Source: Memorials of the earl of Stirling and of the house of Alexander, Vol. 2 By Charles Rogers Published by W. Paterson, 1877 Pages 23-24 avail. online at http://www.archive.org/stream/memorialsofearlo02rogeuoft/memorialso...

Robert, elder son of John Alexander and Elizabeth Carswell, was born in 1604. He was a solicitor in Paisley ; in 1647 he was elected a magistrate. He purchased, in 1648, the estate of Blackhouse, near Ayr; in 1665 the estate of Boghall, Ayrshire; and in 1670 the lands of Newtoun, Renfrewshire.

He married first, in 1633, Marion, daughter of Claud Hamilton of Blackhole, by his wife, Janet Orr, who died in 1648; and secondly, Janet, daughter and co-heiress of David Henderson, burgess of Paisley, by his wife, Isobel Algeo. In an infeftment, dated 3d June 1662, are named "Robert Alexander of Blackhouse, and Janet Henderson his spouse." In the chancel of Paisley Abbey a tombstone was placed by Robert Alexander, to denote his right of sepulture in that sacred edifice. It is inscribed with his initials and the initials of his two wives, with their respective shields.

By his first wife, Robert Alexander of Blackhouse had several children. Of these, two sons, James and Claud, and two daughters, Janet and Marion, survived him. Janet, the elder daughter, married James Dunlop of Dovecot, and had issue. Marion, the younger daughter, married, in 1678, John Maxwell of Brediland, and had issue. Of Robert Alexander's second marriage were born two sons, Robert and John. John settled in Carolina.* He died on the 8th October 1699, and his testament-dative and inventory were, in January 1707, " made and given up by Robert Alexander, one of the Principal Clerks of Session." Among those indebted to him appears the name of William, Lord Ross, who had originally granted a bond to his father, the late Robert Alexander of Blackhouse (Edin. Com. Reg., vol. Ixxxiii.).

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From curator Pam Wilson: I retrieved History of the County of Ayr by James Paterson (Edinburgh, 1852), which has two volumes. In Volume 2 beginning on page 509 is the following account of the heirs of Robert Alexander of Blackhouse: (Note: The text was copied from https://archive.org/stream/historycountyay00pategoog/historycountya..., which has a very poor scanned electronic transcription; it was corrected from viewing the scanned PDF of the text available at https://archive.org/stream/historycountyay00pategoog#page/n5/mode/2up.)

p. 509 ALEXANDERS OF BLACKHOUSE.

Robert Alexander of Blackhouse in the parish of Mearns, a small estate of about fifty acres. He was born in 1604, and apprenticed to John Quhyt, writer in Paisley. He had a long and prosperous career: writer and Town-clerk about 1636, and Bailie of Paisley in 1648, and again at various times in subsequent years.

He acquired the lands of Blackhouse, near Ayr, in 1648. The feucharter, by James second Earl of Abercom, is dated 17th June of that year, in favour of Robert Alexander, Esq., of all, &c., the two merk land of Blackhouse, with houses, &c., glebes, fishings, used and wont, in the water of Ayr, parts and pertinents; and all and whole the lands of Chappellands, comprehending therein the lands of Dykes and Smiddyhill, and the mill of Dalmilling, lying in the barony of Monkton and Dalmilling, regality of Paisley, bailliary of Kyle-Stewart, and shire of Ayr. Mr. Alexander acquired various other properties in the vicinity, all of which were incorporated under the designation of Blackhouse. On the 25th May 1668, he had a disposition in favour of himself in liferent, and of his son, James Alexander, in fee, of the 42s. land of Woodquarter, called Thomyflat, from Allan Hunter, who had a feucharter of the same from John, second Lord Barganie, 31st May 1665.

He had also a disposition and assignation, in the same terms, of the lands of Boghall, from John Cuninghame, Esq. of Baidland, and Robert Gordon of Boghall, and John Gordon, his eldest son, dated 22d June 1665. These lands were formerly held by the Lockharts of Boghall, a branch of the Lockharts of Bar, who appear to have obtained them from the Earl of Abercorn, successor to the Abbots of Paisley. John Lockhart of Bar was served heir to his grandfather, Alexander Lockhart of Boghall, in all and whole the 16s. 8d. land of Taitsquarter, with the pertinents, &c. ; the 3 merk land of Dalmilling of old extent, also called Taitsquarter ; the 16s. 8d. land of Dalmilling, of the same extent, called Jaspersteumstead, with the pendicles, &c ;

p. 510 as also the merkland now called Chappelland, &c., 24th June 1630. These lands were alienated by John Lockhart of Bar to Robert Gordon, Provost of the burgh of Ayr, and John Gordon, merchant burgess there, his eldest son, dated 25th June 1647. They had thereafter become the property of John Montgomerie, whose son, Patrick Montgomerie of Blackhouse, disposed of them to John Cuninghame of Baidland, 11th June 1663. On the 28th of April 1664, a decreet of apprising of the lands of Boghall was obtained by Mr. Cuninghame of Baidland, for payment of the money he had some time before advanced upon them; hence the sale of the lands by the parties concerned to the Alexanders in 1665.

Robert Alexander, of Blackhouse and Boghall, married Marion Hamiltoun, and had issue : —

1. Master James, his successor. [see below]

2. Claud, of Newton (ancestor of Alexander of Ballochmyle.)

3. Mr. Robert, writer in Paisley, from 1677 to 1699.

4. John. He and Robert are mentioned as the *' breither-german" to Claud, in a document in 1678.

1. Jonet, married to Robert Love, maltman in Paisley. Her "breither" Claud, Mr. Robert and John, were bound to give the soume of 3000 merks In 1676, if Marion, as under, should die before her marriage. Robert Love died before 1678.

