HARPER, Anna or Canea heretrix of Methlick ¹

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Anna married James GORDON of Methlick and Haddo, son of James GORDON of Methlick, ancestor of Gordons of Haddo and Unknown.¹ (James GORDON of Methlick and Haddo was born about 1423 and died before 19 April 1475.)

  Marriage Notes:

"HADDO.

The Genealogie of James Gordon of Methlick or Haddoe the third son of Jock begotten on the Knight of Gights daughter Maitland his Lawfull Wife.

The said James Gordon purchased

[His wife was Canea Harper 'half portioner of Methlick' of which her father 'Johannes de Citharista' was the owner ; James G. or his son acquired the other half of the barony, and thus arose the Gordons of Haddo ^{1 (Note 1:Added by Mr. Dalrymple]}

the Lands of Methlick and thereafter the Lands of Haddo being the first Laird thereof. He married Anna Harper wt whom he begat four sons and four daughters, viz, his eldest son Patrick Gordon Laird of Haddo, Robert Gordon of Fetterletter, Mr Alexander Gordon first Chancellor of Murray and Chanery of Ross and thereafter Bishop of Aberdeen, and George Gordon of Achenniff in Buchan; his eldest daughter married the Laird of Allardes, the Second married Fraser Laird of -------- , the third married Andrew Prott Burgess in Aberdeen, the fourth married George Gray Burgess in Aberdeen."

from House of Gordon (Balbithan MS)

Note:

The Balbithan MS is clear that the acquisition of Methlick and Haddo took place over more than one generation. The documents of the family are also clear that the 2nd laird, Patrick, took over from his father, James, in the early to mid-1470s, thus suggesting that the documents regarding land dealings with the Foularton family, in the 1460s and early 1470s, were referring to the same James. So, some information above seems to be conflating the father and son, both named James.

Without knowing the dates of the Harper family in question, it is questionable whether the marriage of the daughter of John Harper was with the elder or the younger James Gordon. ¹