GORDON, Thomas of Cluny, Sir ^{1 2 4 5 6}

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  General Notes:

"With Sir Thomas the family fortunes seem to have reached their highest point. He had married well; his first wife, Elizabeth, being the daughter of the Earl of Douglas, and his second, equally well-born, was Grizel, the daughter of the Earl of Athol. And it was he who was the builder of the castle at Cluny which replaced an earlier house, either on the present site or near to it. Preserved at Cluny is a stone with the inscription 'THOM. GORDON A CLUNY MILES ME FECIT 1604'. This date probably marks the finishing of the work, so it is likely that building started in 1601 or 1602. Sir Thomas was to die in 1607 only three years after the completion of his new house and from that date the family fortunes began to decline. Two noble wives, and the cost of building a new castle are likely to strain any fortune, and Sir Alexander Gordon, 4th of Cluny, may have found that on coming into his inheritance much of it had already been dissipated: he was to dissipate the remainder."

from Cluny Castle

  Research Notes:

NEED FOR A RELOOK

There is very little agreement on the lineage and family spread of the Gordons of Cluny. More work needs done in this area in the near future.

Thomas married Elizabeth DOUGLAS, daughter of Sir William DOUGLAS 9th Earl of Angus and Giles GRAHAM.^{1 2} (Elizabeth DOUGLAS was born about 1561.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Elizabeth, married, before 1581, to Thomas Gordon, flar of Cluny."

from Scots Peerage (vol 1)




His (John Gordon, Laird of Cluny's) eldest son Sr Thomas Gordon Laird of Cluny married the Earl of Angus Sister Dam Elizabeth Dowglass with whom he begat six Sons and a Daughter, his eldest Son Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny Barronet, Patrick Gordon of Ruthven, William Gordon of Coxton [Cottone ¹ MS. of 1644], Mr. Thomas Gordon of Pittendreich, Mr George and John Gordons ; his Daughter married James Cumming Laird of Alter."

from Balbithan MS ^{1 2}

Thomas next married Grizel STEWART, daughter of John STEWART 5th Earl of Atholl and Mary RUTHVEN.^{2 3} (Grizel STEWART was born about 1583.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Their Father the said Sir Thomas married to his second wife Grizall Stuart the Earl of Atholls Sister with whom he begat two Daughters, the one married the Laird of Carnousie Ogilvy, the other the Laird of Birkenbog Abercromby."

from Balbithan MS



"With Sir Thomas the family fortunes seem to have reached their highest point. He had married well; his first wife, Elizabeth, being the daughter of the Earl of Douglas, and his second, equally well-born, was Grizel, the daughter of the Earl of Athol. And it was he who was the builder of the castle at Cluny which replaced an earlier house, either on the present site or near to it. Preserved at Cluny is a stone with the inscription 'THOM. GORDON A CLUNY MILES ME FECIT 1604'. This date probably marks the finishing of the work, so it is likely that building started in 1601 or 1602. Sir Thomas was to die in 1607 only three years after the completion of his new house and from that date the family fortunes began to decline. Two noble wives, and the cost of building a new castle are likely to strain any fortune, and Sir Alexander Gordon, 4th of Cluny, may have found that on coming into his inheritance much of it had already been dissipated: he was to dissipate the remainder."

from Cluny Castle ^{2 3}