is recorded there as 16 - -. All that can reasonably be deduced from this is that he probably died before 31 December 1699. Neither is his place of death identified in his testament dative but it seems that he may have been the heritable proprietor of Bailliebentrone in County Antrim, Ireland, and it seems possible that he died there. [National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, The Testament Dative and Inventory of Mr. John Edmonstoun, sometime of Broich, thereafter of Bailliebentrone, Co. Antrim, Ireland, reference CC8/8/87]

His Testament Dative and Inventory

The Testament Dative and Inventory of Mr. John Edmonstoun, sometime of Broiche, afterwards of Bailliebentrone in County Antrim, Ireland, was given up by his daughter Katherine on 16 March 1721. At the time of his death, her father, John Edmonstoun of Bailliebentrone, was owed one thousand merks Scots money by Archibald Edmonstoun of Duntreath. The Commissary Court of Edinburgh recognised her as the only executor dative and nearest of kin to her deceased father. Thereafter, John Edmonstoun, writer in Edinburgh, who identified himself as the eldest son of Mr. James Edmonstoun of Bailliebentrone, acted himself as cautioner for Katherine Edmonstoun, and confirmation was granted to her on 14 February 1721. [National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, The Testament Dative and Inventory of Mr. John Edmonstoun, sometime of Broich, thereafter of Bailliebentrone, Co. Antrim, Ireland, reference CC8/8/87] Image of Testament

First Marriage

John Edmonstone of Broich married Elizabeth Edmonstone, daughter of James Edmonstone and Elizabeth Edmonstone, with who he got the lands of Ballbantry in Ireland. They are said to have had several children, Duntreath: 47

Children of the First Marriage

1. William Edmonstone of Broich
2. James Edmonstone, primus
3. Robert Edmonstone, primus
4. ? Edmonstone
5. Issobel Edmonstone
6. Jean Edmonstone
7. Mary Edmonstone
8. Helen Edmonstone

Second Marriage

John Edmonstone of Broich married Catherine Cunningham. She is said to have belonged to the Glengarnock family. Duntreth: pp. 13-4

Children of the Second Marriage

1. Archibald Edmonstone
2. John Edmonstone
3. James Edmonstone of Ballibantro
4. Robert Edmonstone, secundus
5. Alexander Edmonstone
6. Katherine Edmonstone
7. Anna Edmonstone

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

2-3 August 1654: Bond by John Edmonstone of Broich ro Alexander Leckie of May. Archibald Edmonstone of Arlehaven was cautioner for John Edmonstone of Broich. National Records of Scotland, Edmonstone of Broich, reference GD1/1067/10

                   2

22 February 1656: Inhibition at instance of William Edmonstone of Duntreath and John Edmonstone, tutor of Duntreath, against Gavin Hamilton of Raploch, for payment of his late father's intromissions with the estate of Halcraig. National Records of Scotland, Edmonstone of Broich, reference GD1/1067/8

                   3

4 August 1668: Translation by Alexander Leckie of May to William Edmonstone of Broich, son of John Edmonstone of Broich, of a bond and assignation dated 1654, Aug 2 and 3, by the said John Edmonstone with James Leckie of May and Archibald Edmonstone of Arlehaven as cautioners, to Row Gibb and John Hendrie, former treasurers and box masters for the poor of the burgh of Stirling, for 500 merks, assigned to said Alexander Leckie by John Christisen, merchant and John Andersone, baxter burgess in Stirling, then treasurers and box masters for the poor of said burgh, by assignation dated 1656 Oct 29. National Records of Scotland, Edmonstone of Broich, reference GD1/1067/10

                   4

23 November 1710: Bond by David, Earl of Leven, and Major James Coult [Coutts], to Catherine Edmonstone [Edmiston], daughter of deceased John Edmonstone [Edmiston] of Bellibentroe [?Ballybantrae ?Port Ballintrae] in the north of Ireland, for 500 merks. In dorso: Receipt dated 20 May 1713. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Leslie family, Earls of Leven and Melville, reference GD26/4/469

Evidence from the Laing Charters

29 April 1677: Charter by David, Lord Cardross, made in favour of Walter Grahame, son of John Grahame of Blairsenoch. Witnessed by William Edmonstoun, son of Mr. John Edmonstoun of Broich. Laing Charters: 2770

Evidence from the Index to the Register of Deeds

                   1

11 December 1663: Mack 8/932. Bond and Assig. John Edmonstoune of Broich. Granter. William E, his son. Granter. Archibald E. of Harlhevine. Granter. Archibald E. his son. Granter. [Scottish Record Office Index, Vol, III] Image of Index

                   2

11 December 1663: Mack 8/935. Bond and Assig. John Edmonstonue of Broich. Granter. William E. his son. Granter. Archibald E. of Harlhevine. Granter. Archibald E. his son. Granter. Scottish Record Office Index, Vol, III] Image of Index

                   3

14 December 1663: Mack 8/948. Contract of Wadset. John Edmonstoune of Broich. Granter. William E. his son. Granter. Archibald E. of Harlhevine Granter. Archibald E. his son. Granter.Scottish Record Office Index, Vol, III] Image of Index

Secondary Source Evidence

Calendar of the Laing charters, A.D.854-1837, belonging to the University of Edinburgh. Edited by the Rev. John Anderson (James Thin, Edinburgh, 1899), 1050 pp. including indexes

Genealogy

1. The genealogy of the Lairds of Ednem and Duntreth, from the year of God 1063, to the year 1699 and more particularly of Duntreth, and the families that married with Duntreth, during the said time. By Thomas Stevenson (Robert Sanders, Edinburgh, 1834), pp. 13-4 for the family of John Edmonstone of Broich
2. Sir Archibald Edmonstone of Duntreath, Baronet, Genealogical Acoount of the Family of Edmonstone of Duntreath
3. John Guthrie Smith, FSA (Scot).,The Parish of Strathblane and its Inhabitants from Early Times : A Chapter of Lennox History (Glasgow : James Maclehose and Sons, 1886), 394 pp. including index. See pp.pp. 95-100 for Edmonstine of Ballewan and Spittal

Duntreath

The ancestral home of the Edmonstone family is Duntreath Castle, north of Glasgow, Scotland. The Edmonstone family were granted the lands by King Robert III in 1435 as a wedding gift for his grand-daughter.