Sir James Edmonstone of Duntreath, 6th of Duntreath

SIR JAMES EDMONSTONE OF DUNTREATH

The Chiefs of Colquhoun, i, pp. 138-39

Edmonstone of Duntreath

This ancient Scottish family is documented since the mid-13th century and has intermarried several times with the Scottish Royal House. Although some historians claimed that the family descends from the Counts of Egmont, the family seems more probably to be a branch of the House of Seton, founded by Alexander of Seton, a witness to a charter granted by King David I of Scotland about 1150, with whom they share the Arms: Or, three crescents gules. Aside from their several marital alliances with members of the Royal House of Scotland, they also married into the great houses of Stewart, Campbell, Graham, Kennedy, Cunningham and Lennox. This branch, the only surviving line, was established at the estate of Duntreath (which they have held for five hundred and fifty years) in the early fifteenth century. They held various posts under the Scottish Crown in the fifteenth, sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries and in the late nineteenth and early twentieth provided two senior members of the Courts of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

The Duntreath branch descends from Lady Mary (Stewart) of Scotland,[1] by her 4th marriage 1425[2] to her 1st cousin Sir William (I) Edmonstoune of Culloden (granted the Castle and Barony of Duntreath, Stirlingshire, by her nephew, James II, 1445, which has remained with the family until the present day). Sir William (I) Edmonstoune, was the 2nd son of Sir John Edmonstoune of that Ilk, Baron of Boyne, Ednam and Tilly-Allan[3] by his wife (married between 1388 and 1390) Lady Isabel Stewart, widow of James, Earl of Douglas and Mar and daughter of King Robert II of Scotland by his 2nd wife Lady Euphemia de Ross, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Ross and Maud de Brus (sister of King Robert the Bruce).[4] Sir William (I) Edmonstoune (died 1460) left an only son, William (II) (see below) and a daughter, who married Sir Adam Cunningham and was ancestor in the female line of the Earls of Galloway.

Sir William (II) Edmonstoune, Baron of Duntreath and Culloden (died 1462), served as a Lord of Articles of the Standing Committee of the Scottish Parliament 1461. He was granted or assumed an augmentation to his Arms of the Double Tressure, called "of Scotland" and the Royal Scottish supporters, two lions rampant gules, because of his several descents[7] from the Scottish Royal House (these Arms were found in a seal submitted to Lord Lyon between 1672-77). His son, Sir William (III) Edmonstoune, of Culloden and Duntreath married 1473 his cousin Maud or Mathilda Stewart, daughter[5] of Sir James Stewart, Baron of Baldorran (4th son of Murdach Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany, grandson of Robert II, King of Scotland, by Isabel, Countess suo jure of Lennox[6]), by a Lady of the Macdonald family. In 1484 he purchased the estate of Cambuswallace, in the Stewartry of Menteiff and Sheriffsom of Perth. He had five sons[8] and two daughters. He died circa 1488 and was succeeded by his elder son, Sir Archibald Edmonstoune, of Duntreath, who married Janet Shaw, daughter of Sir James Shaw,[9] of Sanchy, Comptroller of Scotland in the reign of King James III. Archibald died 1502 leaving five daughters[10] and two sons, of whom the younger James Edmonstone, was witness to the alienation by his elder brother of the Barony of Culloden to Alexander Strachan of Scotstown, in 1506.[11]

He was succeeded by his son, Sir William (IV) Edmonstoune, of Duntreath, knighted 1507, Stewart(d) of Menteith, Captain-Principal and Constable of the Castle of Down, county Perth, before 1509, who married 1st Sibylla Baillie, daughter of Sir William Baillie, of Lamington, co Lanark by whom he had four sons[12] and four daughters; He married 2ndly Sibylla Carmichael, daughter of Carmichael of that Ilk, fought at the Battle of Flodden 1515, where he was gravely wounded, dying 6 May 1516.

He was succeeded in Duntreath by his elder son William (V) Edmonstoune, who was in turn appointed with his brother Archibald joint Constable of the Castle of Down, and Stewart of Menteith and Strathgartney (this last until 1534 when it was granted to his cousin Sir James Stewart, brother of Lords Avondale and Methven). He married his cousin Lady Agnes Stewart, younger daughter of Matthew Stewart, 2nd (or 13th) Earl of Lennox (descended from Alexander, 4th Great Steward of Scotland), killed at Flodden 1515 by his wife and cousin (married 1512 with Papal dispensation) Lady Elizabeth Stewart (daughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Arran, descended from Robert II, King of Scotland); she was great-aunt of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Angered at the deprivation of the Stewartry of Menteith and Strathgartney, William (V) and his brothers Archibald and James Edmonstone killed Sir James Stewart, after meeting him in a chance encounter on Whitsunday 1543 (for which they were given a remission by the Governor of Scotland, the Earl of Arran, Duke of Chatellerault, 4 Sep 1547). By virtue of his close relationship, William (V) Edmonstoune was appointed to membership of the Queen’s Council 22 Jul 1565, and knighted before his elevation. He married 2ndly Margaret Campbell, daughter of Sir James Campbell, of Lanners (ancestor of the Earls of Loudun), and died leaving issue by his 1st wife, one son and six daughters.[13]

