Meldrum of Seggie

MELDRUM

of SEGGIE

 

 

William de Meldrum of Newhall, is the first to appear in extant documentation and although there is no evidence to prove the precise relationship, it is likely that he was nearly related to the Meldrums of Bynny and Cleish. As “Lord of Newhall”, he resigned his lands of Auchtermony, in the Earldom of Lennox, to John Lyon for a period of five years by instruments dated 8 April 1373[1] and was father of,

William de Meldrum of Newhall, is styled son of “William de Melgdrum” when, on 19 June 1379, he obliged himself to dispone the lands of Achtermony to Sir John Lyon.[2] He was succeeded by;

Alexander Meldrum of Seggie, was in all likelihood the heir male of line of the former,and had either succeeded to or else acquired the lands of Seggie, in Kinrosshire, by 18 July 1448, when he witnessed a charter by John Eviot of Balhoussie granting the half of the lands of Muirton to his eldest son, Richard Eviot.[3] He had a charter for a dam on the water of Moltre to be used for the Mill at Seggie from Sir Thomas de Wemyss of Rires on 9 October 1461[4] and made a resignation to his son, David, in April 1468. He d. soon afterwards and had issue;

  1. David Meldrum of Seggie, (see below).
  2. Mr William Meldrum. He and his brother James are styled “filiis domini de Segy” when witness to a charter by the Bishop of St. Andrews in favour of the monks at Arbroath dated 17 October 1470.[5] He became vicar of Brechin and a canon of the Cathedral there, then was consecrated Bishop of Brechin between 30 January and 7 July 1489. He continued in that office until his death in 1514×1516.
  3. James Meldrum,

David Meldrum of Seggie, was infeft in the lands of Newhall, in the barony of Cambo and constabulary of Crail, on his father’s resignation, on 9 April 1468, and succeeded to those of Seggie on his father’s death.[6] He d. before April 1498 having m. firstly, to a woman named Elizabeth who was jointly infeft with him in the lands of Newhall on 9 April 1468, and by whom he was father of,

  1. Alexander Meldrum of Seggie, (see below).

He m. secondly, to Christine Pitcairn by whom he had further issue;

  1. Henry Meldrum, who was under age at his father’s death and whose custody was the subject of a legal dispute between his elder brother, Alexander Meldrum of Seggie, and his mother in 1498.

Alexander Meldrum of Seggie, had succeeded by 28 April 1498, when he raised an action against his stepmother, Christine Pitcairn, for refusing to deliver up to him his half-brother, Henry Meldrum, along with his rights for the lands of Petforky in Forfarshire.[7] He m. about 1495, to Euphame, daughter of David Boswell of Balmutto, and d. after 24 October 1500 when he witnessed a charter by William, Bishop of Brechin, granting the lands of Fyndore to Peter Dempster, son and heir of John Dempster of Carraldston, and Janet Ochterlony, his wife,[8] and before 24 May 1508. He had issue;

  1. Alexander Meldrum of Seggie, succeeded and was infeft in the lands of Newhall as heir to his late father on 24 May 1508.[9]On 28 February 1510/11 he had a gift from the King of the non-entries of the lands of Seggie which had been lapsed for fifty or so years and were held of James Hay and Andrew Kinnaird, barons of Naughton, as superiors.[10] He and dsp before 10 June 1514, most likely at the battle of Flodden in September of 1513, and was succeeded by his brother, Thomas.
  2. Thomas Meldrum of Seggie, (see below).
  3. David Meldrum, became a Burgess of Crail.
  4. Margaret Meldrum, m. by 12 August 1539, to Sir William Bruce, 2nd of Earlshall, when they had a conjunct charter for the lands of Mains of Langbirgham,[11] and had issue.
  5. Grisel Meldrum, m. by 24 August 1537, to Sir James Learmonth of Dairsie, (he was widow of Catherine Ramsay by whom he had issue), when they had a charter for the lands of Balcomie from Sir Thomas Erskine of Brechin,[12] and had issue.
  6. Elizabeth Meldrum, m. James Sandilands of Cruvie.

