JOHNSTON OF CASKIEBEN (and related families)
Valuation Roll of the County of Aberdeen, 1667 (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, MCMXXXIII)
p.108--1654: Robert Cheyne m. Isobel Johnston dau. of Thomas of Craig Johnston, Sheriff Depute of the Shire. Robert Cheyne was son of Parson John Cheyne. [Chart in book, Genealogical Account of the Family of Johnston of that Ilk, formerly of Caskieben...by Alexander Johnston (Edinburgh, 1832) shows that Parson Cheyne, the father of Robert, m. Margaret Johnston, sister of Thomas of Craig].
p.148--6 Aug 1662: Sir John Keith, son of William*, 6th Earl Marschal,
and Mary Erskine, received charter of the lands of Caskieben with name
change to Keith Hall.
(*1660-Knt. Marischal of Scotland; Baron Keith of Inverurie; Earl of
Kintore, 1677).
p.148--Robert Burnett married (2) Rachel Johnston, sister to Archibald Johnston of Warristoun who drew up "Solemn League and Covenant of 1638."
p.149--Parish of Montkegie appeared to be largely peopled in 1667 by
members of the family of Johnston of Caskieben. 1st Bt. was George, Sheriff
Principal of Aberdeenshire 1630, son of John J. and Janet Turing. He received
his baronetcy 23 May 1629 with remainder to heirs male...with 16,000 acres
grant in Nova Scotia. In 1641, he and son George cited before Parliament
as "incendiaries." He married Elizabeth, dau. of Wm. Forbes of Tolquhon
and died about 1650. Sir George, 2nd
Bt., succeeded and about 10 yrs. after death of his father sold
Caskieben to John Keith. This 2nd Bt. married about 1648 dau. of Sir William
Leslie [of Wardes].
p.150--Thomas of Craig Johnston's dau., Margaret, m. her cousin, John of Newplace in 1646. John of Newplace died before 1690 and was 2nd son of George, 1st Bt. The son of Margaret and John of Newplace, also named John, was a merchant in Aberdeen and became Sir John, 4th Bt.[of Newplace], in succession to his uncle and cousin in 1690. He married Janet Mitchell.
p.243--Alexander Skene m. Lilias Gillespie and became Quaker(s), she being one of the first in Aberdeen. Their son, John, went to American and was made Governor of New Jersey.
p.313--Parish of Gartly (Bucharne). Alexander Leith, aka "Hard-Head," 2nd son of John of New Leslie and Bucharn and Marjorie Forbes of Pitsligo, and bro. to James who built Leith Hall, had this estate. His wife was Elizabeth Johnston, 2nd dau. of Thomas of Craig, and together they had sasine 21 July 1658. Alexander m. Elizabeth in Kineller, 1652 (Kirk Session Records of Gartly).
p. 329--4 January 1673: Charles Dunn, Merchant Burgess of Aberdeen served heir to his father, Charles Dunn, dyer of Aberdeen, in Sleepy Hillock and Overtoune of Dyce. The father, Charles Dunn, "Litster" and Burgess of Aberdeen, was collector to the Kirk session in 1641 and married Barbara Burnett. Charles of Cordyce, the son, m. (1) Christian Johnston, dau. of Thomas Johnston of Craig and (2) Catherine Burnett. His third son became Sir Patrick Dunn of the family of Tarty.
23 June 1665: Charter of lands to Alexander Skene, Laird of Dyce (1665-1704), and Anna Johnston, his wife, from his father, Gilbert Skene. Anna was dau. of Dr. William Johnston of Caskieben, third son of Sir George, 1st Bt. of Caskieben. William was Professor of Mathematics in Marischal College.
Sir John Johns(t)on, whose mother was a Johnston of Craig: "part of which property had belonged to the Johnstons of that Ilk from 1615 (ref: Reg. Mag. Sig. 1609-20 #1276)." Thomas, eldest son of the second marriage of George Johnston, 8th Laird, received this property on his father's death in 1615 in terms of his mother's marriage contract (Elizabeth Lundie). [Note: this appears incorrect, as Thomas was son of John Johnston, 9th Laird, by his second wife, Elizabeth Lundie. George, 8th Laird, married only once to Christian Forbes].
p.330--George Johnstown, son of Dr. William Johnston of Biedleiston, (6th son of George of that Ilk) and Dr. William's wife, Barbara Forbes of Blackton. The doctor had purchased the estate of Biedlieston in Dyce in 1635. The brother of Dr. William, Gilbert Johnston, married Marjory [or Marion] Leslie of Wardes, and was of Overstone (Overtoune?) of Dyce. He was 2d son of George Johnston, 8th Laird of J., who died 1590.
p.348-9--Mr. William Johnston, 3rd son of Sir George, 1st Bt. of Caskieben,
and his wife, Elizabeth Forbes of Tolquhon. His father died about 1650
and on 30 April 1651 he was served heir to his father in....Barony of Fintray.
He was Professor of Mathematics in King's College, married Helen Cullen
and had dau., Marjory, who married Alexander Leith of Bucharn and another
dau., Anna, who m. Alexander Skene of Dyce. Helen Cullen was "dau.
of Provost Cullen [George Cullen, Provost of
Aberdeen], whose 2nd wife was Barbara Johnston, sister of Professor
William, his son-in-law, she being a dau. of Arthur Johnston, the poet,
and his 2nd wife." [NOTE: this must be incorrect, as William, the son-in-law
of Provost Cullen, was son of George Johnston, 1st Bt., and Elizabeth Forbes,
not of Arthur. Perhaps the writer confused him with Arthur's son,
William, the Professor of Civil Law, of whom, see below].
There was another Mr. William Johnston in Aberdeen, Professor of Civil Law, King's College, 1669, of an older generation than the Professor of Mathematics. This William was "1st cousin to his father, being son of Arthur the poet by his 2nd wife, Barbara Gordon; (the first [wife] was a Belgian, Mary Kynuncle whom he met on his travels)." That is, William, the Professor of Civil Law, was the son of Arthur Johnston and, as such, was first cousin to the father (Sir George, 1st Bt. of Caskieben) of William, Professor of Mathematics, King's College.
William Johnston, the Professor of Civil Law who was son of Arthur Johnston
and Barbara Gordon, was baptised in 1636 and in later life became a Quaker.
Reference is made to his daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Whyte [this
Elizabeth married as her second husband, George Keith, a co-founder of
Quakerism]. [NOTE: conflicting information--Chart in book by Alexander
Johnston shows Elizabeth to be daughter of Dr. William Johnston of Biedlieston,
who was the brother of Arthur the poet and son of George Johnston and Christian
Forbes, as does Dr. Lorand Johnson's compilation, Selected References to
Johnston
of Caskieben, Crimond & Caiesmill, (self-published, 1975, p.164)].
The above information represents my notes taken from the Spalding Club publication of the Valuation of the County of Aberdeen for the year 1667, which was printed from the original ms. The copy examined is housed at the Library of the University of St. Andrews. My deepest gratitude and thanks to David Dobson, who directed me to this source.
Susan Carlson
27 October 1999
|
|
|
|