First draft © Red Book of Scotland - 2025.
MACILVAINE
of GRUMET
Nigel Macilvaine of Grumet, is the first for whom there is extant evidence but of his ancestry little of any accuracy can be said. He died about 1484 and was succeeded by;
Gilbert Macilvaine of Grumet, succeeded to the lands of Grumet about 1484 and was a witness to letters of reversion by Quentin Mure of Aird to John, Lord Kennedy, for the lands of Barbiston dated 24 May 1505.[1] He took Instruments in August 1529 declaring that he had occupied and intromitted with the lands of Grumet and Attiquin, extending to twelve-merk lands for the space of forty-five years and that “on being required to produce his sasine of the lands, if he has any, he declared that he had not for the time an evident to produce.”[2] His son Alan assigned the lands of Attiquin to him by Instruments taken at that same time and in which he is styled “aged.”[3] He died after then and before 24 January 1538/39, when Mr. James Kennedy, vicar of Maybole, assigned the nonentry duties of the lands of Grumetland to Gilbert, Earl of Cassills, until the entry of the heir.[4] He was father of,
Alan Macilvaine of Grumet, is styled younger of Grumet when a member of the inquest at the retour of John Kennedy of Bennan as heir to his late father, George Kennedy of Bennan, in 1517[5] and as “filius et here apparens Gilberti M’Yleine de Grumet,” he was bailie to a Sasine in favour of Neil Fergusson for the lands of Knockgarran on 21 February 1534/24.[6] His father having neglected to have made up his title to Grumet and Attiquin, he received letters under the Privy Seal on 3 June 1529, for the nonentries and relief of those lands with power to intromit and collect the mails, duties and profits,[7] and which were confirmed to him by charter under the Great Seal on 16 October following.[8] He had the gift of the nonentry of the lands of Grumetland on 21 September 1535,[9] and in which he was infeft as heir to his late father upon precept dated 14 September 1541.[10] He married Mariote Fergusson (who had her liferent of the lands of Attiquin reconfirmed on 1 May 1544[11] and 20 July 1548[12]) and had the liferent of the lands of Attiquin reserved to himself on 20 July 1548.[13] He was alive on 28 June 1554,[14] when he was a member of an assize, but died soon after. He was father of,
Gilbert Macilvaine, fiar of Grumet, is styled heir apparent when witness letters of reversion by Thomas Corry of Kelwood and Margaret Napier, his wife, to Gilbert, Earl of Cassills, for the lands of Penmurie and others dated 27 May 1546.[15] He married by 1 May 1544, to Janet Corry, when they had a charter from his father for the lands of Nether Grumet and Attiquin,[16] and was killed at the battle of Fawside in September 1547.[17] He had issue;
Patrick Macilvaine of Grumet, succeeded and was served heir special to his father in the lands of Nether and Over Grumet and Aquittan on 25 October 1547,[18] in which he was infeft upon precept dated 20 July 1548.[19] He witnessed a resignation by John Ranken in Penblabot on 6 November 1566[20] and also witnessed a Bond of caution subscribed by John, Earl of Cassills, on 24 August 1598, not to harm John Hamilton, parson of Crawfordjohn.[21] He married Isobel Kennedy (who had a liferent of the mains of Nether Grumet reserved to her on 1 1 July 1597[22]) and died in November 1613,[23] having had issue;
John Macilvaine of Grumet, was provided by his father to the lands of Grumet by charter dated 1 July 1597[24] and was included with his father in a complaint brought before the Privy Council on 5 February 1602, for having been part of a force raised by John, Earl of Cassills, which attacked and “unmercifullie slew” Gilbert Kennedy of Bargany when he was leaving Maybole.[25] He and his father subscribed cautions for their good behaviour on 21 October of that year[26] and by 2 June 1603, he and other’s responsible for Bargany’s death had been apprehended and held by Jean Stewart, Lady Bargany, who was ordered by the Privy Council on that date to set them at liberty.[27] He and his father took further caution on 4 April 1604, to not harm John Schaw of Keiris[28] and on 28 April 1613, he was the subject of one complaint to the Privy Council by John, Earl of Cassills, while the pursuer in other over the same incident committed against him “in November last [1612] while repoising himself in sober manner within the Kaitchpole of Mayboill, he was there attacked and shamefully treated by Johnne Kennedy of Blairquhan, accompanied by John McDougall of French, Gilbert Baird, younger of Kilquhenzie, Johne Baird, brother german to Oliver Baird of Kilquhenzie and others, but “persaveing thay we not able at that tyme to get their wicked interpyse execute agains him, these persons past furth of the said kaitchpolole, and immediatelie returnit agane to the said place, quhair Johnne, Earll of Cassillis, wes for the tyme ; and, without any respect to the said Earl, the said Johnne Kenedy with a drawn swerd in the ane hand and ane battoun in the uther, and the others with drawn swords, renewed the assault, and would have slain pursuer, had he not escaped by the providence of God and his awne bettir defence. Further, the said persons made another serious attack on the pursure while he was going from the Kaitchpoole in the convoy of the said Lord to his ludgeing.[29]” He was served heir general to his on 26 August 1617[30] and died “ane old man in house & family wt his sone” in April 1669.[31] He married, firstly, by 6 March 1621, to Anna Corry[32] (who died in February 1632[33]) by whom he had issue;
- David Macilvaine, had died s.p. before 23 March 1637 when his brother John was served heir general to him. Then, on 22 March 1643, his sisters Mariote, Agnes and Margaret were served heirs portioners to him.[34]
- John Macilvaine, was served heir to his “immediate elder brother,” David, on 23 March 1637[35] and died s.p. before March 1643.
