Mary Gifford of Yester

Mary (Margaret) Giffard, perhaps the youngest of the four Giffard daughters, was the mother of Eustace "Tassy" Maxwell. Less is known on this heiress daughter and her descendants than on any of her three sisters. Her son "Tassy" Maxwell is first found in the 1400 charter where he states Joanna (Douglas) Giffard was his grand-mother. He does not have his own seal at the time of the charter, and gives his title as the lord of one third of Strath Ardel (Perthshire). Eustace Maxwell does have his own seal when he appears as one of the four heirs in the 1420 St. Bothans charter. The christian name of the Maxwell who was the husband of Mary Giffard has not been found. Tassy Maxwell possibly may have been a grand-son of Sir Eustace Maxwell, Lord of Kellie in Fife. This Sir Eustace Maxwell died prior to 1358 with his wife Elena surviving him. The Maxwells of Tealing appear to be descendants of Tassy Maxwell, as Tealing was long one of the Giffard of Yester holdings. (A William Maxwell of Tealing appears in a 1449 Great Seal document in connection with Edmund de Hay and Annabella Boyd his wife, both of whom were Yester descendants).

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