GORDON, Alexander 1st of Strathavon (Stra'an), and 1st of Cluny (of the First House) ¹

   Other names for Alexander were (GORDON), Alexander of Strathdoun,³ GORDON, Alexander of Strathoun,⁴ GORDON, Alexander of Stradoun,⁵ GORDON, Alexander of Strathaven, Sir,^{6 7} GORDON, Alexander Laird of Strathavon ⁸ and GORDON, Alexander of Strathdown.⁹

   User ID: X838.

  General Notes:

"I may say that Strathaven had been originally part of the estate of Alexander Stewart (fourth son of Robert II.), Earl of Buchan, who died in 1406. He left it to his second (natural) son, Sir Andrew Stewart, and it came to the latter's (bastard) nephew, Thomas Stewart, who in turn sold it to Alexander, Earl of Huntly. I do not know when the purchase took place, but on 22nd October 1495, Alexander, Lord Gordon, afterwards 3rd Earl of Huntly, got infeftment by order of the Council, of ' Inrowreyis ' (Inverourie) and Inverlochy, and of the lands of Fodderletter, which John Grant of Freuchie had withheld (Shires of Aberdeen and Banff, vol. ii. pp. 308-9)."

from The Caterans of Inveraven




"The said Alexander their Father excambed (with his father) the Lands of Strathawen, with the Lands of Cluny in Mar, reserving his own liferent, and the Heritable Right of Blairfindy. He dyed in peace in Drummin. It seems also that the said Alexander first Laird of Strathawen first married my Lord Glames Daughter, by whom he had no children, and after her death he married Grants daughter as above."

from Balbithan MS




"The 2nd son of the 3rd Earl. Was given the lands of Strathavon, and in contemporary documents is always referred to as Alexander Gordon of Strathdown. Little is known of his personal history, but some few circumstances have been recorded. In June, 1551, he held the office of Baillie-depute of Tullynestle, in Aberdeenshire. Nothing more is heard of him till the date of the projected rebellion of the Gordons in 1562, when he was ordered by the Privy Council to surrender himself at the Borough of Haddinton [sic] between the 27th October and 12th November, and to remain within four miles of its boundaries under penalty of 5,000 marks. Many other distinguished Gordon received similar orders, and they seem in all cases to have obeyed, as none of them were included in the subsequent act of attainder; although indeed, as the battle of Corrichie was fought on October 28th, there would have been time for them to have taken part in the fight, and surrendered afterwards. The heir of the family, John Gordon, was present in the battle, and had his estates forfeited in consequence. Although Alexander exchanged the lands of Strathavon for those of Cluny in 1539, he retained the revenues of the former till his death, which occurred about 1568 at Drumin Castle, which is situated in Strathavon, at the "

from Gordon DNA Project (quoted in MacFarlane Genealogy website) ^{1 5 10}

  Research Notes:

STRATHAVON (Stra'an) - The valley of the River Avon in Strathspey, Moray

This designation is also rendered as Strathawen and Strathaven, but should not be confused with Strathaven in Lanarkshire.

Alexander Gordon of Strathavon's title is also often written as (of) Strathoun, Strathdoun, Stradoun, Strathdown or Strathdon. This appears to be an attempt to approximate to the local pronunciation. In the 1700s a cattle droving route did exist through Strathspey, up Stratha'an to Corgarff in Strathdon and Ballater on Deeside or through the Lairig an Laoigh to Braemar.

The two, however, are not the same place, but are over 30 miles apart. Tomintoul is the largest settlement in the strath or valley.

Alexander had a relationship with Unnamed PARTNER (OR HANDFASTED WIFE). (Unnamed PARTNER (OR HANDFASTED WIFE) was born about 1510.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Alexander Gordon had also two natural, or perhaps 'handfasted' sons, George of Tombae and William of Delmore, who were legitimised by a charter issued at Perth on 24th June 1553 under the Great Seal, where we learn that 'the Queen gave letters of legimation to William Gordon and George Gordon, natural sons (bastardis filiis naturalibus) of Alexander Gordon of Straithowin.' "

from Caterans of Inveraven ⁷

Alexander next married Daughter LYON of Glamis, daughter of John LYON 4th Lord Glamis and Elizabeth GRAY.¹ (Daughter LYON of Glamis was born about 1495.)

  Marriage Notes:

"It seems also that the said Alexander (Gordon) first Laird of Strathawen first married my Lord Glames Daughter, by whom he had no children, and after her death he married Grants daughter..."

from Balbithan MS ¹

Alexander next married Jonet GRANT, daughter of John GRANT 2nd of Freuchie, 'Am Bard Ruadh', 'The Red Bard' and Unnamed PARTNER(S).^{1 2} (Jonet GRANT was born about 1495.)

