Masterton Papers

MASTERTON PAPERS
1660-1719

Edited, with Pedigree, Introduction and Notes, by
VICTOR A. NOËL PATON, W.S.
F.S.A. Scot.

MASTERTON GENEALOGY

I. 'DE MAISTERTUN'1

I.   HUGO DE MAIST'TUN (de Villa Magri)
(Registrum de Dunfermelyn, Bannatyne Club, pp. 98 and 215.) Stodart gives the date of Hugo as about 1250. He died before 1272.
 
II. 1272-1296 WILLIAM DE MAIST'TUN
(Reg. de Dun., pp.52, 53, 87, 99, 109, 112, 215, 216; Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland, Vol. ii. p.188; Do.(Ragman Roll), p.201; Laing's Seals, Vol. ii, p.117)
Arms: -  Seal attached to homage deed ; device, a lion rampant, a rose in front.  S.  Willi De Maistertun (Calendar of Documents, as above).
 
III. 1316 DUNCAN DE MAIST'TUN
(Reg. de Dun., pp. 235, 236)

Note. - William de Maist'tun. Calendar of Documents, vol. iii.  pp. 340 and 387, where, in Accounts of 1335-36-37, lands near Haddington are described as 'in manu Regis per forisfacturam Willelmi de Maist'ton.' ;This might be William the predecessor of Duncan, or another, his successor.)
 
IV. 1339 SYMON DE MAIST'TUN
(Reg. de Dun., p.260). Stodart dates Symon 1329-1371.
 
V. c. 1419 JOHN DE MAIST'TUN
(Reg. de Dun. p. 282). Chartulary of Cambuskenneth, Grampian Club, p. 310, gives Dominus Johannes de Maistertoun (a monk?), who appears to have predeceased 1445.
 

VI.
1419-1422		 WILLIAM DE MAIST'TUN, 'Dominus de Dalis'.2
(Reg. de Dun. pp. 281-282; also Notarially certified copy charter mentioned in Introduction.


Arms: -  Per fess, gules and argent, in chief a crescent of the second, in base a chevron of the first, impaling, argent, an eagle displayed, sable, beaked and membered gu. Seal appended to charter of 1422, as given on copy referred to in Introduction
Note. - Stodart mentions a William Masterton, who was on an assize at Dunfermline 1491-92, in immediate succession to the foregoing - No. VI. Mastertons appear in Reg. de Dun., Cartulary of Cambuskenneth, Hugh Haliburton's Ledger, Acta Dom.Conc., Acta Auditorum, etc., between 1422 and 1544, but the descent of Alexander Maistertoun of Bad from William de Maist'tun has not been established.

In Douglas's Baronage the blank is bridged by the following: -'Alexander Masterton of that ilk (son of William), who succeeded him and is documented by a charter under the great seal hereafter narrated. He was father of John Masterton, who got a charter under the great seal from King James V., Johanni Masterton filio et haeredi Alexandri Masterton et Grisillidae Mure spousae dicti Johannis, etc., of the Mains of Bothkennar in Stirlingshire, dated anno 1528. By the said Grisel Mure he had a son and heir, Alexander, etc.' Stodart proves this order of succession to be incorrect.

The inventory of the effects of William Bad, in the parish of Culross, made 1 September 1543, is registered in Register of Testaments, Dunblane, 1534-1547, H.M.Gen.Reg.House, Edinburgh. He owed Katherine Masterton 13s. 4d., and his daughter, Jonet Bad, is named as executrix. The will of Jonet Bad, in that parish, who names her son, Mr. William Paterson, one of her executors, is registered in same register (p. 34), 5th March 1552.

II. MAISTERTOUNS OF BAD3 AND PARKMILN

I.  c. 1544 - 1574. ALEXANDER MAISTERTOUN OF BAD married before 1544, Janet Colston (Costoun,Coustoun).  (Register of Privy Council of Scotland, vol . ii. p. 729, and Title-deeds of Bad and Parkmill.)

He had issue;
1. RANALD or RONALD, v. below.
2. MARGARET, 'Mistress Nurse' to Prince Henry, married James Primrois. (Register of Privy Council, vol. v. p.200).  Her Connection with this family is adopted from Douglas, but an Extract of the Discharge from the Privy Council Register is with the family papers. 
3. JAMES (Burgess in Edinburgh [?]) - ALEXANDER MASTERTON of Parkmylne, surety for his son James, 24th October 1574. Register of Privy Council, vol. ii. p. 729, etc..

