ELPHINSTONE

1. ALAN De SWINTON-

Previous to 1238 Alan had a deed from Dunfermline Abbey to a site for a mill on the Esk which was
confirmed by William, Abbot of Dunfermline.(1)

Issue-

 I. Alan- suceeded to Swinton

 2II. JOHN-

Ref:

(1) Reg. De Dunf.- 111-2, 147

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.525

2II. JOHN (ALAN 1)

John witnessed a charter at Coldingham in 1248 along with his neighbors David de Haddington and Adam
de Morham.(1)

Issue-

 ?3I. JOHN- m. MARJORIE AIRTH, d.c.1340

Ref:

(1) "North Durham"- Raines

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.525

3I. JOHN (ALAN 1, JOHN 2)

m. MARJORIE AIRTH, heiress of Erthbeg, Stirlingshire

d.c.1340

John swore allegiance to Edward I on 11 July and 28 Aug. 1296. He witnessed a charter by James, Lord of
Douglas to Roger of Moray to the lands of Fala 1 Sept. 1321 and another of a grant to the church of
Newbottle 4 June 1338.(1)

Issue-

 4I. ALEXANDER- d. before 1363

Ref:

(1) "Douglas Book"- Fraser, III, 356-7; Chartulary of Newbottle- 293,499

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.526

4I. ALEXANDER (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3)

2
 ELPHINSTONE
d. before 1363

Alexander received a charter from Thomas of Airth, Lord of Walughton in 1341 to the lands of Erthbeg
which his mother had resigned.(1)

Issue-

 5I. ALEXANDER-

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.526

5I. ALEXANDER (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4)

Alexander granted to Alexander More a charter to the lands of Kythumbre (Kittymure), Lanark in exchange
for a piece of land in Erthbeg. This was confirmed by David II 4 June 1363.(1)

Issue-

 6I. WILLIAM- m. MARY LESLIE

Ref:

(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.- fol. Vol. 27

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.526

6I. WILLIAM (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5)

m. MARY LESLIE, sister of Sir George Leslie

Sir William was associated with Sir William Lindsay of the Byres as he called him "our knight" in a charter
to his son 6 Sept. 1397.(1)

Issue-

 7I. WILLIAM-
 II. Alexander-
 III. Norman-
 IV. James-
 V. Elizabeth- m. 1392 Heliseus of Kynnynmonth

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Book- I, 10

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.526-7

7I. WILLIAM (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6)

3
 ELPHINSTONE
Sir William was in the retinue of Sir William Lindsay of the Byres all his life. Because of this service he
was granted the lands of Pittendreich, Stirlingshire in 1397 which was confirmed 4 Mar. 1423/4.(1)

Issue-

 I. Alexander- killed at the battle of Piperdean 10 Sept. 1435

 8II. HENRY- m. JEAN CUNINGHAM
 III. William- d. 30 June 1486 Canon of Glasgow, Archdeacon of Teviotdale

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.527

8II. HENRY (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,

WILLIAM 7)

m. JEAN CUNINGHAM, daughter of the Laird of Polmaise

d. before 1496

Henry succeeded his brother in 1435. After his niece received the lands of Elphinstone in East Lothian, the
lands of Pittendreich became the principal estate of the family.

Issue-

 9I. JAMES- m. ISABELLA BRUCE, d. before 1477

 II. Lawrence- of Selmys
 III. John- bailie of Glasgow

Ref:

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.527

9I. JAMES of Pittendriech (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5,

WILLIAM 6, WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8)

m. ISABELLA BRUCE
d. before 1477

Issue-

 10I. JOHN- m.1. EUPHEMIA ______, 2. Margaret Oliphant, 3. Elizabeth Cunningham (m.1.
Lawrence, Lord Oliphant), will 2 Aug. 1508 Peebles Wynd, Edinburgh
 II. Alexander- of Scottistoun
 III. William- Rector of Clatt, Aberdeeshire, d. before 21 July 1531

Ref:

