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

ROBERT, THE MERCHANT. 19
Robert Wedderburai [1550— 1022?], only survivin;? son of Mr. Robert WeJder- Part'-
bum and Isobell Lovcll. He is first named in 1552-53 in the precept
°*^^^' ''
for and letters of
legitimation already mentioned (R.l'.S. 19. (i.S.li. 32), thon^h even after tiiis, lie and his
brother are sometimes called "sons natural" of their mother, e.r/., when, 12 Nov. 15G0
she and they got sasine from Alexander Ma.twell of Tealing of ; third of the lan.ls of lUlkello
(D.P.B. lOtJ), and 26 April 1570, when she and Robert get an annual rent from Richird
Thane of Logy (D.P.B. 152). The service (23 Nov. 15G0) of their cousin, John WVdJerbum,
as nearest agnate to them (D B.R. 10-t) has been referred to above, to show that they
were then under age, as they probably were until 1571 (D.BR. 187, I'Ji). iiobcrt wa.s, as
n-ehave seen, heir to his brother, David, and inherited property from him, his mother iind
his stepfather, David Cant (D.P.B. 2i8, 202 ;
D.B.R. 27(3). Ho at oiio tin'ie, 27 Au". 1590
acquired some land called Kilmanyis-tak in and near W'ester Uourdie, but resii^ned it'
9 Nov. 1591, to Ale.xauder Wedderburn, the clerk (S.W. G8 «, /;, ;i02 ; D.l'.B 3101.- Ho
lived in the Flukergait of I )undee, where he long traded as a merchant, and took an'activo
part in the affairs of the burgh. He was admitted a burgess 11 Dec 15S0 (D (, B ''5)
and after a lapse of some years, is frequently named, 1591-95, as councillor (D.C.I! 18) •
1591-92, as hospital-master (D.BR. 290, D.l'.B. 289) to which ollice iio was elected on'
19 Sept. in the former year (D.C'.B. 17) ; 1596, as a magistrate (D.B.R. 311 ,/) ; 1598,
as collector of the unlaws, being so elected 5 Oct. (D C.B. 22) ; and a;;aln, 15J9-|t:08 ns
councillor, in which capacity he is one of the signatories to a gift of the clerkship, I 7 .I'ulv
1604, in favour of .lames Wedderburn, second sou of Kingonnie (D.C.B. 28), ai'id is also
occasionally named as a member of assize.' He is constantly designed " merthant " to
distinguish him from his namesake, the notary, in relation to whom he is uU.) called
"younger," although as against two others of the same name, a vounuer brother of
Kingennie, and a son of I'atrick Wedderburn and Elizabeth Low hu'is iumself " elder."*
e.g., 18 Nov. 1591, when there is an assignation by Mr. Alexander Wedderburn, the clerk
to his cousin, Robert ^\'edderburn, elder, mercluint burgess of i)uiidee (S.W. 80) Ho
is named in various business transactions, such as tiie granting of bomls or dischari/es
from 1581 on.^ Thus he was oue of the creditors of David, Earl of Crawfurd, whoso
arrest and commitment to Edinburgh Castle he joined in securing (R. I». -JO, R. i'.C.
39, 41-2); and he had various dealings with his "gossip" or cousin David, the author
of the "Compt Bulk," in which he is mentioned as late as 8 Sept. 1019 (D.W. 91/).
In the same record we find him acting as godfather to David's daugiiter Matilda,
25 Jan. 1595, and taking charge of the papers of Alexander, orjihan son of Kingennie's
brother. Robert (/6. 12 h, 14 c, 15 r), while 7 Sept. 1597 he is concerned in
the aflairs of the daughters of Edward Wedderburn, to one of whom lie seems to have
been ex