Wedderburn book; a history of the Wedderburns in ... - waughfamily.ca

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PART I.
Chapter I.
jAMEi WedDERBURN- IS DuXDEE, AXD HIS DesCEXDASTS.
Sect. I.—James IVedderljum. {m. Janet Ban-y). His sons James, J„hn, Rnhert, Henri/, and Part I.
Gilbert, ami his (Jaurjhtev Elizabeth ; with a>i account of the. descendants of hi's two ^^^P-
younjest sont, showing their mate line to be extinct. (See pedii/ree at p. 9./
James Wedderburn [1450 ? -1514], ' Although we are able to trace his
descendants through ticveml icuerations, we Imve no means of asceitainiui,' liis own
parentage or of fixing liis rehitionsiiip to his contemporaries of his name in Dundee. It
is from liim that Douglas has erroneously endeavoured to trace the iloscL'ut of the
Kingeiinie family. The Dundee records, however, as we shall see later ou, make it clear
that this is impossible, and that the \Vedderb\irns of Kingeimie are descended from
another member of the family, contemporary with, and no doubt nearly related to this
James. (See the Introduction and post, chap, iv.)
Looking at his position in the burgh during his life, at the ages of some of his
children, the eldest of whom was admitted a burgess of Dundee not later than 1517
(D.L.H. 1, 3), and at the date of his own death, 1513-14 I Ex. R. U), we mav fairlv assume
James Wedderburn to have been born about 1450. He lived, accordiii" to Calderwootl's
account of his sons, at the West Kirk style in Dundee, where both as buro-ess and as
bailie- he was a prominent merchant and active citizen, and, in addition, was for''s(.Mie years
customar of the burghs His name occurs first in .May 1491, when there are two decreets
mentioning James Uedd'burn or of Wedd'buru, in connection with some mercantile tninsactions
with Norway (R A.D. l.',3). He seems to have been customar of Dundee between 1503
and 1513, and it is one of the entries in regard to this office which fixes ap[)roxiniatelv the
date of his death, as on 18 July 1514 Jonet Barry, relict of James ^Vedllerburu, reiiders
an account for part of the year 1503. (Ex. 11. 9.) The earliest mention of him in the
Dundee records is dated 8 -luly 1497, when, together with David and R(jbert Wedderburn
perhaps his brothers, he witnesses a resignation (DC. 1.) Other references to him are to
be found in 1503, when his laud in North Flukergait is named as a boundarv {ib.2\ and
in 1510 and 1513 when he acts as a witness. (il>. 4-6.)* He is occasionally u.iUKd in the
Dundee records after his death, ^ e.g., 28 Sept. 1521, when his son James, "sun and heirof
the late -lames Wedderburn," is returned heir to his father in some annual rents. (D.l'.l;. 5.)
The lauds of his heire in North Flukergait are also mentioned 9 Jan. 1528 (D.l*. 15. 24 a),
as well as, 29 Nov. 1531, some land in S. Jlargaret's Close, North Marketgait, of which his
son James gets sasine, apparently as his father's heir. (D.P.H. 12.) .Vnother entry •(/(. 17),
dated 8 June 15'.^7, speaks of his relict. Janet Barry, and his daughter Elizabeth, ns au'reoiii"
to confirm certain contracts made by him, no doubt in regard to the marriage of the latter.
li.Il, fla •
Ex R. 2-10: K.P.S 1; R.A.D. 2, 3, 5 ; Jieg. de Panmure ; Spalding Club Mt$r.; ai„l J/ut'
MSS Hep. 18S4.
1 Synopsis of references :—S.W. 3 ; D.C. 1, 2, 4-6 ; D L.B. 1, 3 ; D.P B. 5, 17. 24 a, ii ; D
* He is called burge^^a in the Register of the Privv Seal (R.P.S. 1), " qnonilani ljiir);on»i* " 'Ei R 10).
and bailie {tb 3. ^, 7). See also R..-\.D. 6, where, 2-'? Nov. 1503, lie mid aiictlH-r Unli,-. „nd .l^nie.
Scrymgeour. provuar. are defenders in a suit ; S.W. 3, where, 2S Sept. IT'OiJ, Juinea U'ii|.ii-rl>um i«
bailie for .lames Scrymgeour, constable of Dundee, and the Kf'jiitrum de I'anmurr, j> *J74. where,
9 Feb. 1508, Jaines Weilderburn, " biirges of Dundee," witnesses with Jniiioi Oiichlirlonuy of tlmt
ilk and .Tames Scr^mgeour a charter of confirmation by Sir Thomas .Maiile of l'.inniui acting
1508-13, and his relict renders an account in resfiect of the year 1503. his entry ii|..ii thr ..trk-p it
said to have taken place in succession to James Rollok in .April 1510, and he lind a c.jniiiii».i..ii i.f the
cuatomarship under the Privy Seal, dated 30 July 1512. {See E.v R- 2-10 mid It.I'S. 1 lithrr be
held the office not continuously but at various separate times, or the lati^r entri'-« n-fi-r i.i .me of
the three James Wedderburns, living in Dunilee 1500-24. See post Ch.i|). iv, Sui.-i.i-ti..ii i. ii..ic 1.
* He is probably to be idtnlitied with ^a) James Wedderburn, burgess of Iiiindee. in whc-j- f iv..nr \\'a;«T
Strang of Petcorthie granted a precept of sasiue, datei.1 at Auchtiihuus l.'i .Vay l.'Ol, (..r infrfimif
him in one third of the lands of Ilawilowe, in the regality of Kyrimuir ;
saline itt-iiik' ;:iv,-ri L'T i VI,
See Hitt. MSS. Jiepo't (1S84), ix., pt. ii.. p. 1S96, Elphiiistoneof Carberry Pajiers, aiii..ii;; wl.;. h i. ihu
precept, with ''seals attached," including, presumably, that of the grantee. (//) J.iiiic-« v\ r.'..lrjl,«i-o
of Dundee, named as a creditor in the will of John Erskine of Dun, 15 Aug. 1513 .Sirti.linjc Ctub
Misc. 1849. vol. iv., p. 15).
* See also the n;ention of James, son and heir of James Wedderburn (though not called ilecirAwiJ) oo
16 April 1521. (,D.B R. 6 a.)