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, p.528

4
 ELPHINSTONE
10I. JOHN (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,
WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8, JAMES 9)

m.1. EUPHEMIA ______

2. Margaret Oliphant
3. Elizabeth Cunningham (m.1. Lawrence, Lord Oliphant)
will 2 Aug. 1508 Peebles Wynd, Edinburgh

John obtained from his grandfather a grant of the lands of Pittendreich and Erthbeg which was confirmed 6
Nov. 1477 by John, Lord Lindsay of the Byres with the provision that if Henry died while John was in his
minority, Lord Lindsay was to have the casualties of ward and relief. John also had a grant of the lands of
Stirkshaw, Roxburghshire upon the resignation of his grandfather.(1) On 21 Dec. 1496 he executed an
entail of the Pittendreich and Erthbeg lands.(2) He acquired the barony of Airth from Patrick, Lord Lindsay
of the Byres 5 Nov. 1497.(3) John obtained a papal dispensation in Aug. 1499 for his marriage to Elizabeth
Cunningham.(4) On 12 Aug. 1502 he had a charter from John, Lord Semple to Craigrossy in Strathearn.(5)
The lands of Pittendreich and Cragorth were made into the barony of Elphinstone 4 Jan. 1503/4.(6)

Issue-

 11I. ALEXANDER- m. before 8 Aug. 1507 ELIZABETH BARLOW (m.2. 1515 John, Lord Forbes),
d. 1513 Flodden
 II. Thomas-
 III. Elizabeth/Isabella- m.1. David Lindsay of Dunrod (d. before July 1518), 2. Peter Colquhoun,
burgess of Glasgow, 3. Mar. 1523 Robert Maxwell of Calderwood (d. before 1 Nov. 1532), 4. before 5 Feb.
1537/8 David Stewart
 IV. Jean- m. 24 Feb. 1524 John Kinross of Kippenross

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest

(2) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(3) Ibid
(4) Acta Dom. Conc. 26 July 1501
(5) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(6) Ibid

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.528-30

11I. ALEXANDER (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,

WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8, JAMES 9, JOHN 10)

m. before 8 Aug. 1507 ELIZABETH BARLOW (m.2. 1515 John, Lord Forbes)
d. 9 Sept. 1513 Flodden

Alexander received a grant from his father in 1497 to the lands of Stirkfield and Stirckshaws.(1) He
married Elizabeth Barlow who was one of the Maids of Honour who had come from England in the train of
Princess Margaret, Queen of James IV. They had ample opportunity to meet as he held an appointment in
the Royal Household as early as 1502.(2) Elizabeth was a favorite attendant of the Queen and it was due to
this marriage that Alexander owed his future advancement in life and the many favors which were
confirred on him by the King.(3)

On 8 Aug. 1507 James IV granted to them the lands of Invernochty and others in Aberdeenshire and made
them into a barony.(4) There evidently was some difficulty about this arrangement and on 10 Dec. 1507

5
 ELPHINSTONE
another charter was granted making the lands into the lordship of Strathdon.(5) On 19 July 1508 Alexander
and Elizabeth received a charter to the lands of Kildrummy and the castle.(6) They were given as a dowry
and were made into a barony 12 Aug. 1513.(7)

Kildrummy Castle

Sir Alexander was at the baptism of Prince Arthur in 1509. He was made a Peer by James IV and given the
title of Lord Elphinstone at the death of Prince Arthur by charter 14 Jan. 1509/0.(8)

On 19 June 1510 he had a grant of Gargunnock, Carnock and Plean in Stirlingshire, Fordel in Fife and
Dunlugas in Banff.(9) On 24 Aug. 1512 he had a charter to the lands of Quarrell, Stirlingshire which was
united with the barony of Elphinstone.(10)

Alexander looked very much like the King and supposedly was mistaken for him at the battle of Flodden
where he was killed in Sept. 1513.(11)

Issue-

6
 ELPHINSTONE
 12I. ALEXANDER- m. CATHERINE ERSKINE, d. 1547 II. James- b. 12 May 1512, d.s.p.
 III. Elizabeth- b. 25 Apr. 1508, m. Sir David Sommerville of Plean
 IV. Euphemia- b. 11 May 1509, mistress of James V, m. 13 Apr. 1540 John Bruce of Cultmalundie
 V. Mary- b. 28 Apr. 1510, d.s.p. Stirling
 VI. Barbara- b. 22 Aug. 1513, d.s.p.

