FRASER, Alexander of Durris & Cowie, then of Philorth, Sheriff of Aberdeen, Sir ¹

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  General Notes:

"The origin of the broad Barony of Delgaty (amongst the few whose Baron-baillie still figured on the Roll of Commissioners of Supply until the Roll ceased in 1929) is lost with the other annals of the old Mormaership of Buchan. To which branch of the Comital house it belonged, or whether it was held by one of the vassals of the Earldom. The Bruce's herschip of Buchan has been too thorough for records to survive. Not until a generation later do we find Delgaty, as we should expect, in the hands of a descendant of one of The Bruce's companions in arms, Alexander Fraser of Durris, Cowie, and Philorth, grandson of Sir Alexander of Touch-Fraser, and Cowie, brother-in-law of the patriot King. He had in 1375 received a. grant of Delgaty, Auchinsthogill, Plaidy and Loncardy, then in the Barony of Kin-Edward, from Walter Leslie Earl of Ross, and Kinedward had been the tocher of Margaret Cuming, daughter of the Earl of Buchan, who married John de Ross. In 1376, Sir Alexander conferred on his brother, John Fraser, the lands of Auchinshoggle, Luncardie, as well as Plaidy, and Delgadie, in the valley of the Deveron, the reddendo being a pair of gilt spurs at the Feast of Pentecost, payable at Philorth."

from Transactions ²

Alexander married Johanna de Ross, daughter of William (III) 5th Earl of Ross and Mary MACDONALD, 4 June 1375 (charter).¹ (Johanna de Ross was born about 1346 and died by 1400 ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Alexander Fraser of Durris and Cowie, 1st of Philorth, knight, Sheriff of Aberdeen, m 1st, in 1375, Joanna 2nd dtr of William, Earl of Ross, with whom he received Philorth, and m 2nd ante 1400 Elizabeth believed a dtr of David Hamilton of Cadzow. By his 1st wife he had a son:

A1 William, his heir in Cowie and Philorth

from Baronage website




"In 1375 Sir Alexander Fraser married Johanna, second daughter of William, Earl of Ross, whose elder daughter and heiress married Sir Walter de Leslie, a younger son of Sir Andrew de Leslie, and his wife Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Alexander de Abernethy." (page 110)

"On the 4th June 1375 Sir Alexander Fraser and his wife, Johanna, received a charter from Sir Walter de Leslie, Dominus de Ross, of all the lands of Philorth, which are thus enumerated : 'terras de Kirktoun, Cairnbuilg, Inuerolochy, Ardglassey, Kinglasse cum molendino, Kinbog, Ardmakren, duos Brakours, Auchintuin, Auchmacludy, Braklawmoir, terras de maiore Drumquhendill et minore Drumquhendill, Auchinchogill, Plady, Loncardy, et Delgady, cum le Querell, terras de maiore Fintrie, Balchern, et Blaktoune,' all within the sheriffdom of Aberdeen ; the lands of Ferdonald, in Ross, with a pension of £80 sterling, in the sheriffdom of Inverness ; and the lands of the barony of Kregiltoun, with 'quadraginta libras tenendriarum,' in Galloway (Sir Walter reserving to himself, and his wife Euphemia, the castle of Kregiltoun, 'cum residuo tenendriarum'), to be held by them, or the survivor, and their heirs, in chief of the Crown, as fully and freely as Sir Walter and Euphemia held their own lands, and in compensation and satisfaction of Johanna's claims as heir-portioner upon the lands of the earldom of Ross.

This charter and another of similar import were confirmed hy Robert III. on 28th October 1405, thirty years after they had been granted." (pages 113 and 114)

from Frasers of Philorth ^{1 3}

Alexander had a relationship with someone Partner UNKNOWN. (Partner UNKNOWN was born about 1365.)

  Marriage Notes:

In 1400 he (Sir Alexander Fraser) granted, with the consent of his wife, Lady Elizabeth de Hamilton, who seems to have been infeft in the estate to secure her jointure, certain lands in the barony of Durris to his illegitimate son, Alexander Fraser, to be held under himself and Elizabeth de Hamilton, or the survivor, and under the heirs of this second marriage ; and failing such heirs, he granted him the whole barony of Durris, to be held under himself and his heirs, with a proviso that if the grantee should die without legitimate issue, the barony should revert to himself or his heirs. As there was no issue of the second marriage, this Alexander Fraser obtained the whole lands of the barony in accordance with the terms of the charter, and was the immediate ancestor of the family of Durris."

from Frasers of Philorth (vol 1) ¹

Alexander next married Elizabeth HAMILTON, daughter of Sir David HAMILTON 3rd of Cadzow and Janet KEITH co-heiress of Galbraith, by 1400(grant).¹ (Elizabeth HAMILTON was born about 1362.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Lady Johanna de Ross, Sir Alexander Fraser's first wife, died before 1400, for in that year a lady of the name of Hamilton appears as his wife, who is said to have been of the family of Cadzou, ancestors of the ducal house of Hamilton.

In 1400 he granted, with the consent of his wife, Lady Elizabeth de Hamilton, who seems to have been infeft in the estate to secure her jointure, certain lands in the barony of Durris to his illegitimate son, Alexander Fraser, to be held under himself and Elizabeth de Hamilton, or the survivor, and under the heirs of this second marriage ; and failing such heirs, he granted him the whole barony of Durris, to be held under himself and his heirs, with a proviso that if the grantee should die without legitimate issue, the barony should revert to himself or his heirs."

from Frasers of Philorth ¹