STRACHAN, William 4th Baronet of Thornton (title without land), Sir

   Another name for William was STRACHAN, Wm of Thorntoune, Sir.¹

   User ID: R502

  General Notes:

"William (Strachan) succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father."

from Memorials of the Scottish Families of Strachan and Wise




This excerpt outlines part of the process by which the Thornton lands passed out of the hands of the Strachan family:

"A memorial tablet in the Thornton burial aisle in the church of Marykirk, bearing date 1690, commemorates 'Philip Forbes de Thornton;' and in the list of Commissioners of Supply for the county of Kincardine in the same year, is mentioned ' James Forbes of Thornetoun ' (Acta Pari. Scot., vol. ix., p. 142). The latter, in the Pedigree Chart of Forbes of Waterton, is described as second brother of Elizabeth Forbes, wife of Sir James Strachan, Bart., and as ' of Saach, afterwards of Thornton' (Waterton Family Papers).

On the 5th January 1700, a charter was granted to Mr Robert Forbes, advocate, of the lands of New Thornton, etc., as adjudged from William Forbes of Ludquharn in 1692 for a debt of £1503 (Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. Ixxvi., No. 17). On the 12th February 1715, Thomas Forbes of Thornton received a charter of adjudication under the Great Seal:

"Of all and whole the lands and barony of Thornton, all and whole the lands of Caldhame and Saughburne, with all their pertinents lying, within the parish of Aherluthnot [Marykirk] and sheriffdom of Kincardine, which said lands formerly belonged in heritage to James Strachan, eldest son and heir of the deceased James Strachan of Thorntoun, and grandson and heir to Sir James Strachan of Thornton, his grandfather, and which, through a decreit of adjudication, obtained on the 1st December 1708, at the instance of Mary Strachan, lawful daughter of the deceased Sir James Strachan of Thorntoun, against the said James Strachan as heir to his said father and grandfather, were apprised and decreed to belong to the said Mary Strachan and her heirs and assignees in heritage, for default of payment of the sum of £7212, 13s. 4d. Scots, of principal, annual rents, and liquidat expenses (the price of the redemption deducted) ; which said lands and decreit of adjudication, with the infeftments, warrants, and the accumulated sum above mentioned, were assigned by the said Mary Strachan to, and in favour of, the said Thomas Forbes of Thorntoun, by her disposition and assignation, dated 10th May 1711 : Which said lands and others above mentioned, by another decreit of adjudication of the date the 21st June 1710, at the instance of Master Ludovic Grant, son of the deceased Master Ludovic Grant, minister of the Gospel at Duthell, lawfully procreated between him and Grizel Strachan, his wife, daughter of umquhile Sir James Strachan of Thorntoun, as having right by the assignation of his said mother, against the said James Strachan, eldest lawful son and heir of umquhile James Strachan, his father, and grandson and heir of the said Sir James Strachan, his grandfather, were adjudicated and declared to pei'tain to the said Master Ludovick Grant, his heirs and assignees, for default of payment of the sum (redemption deducted) of £3910 Scots, owed and not payed, as contained in the said decreit of adjudication ; which lands, infeftments, warrants, sums, etc., were assigned by the said Master Ludovic Grant to, and in favour of, the said Thomas Forbes, his heirs and assignees in heritage, as his heir and assignee, by his disposition and assignation of the dates the 9th March and 27th May 1713 " (Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. xvi.. No. 103, fol. 170). The estate of Thornton remained in possession of the House of Forbes till 1720, when it was acquired by the family of Fullerton, a member of which sold it in 1786 to Lord Gardenstone, an eminent llawyer and patron of literature.

William had a relationship with Margaret SPARK. (Margaret SPARK was born about 1680.)

  Marriage Notes:

No marriage has been found for this couple.

The wording of their child's baptism record suggests they were unmarried when he was born.

Old Parish Registers
Marykirk parish Kincardineshire
Baptisms

"1715 July 21st

Alexr Strachan

The Which day was Baptized Alexander Strachan Natural Son to Sir Wm Strachan of Thorntoune and Margt Spark & held up by the said Margt herself who acknowledged before several witnesses at the baptizing of the child that she knows no other father to her Child but the said Sir William Strachan Witnesses Alexr Cairncorse Robt fferguson & Jon Anderson"

Note:

The use of the word 'natural' has varied in meaning historically. In the past it tended to mean 'of the body' of 'biological' but within marriage, that is not an adopted child. Later it came to refer to children born outside of the marital relationship, which seems to be the meaning here. ¹