STRACHAN, David of Thornton, Justice Clerk to King James IV of Scots ^{1 2}

   Another name for David was STRADACHANE, David.

   User ID: A347.

  General Notes:

"Thornton, adjoining the Barra lands, belonged, before 1445, to a family named Stradachane or Strachane; David Stradachane being in that year the son and heir-apparent. He was himself laird in 1507 and 1512. The family afterwards, before 1663, possessed Monboddo in the Mearns. Alexander Strachan of Thornton was grandfather of Patrick Forbes of Corse, Bishop of Aberdeen in 1619, and of his brother, the first Forbes of Craigievar."

from Earldom of the Garioch

Note:

The mother of Patrick Forbes of Corse appears to have been an Elizabeth Strachan, whom some hold was the daughter of Alexander Strachan of Thornton and Isobel Keith, but the dates are against this placing. There were other daughters of the Strachan lairds of Thornton named Elizabeth, which may have confused the issue. This researcher has placed her as the daughter of John Strachan in Kincraigie, a grandson of the 8th Laird of Thornton and his wife, Agnes Leslie.




"04 Apr 1514. Mungo Hepburn of Wauchton resigned in the hands of William, Earl Marischal, his lands of Brethertoun, in the barony of Garwok and sheriffdom of Kyncardin, for fulfilment of a decreet arbitral made between them, and the earl gave sasine to the said Mungo. Done in the cloister of the Blackfriars of Edinburgh. Witnesses: Robert Keth, the earl's son and heir, Gilbert Keith of Troup, David Strathauchin of Thorntoun, Robert Falkoner of Balandro, sir John Leith, vicar of Dunnoter, Andrew Stratoun, Paul Hepburn, Alexander Hepburn and sir Robert Pety, chaplain."

from Midlothan: - Protocol Book of James Young ³

  Research Notes:

FEODITARIUS

This expression is the Latin eqivalent of FIAR, a term used in Scottish feudal property law:


"Fiar A person who owns a fee (see "fee")."

"Fee Under the terms of a trust or through an appropriate conveyance a person known as a liferenter may be entitled to possess or use a property temporarily during his lifetime only or another specified period. However, once the liferent has terminated the property usually passes to the fiar, who is then entitled to full rights over the property. The rights of the property enjoyed by a fiar are known as the fee."

from scottishlaw.org ⁴

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Laird: Thornton, 1487-1521, Kincardineshire, Scotland. ⁵

2. Resigned: Barony of Thornton, 1521. ⁵ In 1521 he resigned "the lands and barony of Thornton with the castle" in favor of his nephew Alexander.

David married Marion HAY, daughter of William HAY Earl of Erroll, Constable of Scotland and Beatrice DOUGLAS.^{1 2} (Marion HAY was born about 1460.)

  Marriage Notes:

"David Strathachin or Strachan of Thornton was Receiver-General for the Thanage of Kincardine from 1480 to 1482 (Exchequer Rolls)" (page 26)

He married Margaret Hay, daughter of William, fifth (see Note below) Earl of Errol. On 4th Dececember 1512, he and his wife received a royal charter of the lands of Brigtoun, in the barony of Thornton (Privy Seal Register, vol. iv., fol. 207)." (page 27)

"Having no children of his own, David Strachan made, in 1521, a formal resignation of his estate in favour of his nephew Alexander, elder son of his younger brother John, reserving his own liferent, that of his wife and of his brother John, and of his wife INIargaret Durham (Playfair's Baronetage)." (page 27)

from Families of Strachan and Wise (1877)




"And to Marion Hay his wife and their heirs This David Strachan Feoditarius de Thornton as I find him designed Executed the Office of Justice Clerk in the beginning of the Reign of King James the 4th Anno 1492 And he Discharged the Office till the 1497 it was Conferred on Mr. Richard Lawson of the Herrigs. This David Strachan of Thornton when he came to be at the head of the family having no Issue Male and it Seems but little prospect of Any Resigns the Fee of the Estate of Thornton in favours of Mr. Alexander Strachan his Nephew by his Brother Reserving his own liferent And a liferent to Marion Hay his Spouse And also a liferent of John Strachan his Brother and a liferent to his brothers wife Margaret Durham all which is Ratified and Approven by a Charter under the Great Seal in 1421, August 1. This David Strachan of Thornton was Married to Marion Hay Daughter to William Earl of Erroll But dying without Issue was Succeeded by his Brother and heir John Strachan of Thornton..."

from MacFarlane's Genealogical Collections

Note:

It is probable that 'fifth' is a typographical error for 'first' here.

Not only is the fifth earl's paternity highly unlikely chronologically, but for David Strachan to formally resign his estate in favour of his nephew in 1521, he must have been very certain his wife would not conceive after that year. This suggests some certainty that she was at the end of her fertility cycle.
^{1 2}