FYI: Ross of Hanyng, County Ayr.
Replies: 3
Family of John Ross and Marion Hamilton: the male heirs.
| Walter Farwell (View posts) | Posted: 2 Oct 2002 7:15PM GMT |
Classification: Query
Surnames: Ross, Hamilton
Since prime sources as shown above provide fixed points from which bridges can be built when building an outline for the family of John Ross and Marion Hamilton, the "likely scenario" following is presented for consideration. I hope it is clear so that whenever conjectures are made, that they are recognized as such.
1. Dates for the life of John Ross of Hanyng:
1535.-- HIS BIRTH: The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, (1529 - 1536), Vol. XVI, page 591, dated 1535 show that John Ross had sasine to lands in Hanyng. From this, we might conclude that he must have been born by 1517, making him at least 18 years old when he became eligible to receive his inheritance.
1593.--HIS DEATH: The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, (1585 - 1592), Vol. 4, page 609, speaks of John Ross of Hanyng and of his sons George and Thomas in 1591. He must have been dead when an assize was made of his estate in 1593. So, we can say that he died circa 1592.
2. When was he married?
1554.--The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (1546 - 1580), Vol. 4, page 207; dated April 2, 1554 shows that John Ross was by then married to Mariota Hamilton. The Queen at this time confirmed that John held the lands in Hanyng. The question is WHY did John seek confirmation of this. It is very likely that he had begun to think of the security of a growing family. Afterall, he had had from 1535 to do this, so why at this time?.....From this, we might speculate that he and his wife had at least one or two children, and that he had married circa 1550.
3. Are these speculations justified?
I am going to place Mariota's birth as about 1530, and the birth of her children from about 1550 to about l570.
4. Who where their children?
1599.--The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, (1599 - 1604), Vol. 6, page 612, dated 1599, pages 612 and 429, identify their sons James Ross, Thomas Ross, Matthew Ross and Allan Ross.
1593.--But the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (1580 - 1593), Vol. 5, page 812, in 1593 says that John's heir was his grandson George Ross! Since we know he had sons still living, we may safely conclude that the George Ross who was his heir in 1593 was the male heir of John and Marion's (as she was late called) oldest son who had predeceased his father....From above, we know that they had a son named George, who was not named in 1599; he must have died soon after being named in 1591 and before his father died about 1592 --AND -- must have been the father of the grandson George who was heir to his grandfather Ross's lands in Hanyng in 1593.
In the list of FIXED POINTS given before, notice that there was one George Ross who had fought in the battle of Langside on May 13, 1568. And then in 1617, note that one Margaret Wallace, Dame of Hanyng, had a daughter who married a Stewart of Barskimming, Co. Ayr. It is conjectured that these references refer to George Ross, the oldest son of John and Marion. If John and Marion were married about 1550, they could have had a son old enough to take part in Langside in 1568....We can also deduce that George Ross, died circa 1592 had no other male heirs, because his brother Matthew Ross is the next Ross to be called "heir of Hanyng".
5. Another son not previously mentioned: John Ross of Dreghorne.
James Paterson's "History of Ayr....", page 526, seems to say that a grandson of John Ross and Marion Hamilton, in 1655, named an uncle John Ross of Dreghorn (an estate sometimes called "Fairlie") who in turn had a daughter Katherine.
1. Dates for the life of John Ross of Hanyng:
1535.-- HIS BIRTH: The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, (1529 - 1536), Vol. XVI, page 591, dated 1535 show that John Ross had sasine to lands in Hanyng. From this, we might conclude that he must have been born by 1517, making him at least 18 years old when he became eligible to receive his inheritance.
1593.--HIS DEATH: The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, (1585 - 1592), Vol. 4, page 609, speaks of John Ross of Hanyng and of his sons George and Thomas in 1591. He must have been dead when an assize was made of his estate in 1593. So, we can say that he died circa 1592.
2. When was he married?
1554.--The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (1546 - 1580), Vol. 4, page 207; dated April 2, 1554 shows that John Ross was by then married to Mariota Hamilton. The Queen at this time confirmed that John held the lands in Hanyng. The question is WHY did John seek confirmation of this. It is very likely that he had begun to think of the security of a growing family. Afterall, he had had from 1535 to do this, so why at this time?.....From this, we might speculate that he and his wife had at least one or two children, and that he had married circa 1550.
3. Are these speculations justified?
I am going to place Mariota's birth as about 1530, and the birth of her children from about 1550 to about l570.
4. Who where their children?
1599.--The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, (1599 - 1604), Vol. 6, page 612, dated 1599, pages 612 and 429, identify their sons James Ross, Thomas Ross, Matthew Ross and Allan Ross.
1593.--But the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (1580 - 1593), Vol. 5, page 812, in 1593 says that John's heir was his grandson George Ross! Since we know he had sons still living, we may safely conclude that the George Ross who was his heir in 1593 was the male heir of John and Marion's (as she was late called) oldest son who had predeceased his father....From above, we know that they had a son named George, who was not named in 1599; he must have died soon after being named in 1591 and before his father died about 1592 --AND -- must have been the father of the grandson George who was heir to his grandfather Ross's lands in Hanyng in 1593.
In the list of FIXED POINTS given before, notice that there was one George Ross who had fought in the battle of Langside on May 13, 1568. And then in 1617, note that one Margaret Wallace, Dame of Hanyng, had a daughter who married a Stewart of Barskimming, Co. Ayr. It is conjectured that these references refer to George Ross, the oldest son of John and Marion. If John and Marion were married about 1550, they could have had a son old enough to take part in Langside in 1568....We can also deduce that George Ross, died circa 1592 had no other male heirs, because his brother Matthew Ross is the next Ross to be called "heir of Hanyng".
5. Another son not previously mentioned: John Ross of Dreghorne.
James Paterson's "History of Ayr....", page 526, seems to say that a grandson of John Ross and Marion Hamilton, in 1655, named an uncle John Ross of Dreghorn (an estate sometimes called "Fairlie") who in turn had a daughter Katherine.