GRANT(2), Margaret ^{1 2}

   User ID: P304.

  Research Notes:

PARENTAGE OF MARGARET GRANT

Users should treat this placing with caution, for lack of confirming sources.

The Balbithan MS states that "Alexander Gordon Laird of Dunkinty married the goodman of Ballindalloch's daughter Margaret Grant with whom he begat five sons and three daughters."

The chronology suggests that the "goodman of Ballindalloch" referred to Patrick Grant who married twice. By his first wife, Grissell Grant, he already had a daughter named Margaret, according to Chiefs of Grant, and her biographical history does not appear to match with the Margaret Grant who married Alexander Gordon of Dunkinitie and the William Falconer. She died quite young, in 1601, though years after the second Margaret was born.

Margaret may have been the daughter of Patrick's second marriage, or she may have been conceived outside of marriage. She is not mentioned at all by Chiefs of Grant. Whichever of these two possibilities pertains, she must have been born just before or just after Patrick Grant's death, if indeed he was her father.

It may be that the forename may be wrong and her name was not Margaret. Or, though the official, possibly baptismal names were the same, the daughters were independently known by shortened forms of the name, which could have been quite different from each other, so no actual confusion occurred in the family. ^{1 3}

Margaret married Alexander GORDON 1st of Dunkintie, son of Alexander GORDON of Strathavon (Stra'an) and Agnes SINCLAIR.¹ (Alexander GORDON 1st of Dunkintie was born about 1589, died on 19 August 1633 in Glenelg, Moray, Scotland ¹ and was buried in 1633 in Elgin Cathedral, Moray Scotland ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

"The Cadents of George 5th Earl of Huntly

Alexander Gordon Laird of Strathawn Second Son to George fifth Earl of Huntly married the Earl of Caithness daughter Sinclair Countess of Erroll with whom he begat a son Alexr. Gordon Lord of Dunkintie, and three daughters. Their father the said Alexander dyed in peace att Cambell [Camdell- MS. of 1644].

His Son Alexander Gordon Laird of Dunkinty married the goodman of Ballindalloch's daughter Margaret Grant with whom he begat five sons and three daughters: his eldest son George Gordon, Alexander and John Gordons. He excambed the Lands of Strathawen for the Lands of Dunkinty and got a great sum of money. He and his eldest son George were killed at the Stalking in the forrest of Glenawen 9 [19 - MS. of 1644] August 1633 by some of the [rogues of the - MS. of 1644 ] Clachattan lurking there and were buried in the Gordons Isle in the Chanry Kirk of Elgin."

from Balbithan MS




"1634, June 10. - Robert Gordon 'of Myne,' his brother Adam Gordon 'in Ordiquhisch,' and four other men, were ordered to appear before the Privy Council in answer to the charge of having gone on May 13, 1634, to the lands of Kirktown and terrorised the people. The chief offender was Alexander Gordon of Dunkintie, and the complainer was his mother, Margaret Grant, widow of Alexander Gordon of Dunkintie,and afterwards wife of William Falconer ('Privy Council Register')."

from Gordons of Cairnfield ¹

Margaret next married William FALCONER.² (William FALCONER was born about 1585.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Register of The Council

1634

Complaint by Sir Thomas Hope of Craighall, his Majesty's Advocate, and Margaret Grant, widow of Alexander Gordon of Dunkintie, and Mr. William Falconer of -------- , now her spouse, for his interest, as and follows: -

In violation of the law prohibiting the wearing of hagbuts and pistols, Alexander Gordon, now of Dunkintie, son of 'the said against Margaret, after the deceasse of her husband,' resolved to wreck his mother in her liferent lands etc."

from Register of The Privy Council

Note 1:

Further along in the same volume, page 618, the son Alexander is referred to as "Alexander Gordoun, now of Dunkintie, 'the unnaturall son of the said Margaret'." ²