2. Marion, married John Maxwell of Braidieland, parish of Paisley, in 1678. Braidieland consisted of 20s. old extent, and and another mailing of 40s. She brought a tocher of 3600 merks, and her jointure was 400 merks.

• ** Mr. [James] Alexander of Blackhouse and Boghall, Minister of Kilmalcolm, to which charge he was ordained in 1656. He married Mary, daughter of the Laird of Southbar, and aunt of Mr. James Stirling, minister of the Barony of Glasgow. This marriage took place in 1657. A contract was entered into upon the occasion, "between the said Robert Alexander and James Alexander, commissar at Kilmalcolm, his eldest son, on the marriage of the latter with Mary Maxwell, daughter of John Maxwell of Southbar, whereby the former became bound to convey to the latter his lands of Blackhouse, Chappelland, mill of Daimilling, £3, 11s. land of Dalmilling, called Gairdner Hunter and Lauchland's mailings, and the one-half merkland of Dalmilling, called Greystack, under the reservation of his own liferent of one half thereof," dated 9th June 1657. Mr. Alexander was among the "outed" ministers in 1662. He is said to have died of fever in 1669; but this could not have been the case, for, on the 30th October 1685, he grants a disposition in favour of Robert Alexander, his eldest lawfull son, of the lands and estate of Blackhouse. He had issue : —

1. Robert, of Blackhouse.

2. John, bom about 1660, was a merchant in Glasgow, and at his death, in 1712, he mortified £100 for the use of the poor members of the merchant rank in Glasgow, and also to the poor of the Kirk Session, £66, 14s. 4d. Scots. He married, about 1690, Janet Cuninghame, a daughter of the Laird of Craigends, and had issue : —

1. Robert, his heir.
2. William, Provost of Edinburgh.
3. Anna, married to Peter Murdoch, merchant, and Provost of Edinburgh (his second wife.) They had a
daughter, Mary.

3. Jean, married to William Greenlies of Auchlamont (Paisley parish) writer in Ayr. Contract dated 24th August 1689. He died before 1698.

• ** Robert Alexander of Blackhouse had a charter of that property, under the Great Seal, 5th March 1686. With consent of his father James, he disposed of part of the lands of Chapelland to Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie, Bart. He was one of the principal clerks of the court of session. He married Sophia, daughter of John Blair of Innerwick. He was an able, virtuous, benevolent, and friendly man. On his death, in 1723, Allan Ramsay wrote a laudatory poem in honour of his memory. He left an only daughter, Jean, married to Lockhart of Lee. Amongst the title-deeds are — *' Retour of the special service of Mrs. Jean Alexander of Blackhouse, as only child and heir to the said Robert Alexander, and spouse to John Lockhart, Esq. of Lee, in the said lands of Boghall and Dalmilling," dated 26th June 1733. Also, "Precept of Clare Constat, by Hugh Baillie Esq. of Monktoun, in favour of the said Mrs. Jean Alexander, or Lockhart, for infefting her as heir foresaid," &c,, 26th March 1734. Mrs. Alexander excambied, for certain parts of the lands of Dalmilling, with Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie, the upper holm of Blackhouse, with four rigs of land with the bog and brae above the holm, all parts of the lands of Blackhouse.
  • * Robert Alexander, fifth of Blackhouse, was served heir to the said Mrs. Jean Alexander, or Lockhart, his cousin, in the lands of Blackhouse, 1769.

William Alexander, sixth of Blackhouse, next succeeded as heir apparent.

On the 29th November 1786, a decreet of sale was obtained before the Lords of Council and Session, at the instance of George Home of Branxton, Esq., one of the Principal Clerks of Sessions, against the Messrs. Alexander, merchants in Edinburgh, of the lands and estate of Blackhouse. ln 1787 the property came into the hands of the Ayr Coal Company, represented by David Balfour, Esq., W.S., from whom it was acquired by John Taylor, Esq., W.S., for himself, and as trustee for the other partners, 14th August 1789. In 1829, it became the property of the Messrs. Hunter and Co., bankers, Ayr, who disposed of it a few years ago to John Taylor Gordon, Esq. of Newton Lodge. Mr. Campbell of Craigie bought Dalmilling, or Milton Mill, from Mr. Home in 1790.

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thePeerage.com http://www.thepeerage.com/p42921.htm#i429206:

Robert Alexander of Blackhouse and Boghall1 M, #429207, b. 1604 Last Edited=17 Aug 2011

Robert Alexander of Blackhouse and Boghall was born in 1604.1 He was the son of John Alexander and Elizabeth Carswell.2

He married, secondly, Janet Henderson, daughter of David Henderson and Isobel Algeo.1

He married, firstly, Marion Hamilton, daughter of Claud Hamilton of Blackhole and Janet Orr, in 1633.1

He held the office of Baillie of Paisley.1 He lived at Newton, Renfrewshire, Scotland.1 He lived at Boghall, Ayrshire, Scotland.1

Children of Robert Alexander of Blackhouse and Boghall and Janet Henderson

• Robert Alexander+2
• John Alexander2

Children of Robert Alexander of Blackhouse and Boghall and Marion Hamilton

• Reverend James Alexander of Boghall2 b. 1634
• Claud Alexander of Newton+2 b. 1645

Citations

[S37] Volume 2, page 1718. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37] [S37] See. [S37]