John Maclellan, 3rd Lord Kirkcudbright

John was served and retoured heir to Thomas last Lord Kirkcudbright, his uncles son, anno 1648, and was third lord Kirkcudbright.

He was a great loyalist, and raised a regiment of foot, upon his own charges for the king's service, whereby he greatly encumbered his estate, and suffered many other hardships during the usurpation.

However, he lived to see the restoration, was entered upon the rolls of parliament as a peer, by the title of Lord Kirkcudbright, anno 1661.

He died anno 1664, and having never been able to repay the heavy debts he had contracted during the civil war, his estate was evicted by his creditors.

Biographical Summary

"John, third Lord Kirkcudbright, was a cousin of the last holder of the title, being son of John Maclellan of Borgue, the youngest brother of the first Peer. He was a zealous Presbyterian, but he was an equally enthusiastic opponent of Cromwell and the Independents. His devotion to the cause which he supported led to great personal sacrifices; and in his time again many mortgages were carried out on his estates. In December 1649 his regiment, which had been sent to Ireland, was surprised and nearly cut to pieces by the Parliamentary troops at Lissnagerry, in Ulster. In 1653 Bombie was apprised from him for large loans, and this was followed by similar proceedings as to Skellarie and Kirkcudbright. All the reward he got for his services was the barren honour of bearing the king's train at the coronation of Charles II. at Scone in 1650. In 1663 he opposed the introduction of John Jaffrey as Episcopalian minister to the church of Kirkcudbright, and serious rioting took place. Lord Kirkcudbright and others were apprehended, carried to Edinburgh, imprisoned, and fined/ He died in 1665. He married, before 1642, Ann, daughter of Sir Robert Maxwell of Orchardton, by Mary, the daughter of the first Lord Kirkcudbright. By her he had issue an only surviving son."

SOURCE: The Scots peerage, Vol. V, page 268