LESLIE, Marjory ¹

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Marjory married Duncan GRANT of Easter Elchies, son of James GRANT 3rd of Freuchie 'the Bold' and Elizabeth FORBES.^{1 2} (Duncan GRANT of Easter Elchies was born about 1532 and died in October 1580 ³.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Duncan (Grant), who also received from the Bishop of Moray, on 16th January, 1542-3, a Feu Charter of the lands of Easter Elloquhy (Elchies). But even previous to this date, on the 7th May, 1541, we have a Charter of Feu-farm by the Bishop, with consent of his Chapter, to him of these lands. He was engaged in 1568 in a dispute with his neighbour, James Grant of Wester Elchies, in reference to their marches, which was amicably settled by a submission to arbitration dated 6th April, 1568. For assisting in the rebellion of Huntly, he received a remission along with other members of the family, 9th July, 1569. He seems to be the Duncan Grant of Elchies who married Marjory Leslie, third daughter of Robert Leslie (see Note below), fifth son of William Leslie of Aikinway. He died in October, 1580, leaving one son and one daughter."

from Rulers of Strathspey




"VI. Marjory (Leslie), married to Duncan Grant of Elchies.

Note:

If Marjory Leslie belonged to the family of Leslie of Aikenway at all, as outlined above, it is more likely that she was the sister of Robert Leslie than his daughter, as stated by Historical Records of the Family of Leslie and The Rulers of Strathspey.

The dates are extremely problematic:

1 If Robert was indeed the fourth son of William Leslie 2nd of Akenway's second marriage his birth year seems not to be compatible with the dates necessary for Marjory Leslie, Robert's third daughter, to be the wife of Duncan Grant of Easter Elchies and so the mother of Mary Grant, who is said to have married around 1570.

2 Marjory's elder brother William who became 4th of Aikenway is said to have married for the second time in 1642 and fathered three daughters. What would be a reasonable year to assign as William's birth year, in these circumstances and could he have been a full brother (brother-german) to Marjory?

Let's assume William was born in the second half of the sixteenth century, say about 1570-75, then, when we compare the birth years necessary for Marjory to be all that the above extract describes her as being, it would be unlikely that they had the same mother, for Marjory would have to have been born about 1540, but there is no suggestion that Robert Leslie married twice.

In short, the dating requirements demand Marjory to have been born earlier in the century, closer to when Robert himself could be expected to have been born, and William to have been born at a much later date, in order to fulfil all that is said about them in the extracts above.

The Chiefs of Grant does not record any wife for Duncan Grant of Easter Elchies, though it does record Mary Grant as his daughter. If Marjory Leslie, stated to be Robert Leslie's daughter as in the above extracts, did not marry Duncan Grant of Easter Elchies and so become the mother of Mary Grant, then the question of her birth year becomes much less difficult. In that case she could have been born later in the century and closer to William Leslie, 4th of Aikenway. ^{1 2 4}