GORDON, James 4th Laird of Birkenburn, Commissioner of Supply for Banffshire ¹

   Another name for James was GORDON, James Fiar of Birkenburn.¹

  General Notes:

"1623, July I -At a meeting of the Privy Council, James Gordon, 'fiar of Birkenburn,' along with ten others, including Alexander Gordon of Achynache (5th son of John Gordon of Leichestoun), Harie Gordon of Achinassie (6th son of John Gordon of Leichestoun), Mr. Thomas Gordon of Glengerak and James Ogilvie of Mylnetoun (all places a short distance from Keith), were complained of by the King's Advocate, Sir William Oliphant of Newton, for having during the years from 1617 to 1623 constantly borne and worn hagbuts and pistolets and used them for shooting wild fowl, etc. The pursuer appeared, as did James Gordon, fiar of Birkenburn, Harie Gordon of Achynassie and John Sinclair of Ganyes; the other defenders failed to appear. Sinclair was assoilized on his own oath of verity. James Gordon of Birkenburn and Harry Gordon were ordered to find caution in 500 merks not to wear arms. They found caution, July 3, 1623 (Privy Council Register)."

"1630, April.— James Gordon elder and younger were commissioned to arrest Gordons implicated in the outrages on Crichton of Frendraught (ibid.)."

"1635, August 7.— Gordon of Birkenburn and his eldest son were among the many lairds who were summoned to appear before the Privy Council and find caution for keeping His Majesty's peace and for good behaviour (ibid.)."

"1647.— James Gordon was a Commissioner of Supply for Banffshire (Acts of Parliament)."

"1647, June 9.— James Gordon of Birkenburn subscribed a document regretting the anti-Covenanting campaign, and professing 'unfayned sorrow and deep humiliation'. It was presented printed to the Presbytery, June 9, 1647(Presbytery Book of Strathbogie, 76)."

"1650, May 24.— James Gordon of Birkenburn was one of the heritors of Keith present at a visitation of Keith by the Synod of Moray, when convened for a designation of grass to Mr. William Kinninmont, Minister of Keith, who took sasine therein in presence of James Gordon of Birkenburn and two others (Moray Synod MS. Records)."

from Birkenburn

Note: "a designation of grass" appears to have been an award to a Scots minister of land near to his glebe, or as part of it, where he could pasture domestic animals.


There is a letter "for the much honored Alexander Gordon of Birkenburn", dated at Edinburgh "27 Januarie, 1678", and signed "Your cusing and servant Al. Duff", with a postscript which adds:
" Present my service to your father and kynd bedfellow", showing that the fourth laird was still alive in the year 1678.

from (Petrie-Hay Papers) quoted in Birkenburn ^{1 2}