Mr. Thomas Meldrum of Seggie, succeeded and was infeft in the lands of Newhall as heir to his late brother, Alexander, on 10 June 1514.[13] He had sasine for four acres of land around Cupar on 12 June 1535 which had lapsed and been in nonentry for fifty-four years,[14] and is styled patron of that chapel and altar in the cathedral church of Brechin previously founded by the late William, Archdeacon of Dunkeld and Vicar of Brechin, in a donation by John Liddell, citizen of Brechin, and Elizabeth Wemyss, his wife, dated 4 August 1547.[15]

He m. after September 1513 and before January 1517, to Janet Dischington, (she was widow of Andrew Lundy of Balgonie,[16] who had been killed at Flodden in September 1513), who is styled his wife in an action raised by her in the sheriff court of Fife against James Lundy of Balgonie, on that latter date,[17] and d. in April 1568[18] having had issue;

  1. Alexander Meldrum, who d. vita patris and was father of,

1a} James Meldrum of Seggie, (see below).

  1. Mr. William Meldrum, is named with his brother Mr George in charters by their father and on 25 November 1565, he had the gift of the escheat of the lands of Balcomy which had been forfeited from James Haliburton, Provost of Dundee.[19]
  2. Mr. George Meldrum, was attorney to his father in a Sasine to him for a tenemant and garden in Brechin on 10 January 1547/48[20] which his father subsequently resigned to him on 13 May 1549.[21] He and his brother William were witnesses to a charter by their father for the lands of Seggie in favour of their nephew, James Meldrum, on 20 March 1563. He m. Christina Ramsay with whom he was infeft in a tenement in Crail on 20 June 1556,[22] and d. before 20 December 1581, having had issue;

3a} George Meldrum, was served heir to his father in the lands of Drumcloche on 21 February 1581[23] and resigned his father’s tenement and lands in Brechin to John Taylor, citizen of Brechin, and Isabel Brown, his wife, on 5 May 1587.[24]

James Meldrum of Seggie, to whom his grandfather, Thomas Meldrum of Seggie, conveyed the half of the lands of Seggie by charter dated 20 March 1563[25], and training for the law, he was admitted an Ordinary Lord of Session on 9 July 1575. He m. March 1563, to Elizabeth, daughter of David Boswell of Balmutto, and d. on 15 February 1588. He was buried in the Abbey-Church of Holyrood, on 17th following,[26] having had issue;

  1. Sir David Meldrum, of Seggie, (see below).
  2. John Meldrum, was the recipient of a Tack from the King of victuals and surplusses from the archbishopric of St Andrews. He had a granted of 2000 acres in Ulster in 1609.[27]
  3. James Meldrum, was also recipient of a Tack from the King of victuals and surplusses from the archbishopric of St Andrews.[28]
  4. Alexander Meldrum. He and his brothers, John and James, had a ratification from the King on 5 June 1592, who“having respect to the good, true and thankful service done to his highness by the late James Meldrum of Seggie, one of the senators of the college of justice, and having his bairns in singular commendation” he “ratifies, approves and confirms all and whatsoever gifts of pensions, assignations and dispositions of victuals and sums of money assigned thereof in favour of Alexander, John and James  Meldrum, lawful bairns to the said late James, either proceeding directly from his majesty or from the late Robert, earl of March, commendator of the priory of St Andrews, with all decreets, sentences, letters and executorials directed thereupon; and wills that the same shall stand in full strength in all time hereafter according to their rights, notwithstanding whatsoever right, gift, disposition or assignation made in the contrary to whatsoever his highness’s lieges; and declares that so often as any of the said assignations shall be used against the said bairns or to their prejudice they shall be preferred in their right, and the said pretended assignations in no way regarded, howsoever the same has been obtained or shall be obtained hereafter; and ordains publication to be made hereupon.”[29]He, apparently, is identical to the “Alexander Meldrum of Seggie” who died at the “place of Forret” in July 1598,[30] and was father of,

4a} David Meldrum, was executor to his father.

