GORDON, Francis 8th of Craig ¹

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  General Notes:

There are discrepancies in reports of the exact details of the marriages and issue of this Francis Gordon, according to Captain Douglas Wimberley. Then he sums up:

"The following is, however, I believe reliable. There is a shield with the family arms above the gateway at Craig, adjoining but of later date than the Castle : also the motto BYDAND and the date 1726, said to be the year in which this gateway was built. Under the coat of arms is cut 17 FG EB AF KC 26

It seems a fair presumption that these initials are those of his 3 wives in their order : this agrees with Harperfield's account. I made a note of the initials given above, and of the date 1726 at Craig myself in July 1895." ¹

Francis married Elizabeth BARCLAY heiress to Towie, daughter of Patrick BARCLAY and Anna DOUGLAS of Whittinghame family, after January 1696.¹ (Elizabeth BARCLAY heiress to Towie was born about 1658 and died before 31 March 1702 ².)

  Marriage Notes:

" .... it is at least probable that Elizabeth Barclay, relict of John Gordon, Rothiemay, was first wife of Francis of Craig, and bore no children to him."

from Memorials of the Family of Gordon of Craig

¹

Francis next married Ann? FORBES, daughter of John FORBES 2nd of Balfluig (2nd family, not Corsindae) and Mary OGILVY.¹ (Ann? FORBES was born about 1685.)

  Marriage Notes:

"John (Gordon), ninth laird of Craig, was the eldest son of Francis, VIIIth laird, probably by A. Forbes, daughter of the laird of Balfluig, a property near Alford, where the old Castle is still standing. The first laird of Balfluig, John Forbes, was, according to Lumsden's 'Hist, of the Forbeses,' a son of John Forbes of Leslie, a son of William Forbes of Monymusk. who was grandson of William Forbes of Corsindae. The lands of Balfluig were erected into a barony, called the Barony of Alford, and a new charter thereof granted in 1702 in favour of John Forbes and George Forbes, his son. George was succeeded by his son John, who made up his titles in 1742, and appears to have settled as a merchant in Rotterdam ; and in 1753 he sold the barony to Francis Farquharson of Haughton. ('Castles of Aberdeenshire,' p. 14.)"

from Memorials of the Family of Gordon of Craig ¹

Francis next married Catherine CAMPBELL 'of Lundie' after 1713.¹ (Catherine CAMPBELL 'of Lundie' was born about 1680.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Catherine Campbell seems to have been the daughter of Colin Campbell of Lundie, who acquired part of Montcoffer from Sir Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog about 1676; the said Colin's wife having been Helen Abercrombie, apparently of the Glassaugh family. Catherine married Patrick or Peter Russell, who acquired part of Montcoffer in 1680 : he had also some salmon fishings in the Deveron : he died in 1713, and was succeeded by his son Alexander. (See Notes on Moncoffer in a Paper by Dr Cramond, Cullen, read to Banffshire Field Club 13th Nov. 1901.) Patrick's relict Catherine married Francis Gordon, eighth laird of Craig, as his third wife, and Francis died in 1727."

from Memorials of the Family of Gordon of Craig ¹