LEITH, John 3rd of Harthill 1
- Born: About 1575
- Marriage (1): FRASER, Beatrix 1
- Marriage (2): GORDON, Janet
User ID: W727.
John married Beatrix FRASER.1 (Beatrix FRASER was born about 1576.)
Marriage Notes:
"It also appears that the younger John was twice married: his first wife (perhaps Beatrix Fraser), bearing him a son, heir and namesake who was destined to a notoriety beyond that of any of his forebears; while by a later union, with Janet, daughter of William Gordon of Gight, he had at least five children .... "
from Leiths of Harthill 1
John next married Janet GORDON, daughter of William GORDON 5th of Gight and Isobel OCHTERLONY. (Janet GORDON was born about 1581.)
Marriage Notes:
"Janet. (daughter of William Gordon, 5th of Gight) The Balbithan MS. says that one of the fifth laird's daughters married a Leith of Harthill. Dr. Davidson in his Earldom of the Garioch notes that John Leith, second of Harthill, married as his second wife a Janet Gordon, whom I take to be Gight's daughter. Dr. Davidson further adds that Leith had by his first wife (Beatrice Fraser) a son John, third of Harthill, the notorious rebel who broke out of the Tolbooth of Aberdeen, July, 1640; and that it was his son Patrick who was executed as a rebel in Edinburgh, Oct. 26, 1647 ( at the age of twenty-five). Now Spalding (Troubles, ii., 392) speaks of this Patrick as the "cousing" of Nathaniel Gordon. Hence I am inclined to believe that Gordon of Gight married John the third, not the second, laird of Harthill, as Dr. Davidson says. In any case, the Spalding reference makes it clear that Patrick Leith was descended from a Gight Gordon (whereas Dr. Davidson's statements make no relationship at all). She was either the mother or the grandmother of 'young Harthill,' who was hand-in-glove with Nathaniel Gordon, notably in the raid on the Aberdeen merchants at St. James' Fair, Elgin, July 24, 1644, and at the capture of Forbes of Craigievar's troopers at Inverurie on Sunday, Feb. 23, 1645."
from House of Gordon (Gight)
"1643
Feby. 25
Abstracted Multures.
Janet Gordoun, widow of John Leithe of Harthill, Liferentrix of the lands of Auld Raine, Adam Abercrombie, her husband, and Sir Alexr. Abercrombie of Galcorss, knight, and Hector Abercrombie of Fetternear, as lessees under the principal Pursuers v. Mr. Wm. Straquhan, Persone of Dawiot, Mr. Wm. Straquhan, his son, there, James Gordoun in Louesk (also spelled in the entry Lowesk and Luesk), Patrick Honnie there, John Meany there, and James Diak there.
By Contract dated 24 May, 1627, the late John Leithe had disponed Luesk to his son, John Leithe, and his wife, Jean Forbes, but under the stipulation that all the corn grown upon the lands should be ground at the Milne of Auld Raine. Mr. Wm. Straquhan, to whom Leithe the younger had wadset Luesk, became subject to this obligation, but he and his tenants had not been recognising it. Hence this decree.
The grain prices were sued and decerned for according to the 'feiris' of the respective years. Janet Gordoun's liferent Sasine, dated 13 August, 1604. Notary the late Mr. John Leithe. The title granted to the Abercrombies was dated 13 August, 1635, and registered in the Books of Council and Session 24 March, 1637. An extract of the fiars prices from the Sheriff Court Books was produced.
from Sheriff Court Records
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