  1. Margaret Meldrum, m. Sir James Schaw of Sauchie, and had issue.

Sir David Meldrum of Seggie, who, on 1 December 1587, had a charter from his father for the half of Seggie in implementation of his marriage contract with Agnes, daughter of Robert Leslie of Findressie,[31] and succeeding his father, he was served heir to him in the lands of Newhall, with the tower and manor there, and the half-lands of Segy, with the manor, on 31 October 1588,[32]then in a half-part of those of Brichtie on 8 April 1589. He d. in October 1613[33] and was father of,

  1. James Meldrum, younger of Seggie, who, with his father disponed their lands of Seggie to David, Lord Carnegie, in July of 1614. He had dsp by June 1622.
  2. Mr. William Meldrum, was served heir general to his father on 26 June 1622[34] and had dsp before 26 August 1638 when his brother, George, was infeft in the lands of Gogar as heir to him.
  3. George Meldrum of Tullibody, witnessed a charter by Sir James Schaw of Sauchie, on 1 April 1622 and is then styled son of the deceased Sir David Meldrum of Seggie,[35] and was infeft in the lands of Gogar as heir to his brother Mr. William on 26 August 1638, which he disponed to his brother Robert. He served as a Major in the army and declined to have himself served heir to his brother Robert in the lands of Gogar on account of their being encumbered with debt. He succeeded that brother in those of Tullibody and d. in May of 1681.[36]
  4. Robert Meldrum, acquired the lands of Burghlie from Mr. Andrew Bennet, Minister of Creich, and David Wemyss, Minister of Scone, which were confirmed to him under the Great Seal on 2 September 1644.[37] He had also acquired those of Tulliebody by December 1652, and dying without issue, he was succeeded by his brother, George.
  5. Janet Meldrum, was executor to her father in 1614.

 

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[1] Calendar of Glamis Charters, 1, 2/49.

[2] Calendar of Glamis Charters, 1, 3/67.

[3] Kinnoul muniments, noted by John Maitland Thomson, Keeper of Records.

[4] NRAS792/5/8. The early writs for the lands of Seggie are included within that collection and only survive from 1461 with this particular deed.

[5] Reg. Arbroath, No. 185.

[6] GD1/640/1.

[7] Acta Dom Conc. Printed Vol. II. pp. 179-180.

[8] Reg. Brechin. No. 231.

[9] GD1/640/3.

[10] RPS Vol. I. No. 2215.

[11] C2/26/448.

[12] C2/26/43.

[13] GD1/640/5.

[14] Ex. Rolls. Vol. XVI. p. 594.

[15] Reg. Brechin. No. 129.

[16] SHS Sheriff Court Book of Fife p. 89.

[17] SHS Sheriff Court Book of Fife p. 91.

[18] CC8/8/1/pp.273-275.

[19] PS1/33/133.

[20] Reg. Brechin. No. 131.

[21] Reg. Brechin. No. 132.

[22] RH1/2/38.

[23] C22/3/194.

[24] Reg. Brechin. No. 152.

[25] RMS 1547-1580. No. 1518.

[26] Books of Sederunt.

[27] RPC First Series, Vol. 8, p. 317.

[28] Parliamentary Register, 29th July 1587.

[29] Parliamentary Register, 5th June 1592.

[30] CC8/8/32/pp.406-408.

[31] RMS 1580-1593. No. 1420.

[32] GD86/290

[33] CC20/4/5/p.395.

[34] C22/8/48.

[35] RMS 1620-1633. No. 309.

[36] Masterton Diary.

[37] RMS 1634-1651. No. 1560.