INNES, George 5th of Coxton, 2nd Baronet, Jacobite 1715, Sir ²

  General Notes:

'Sir George Innes, the 2nd Baronet of Coxton inherited alot of his fathers debts. He was also "A mighty weak and indolent man, much given to the bottle". Sir George Innes married Elizabeth Gordon, heiress to the Towie-Barclay estate. In 1714 he sold the tower, a transaction he celebrated at a drunken feast. Sir George died after the battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715. The Innes Baronetcy of Coxton continued (Sir George had sold the barony along with Coxton). The Baronetcy was thought to have died out after the death of the 8th Baronet in 1886, but it was revived in 1973 and Sir David Innes is currently the 12th Baronet of Coxton...
Mr. William Duff of Dipple (which he had bought from Robert Innes 21st of that Ilk in 1684), bought the Tower from Sir George Innes for what was considered a high price. After hearing about George Innes's celebrations he said "Poor fellow, he is as well pleased at parting with his inheritance as I at getting it." Later on William discovered that he had taken on all the laird's debts, but managed to get George to sign a list of his creditors. William paid these without any fuss. But the signed list was £20,000 Scots short of the laird's debts. So when the ones not on Sir George's list, turned up on after his death, William refused to pay. These creditors then sued William in the Edinburgh Court of Session, and were awarded the monies. William Duff was not happy with their decision, so he took the case to the House of Lords, who reversed the judgement, saying William was only liable for Sir George's signed list.'

George married Jean GORDON, daughter of John GORDON 4th of Rothiemay and Elizabeth BARCLAY heiress to Towie, on 10 January 1706.¹ (Jean GORDON was born about 1682.)