II.    1570 - 1609.  RANALD (RONALD) MAISTERTOUN OF BAD (who signs 'Rannald'), married Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert Bruce of Linmyln, and grand-daughter of Sir David Bruce of Clackmannan. (See Title-deeds of Bad and Parkmill, Register of Privy Council, vol. v. p.605 and 'The Bruces and The Cumyns', by M.E. Cumming Bruce, 1870).  That Ranald and his spouse were alive in 1609 appears from the Contract of Alienation of the lands of Bad mentioned in the note referring to these lands. 

They had issue:

1. ROBERT. See below, III
2. KATHERINE, married John Patoun, son to Alexander Patoun, in parish of Mukart, 29th October 1594. (Clackmannan Register.)

III.   1599 - 1646. ROBERT MAISTERTOUN OF BAD AND PARKMYLNE4 married (1599) Agnes Douglass, daughter of deceased John Douglass of Renniestun in Fife. (Marriage Contract dated 1st December 1599, and Title-deeds of Bad and Parkmill.)

Arms:- 'Per pale dexter, an eagle displayed, sinister, per fess, in chief a crescent, in base a chevron (or it may be blazoned, a chevron, and on a chief a crescent; some families of the name certainly carry a chief.)' (Laing's Seals, vol.ii.p.117).


Note:- Laing gives these bearings as on a seal of Robert Masterton of Bad appended to a charter of 1588.  I have failed to find this charter, and cannot confirm Laing's statement.  It was not till 1599 that Robert received a charter of Bad from his father.  The bearings are the same as those on the drawing of the seal appended to the charter by William to the Monastery of Dunfermline in 1422, except that the sinister and dexter are reversed.  This may have been caused by the seal noted by Laing having been cut from that drawing by an unskilled workman.

They had issue:

1. JOHN.  See below,  IV.  
2. MARGARET, married Thomas Mitchell, eldest son of Thomas Mitchell in Alloway, 17th July 1638 (Alloa Parish Register). 
3. MARJORIE, married Andrew Erskine, 4th November 1640 (Alloa Register):  they had issue - Thomas, born 2d January 1648 (Alloa Register);  She died 1673 (Remarques)
4. BESSIE baptized 13th March 1610 (Alloa Register);  died 4th November 1704, age ninety-six (Remarques).
5. MARY died 1691, age eighty-three (Remarques).

IV. 1632 - 1664. JOHN MAISTERTOUN of Parkmilne, married 3d October 1637 (Alloa Register) Marie Lindsay,) daughter of William Lindsay.  She died 14th January 1699, aged eighty-two, see Remarques. (Title-deeds of Parkmill).

They had issue:-

1. JOHN , baptized 4th December 1637 (Alloa Register).
2. ROBERT, baptized 19th April 1641 (Alloa Register).
3. FRANCIS. See below, v.
4. MARIE, baptized 28th October 1643 (Alloa Register).
5. BESSIE, baptized 28th August 1648 (Alloa Register).
6. JEAN, baptized 19th December 1650 (Alloa Register), died October 1682 (Remarques).
7. CHRISTIAN, baptized 3d April 1653 (Alloa Register), married 7th February 1692, James Muddie in Longkerss. Their child Mary, died 23d September 1696 (Remarques).
8. JOHN, baptized 20th February 1655 (Alloa Register).
9. GEORGE (in Ferriton), died 20th July 1688 (Remarques).

Note: -   The Remarques notice two sisters of Marie Lindsay, Agnes and Jean, who died 1691 and February 1695, aged eighty and eighty-six respectively.

V. 1642 - 1719. FRANCIS MAISTERTOUN of Parkmilne, author of the Remarques

baptized 26th August 1642 (Alloa Register), married 13th January 1678 (Remarques and Alloa Register), Christian Keirie [eldest daughter of John Keirie of Gogar, who died 2d October 1695, and of Christian (not Isobel as given by Stodart and in Scott's Fasti) Craigingelt, who is a party to the marriage contract of Francis and Christian, and who died 29th March 1711, aged seventy-eight (Remarques and Title-deeds)]. Francis was appointed, by Sir Alexander Hope of Kerse, Heritable Sheriff, to be Sheriff-Depute of Clackmannanshire, 31st May 1665. He was appointed Ensign of 1st Company of Foot in Stirling Castle, 29th April 1689, and was Captain Lieutenant in Lord Elphinstone's company of the Militia of Clackmannan in July 1685.  He was also a Commissioner of Supply, 1667-1704.  See Stodart.