- Margaret Macilvaine, married before 24 June 1644, to Alexander Kennedy, son of Sir Alexander Kennedy of Culzeane.[36]
- Agnes Macilvaine,
- Helen Macilvaine,
- Marion Macilvaine, all of which daughters were named in their mother Anna Corry’s Testament in 1632.
He married secondly, by 22 July 1633, to Julian, daughter of John Schaw of Keiris,[37] (she died in December 1641[38]) and had further issue;
- Quentin Macilvaine of Grumet, (see below).
- Anna Macilvaine,
- Julian Macilvaine, was an executor with her sister, Anna, to their mother in 1641.
Quentin Macilvaine of Grumet, was appointed one of the commissioners for levying the Militia in Ayrshire in 1668,[39] and succeeding his father, he was served heir to him on 8 October 1669.[40] He had been arrested and detained for attending conventicles 4 March 1678, when he was released under caution.[41] He was examined under oath the following day but was “quit and fred therof in all tyme comeing.”[42] He died in February 1694[43] having married, firstly, to Marion Blair, whom he infeft in a liferent in March 1656,[44] and secondly, to Margaret Mure, apparently, daughter or sister to John Mure of Auchindrain. He had issue by both wives;
- John Macilvaine of Grumet, (see below).
- William Macilvaine, born on 26 February 1686.
- Isobel Macilvaine, to whom her brother John MacIvane of Grumet granted a Bond on 8 November 1694,[45] which she assigned to Mr. Henry Osborne, Minister of Tarbolton, on 24 October 1712.[46]
- Julian Macilvaine, also had a Bond from her brother John Macilvaine of Grumet on 8 November 1694.[47] She married at Thomaston, on 26 December 1698 to Mr. Andrew Rodger, Minister of Galston.[48]
John Macilvaine of Grumet, succeeded his father in 1694 and had general service as heir to him on 27 January 1738.[49] He married about 1679, to Anna, daughter of Colonel Robert Cunningham, brother of William, 8th Earl of Glencairn, who, on 20 June 1707, renounced her liferent of certain lands granted to her in her marriage contract in favour of Mr. Henry Adam, Minister at Kirkoswald.[50] He died in July 1739[51] and was father of,
- John Macilvaine of Thomaston, (see below).
- Robert Macilvaine, baptised at Edinburgh, on 22 July 1680 and died before July 1739.
- Anna Macilvaine, was executor to her brother John Macilvaine, younger of Grumet, on 20 May 1747. She married on 1 June 1724, to William Cunningham of Auchinskeith,[52] whom she survived.
John Macilvaine of Thomaston, the only son, who is so-styled in his father’s Testament in November 1740. He died s.p.before 20 May 1747, when his sister Ann Macilvaine, relict of William Cunningham of Auchinskeit, was executor to him as “nearest of kin.”[53]
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[1] GD25/1/191.
[2] Protocol Book of Gavin Ross, no. 1045.
[3] Protocol Book of Gavin Ross, no. 1047.
[4] GD25/1/360.
[5] GD60/3.
[6] Crosraguel charters, no. 44.
[7] PS1/8/51.
[8] C2/23/136.
[9] GD25/1/334. See also: GD25/1/307, which refers to Grumetland having been in nonentry since the death of Neil Macilvaine of Grumet.
[10] GD25/1/414.
[11] C2/29/411.
[12] Ex. Rolls. Vol. 18, p. 438.
[13] Ex. Rolls. Vol. 18, p. 438.
[14] C2/31/235.
[15] GD25/1/473.
[16] C2/29/411.
[17] C22/1/136.
[18] C22/1/136.
[19] Ex. Rolls. Vol. 18, p. 438.
[20] GD25/1/693.
[21] RPC First Series, Vol. 5, p. 701.
[22] C2/41/314.
[23] CC9/7/10/563-565.
[24] C2/41/314.
[25] RPC First Series, Vol. 6, p. 349.
[26] RPC First Series, Vol. 6, p. 761.
[27] RPC First Series, Vol. 6, p. 791.
[28] RPC First Series, Vol. 7, p. 549.
[29] RPC First Series, Vol. 10, p. 42.
[30] C22/6/244. His forename is incorrectly transcribed as “Thomas” in the printed abstract.
[31] CC9/7/38/69-70.
[32] RS12/2/130.
[33] CC9/7/25/487-489.
[34] C22/17/63.
[35] C22/15/236.
[36] RS12/7/620.
[37] RS12/6/62.
[38] CC9/7/29/127-128.
[39] RPC Third Series, Vol. 2, p. 528.
[40] C22/29/239.
[41] RPC Third Series, Vol. 5, p. 555.
[42] RPC Third Series, Vol. 5, p. 557.
[43] CC9/7/49/72-74.
[44] RS12/9/42.
[45] GD103/2/273.
[46] GD103/2/345.
[47] GD103/2/274.
[48] OPR – Kirkoswald.
[49] Services of Heirs.
[50] GD25/8/853.
[51] CC9/7/56/542-543.
[52] OPR – Kirkoswald.
[53] CC9/7/59/595-597.