LEITH, John 4th of Harthill, 'the violent laird' ^{1 2 3}

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  General Notes:

In 1661 an Act of the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh in favour of John Leith of Harthill was registered. The supplicants complained that:

"in the year 1650 the said William and Patrick Leith and Thomas Erskine violently, barbarously and inhumanely thrust the said Jean Forbes and Anna Leith and their servants out of their house and lands of Harthill, whereupon they declared themselves to his majesty and estates of parliament in the year 1651 and obtained letters of horning for charging the foresaid persons to appear before the parliament at that time to underlie the law for the foresaid wrongs done to them. Likewise for their disobedience, they were then denounced rebels and letters of ejection directed at the supplicants' instance for ejecting them furth and from the said house and lands of Harthill and repossessing them therein, by virtue whereof they caused charge the sheriff of Aberdeen and his deputes for ejecting them and in respect they delayed to put the said letters of ejection to execution, they purchased other letters of horning commanding the said sheriff and his deputes thereto unconditionally, and therewith caused also charge them, as the foresaid whole letters and executions thereof therewith produced will testify, and true it is that through the iniquity of the times they have continually since then possessed their whole lands and living of Harthill and uplifted the whole mails and duties thereof, so that they have been these ten years since in great misery and necessity, and intends still to keep the same unless remedy be provided."

After examination of the case it was ordained that:

"the sheriff of Aberdeen and his deputes and messengers of arms to eject the said William and Patrick Leith and Thomas Erskine and their wives, children, families, tenants, sub-tenants, cotters, goods and gear furth and from the said house of Harthill, lands of Torries and Kirkton of Oyne above-written, and to repossess the said John Leith and his said spouse and daughter and son-in-law, and their tenants, servants and others in their names therein, to be peaceably bruiked and enjoyed by them in all time coming, and also decrees and ordains the said defenders to pay and deliver to the said pursuers the profits of the said lands, which they find to be four and a half chalders of victual yearly, and that of the crops and years 1657, 1658, 1659 and 1660, and ordains the tenants, possessors and occupiers of the town and lands of old Harthill present and to come to make payment to the said pursuers of ten bolls of victual and £24 Scots money yearly in all time coming, without prejudice to the said William Leith and all other parties interested of their rights, titles and interests to the said lands and others above-written as pertains to the law, and ordains letters etc."

from Scottish Parliaments website ⁴

John married Margaret GORDON, daughter of John GORDON of Newton and Margaret UDNY.¹ (Margaret GORDON was born about 1598.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Margaret (Newton MS.). She appears as one of the four sisters (Elspeth, Isobel and Helen being the others) who figure in the Privy Council Register of September 5, 1594, when a bond was registered, by which William Leslie of Wardes and his son, William, were cautioners for John Leith of Lusk (Harthill) not to harm James Gordon, II. of Newton, and his four sisters as mentioned. The 1600 MS. says a daughter married 'John Leith, son and heir to Patrik Leith of Harthill, a man of great merit '. On October 4, 1620, there was an action by John Leith of Rayne against John Gordon of Newtoun for payment to him of 4500 merks of tocher with Margaret Gordon, Newton's daughter, with 500 merks worth of plenishing, lyk as be the contract of marriage John Gordon is obleist to infeft John Leith in the lands of New Rayne and in eight oxengait of Meikle Leddinghame. The contract is registered in the Commissary Book of Aberdeen, November 24, 1620 (Book of Council and Session for
Inhibitions)."

from House of Gordon ¹

John next married Jean FORBES, daughter of Abraham FORBES of Blackton and Janet DUNCAN, by May 1627.² (Jean FORBES was born about 1594.)

  Marriage Notes:

" ... by May 1627 ... John Leith had got himself another wife. her name was Jean Forbes and she is said to have been a daughter of Forbes of Blacktoun and granddaughter of Lord Forbes."

from Leiths of Harthill

"His (John Leith, 4th of Harthill) wife was Jean, daughter of Abraham Forbes of Blacktown. They had William, his heir, and Anna, married to Alexander Gordon, brother of William Gordon of Newton"

from Earldom of the Garioch

Note: John's own son was named Patrick, not William. He was the son of John leith and Margaret Gordon of Newton.
William, John's half-brother, did eventually succeed to Harthill. ^{2 5}