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest

(2) Treasurer's Accounts- Vol.II
(3) Ibid- Vol.III
(4) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(5) Ibid
(6) Ibid
(7) Elphinstone Charter Chest
(8) Ibid
(9) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(10) Elphinstone Charter Chest
(11) "The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880

"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.530-1

12I. ALEXANDER (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,

WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8, JAMES 9, JOHN 10, ALEXANDER 11)

b. 22 May 1510
m. Hon. CATHERINE ERSKINE
d. 10 Sept. 1547 Battle of Pinkie

Alexander was named heir to his father 27 Oct. 1513 in virtue of an Act passed shortly before the battle of
Flodden whereby the heirs of those who might fall in the war should be free from the casualties of ward,
relief and marriage.(1) William Ellphinstone, canon of Aberdeen was appointed his tutor 28 Nov. 1516 an
office which he had resigned before 11 Oct. 1520 in favor of Robert Elphinstone. There was considerable
litigation between Robert Calendar of Manor and one of the curators of the young Lord, and Robert
Elphinstone the tutor who was unwilling to give up his office thinking that undue influence would be
brought to bear upon his pupil. On 18 Dec. 1524 the Lords of Council found that it had been: "clearlie
proved that he is past the age of fourteen years and out of tutorie in April last."(2)

Alexander's name is found in the sederunts of the Parliaments held in 1528, 1540, 1541, 1545, 1546 and in
the sederunt of Lords of Council 26 Jan. 1531.(3) He joined the army summoned by Arran to resist the
invasion of the English under the Duke of Somerset and was killed at the battle of Pinkie Cleugh 10 Sept.
1547.

7
 ELPHINSTONE

Issue-

 13I. ROBERT- b. 9 Sept. 1530, m. 2 Nov. 1549 MARGARET DRUMMOND of Inverpeffrey, d. 18

May 1602
 II. John- b. 4 June 1536, m. Agnes Bruce, d. 22 Aug. 1616 Stirling
 III. James- b. 12 July 1538, m.1. before 8 Aug. 1590 Jean, daughter of the Earl of Rothes (m.1. David
Crichton of Nauchtan, Fife, 2. before 8 Mar. 1557 John Grant of Freuchie (d. 1585), d. 17 Dec. 1591
Kirkcaldy), 2. before 1596 Agnes Ramsay of Clatto
 IV. Alexander- b. 19 June 1539, d.s.p. after 1583/4 Elphinstone
 V. Michael- b. 26 Sept. 1544, d.s.p. 14 Feb. 1625 Edinburgh
 VI. William- b. 26 Sept. 1544, m. Jonet Henderson of Fordell
 VII. Margaret- b. 14 Feb. 1528, m. before 8 May 1552 John Livingston of Dunipace
 VIII. Isobel- b. 13 May 1532, m. 1550 James Hamilton of Haggs
 IX. Marjory- b. 6 Feb. 1533, m. before 21 Apr. 1550 Robert Drummond of Carnoch
 X. Janet- b. 16 Mar. 1534, m. Robert Leslie of Rosmarkie (d. before 13 Mar. 1588/9)
 XI. Elizabeth- b. 27 June 1537, d.s.p. Stirling

Ref:

(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest

(2) Acta Dom. Conc.- XXXV
(3) Acta Parl. Scot.

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.531-4

13I. ROBERT (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,

WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8, JAMES 9, JOHN 10, ALEXANDER 11, ALEXANDER 12)

8
 ELPHINSTONE
b. 9 Sept. 1530
m. 2 Nov. 1549 MARGARET DRUMMOND of Innerpeffrey
d. 18 May 1602

Before the battle of Pinkie Parliament made a provision that the heirs of those who would be killed in the
battle would have the casualties of ward, relief and marriage free. Because of this he was served heir to his
father while he was still a minor.

