Robert Irvine

Robert Irvine

• Birth: 1620 - Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Death: Feb 4 1646 - Tolbooth Prison, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
• Parents: Alexander Irvine, Magdalene Scrimgrour
• Wife: Elizabeth Wylie
• child: David Irvine
• Immigration: 1644, Fled from Scotland to Glencoe, Ulster, Ireland, where the Irwins had property, because of the religious troubles in Scotland

The Lairds of Drum, had always been Royalists, but in the 1600s, with the strength of the "Covenanters" and the weakness of the King and his few supporters, the Laird and his estate suffered badly. Alexander, the Xth Laird, was imprisoned and a decree was issued by the Covenanters to demolish the Tower and the Castle of Drum, but the decree was never carried out.

It was under these conditions that Robert Irvine, one of the younger sons of the Xth Laird fled to County Antrim, Ireland, to escape the persecution. There he settled at Glenoe, near Larne, and being perhaps twenty-five years of age, married Elizabeth Wylie, starting a cadet branch of Drum Castle that took roots only through two generations, the third in a large part, coming to America.

In 1644, the King commissioned the raising of an army in support of his struggle with the Parliament in England. Robert Irvine, who had fled to Ireland earlier, returned to Scotland in answer to the King's call for assistance. On April 14, 1644, "The young Laird of Drum and his brother Robert rode through Abirdene having two cullouris, one having the King's Armes, the other having the Irving Armes."

to get recruits for service in England. However, the Covenanters, being already in force, forestalled the efforts of the Royalists and pursued the Young Laird and his brother, making it necessary for them to flee the country. "On 10 June, 1644, Alexander Irving, younger, of Drum, Marie Gordon, his lady, Robert Irving, his brother, Mr. Alexander Irving, sone to John Irving of Auchtamford, etc., shipped abour Fraserburghe, and to sea they go. But his Lady was so troubled with sea-sickness that they landed in Caithness, where Francis Sincklair, son to the Earl of Caithness, seized them and sent word to the Estates, now sitting at Edinburgh: quharait the Estates was marvelous blythe for getting such a riche pray, who gave order for their transportation. They were wardt in the Tolbuith, Edinburgh.

Montrose, now supporting the Royalists, arrived in triumph after his victory at Kilsyth and released all the prisoners from the Tolbooth (Scot: prison). The Irvines now joined the camp of Montrose, but scarcely had they done so when Montrose was completely defeated at Philiphaugh, on the 13th of September. The Irvines were again consigned to their dungeons.

"Ye hard befoir the taking and warding of the yound Drum and his brother, Robert Irving. This brave young gentleman (Robert) departit this lyf within the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, upon Tuysday, 4 Februar, 1646, and that same nicht, being excommunicate, was buriet, betwixt 11 and 12 a clok, with candle licht and lanternis, the young Laird lying sore seik alse the sane chamer, who upon gryt mogan, was transportit in ane wandbed, upon the morne, fra the Tolbuith to the Castell, quhair he lay sore greivit at the death of his weil belovit brother, bourne dune by unhappie destiny".

Links

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/Sharen-Williams-PA...
• http://thecityobserver.org/irvine/b8819.htm

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1. Boyd, Loucinda Joan Rodgers.  The Irvines and their kin. A history of the Irvine family and their descendants. Published 1898 by The author in Louisville, Ky .

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 24 2019, 19:04:25 UTC