  Marriage Notes:

"A.D. 1540.] [28 Jac. V.

2248. Apud Falkland, 21 Dec. REX confirmavit cartam Georgii com. de Huntlie, dom. de Gordoun et Baidyenach, - [qua concessit patruo suo ALEXANDRO GORDOUn seniori, olim de Strathowne, et JONETE GRANT ejus conjugi, et eorum alter! diutius viventi in libero tenemento, et ALEXANDRO GORDOUN juniori, eorum filio, hereditarie, - terras dominicales lie Manis de Cluny, et lie bog earundem Bonzeauchbog nuncupat., terras de Parkhill cum lie boggis et silva Parkwod nuncupat., molendinum de Cluny, terras de Skipparty, Litill Sauquhyne et molendinum earundem, terras de Tulymare cum lie boggis, et Cragerne, cum piscariis et manerie de Cluny, ac cum communi pastura catallis et animalibus tenentium et occupatorum dict, terrarum infra forestam de Corryne et ubique per eandem, in baronia sua de Cluny, vic. Abirdene ; - in excambium pro terris dicti Alex, senioris de Strathowne, Inverroureis, Fotterlettir, fortalicio de Drummyne, molendinis, piscariis, et advocatione beneficiorum, capellaniarum et altaragiorum earundem, vic. Banff ; et terris de Cabrach, vic. Abirdene; - secundum tenorem contractus de data apud Dunde 31 Aug. 1539, in libris concilii regis registrat. 4 Sept. 1539 etc"

from The Great Seal




"The said Alexander (Gordon) first Laird of Strathawen married the Laird of Grants Daughter with whom he begat two sons and four daughters, his eldest son Alexander, heir of Strathawen, and John Gordon. His eldest daughter married the Laird of Altar Cumming, one married the Laird of Pitsligo Forbes, one married Pat. Gordon Goodman of Oxhill, the 4th daughter married Andrew Halyburton of Drummoys."

from Balbithan MS




"Alexander Gordon of Strathaven and I of Cluny married the younger daughter either of John Grant of Grant or of James Grant of Freuchie"

from The Caterans of Inveravon




"A daughter (of James Grant), married to Alexander Gordon of Strathavon."

from Chiefs of Grant




"The first laird of Lesmoir got as his earliest possession, Fotherletter in Strathaven, possibly about the same time that Alexander Gordon, third son of the third Earl of Huntly, got Strathaven from his father; and there was a close intimacy and some intermarriages between the families of Cluny and Lesmoir for some generations, as also sundry transactions about land. In 1539 Alexander Gordon, laird of Cluny, having married Janet Grant, daughter of Freuchie, consented to give the lands of Strathaven, Fotherletter, etc., in exchange for Mains oi Cluny, etc., obtaining a charter of the latter from Huntly. Ten years later Alexander, with consent of Janet Grant, his spouse, sold to James Gordon of Lesmoir the lands of Little Coldstone and Achnarren, and granted in warrandice the sunn)' half of Tullicarn in the barony of Cluny. Their descendants had transactions in 1O07 about an excambion of lands of Coldstone for lands of* Corvechin and others in Drumblade."

from Lesmoir




"A Janet Grant was married to Alexander Gordon, Laird of Strathavon. She is said to be the youngest daughter of John Grant of Freuchie and Elizabeth Forbes, John Grant being evidently a clerical error for James Grant. In the Gordon Papers we find a Bond by Alexander Gordon of Strathavon, dated at Elgin, 5th November, 1539, which talks of 'Janet Grant my spouse and Alexander our son.' John the Grant of Culcabok and John the Grant of Ballindalloch are among the witnesses, and there is good reason for believing she was a daughter or sister of John Grant of Ballindalloch."

from Rulers of Strathspey




"Alexander (Gordon) of Strathoun. In 1539 he excambed Strathoun with his nephew, the fourth Earl, for the lands of Cluny, and from him are descended the Gordons of Cluny. He married Janet Grant, and had issue."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4)




"Janet Grant, who was married to Alexander Gordon of Strathavon, is claimed as a daughter of James Grant of Freuchie, but there is good reason for believing she was a daughter or sister of John Grant of Ballindalloch (see Note below)."

from Scots Peerage (vol 7)

Note:

See Research Notes in this file on 'Janet (Joneta) Grant'. ^{1 2 5 11 12 13}