They had the following issue, who all, except Nos. 13 and 15, appear in the Alloa Register of baptisms as well as in the Remarques:-

1. MARIE, born 16th November 1678. 
2. KATHRINE, born 26th November 1679, married Francis Hegin in Feriton, 24th April 1700, and had issue - (a) John, born 20th May 1701 ; (b) second son, born 12th July 1702, and died immediately ;(c) Christian, born 4th April 1710, her sixth child.
3. CHRISTIAN, born 14th January 1681, died 28th November 1682. 
4. CHARLES.  See below,  VI.
5. JOHN, born 22d July 1683 (merchant in Edinburgh, see Stodart), married, 27th February 1711, Kathrine Eedington, and had issue - see notes on cover of Remarques - (a) Francis, born 2d December 1711, and died 4th May 1713 ; (b) John, born 28th May 1713 ; (c) Janet, born 17th August 1714 ; (d) James, born 9th September 1715, of Newston, Colonel and A.D.C. to Duke of Cumberland at Culloden.  (See Burke's Landed Gentry, 1843, p. 1126, note.) He was M.P. for Stirling Burghs 1768 - 1774 (Foster's Members of Parliament - Scotland 1892) ; Barrackmaster-General in Scotland (Scots. Mag. May 1769), and died at his house in Clackmannan, 7th August 1777 (Scots Mag. August 1777).  See General Disposition and Settlement, etc., recorded Books of Council and Session, 22d August 1777, which contains provisions for his cousin Mrs. Janet Edinton, his nieces Janet Fraser and Janet Lawrie, and his nephews James and Henry Lawrie, the last of whom, captain of the ship Surat Castle of India, had a brother John Lawrie, merchant in Glasgow.  Arthur Robertson of Inches married a sister of Henry Lawrie, and had a son Masterton Robertson. James's cousin Francis of Parkmill was 'out' in 1745 on the Jacobite side. See below. (e) Christian, born 27th September 1717 ; (f) Francis, born 27th September 1718 ; (g) Katherine, married James Lawrie of Burngrange (see Burke's Landed Gentry 1843, p. 1126, note). [editor's comment: doubtful - see note by Gordon Masterton]
6. FRANCIS, 14th November 1684, died 14th July 1718.  
7. JEAN, born 17th December 1685.  
8. CHRISTIAN, born 12th April 1687, died 24th March 1718.
9. DAVID, born 17th July 1688.
10. ROBERT, born 4th February 1690, died 9th December 1690.
11. JONET, born 1st October 1691, died 20th August 1700. 
12. JAMES, born 13th March 1693, died 20th August 1695.
13. HARIE, born 2d July 1694, died 5th November 1719. 
14. AGNES, born 26th August 1695, died 14th March 1718. 
15. Dead son, born 1st December 1696.

Note: - The Remarques notice the following relatives of Christian Keirie.  John Craigingelt, Minister of Alloa, died March 1664, Patrick Craigingelt, died October 1686, and the following relatives of Francis Masterton.  Cousins - Jean Robertson, died 1693, Agnes Don, died 11th October 1699, Christian Anderson, Charles Row's wife died 26th December 1699, Ms. Norie in Stirling, died 21st February 1702, Marie Don, died 25th April 1702, Marie Lindsay, John Bauchop's wife, 'my cousin german,' died 17th February 1706 ; Robert Douglas, near Leslie, died April 1706 ; Margaret May, relict of James Morieson, Merchant in Perth, died 6th June 1706. A niece - Christian Paton, married     Paton in Angus, 17th November 1703. Uncle's wife - Janet Wallace, died 2d April 1708.

VI.    1682 - 1744.     CHARLES MASTERTON OF PARKMILN AND GOGAR, W.S., born 1st August 1682, died April 1744, married 11th August 1713, his cousin Marie Keirie, only surviving daughter of John Keirie of Gogar and Katharine Wright (daughter of Mr. Robert Wright, Minister of Clackmannan, by Mary Craigingelt, whose sister Christian was wife of John Keirie of Gogar and grandmother of Charles Masterton).  (Stodart, Scott's Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, Remarques, Notes by Charles Masterton, History of Socy. of W.S. and Index of Services.)  Marie Keirie died at Parkmill, 16th June 1717.  See Notes by Charles Masterton, p. 491.

They had issue (Notes by Charles Masterton):-

1. FRANCIS, born 21st, died 22d February 1714.
2. KATHREN, born 10th May 1715 ; married James Christie, Writer in Stirling.  Marriage contract registered (Books of Council and Session), 2d Jany. 1768.  Francis Masterton, Esq. of Gogar, is designed in an inventory of papers (1791) brother and representative of the deceased Catharine Masterton, widow of the deceased James Christie, Writer in Stirling.
3. FRANCIS, See below,  VII.
4. JOHN, born 31st May 1717, died 24th June 1717.