Their son Sir James Edmonstoune, of Duntreath, was constituted 1578 Justice-Deputy under the Earl of Argyll, the Justice-General. In 1584 he was knighted, but soon after was accused with Malcolm Douglas, of Mawis, and John Cunningham, of plotting to seize his cousin the King. Although the author of this accusation was of little account and no evidence was offered, all three were imprisoned, accused of high treason. Sir James Edmonstone was pardoned but the other two found guilty and executed; Sir James then retired from court and settled at Duntreath whose castle he enlarged. The Barony of Duntreath was reinvested by King James VI, 28 Mar 1568, in fee for Sir James (above), son of Sir William Edmonstone, with remainder to the heirs male of his body, with remainder to Archibald Edmonstone, of Spitaltown, then James Edmonstone, of Ballinton, then James Edmonstone, of Newton, and the heirs male of their bodies, with remainder to the heir male whomsoever. He married 1st Helen, daughter of Sir James Stirling, of Keir, by Jean Chisholm, daughter of William Chisholm, Bishop of Dumblain, and had issue two sons and three daughters.[14] He married 2ndly Margaret Colquhoun, daughter of John Colquhoun of Luss, and had further issue one son and five daughters.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, William Edmonstone, of Duntreath, who married Isabel Halden, daughter of John Halden, of Gleneagles, co Perth, and had issue five sons and two daughters. He was succeeded 18 Jun 1633 by his eldest son, Archibald Edmonstone, MP for Stirling, a leading figure in the Presbyterian Church, who joined with the Earl of Rothes, and Lords Loudun, Balmerino, Lindsey, and Burleigh in opposing royal attempts to bring the Church of Scotland into conformity with that of England. He married Jean Hamilton, daughter of Archibald Hamilton, of Halcraig, descendant of Sir David Hamilton, of Cadzow, ancestor of the Dukes of Hamilton, Earls of Abercorn. He was succeeded by his 2nd son son Archibald Edmonstone, who married Anna Helena Scot, of Hartwoodburn, widow of Sir William Adair, of Kilhill, and had issue four sons of whom the youngest and only surviving, Archibald, succeeded him, and four daughters.[15]

Sir James EDMONSTONE, 6th of Duntreath, 1580-1618.

Mortgaged Duntreath and moved to Parish Templecorran, co. Antrim, N. IRELAND.
(He had ½ and estate in Antrim and William Adair had other ½).

m. 1stly Helen Stirling, dau. of James Stirling of Ker, by whom he had:

1 William, his heir.
Their daus. were : 1 Mary, m. 1stly John Cunningham of Cunninghamhead., Ayrshire.m. 2ndly, The Hon. Sir William Graham of Braco, 2nd son of John, 3rd Earl of Montrose. 2 Marjory m. Claude Hamilton of Cocknay, Dumbarton. 3 Helen m. John Lennox of Bransogle.

Sir James Edmonstone, 6th of Duntreath, 1580-1618 m. 2ndly, in 1585, Margaret, dau. of Sir John Colquhoun of Luss, by whom he had :

1 son, Robert. According to Sir Archibald Edmonstone, 3rd. Bt. died unmarried, but it is possible that it was who was the founder of the cadet branch of the family in America. Their daughters were: 1 Elizabeth m. James Edmonstone of Broich. 2 Margaret 3 Agnes 4 Jean. Sir James died c.1618 & was succeeded by his eldest son

Source:

1. Ancestry Message Boards
2. Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy

Biographical Summary

Name James Edmonstone
Gender Male Name John Edmonston [1] Died 1618 Duntreath, Stirling, Scotland

Father William Edmonstone, d. Abt 1580 Mother Margaret Campbell, d. Yes, date unknown Married Bef 1545

Family 1 Helen Stirling, d. Yes, date unknown

Children

+ 1. William Edmonstone, d. 1629 + 2. Mary Edmonstone, d. Yes, date unknown

	3. Marjory Edmonstone,   d. Yes, date unknown

	4. Helen Edmonstone,   d. Yes, date unknown

Family 2 Margaret Colquhoun, d. Duntreath, Stirling, Scotland Marriage Contract Dec 1585 Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Married 1585-1586

Children

	1. Elizabeth Edmonstone,   d. Yes, date unknown

	2. Robert Edmonstone,   d. Yes, date unknown

	3. + 3 daughters Edmonstone,   d. Yes, date unknown

Dec 23 1595

   The king professed to be at this time scandalised at the state of the commonweal, 'altogether disorderit and shaken louss by reason of the deidly feids and controversies standing amangs his subjects of all degrees.' Seeing how murder had consequently become a daily occurrence, he resolved upon a new and vigorous effort to bring the hostile parties to a reconciliation 'by his awn pains and travel to that effect,' so that the country might be the better fitted to resist the common enemy, now threatening invasion. The Privy Council, therefore, ordained letters to be sent charging the various parties to make their appearance before the king on certain days, wherever he might be for the time, each accompanied by a certain number of friends who might assist with their advice, but the whole party in each case 'to keep their lodgings after their coming, while [till] they be specially sent for by his majesty.'

   Sir John Edmonston of that Ilk, Maister William Cranston, younger, of that Ilk, were one of the groups of protagonists summoned to appear before the King.

   The nobles in every instance were allowed to have sixty, and the commoners twenty-four persons to accompany them to the place of agreement, and all, while attending, to have protection from any process of horning or excommunication which might have been previously passed upon them. Fire and sword was threatened against all neglecting to comply with the summons.

   Earnest as the king seems now to have been, and influential as a royal tongue proverbially is, we know for certain that several of the parties now summoned continued afterwards at enmity. [1]

Source: Electrict Scotland Domestic Annals of Scotland

Biographical Summary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Edmonstone

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• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 7 2021, 1:37:47 UTC