ABERCROMBY, George of Skeith ^{1 2}

   User ID: V638.

  General Notes:

"1679 'George, son of John Andrew, notar publick, and Jean Ritchie, his spouse. (George Abercrombie of Skeith, &c, witnesses.) Also John (1675), and John (1687).' " (page 287)

"Kennedie, Major George Meldrum of Tillibodie and George Abercrombie of Skeithe. (page 419)

from Annals of Banff




"It has been already stated, in giving the origin of the name, (see page 1,) that in the 17th century, Abercromby of Birkenbog in Banffshire, became the chief of the name of Abercromby. Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog was grand falconer in Scotland to King Charles I. In 1636 his eldest son, Alexander, was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, and took an active part against King Charles in the civil wars of that period. From the pedigree of the family it appears that Sir Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog, the, first baronet, had two sons. The eldest; James, succeeded his father. Alexander, the second son, succeeded his cousin George Abercromby of Skeith, in the estate of Tullibody, in Clackmannanshire, formerly a possession of the earls of Stirling. This Alexander was the grandfather of, the celebrated military commander, Sir Ralph Abercromby, and the second of the name of Abercromby who possessed Tullibody."

from Electric Scotland ^{2 3}

  Research Notes:

SKEITH

In answer to a query, this conversation took place online. It is included here for the benefit of anyone who may be researching this family line and for whom some of the information may be useful when checked out and accepted or discarded:

"kelsey.jack...@googlemail.com unread, Oct 13, 2014, 7:58:34 PM
to
You're both right - this filiation seems to be incorrect. I wonder, does Cavendish Abercromby have anything to say about the Abercrombys of Skeith? An initial trawl of Banff-specific records doesn't seem to show a John Abercromby of Skeith active at the right time and I'm beginning to wonder if the Lyon Office pedigree might be either seriously confused or simply fictional.

All the best,
Kelsey
scotsgenealogist.com

jhigg...@yahoo.com unread, Oct 13, 2014, 11:51:40 PM
to
I presently have access to only photocopies of a portion of the Cavendish Abercromby book - not including most of the cadet lines. From snippets on Google Books, it appears that an early Abercromby line of Tullibody and Skeith died out in 1699, when George Abercromby of Tullibody and Skeith 'left his estates to his young cousin Alex[ander], 2nd son of Sir Alexander, 1st Baronet of Birkenbog'. This Alexander (the son) had a son George who appears to have been known as 'younger of Skeith' at the time of the 1715 Rising. That suggests that Tullibody and Skeith descended together after 1699. I can't presently confirm that, although I can find no reference in the Tullibody pedigree to the Abercrombies of Skeith that you mention.

I also don't immediately see how the 1699 George Abercromby of Tullibody and Skeith is a cousin of Alexander, son of the 1st Baronet. OTOH the Google snippet also indicates that 'the history of the earlier line of Skeith is far from easy to follow'. I'm trying to obtain the book from interlibrary loan to perhaps clarify the situation (or perhaps not, since your Abercrombies are somewhat later).

kelsey.jack...@googlemail.com unread, Oct 14, 2014, 8:40:07 PM
to
Yes, I've come across the Abercrombys of Tullibody and Skeith as well. I wonder, in fact, if there may not have been two only distantly related families who held the same lands in succession (with the George who died in 1699 being the last member of one), which would complicate this line even further. I've been trying to develop a pedigree of the family from contemporary records, but have yet to find anything that would provide evidence of a link with John Joseph Abercromby:

Adam Abercrombie was retoured heir to his father William Abecrombie of Overskeith in the lands of Ovir and Nethir Pitglasseis within the bishopric of Aberdeen, the lands of Auchnahandauche adjacent to the previous, the lands of Overskeith in the barony of Deskfurde, and two parts of the lands of Enoch in the barony of Coronassie, 31 October 1606 (Inq. Ret., Banff, no. 24).


George Abercromby, apparent of Skeith, was one of 'heretors and gentrie of Banffshyr' who appeared for the appointing of a guard and the revaluation of the shire, 2 December 1653 (Banff Records, 143).


George Abercromby of Skeith witnessed the baptism of Thomas Muirsone in Deskford, 30 June 1677 (OPR, i. 25). He was described as 'Laird of Tilliboddie and Skeith' when he witnessed the baptism of George, son of Alexander Abercromby in Deskford on 21 August 1686 (OPRs, i. 38). He held Skeith, situated in Deskford parish and valued at £180, at the time of the 1690 valuation roll (Banff Records, 271).


Alexander Abercromby of Skeith was 'of Berrihillock' as early as 1691 and 'of Skeith' by 1699. He was named a Commissioner of Supply for Banffshire, 19 June 1702 (Banff Records, 232) and again in 1704 (Banff Records, 258) and was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Banffshire, 4 June 1706 (Banff Records, 281). He was still, or was again, a Commissioner of Supply, 7 March 1716 (Banff Records, 316). He sold his estate to the Earl of Findlater in 1721 (Cramond, Annals of Cullen, 66). He married Marrat Abercromby, who was described as the 'Good wife of Berrihillock' when she witnessed the baptism of Marrat Wilsone in Deskford, 2 August 1696 (OPRs, i. 50a).

i. George, of whom below.

ii. Francis, baptised 10 September 1691 in Deskford; witnesses not given (OPRs, i. 42a).

iii. Mary, baptised 14 June 1693 in Deskford; Mr. James Hendersone, Minr., Walter Ogilvy of Airdoch, Mary Gordone, Lady of Birkenbogg, and Mary Hendersone, good wife of Airdoch, witnesses (OPRs, i. 45a).

iv. child, baptised 22 June 1694 in Deskford; witnesses not given (OPRs, i. 47a).

v. Elizabeth, baptised 5 May 1696 in Deskford; witnesses not given (OPRs, i. 49).

vi. James, baptised 12 March 1698 in Deskford; John Gordon of Letterfury elder, John Innes in Nealtry, and John Ogilvy witnesses (OPRs, i. 51).

vii. Grissell, baptised 3 August 1699 in Deskford; witnesses not given (OPRs, i. 52). She witnessed the baptism of Grissell, daughter of William Abercromby in Skeith, 8 October 1715 (Deskford OPRs, i. 66).

viii. Mary, baptised 25 July 1700 in Deskford; James Ord, Walter Ogilvy, Mary Hendersone, and Mary Follae witnesses (OPRs, i. 53a).

ix. Walter, baptised 26 August 1701 in Deskford; Walter Ogilvy of Airdoch and Walter Ogilvy in Blearock witnesses (OPRs, i. 54).


George Abercromby, younger of Skeith, was baptised 21 August 1686 in Deskford; George Abercromby of Tullibody and Skeith witness (OPR, i. 38). He was one of Banff heritors involved the 1715 rebellion according to a letter from Lord Chief Justice Cockburn to Lord Townshend, 8 September 1716 (Banff Records, 322). By Margaret Pack he had an illegitimate son,

James, baptised 6 November 1712 in Deskford; James Stronnach, James Dow, James Steinsone, James Sinkler, Elspet Jonston, and Helen Steinsone witnesses (OPRs, i. 64a).

By Marrat Machatty he had another illegitimate son,

William, baptised 13 February 1715 in Deskford; no witnesses given (OPRs, i. 66a).


All the best,
Kelsey" ¹

George married.