Robert and his wife were granted the lands of Congarth and others in Aberdeenshire 27 July 1550, the lands
of Easter Rossy, Perthshire 25 Mar. 1552, and the lands and fishings of Cragorth, Stirlingshire 15 Jan.
1553/4. Upon coming of age he told the Privy Council that in his minority he had somewhat hurt his living
and heritage: "by reason of his youthheid" and that as he might hurt the same more in time to come. He
prayed the Council to interdict him from all alienations, selling and wadsetting of his lands and heritage or
even leasing them without the consent of John, Lord Erskine, Sir John Drummond of Innerpeffray,
Drummond of Carnock and Hamilton of Haggs. His request was granted but this did not save Robert from
Alexander Drummond of Midhope who was charged 4 May 1565 with embezzling £20,000 from Robert
and having a liaison with his wife. Nothing ever came of the charge and it is impossible to say whether it
had any foundation.(1) About 1577 he divested himself of his estates in favor of his eldest son.(2) On 26
Mar. 1601 the King granted a charter to Robert in liferent and to his son Alexander in fee upon their own
resignation of both the baronies of Elphinstone and Kildrummy which were made in to separate baronies de
novo.(3)

Issue-

 14I. ALEXANDER- m. JEAN LIVINGSTON (d. 15 Sept. 1621), d. 14 Jan. 1638 Elphinstone
 II. John- b. 9 Sept. 1553, m. Giles Elphinstone of Selmes, d. Oct. 1614
 III. James- made Lord Balmerinoch 20 Feb. 1604
 IV. John- b. 14 July 1558, d.s.p. England
 V. William- b. 27 Apr. 1563, d. 1588 Naples
 VI. George- b. 3 Jan. 1565, Rector of Scots College at Rome
 VII. Janet- b. 25 May 1556, m. Patrick Barclay of Tolly
 VIII. Agnes- b. 3 Oct. 1559, m. Walter Ogilvie of Findlater (d. before 1594)
 IX. Elizabeth- b. 1 Aug. 1561, m. 1 Nov. 1582 Robert Innes of that ilk (d. 15 Sept. 1596), d. 26 Feb.
1613
 X. Margaret- b. 30 Dec. 1568, m. 31 Dec. 1587 John Cunningham of Drumquhassell

Ref:

(1) "Criminal Trials"- Pitcairn, I, 465

(2) "Lords Elphinstone"- Fraser, I, 103
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.534-6

14I. ALEXANDER (ALAN 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, ALEXANDER 4, ALEXANDER 5, WILLIAM 6,

WILLIAM 7, HENRY 8, JAMES 9, JOHN 10, ALEXANDER 11, ALEXANDER 12, ROBERT 13)

b. 28 May 1552
m. 1579 JEAN LIVINGSTON, daughter of William, Lord Livingston (d. 15 Sept. 1621, probably of
exhaustion from having 19 children!)
d. 14 Jan. 1638 Elphinstone

9
 ELPHINSTONE
In 1577 Alexander's father "understanding his own inability to govern his living, entertain his house and
family, bring up his bairns" gave him all his estate. He was made one of the "ordinar gentlemen" of the
King's Chamber 15 Oct. 1580.(1) Alexander sat on the assize for the trial of the Earl of Gowrie in
connection with the Raid of Ruthven 4 May 1584.

On 25 Jan. 1593/4 he gave his eldest son the town and burgh of Kildrummy and his son was then known as
Lord Kildrummy.(2)

Alexander was made a member of the reconstituted Privy Council on 10 Apr. 1598 and in the next year, 19
Apr. 1599, he was appointed Lord Treasurer of Scotland, an office which he continued to hold till Sept.
1601.(3) On 17 May 1599 he was appointed one of the extraordinary Lords of Session which he held until
1626.(4)

In 1601 the Master of Elphinstone received a royal charter of all the estates which had been given to him in
1597 and the barony of Elphinstone was granted to his father in liferent and to himself in fee and the
barony of Kildrummy to himself in liferent and his eldest son in fee.(5) Another royal charter was given in
1586.(6) Alexander was almost 50 years old before he succeeded his father in 1602 as the 4th Lord
Elphinstone.

