Sir William Bruce, of Stenhouse, 1st Baronet

Biographical Summary

"William Bruce of Stenhouse, co Stirling, 2nd son of William Bruce, by Jean, daughter of John (Fleming), 5th Lord Fleming [S], having received, previous to 1603, from his grandfather, Sir Alexander Bruce, of Airth (his father having died v.p.), the lands of Stenhouse, to 'remain with him and his heirs'; was created a Baronet [S], 26 June or 29 September 1628, sealed 10 August 1629, but not recorded in the Great Seal Register [S], in Nova Scotia, of which he had seizin, August 1629. He married firstly, (--) daughter and heir of General Middleton, of Lethem. She died s.p.m. He married secondly, before 1621, Rachel, widow of John Jackson of Edinburgh, merchant, daughter of Joseph Johnston, of Hilltoun, co Berwick. He died February 1630."

SOURCE: Complete baronetage; Cokayne, George E. (George Edward); 1900; Vol. II; page 358

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Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bruce-754

1st Baronet Son Charles, born after 1621

William Bruce obtained Stenhouse from his grandfather in 1611 and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia Sept. 29, 1628. Married 1st the daughter of General Middleton of Letham and 2nd to Rachel widow of John Jackson. He built Stenhouse in about 1622.

William and his first wife had at least one child:

• Jonet Bruce who married a Michael Nasmyth in 1661[1]

William had at least six children with Rachel Johnstone, all baptised in Edinburgh:

• Williame Bruce (bap 19 Aug 1621)[2]
• Jeane Bruce (bap 22 Sep 1622)[3]
• Rachel Bruce (bap 1 Feb 1625) [4]
• James Bruce (bap 23 Jan 1628)[5]
• Jonet Bruce (bap 6 May 1629)[6]
• Archebald Bruce (bap 9 Jul 1630)[7]

William Bruce died in February 1630 and his will was confirmed in Stirling Commissary Court on 9 June 1630.[8][9]

References

• “The Bruces of Airth and their cadets.” Bruces of Stenhouse. Page 93 - 95. Archive.Org
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bruce-754
• http://www.familyofbruce.org/lineage.htm “WILLIAM BRUCE, obtained Stenhouse from his grandfather in 1611 and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia Sept. 29, 1628. Married 1st the daughter of General Middleton of Letham and 2nd to Rachel widow of John Jackson. He built Stenhouse in about 1622. They had William Bruce, b abt 1682 and Charles Bruce.“
• https://books.google.com/books?id=NlhQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA386&lpg=PA386&d...–1630&source=bl&ots=Tc_Id4S3X_&sig=ACfU3U3xjX24TmHhax8z_T1gEgXPg2lnFA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKif6R39vgAhXihOAKHS_oDAU4ChDoATACegQICBAB#v=onepage&q=Baronet%20William%20Bruce%201586–1630&f=false
• http://tompaterson.co.uk/bruce/BruceStenhouse.htm
• Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Wariston Author: Scottish History Society; Constable, T. and A., Edinburgh; Warriston, Archibald Johnston, Lord, 1611-1663; Mar, John Erskine, earl of, 1675-1732; Grant, Anne MacVicar, 1755-1838. Publisher: Edinburgh, Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society 1896. Page: 1 to 33. Archive.Org When Sir James Skene, President of the Court, failed, notwithstanding the King's orders, to be present at the Kirk of Edinburgh on Easter Day 1619 to receive the Communion kneeling as prescribed by one of the Articles of Perth, his absence was ascribed by some ' not to conscience, but to dissuasions of his mother-in-law' (Rachel Arnot) ' and her daughter, his wife "* (Jonet Johnstoun), 'a religious gentlewoman.^ The other daughter, Rachel, was no doubt of the same way of thinking. Her eldest son. Sir William Bruce of Stenhouse, was a ruling elder in James Guthrie's separate Presbytery, which was composed of the most extreme or Remonstrant members of the party.- And Burnet wrote of his own mother, ' Guthry, the ' chief of their preachers, was hid in my mothers house, who ' was bred to her brother Waristoun's principles, and could ' never be moved from them.' ^ The steadfastness of some of Wariston's own children to his principles will be afterwards noticed. - Page n26