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

11
;
16G THE WEDDERBUIIX COOK.
Ch^p'iv
^^ ^"^'^ acquired :it the eml of 1727, hefore lie was of a-e, for 4G,000 merks, the lands
and "Bank of Ualdovan' (D.Dec. 101 ;
F.S. 100) from Thomas Xaini, wlio seems to have
been in liis debt (R.A.D. IGl), and here he for some time resided, the old manor place of
AVeddcrbiirn, which, at his father's deatli had been "not habitable for some years past and
in a ruinous condition," having been almost all pulled down H.W. .5-12). J. W. in his
MS. says, on tlie autiiority of Henry Scrymgeonr-Weddcrburii, that " he kept a pack of
" fo.\houn( Is- at the Bank, which was the scene, under his auspices, of several Ipacchanaliaii
" meetings. At one of tliese, on a Saturd.iy evening, an irreverent scheme had been laid
"between himself and a numerous party to incapacitate .Mr. [Hugh ilaxwell], minister of
" Strathmartino, for officiating on the following day. Tiie minister's head being of stronger
"materials than was supposed, he drank the whole party out, laid tliem on feather beds
"round the dining room floor, and retreated to his manse not any the worse himself"
It was to tills minister, then at Forfar, and his eldest son, that, G Apiil 1743, David
disponed Bridgend of Achray and part of I'.aldovan (D.Dec. 101 ; F.S. 11 4; Il.D. 444),
while some years later. 10 July 17.j9, he agreed to sell the Bank and the rest of Baldovan
to Walter Tullideph of Balgay (S.W. 597). The disposition is dated 24 Nov. 1759,-* and
the price was £G,750 stg. (//-." 599
;.
D. 392).-'
His sale of Baldovan was, no doubt, due to his acquisition of another property, that
of Bullion, CO. Perth, from iiis distant relative and factor David Brisbane (post. Part III.,
chap, ii.), who. being unmarried and having but one surviving sister, Margaret, left his
estate of Bullion and a South Xethergait property-* in Dundee to her for life and to David
Wedderburn in fee.** David Brisbane's " scheme " for this disposition of liis property is
dated in 1750 (S.W 584). tiie disposition itself following 13-14 Jan. 1752 (S.W. G29-30
D.P.B. 591 !,
whereupon Margaret Brisbane at once, 12 Feb. 1752, (R.A.D. 404) released
her life rent iu Bullion to David Wedderburn before her brother's death, whicli took place
15 Feb. 1752. David Wedderburn proposed to build a residence at Bullion, and tliere is
a submission (20 Sept.) and decreet arbitral (7 Xov.) between him and his neighbour,
Thomas Miln of Milufield," on matters involved by this intention, in 17G0 (8. \V. G03 ;
R.D. R.D. 395), while there is another such submission and decreet 23, 27 Jan., 3 Feb.
1761, between him and his neighbour, Mi-s. Marion Clayhills (wife of Dr. George Murray)
of Inneruowrie, in resiard to tlie burn of Inuergowrie, and the m.archcs of two properties
(S.W. Gol-o ; R.D. 39S).s
He died at Dundee, 27 June 1761 (R.II. 39),' and was there buried, the Mortcloth
'
He had litigation f. tlie tenants of Clepington in regard to the muUurp.s of Paldovan, 4, 16 Feb. 1738,
in which the town of Dundee appointed as tlieir advocate David Scrvmgeour of Eiikhill, unles.i,
"as a near relative of Wedderburn." he should object to act ^U C.B. IS"). In 173U Dec. 18,
there is a decreet on Wedderbuvn's summons v. Guthrie of Clepington, to which Jolm Wedderburn
is appointed a comnli^sione^ to liear evidence for David, and his father, Sir Alexander, is suiumonetl
{13 a witness (R.A.D. 165).
' There is a portrait of David in a red eo:it and full bottomed wig at Birkhill.
' J.W. in his JIS. says that David sold the Bank before 1754, but t)ie di.^po.sition is clear for 1759. HeaUo
says, "before it was .sold to Dr. Walter TuUidejih, it was called the 'Bank of Wedderburue,' but
either the doctor or his son-in-law, Sir .John Ogilvy, who got the estate with Miss Tullideph, liis wife,
called it the Bank of Baldovan and built an addition to the house (Hei\es Pearsie)." Tliis, too, is an
error, as it was certainly called the Bank of Baldovan wht-n David bought it.
• There is an inventory of the writs of Baldovan, 24 Dec. 1759. in the Wedderburn charter chest (S.W.
600) from which it apjiesrs that the lauds at one time belonged to the Scrynigeours of Dudhope and
Kirktoun. I'erhap.s it is thus that, 20 July 1760, 'Wedderbum and Tullideph sue Lady Jean
Maitland (relict of Sir James Ferguson of Kilkerran) for production of the writs of Baldovan (It.A.D.
180), the JIaitlands having superseded the Scrynigeours in Dudhope. See tlie next chapter.
' There is cognition of David Brisbane in this South Neiliergait property as heir to his mother 14 Jan. 1752,
with the entry therein, .March 4, cf Jlargaret, his sister, as his heir in liferent, and. June 4. David
Wedderbum in fee, under the siiid disposition (D.P.B. 591). Margaret Brisbane made a settlement
on Grizel Wedderburn and Helen Davidson, daughter of Balgay, which was registered 17 April 1771
S.W. 646).
• He also left legacies to his cousins and namesakes, David Wedderburn, son of the late Sir John, and to
David Read, sou of Alexander Read of Turfbeg (post, Part III.), which are named S.W. 584, 590,
591, 594-95.
' See also a bundle of papers re the affairs of David and Grizel and Sliln of Mihifield (S.W. 601).
• Other dealin'^s with liis properties by David arc, 21 Xov. 1735, a tack of the lands of Hillhouses, co.
Forfar, to Andrew Douald.^on (R"D. 373) ; 7 Sept. 1743, the sale of a North Murraygait laud (D.P.B.
587) ; 1744, a submission by him and Alexander Duncan of Lundie to David Seryuigeour of liirkhiU
of differences re the thirlaije of Wester Gourdie and Denmiln, with decreet 27 Feb. 1745 (R.D. 353);
and, 13 Feb 1751, his cognition in the Xorth Overgait laud, acquired by his great gi-audfather from
Barten Belsone (ante, ]). 1141, and wliicli, having pa.ssed to his grandfather, his uncle John, and
his father, and now to himseU, he, 26 AprU 1751, sells for £190 stg. (D.P.B. 590 ; D.D. 117).