GORDON, James of St Kitts, 9th of Knockespock (2nd line) ^{3 4}

   Another name for James was GORDON, JAMES of Knockespick, Esq.,.⁵

   User ID: W708.

  General Notes:

"GORDON
JAMES
GEORGE GORDON/
M
31/10/1694
180/ 10 18
Clatt"

from Births and Baptisms




"James (Gordon) [...] was the eldest son of George Gordon of Knockespock, by his first wife, Mary, daughter of Dr. Moir of Scotstown. George was the second son of Harry of Auchlyne, who again was the fifth son of William Gordon, III. of Terpersie by his wife, a daughter of Gordon of Leichiston, son of James, I. of Lesmoir. George Gordon had purchased in 1705 from his kinsman, John Gordon of Glenbucket, the well-known Jacobite general, the property of Knockespock. This John was connected with the Terpersie family, his mother being a daughter of Patrick Gordon of Badenscoth; while his grandfather was George Gordon of Noth, who acquired Knockespock, probably by wadset, in 1640 from Captain James Gordon of Knockespock (the last laird of the old Buckie line)."

from Terpersie




After the forfeiture of the estate of Terpersie in 1746 when Charles Gordon 6th Laird was executed as a Jacobite, it was James Gordon of Knockespock who purchased the forfeited estate. It took until 1779 for the claims to be settled.

James Gordon went to the West Indies as a planter and prospered. He invested his money in the West Indies as well as in Great Britain. He was generally known in his early years as of St Kitts. He bought Moor Place in Hertfordshire, England and a property in St James, London. He also aquired Terpersie at Clatt in Aberdeenshire, Scotland after paying money to Lady Terpersie whose husband, Charles Gordon, had been executed. James was second cousin to this Charles Gordon.

He became Chief Justice of St Christopher from 1735-1741 and joined the Council of Antigua in 1741. He bought Crabbs, 400 acres, and Martins, 126 acres, from Valentine Morris for 11,500 pounds sterling on 1 April 1767.

James Gordon left a will dated 1766, which can be studied in The History of the Island of Antigua, volume 2. He died on 8 April 1768 without any issue, leaving James Brebner Gordon and Francis Grant Gordon his nephews and coheirs, 'the said James Brebner to bear my name and arms'. At the time James Brebner was in the West Indies.

extracted from ANTIGUA-L Archives




"James (Gordon) of Knockespock, executed an entail of that estate, which was in favour of

(1) his halfbrother, Colonel Harry Gordon, Royal Engineers, and the heirs male of his body ;

(2) failing such in favour of heirs male of the body of his elder full sister, Margaret, who married James Brebner of Towie, in Clatt, whose son assumed the name of Gordon, and whose great-grandson, James Adam Gordon, came into the succession in 1836, on the failure of heirs male of the body of Colonel Harry Gordon, of the Royal Engineers ;

(3) failing heirs male of the bodv of Margaret Gordon, the said entail was in favour of the heir male of the body of Barbara, the entailer's younger full sister, who married William Grant from Strathspey, whose son, Captain Francis Grant, R.N., assumed the additional name of Gordon in 1768

In consequence of this, as James Adam Gordon, on his death in 1854 left no issue, the succession opened to Sir Henry Percy Gordon, Bart., great-grandson of Barbara Gordon, Mrs Grant ; and on Sir Henry's death without male issue in 1876,

(4-) another provision applied, and the succession opened to an heir female of the body of Colonel Harry Gordon, the half-brother of the entailer, who was the first heir to succeed to the entailer himself. This lady was Hannah Gordon, daughter of Harry Gordon of Knockespock, R.E., and grand-daughter of Colonel Harry Gordon of Knockespock.

Some provision, however seems to have been made either under the entail or by some deed for the issue of the entailer's two sisters, Margaret and Barbara."

from Gordon of Knockespock




"The estate of Terpersie was forfeited, and with the other confiscated properties was purchased by the York Buildings Company. It was afterwards acquired by James Gordon, a reputed descendant of the old family, who was a prosperous merchant in St. Kitts, in the West Indies, and died in 1770. He was succeeded by his brother Colonel Henry Gordon, who, dying in 1787 was followed by his second son Harry Gordon of Knockespock then fell to James Adam Bremner, who assumed the surname and arms of Gordon. He was grandson to Mr. Whitbread, M.P. and great-grandson of Margaret, eldest sister of James Gordon, of St. Kitts, wife of James Bremner, farmer in Towie of Clatt. He died in 1854, when the estates fell to Sir Henry Percy Gordon, Bart., great-grandson of Barbara, youngest sister of the above James Gordon, of St. Kitts, through her marriage with William Grant. Their son, who was a captain in the navy, substituted the name of Gordon for that of Grant, and his eldest son, General James Willoughby Gordon, who was created a baronet in 1818, was the father of the above Sir Henry, who dying 29th July 1876 was succeeded by Hannah Gordon, daughter of Harry Gordon, the last proprietor of that name, and wife of Admiral William Abdy Fellowes, whose son, Mr. H.G. Fellowes Gordon is now proprietor of both Terpersie and Knockespock."

from Aberdeenshire Epitaphs and Inscriptions ^{2 4 6}

  Research Notes:

THANKS

to Judith Grimes, for her generosity with information about this family and related others.

James married Mary HERRON.^{1 2 3} (Mary HERRON was born about 1720 and died after 8 April 1768.)

  Marriage Notes:

"James Gordon, eldest and the only son of his father by his first marriage, succeeded to Knockespock as 9th laird. He went to the West Indies, no doubt as a 'Planter,' and prospered. He invested money both in the West Indies and in Great Britain. He is generally described as 'of St Kitts.' He purchased Grenada in 1751, and subsequently Moorpark, in Hertfordshire, and also Auchlyne (adjoining Knockespock) from his relative, James, who had succeeded his grandfather. James Gordon of Auchlyne and Newbigging, on the death of the latter in 1729 (his own father. James, younger of Auchlyne, having predeceased his father in 1721). [....]

James Gordon of St Kitts, later of Knockespock and other properties, married Mary, daughter of Patrick Herron, but had no issue. Besides the purchases of lands already mentioned, he acquired the adjoining property of Terpersie, forfeited a few years before by Charles Gordon of Terpersie (who was executed at Carlisle in 1746), being himself the grandson of Harry Gordon of Auchlyne, who was the 5th son of William Gordon of Terpersie. I have understood that this purchase was made from the Commissioners on the forfeited estates. [....]

James Gordon, formerly of St Kitts, having acquired a large estate, now all included under the name of Knockespock, and executed an entail thereof in 1767, died without issue in April ]768 (see Decenn. Retours above)."

from Gordon of Knockespock< ³