Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath

MASTER THOMAS NICOLSON OF COCKBURNSPATH

Advocate; Burgess and Guild Brother of Edinburgh; Commissary of Aberdeen

Mr Thomas Nicolsone, commissar of Aberdeen (1605) Mr. Thomas Nicolson Commissr (1609) Mr. Thomas Nicolson, advocate (1611) Thomas Nicolson (1614) Mr. Thomas Nicolsone, commissar of Aberdeen (1619) Mr Thomas Nicholson of Colbrandspath Commissary of Aberdeen (1622)

Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath, here treated, is not the same person as Sir Thomas Nicolson of Carnock, Baronet

The Question of identity

The ancestry of Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath, here treated, has not been satisfactorily identified. Francis J. Grant claimed that he was the son of Master John Nicolson of Lasswade, elder and his wife Elizabeth Henryson but this is wrong. Shetland This couple did have a son named Thomas but he was Sir Thomas Nicolson of Carnock, Baronet

It has been suggested, albeit very tentatively, that Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath was the brother Sir Thomas Nicolson of Carnock, Baronet and that both men were the sons of Master John Nicolson of Lasswade, elder and his wife Elizabeth Henryson but evidence which proves this has not been found. NN&Q III: 52

Death

Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath, here treated, died on 1 September 1625. [NRS: CC8/8/54]

Marriage

Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath, here treated, married Margaret Scott They are noticed as man and wife on 6 June 1614. NRS: GD220/1/A/8/4/4

Children

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

11 August 1597: Charter made in favour of David Reid witnessed at Edinburgh by 'M. Tho, Nicolsone, advocato' and others. RMS, 1593-1608: charter number 1448

                   2

8 June 1604: Charter under the Great Seal of Scotland made in favour of Master Richard Kene, witnessed by "M. Thoma Nicolsoun conimissario de Abirdene" and others. RMS, 1593-1608: charter number 1606

                   3

2 August 1604 [1605]: Discharge by Mr Thomas Nicolsone, son of deceased Mr John Nicolsone of Laswaid, advocate, one of commissars of Edinburgh, with consent of Mr Thomas Nicolsone, commissar of Aberdeen, granter's curator, in name and behalf of Mr James Nicolsone and Robert Nicolsone, sons of said John, and curators to said Mr James and Robert, to Gilbert Menzies of Petfoddels, of £36 scots as price of a barrell of salmon owed by said Gilbert to said Mr John, as pension for the year 1604. National Records of Scotland, Menzies of Pitfoddels, reference GD237/11/147

                   4

6-11 June 1614: Contract between Sir David Wood of Crag with consent of Dame Agnes Wood, his spouse and his cautioners on the one part, and Mr Thomas Nicolson, advocate, and Margaret Scott, his spouse, on the other part, whereby the said Sir David, for the sum of 16000 merks paid to him by the said Mr Thomas, obliges himself to infeft him in an annualrent of 1600 merks out of Sir David's lands of Fullerton lying in the barony of Hilltoun and out of his sixth part of the lands of Fullerton not lying in the said barony, and out of his third part and eighteenth part of another third part of the lands of Annanie with the teinds thereof, redeemable by payment of the 16000 merks; contract dated at Edinburgh and Montrose. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Graham Family, Dukes of Montrose (Montrose Muniments), reference GD220/1/A/8/4/4

                   5

22 July 1619: Antenuptial contract of marriage between William Conynghame of Conynghameheid with consents, and Elizabeth Nicolsone, daughter of Mr. Thomas Nicolsone, commissar of Aberdeen. National Records of Scotland, Cuningham of Cuninghamhead, reference RH15/28/228

                   6

1622: Submission by William Lord Kilmaurs and William Cunningham of Cunninghamhead with consent of Mr Thomas Nicholson of Colbrandspath Commissary of Aberdeen (his father in law) whereby they submit and refer to Sir William Cunningham of Caprington and Sir James Foulis of Colinton knights and Archibald Campbell brother to the Laird of Lawers as Judges arbiters etc. to decide anent what sum of money the said William Cunningham of Cunninghamhead should pay to Lord Kilmaurs for the superiority of the lands of Woodhall and Bonaly lying in the barony of Redhall and county of Edinburgh and 5 merk land of Newton lying in the barony of Kilmaurs. National Records of Scotland, Earls of Glencairn, reference GD39/1/212

                   7

10 June 1622: Renunciation and discharge by Mr Thomas Nicolson, advocate Commissar of Aberdeen and Margaret Scott, his wife, to John, Earl of Montrose of an annualrent of 1600 merks out of the lands of Fullerton and Annanie, redeemable for 16,000 merks conform to the contract mentioned in GD220/1/B/1/4/7. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Graham Family, Dukes of Montrose (Montrose Muniments), reference GD220/1/B/1/4/10

                   8

3 June 1624: Renunciation, discharge and assignation by Mr Thomas Nicolson, advocate Commissar of Aberdeen with consent of Margaret Scott, his wife, in favour of John, Earl of Montrose, of a wadset right he had on the lands of Fullerton and Annanie for 16,000 merks by virtue of GD220/1/A/8/4/4 and infeftments therein, and that in consideration of a new wadset right of the date of this renunciation granted by the Earl to Thomas and his wife, containing a procuratory of resignation ad remanentiam. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Graham Family, Dukes of Montrose (Montrose Muniments), reference GD220/1/B/1/4/7

                   9

Master Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath died intestate on 1 September 1625. His testament dative and inventory was given up at Edinburgh on 22 July 1625 by his son James Nicolson. Confirmation was granted to James Nicolson on 24 January 1627. [National Records of Scotland, The Testament Dative and Inventory of Thomas Nicolsone of Coldbrandspeth, Advocate, reference CC8/8/54]

Evidence from the Burgess Records of Edinburgh

                   1

2 October 1611: Nicolson. Mr. Thomas, B. and G., advocate, one of the assessors of this burgh. Edinburgh Burgesses, 1406-1700: 381

                   2

14 April 1647: Nicolson. Sir James, B. and G., of Cockburnspeth, knight, as eldest s. to umq. Mr. Thomas N., advocate, B. Edinburgh Burgesses, 1406-1700: 380

Genealogy

1. Stirnet: Nicolson 1
2. Stirnet: Nicolson 3
3. The County Families of the Shetland Islands
4. Nothern Notes and Queries III: 151-6 The Nicolson Family

Biographical Summary copied by Norman Sutherland

Thomas Nicolson, of Cockburnspath, advocate 1594, and Commissary of Aberdeen, father of Sir James, of Cockburnspath, and Sir Thomas, Knight and Kings Advocate, who died 15th December, 1656, leaving issue, a son Thomas, who died in 1676, without male issue. The County Families of the Shetland Islands

MR. THOMAS NICOLSONE

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

22 July 1619: Antenuptial contract of marriage between William Conynghame of Conynghameheid with consents, and Elizabeth Nicolsone, daughter of Mr. Thomas Nicolsone, commissar of Aberdeen. National Records of Scotland, Cuningham of Cuninghamhead, reference RH15/28/228