Note: - Marie Keirie had a brother Francis.  Her mother, Katharine Wright, died 29th March 1711, aged seventy-eight.  Her grandfather, Robert Wright, minister at Clackmannan, died 1673.  Mr. Robert Wright's wife died 15th January 1711.  John Keirie of Gogar and his son John, died 9th and 18th May 1696.  Mr. Robert Wright's daughter Kathrin died 30th May 1702 (Remarques). For Mary Wright, daughter of Robert Wright, minister of Culross, and for Edward Wright of Kersie, M.D., see Index of Services under 'Masterton.'

VII.     1716 - 1795.     FRANCIS MASTERTON of Parkmill and Gogar5,  born 2nd April 1716, died 

21st January 1795, at Gogar, married 1768, Margaret Graeme, who died at Braco Castle, 1st Nov. 1806 (Scots Magazine, Decr.1806). She was a daughter of James Graeme of Gorthy (also Braco) and Katherine his wife, daughter of Sir William Stirling of Ardoch, Bart., as in her will she refers to her  brother General David Graham of Braco. Francis was apprenticed to Charles Farquharson, W.S.,  17th June 1735.  He was 'out' in 1745, see Rosebery's Persons concerned in the Rebellion of 1745, pp. 148, 348.  He sold Parkmill 1763.  Date of death of Francis given in letter from James Christal, Stirling, to James Masterton at Madeira, dated 29th January 1795. For Margaret Graeme,  see Burke's Landed Gentry, 1843, p. 1126.

They had issue: -

1. CHARLES MASTERTON of Auchlandskies,6 Strathearn, in the parish of Glendovan, Pertshire, Captain 30th Regiment of Foot, predeceased his father June 1789, leaving a natural son Charles. (Index of Services, 'James Masterton, 1st April 1791,' also Title-deeds of Auchlandskies and family papers.) 
2. JAMES, see below, VIII. 
3. MISS KATHARINE MASTERTON, eldest daughter of Francis Masterton of Gogar, Esq., died at Alloa, 25th     February 1775.  (Scots Mag., Feby. 1775.)
4. MARY, alive in 1832.  (Family Papers.)

VIII.  JAMES MASTERTON,  Merchant in Madeira, and sometime of Gogar thereafter of Braco7, both in Perthshire, at his father's death was the only surviving son, his elder brother Charles having predeceased. In 1787 he entered into a partnership for three years with Arthur Ahmuty of the island of Madeira, merchant, the firm being Ahmuty, Masterton, & Co. In 1791 he was at Gogar, where he signed a letter recorded (Books of Council and Session) 29th January 1795, appointing his mother his factor in the event of his father's death during his absence. That he was married in 1798 is shown by a letter of 25th November in that year addressed to him at Madeira by Lord Mornington, in which reference is made to Mrs. Masterton. His wife, Anna Amelia Murdoch, who was a daughter of James Murdoch of the island of Madeira (as appears from a memorandum in his own writing), died in 16th April 1806 (Scots Mag., May 1806, p. 399). Stodart says, that 'John' Masterton of Braco married Anna Amelia Murdoch. There was no John Masterton of Braco. In January 1799 he granted a commission at Funchall in Madeira, recorded  (Books of Council and Session), 25th January 1800, empowering his mother to sell Gogar. On 30th June 1800 he entered into partnership with James Murdoch, mentioned above, Thomas Yuille, then residing in London, and Andrew Wardrop and James Denyer of the island of Madeira, merchants. The firm was Murdoch, Masterton, and Co., and the agreement was for a period of five years. In the following year he was at Braco, which he had just purchased, having about the same time sold Gogar, and in March 1801, considering that his affairs required his going abroad for some time, he granted a commission to the Hon. David Smyth of Methven, one of the Senators of the College of Justice, to procure him infeft in the estate of Braco. He subsequently returned to Scotland and resided at Braco. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Perthshire in 1807, and died at Braco Castle, 1st April 1836 (Scotsman newspaper of 9th April 1836).

They had an only child -

IX. MARGARET SEYMOUR MASTERTON, married (see 'The Courier,' 31st Oct. 1823, Theodore Henry Elliot, Captain Royal Engineers, eldest son of the Right Hon. Hugh Elliot, Governor of Madras, by Margaret Jones ('Lewis' - Foster's Peerage), his second wife (Memoir of the Right Hon. Hugh Elliot by Lady Minto, p. 415). Margaret Seymour Masterton was born before 10th November 1799, as appears from a letter of that date from Hugh Corrie, Edinburgh, to James Masterton, which refers to his wife and 'little one.' Capt. Elliot died in London, 2d April 1842, see confirmation of executor. She died leaving no issue by Capt. Elliot.

Scottish History Society, First Series
Miscellany of the Scottish History Society Vol I
Walter MacLeod (ed)
Edinburgh, 1893
pp 457-466