William Wallace, younger of Elderslie

WILLIAM WALLACE, YOUNGER OF ELDERSLIE

The Question of Identity

William Wallace, younger of Elderslie, here treated, is not the same person as William Wallace in Helington Mains

It is difficult or impossible to identify the father of William Wallace, younger of Elderslie, here treated from the Reverend Charles Rogers's account of the family. However, he is designated "younger of Ellirslie" in the last will and testament of his wife Katherine Wallace and this suggests that his father was still alive when Katherine made her will at Hellingtoun on 24 June 1610. Possibly, therefore, he is the son of William Wallace of Elderslie

Death

William Wallace, younger of Elderslie, here treated died before 3 May 1627, the date upon which his son William was served heir to his deceased father in the lands of Helington and Langlands. NRS: GD3/1/4/15/21

Marriage

William Wallace, younger of Elderslie married Katherine Wallace [NOTE]. His wife predeceased him in 1610. She made her last will and testament at Hellingtoun on 24 June 1610. and nominated her minor children, William Wallace and Elizabeth Wallace, to be her only executors and intromitters with her goods, and their father to be their administrator. When confirmation was granted to the children on 6 November 1611 their father: "made fayth as use is.jure [specit] for the excrs testamentaris above menit thair minotitie & les age." On the same day Hew Pollick in Kilmarnock acted himself as cautioner for the children, and William Wallace younger of Elderslie, their father, took burden upon himself for "the said excrs minoris" and promised to keep Hew Pollick skaithless and free of any damage for his trouble. [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Records, Testament Testamentar of "Katherine Wallace spous to Williame Wallace younger of Ellirslie", reference CC9/7/7 pp. 253-55]

Children

1. William Wallace of Elderslie
2. Elizabeth Wallace

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

3 May 1627: Extract special service of William Wallace of Elderslie as heir to his father William Wallace in the lands of Helington and Langlands alias 40 acres in the bailliary of Kylestewart. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Montgomerie Family, Earls of Eglinton, reference GD3/1/4/15/21

[NOTE] According to the Reverend Charles Rogers, William Wallace of Elderslie here treated married Katherine Craufurd and with her had two children, a son named William and a daughter named Elizabeth.The Book of Wallace, i, p. 28 Paterson also makes mention of this marriage but he places the husband in an earlier generation. Ayrshire, II, p. 220 From this circumstance it would appear that Charles Rogers may have misinterpreted the evidence. It is certainly true that the testament testamentar of William's wife identifies her as Katherine Wallace, rather than Katherine Craufurd. Charles Rogers was evidently uncomfortable with his identification, for he afterwards refers to Katherine Craufurd as Mrs. Katherine Wallace, a style that would have been extremely unusual at this period in Scottish history. The Book of Wallace, i, p. 28