In Apr. 1604 and again in August 1607 he was appointed a lord of the articles upon the opening of
Parliament and one of the commissioners for the union on 11 July 1604.(8)

In 1587 the Earl of Mar obtained an Act of Parliament giving him the right to the lands of Mar and Garioch
and obtained a charter 3 Feb. 1620 to the Earldom of Mar and lordship of Garioch in which the Kildrummy
estates were included. The judges held that these estates were not in the lawful possession of King James
IV when he granted them to the first Lord Elphinstone. (7) In 1626 he won the case against Alexander and
his son and obtained Kildrummy, but he had to pay 48,000 marks to obtain possession of the lands.

Issue-

 I. Alexander- m. 28 Apr. 1607 Elizabeth Drummond (living 1 Dec. 1637), d. 27 Aug. 1648
 II. Annas- b. 27 Oct. 1579, m. 5 Feb. 1600/1 Edinburgh, John, Earl of Sutherland (d. 18 Sept. 1617
Crakaig), d. 11 Sept. 1615
 III. James- b. 20 Nov. 1580 Kildrummy, m.1. Catherine Gordon of Lesmoir, 2. before 15 Sept. 1625
Helen Forbes of Brux (m.2. Laird of Culbin in Moray), d. between 14 Apr. & 6 May 1628 Kildrummy
 IV. William- b. 11 Dec. 1581 Kildrummy, d.s.p.
 15V. JEAN- b. 17 Feb. 1582, m. 5 Feb. 1600/1 Edinburgh, ARTHUR FORBES, alive in 1628
 VI. Patrick- b. 20 May 1584, d.s.p. VII. David- b. 20 Oct. 1585, d.s.p.
 VIII. Innes- b. 2 Mar. 1586 Elphinstone, drowned 31 May 1616
 IX. Margaret- b. 7 June 1588, int. 27 Mar. 1597 Sir John Bruce of Airth (d. before 1628)
 X. Helen- b. 27 Aug. 1589, m.1. Sir William Cockburn of Langton, 2. Henry Rollok, minister of the
High Church, Edinburgh (d. 2 June 1642), bur. 4 Feb. 1675 Greyfriars
 XI. Christian- b. 19 Dec. 1590, m. Sir Thomas Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty
 XII. John- b. 2 Dec. 1591, m. Barbara Gordon of Pitlurg (m.1. ?, 2. Gilbert Keith of Troup), d. Sept.
1621 Warthill, Aberdeenshire
 XIII. Michael- b. 16 Nov., d. 24 Dec. 1592
 XIV. Michael- b. 23 Dec. 1593, m. 15 Feb. 1618 Mary Bruce of Kinnaird, bur. 1 Nov. 1640 Durham
 XV. George- b. 12 Aug. 1595 Elphinstone, d.s.p.
 XVI. William- b. 12 Aug. 1595 Elphinstone, d. Apr. 1604
 XVII. Malcolm- b. 3 Dec. 1596, d.s.p.
 XVIII. Glaud- b. 23 Feb. 1597, d.s.p.
 XIX. Frederick- b. 23 Feb. 1599 Edinburgh, d. 9 Apr. 1600

Ref:

10
 ELPHINSTONE
(1) Elphinstone Charter Chest
(2) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(3) P.C. Reg.- V, LXXXI, 551; VI, 287-8
(4) "Senators"- Brunton and Haig, 242
(5) Reg. Mag. Sig. 26 Mar. 1601
(6) "Lords Elphinstone"- Fraser, I, 115
(7) Acta Parl. Scot.- III, 475; Reg. Mag. Sig.
(8) Ibid- Vol. IV, pp.261-4, 367

Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p.
1313
The Complete Baronetage- George Edward Cokayne Ed., Gloucester, 1900- Vol. II, p. 417
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.536-40

NOTES:

11