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| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||||
| The Johnstones were at one time among the most powerful, as they were one of the most ancient, of the Border septs. The 'Rough footed clan,' as they were termed, with the winged spur as their appropriate emblem, and the words 'Aye Ready' for their motto, were originally settled in East Lothian. Their designation is territorial, and it was derived from the barony and lands of Johnstone in Annandale, which have been in their possession from a very remote period.* The first of the family on record was Sir John Johnstone, one of the Scottish barons who swore fidelity to Edward I of England in 1296. His great-grandson was also a Sir John Johnstone, conspicuous for his valor in the defense of his country in the reigns of David II and Robert II. In 1370 he defeated an invading English army, and two years later was appointed one of the guardians of the Western Marches. His son, of the same name, received 300 of the 40,000 francs sent by the King of France in 1385 to be divided among the Scottish nobles as an inducement to carry on hostilities against their common enemies, the English. His son, Sir Adam Johnstone, was one of the commanders of the Scottish army at the Battle of Sark in 1448. Sir Adam also took a prominent part on the royal side, in the desperate struggle between James II, and the Douglases, and was instrumental in the suppression of the rebellion of that great house agains the Crown. The chief seat of the Johnstones in those days of 'rugging and riving' was Lochwood, in the parish of Johnstone, the position of which in the midst of bogs and morasses made it a fortalice of great strength. ----------- *From the Johnstone book: According to Sir William Fraser, the most authentic documents show that the Johnstons of Caskieben changed the names of their lands to Johnston and took their name from these lands. He thought there was no connection with the Annandale family, but the scarcity of papers in 1380 makes this opinion hardly conclusive, for it was before 1380 that Helen, coheiress to the Earl of Mar, brought the lands now called Johnston to her husband, James de Garviach. Their son, Andrew, gave it to his daughter, Margaret, when she married Stivin Cherie, surnamed "The Clerk," a scholar living in the reign of David II, and the name was assumed by her descendants. The chief of the fifth generation, William Johnstoun, married Margaret, daughter of Meldrum of Fyvie, and was killed at Flodden in 1513. ... ----------- Elizabeth is thought to have been of the family of Sir Adam and Janet Dunbar, but her descent, let alone her order of birth, is not clearly indicated, since the Johnstoun chart shows only male offspring. This conclusion is based largely on intuition, geography, and dates, and it is shaky! More research is needed. ... AKB 2nd. | ||||||||||||
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| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||||
| Andrew Blakatur of that ilk (1430-1516) was by some sources brother, but more likely the son of Adam, the previous laird, and succeeded in 1492 in which year he was granted seisen in Blackater and Langlands (E. Rolls). He was married to a daughter of Johnstone of that ilk, and during this time the fortunes of his house reached their climax. His brother Robert became the first Archbishop of Glasgow, the trusted friend and counselor of King James IV and Godfather of the Prince of Scotland. His brother Sir Patrick married the heiress of Tulliallen of royal descent. Another brother, Sir Baldrede, was Marshall of the Royal Household. His eldest son Robert was married in 1510 to Alison Douglas, daughter of George, Master of Angus (Bell the Cat). His youngest son Patrick was Dean of Dunblane, and his nephew Robert was Prior of Coldingham. It was during this laird's time that the feud between the Humes of Wedderburn and the Blackaters arose. Andrew seems to have been a hasty man. We find in Pitcairns Criminal Trials, 1499, a remission of Andrew Blakater of that ilk and Marian Nesbitt for the murder of Philip Nesbitt, of Wister Nesbitt, and others. He was also mixed up with the murder of Thomas Rutherford within Jedburgh Abbey. See note under father Robert B. of that Ilk for a description of the feud with the Humes. | ||||||||||||
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| Last Modified 5 Feb 1999 | Created 19 Feb 2005 by Stephen & Karen Karner (Reunion 7.05 for Macs) |