KER, Margaret heiress of Ferniehirst ¹

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  General Notes:

"According to Mackenzie and Lyon of Carse this Margaret was heiress of Ferniehirst, and Thomas Ker acquired Ferniehirst through his marriage with her. Although, as pointed out above, the general accuracy of the pedigree given by Mackenzie is open to doubt, it seems likely that Thomas Ker acquired the place in this way, at any rate he was in possession in 1476, as he is then described as Thomas Ker of Ferniehirst, and there is no evidence to show how he could otherwise have obtained it.

Unhappily the family charters appear to have been lost when the Castle of Edinburgh was taken by Sir William Drury in May 1573. A chest containing writs and evidents belonging to the then Sir Thomas Ker of Ferniehirst was found, and the contents were inventoried under the care of the English general. But when the general, later, requested delivery of Sir Thomas Ker's chest, the Regent Morton wholly refused, and would not give it up, declaring it was meet for the Earl of Angus. All that is now known of its contents is given in the list made by Sir William Drury, and sworn to by him, at Alnwick, on 12 July 1573. That list shows that the lands of Ferniehirst were held by the Kers from the Earls of Angus, but at what time they received them does not appear."

from Scots Peerage (vol 5) ²

Margaret married Thomas KER of Smailholm, then of Ferniehirst, son of Andrew KER of Altonburn, then of Cessford and Daughter DOUGLAS.¹ (Thomas KER of Smailholm, then of Ferniehirst was born about 1440 and died by 24 June 1484 ^{1 2}.)

  Marriage Notes:

" ... Douglas, or his editor Wood, is mistaken in continuing the line of Ferniehirst in the male line, Sir Thomas Ker having, according to Mackenzie, only had a daughter and heiress, Margaret, who married Thomas Ker of Smailholm, second surviving son of Andrew of Cessford and Altonburn."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4)




"Thomas Ker of Ferniehirst died in 1484, and not improbably between 23 May and 24 June of that year. He was certainly dead at the latter date.3 He married Margaret Ker, who survived him, and by her had issue..."

from Scots Peerage (vol 5) ^{1 2}