Wedderburn book > History

ALEXANDER, OF PITTORMIE. 45
he is called "younger" (D.B.R. 188-89). He is also referred to in 1571-73 as brother Part I.
german of Alexander Wedderburn, younger (D.P.B. 179-80), who soon after became his ctlap - n -
heir. Thus, 6 Jan. 1572, Alexander Wedderburn, younger, burgess, resigns a tenement to
Robert Wedderburn, his brother german (D.P.B. 180), and 24 April 1573, Alexander Wed-
derburn, younger, brodir and appearand air of umquhile Robert Wedderburn, grants a
discharge in respect of Robert's estate (ib. 181), so that Robert would seem to have been
then dead. He certainly died before 7 May in that year, as on that date Alexander Wed-
derburn, younger, is entered in Skiriing's Wynd as brother and heir of Robert Wedderburn,
sou and heir of the late David Wedderburn in Welgait, while on 15 July following there
was a formal assize for his retour as such heir (D.P.B. 172, 174, 175 ; D.B.R. 209). It is
thus clear that he died without issue, apparently in 1572-73, but the date is not certain. 1
2. Alexander Wedderburn 2 of Pittormie [1552 — 1627], only surviving son and
heir of David Wedderburn in Welgait. He was born not later than 1552, and is first named
25 Dec. 1562, when his stepfather acknowledges the receipt on his behalf of his "bairnis
pairtof geir " (D.B.R. 125).' He ultimately became heir to both his father and his brother
Robert, though the date of his brother's death is, as I have already stated, not quite clear
(see above).
Later on he continues to be so entered in Welgait, 2 Aug. 1575 (D.P.B. 174), and again
in an annual rent 5 May 1576 (ib. 172). In 1577, Sept. 2 and 10, he resigned his Welgait
property to Alexander Butchert and James Black, the instruments designing him " son and
heir of the late David Wedderburn in Welgait," and being made with consent of his wife,
Christian Fairny, and his mother Elizabeth Strathauchin, then married to William Loch-
malony ( D.P.B. 1 89 ; D.B.R. 364). He is .often designed " younger " in distinction from his
«lder namesake, also a merchant, who m. Isobell Anderson, and was living till about 1585.
Thus, 1 March, 1 1 Aug., 25 Sept. 1578, 3 when certain annual rents are acquired by him, he
is called " younger, son and heir of the late David in Welgait " (D.P.B. 207 a, 209). He
1 It would be certain but for a reference (D.P.B. 131) recording the entry, 27 Sept. 1566, of Alexander
Wedderburn, younger, in a Skiriing's Wyud tenement, as brother and heir of the late Robert
Wedderburn, son and heir of the late David Wedderburn in Welgait. So again, 25 April 1571,
Alexander is named as his father's heir (D.B.R. 479 c). These entries are explicit, but the dates are
quite inexplicable, as Robert is clearly named on more than one occasion as living in 1571-72, e.g.,
6 April 1571, when Robert Wedderburn, son and heir of the late David Wedderburn in Welgait, is
entered heir in one third of his father's Welgait land (D.P.B. 179) and 15 Dec. 1572 when Robert
Wedderburn, son and heir of umquhile David Wedderburn, grants a discharge for an annual-rent
out of Skiriing's Wynd (D.B.R. 205 6).
I may here note that Mr. A. C. Lamb in his Dundee : its Quaint and Historic Buildings (1895),
makes several altogether erroneous statements as to this branch of the family. After stating
(p. xviia) that David Wedderburn in Welgait was brother to the first of the Wedderburns, town
clerks, and proprietor, through his father, James Wedderburn, of thirteen acres between the Welgait
port and Dudhope, he states that he had a son Robert, who died in 1566, leaving two young children,
Alexander (specially entered heir to his father 27 Sept. 1566) and David. This is altogether
mistaken. David in Welgait was not brother to any town clerk of his name ; nor was he the son of
James (but of Walter) W edderburn ; his son Robert never married ; and the return of Alexander is
as heir to his brother Robert, and not of his father. Mr. Lamb's statement seems to be founded on an
entry of 30 July 1566 (D.C.B. 5), anent the repair of the twfall of Alexander Wedderburn and David
Wedderburns' land in Skiriing's Wynd in respect of which the right of their neighbour Thomas
Kynloch are reserved until " the coming to perfect age of the bairns foresaid." This entry certainly
presents difficulties, as iu no other place are an Alexander and a David named as brothers, and I
can onlv suggest that the name of David is an error for Robert.
- Synopsis o'f references. S.W. 102, 106; Bl. 23 ; D.W. 10 c, Hi, 15 i ; D.L.B. 28, 39 ; D.P.B. 67, 172,
174, 175. 178, 180, 181, 189, 191, 194, 197 6, 203, 204, 207 a, 209, 219 a, 235, 256, 258, 267a, 269,
281 ; D.B.R. 125, 186, 209, 212, 219, 220, 244, 247, 271 c d, 300 e, 332, 348. 364, 370, 479 c ; D.C.B.
10 a, 13 ; D.R S- 1, 4 a ; G.S.R. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 67, 68, 89 ; R.P.S. 27 ; R.D. 27, 36, 46, 57, 77 ;
R.A.D. 21, 22 ; S.A.T. 6 ; Melville and Leven Papers, III, 138.
3 Minor mentions of him will be found 1567, May 5, witness (D.P.B. 67) ; 1568, Aug. 31, decree re some
goods for him, "younger" (D.B.R. 167); 1570, April 14, 19, "younger, merchant" (D.B.R.186);
1 574, Dec. 21, chosen a curator to John, son of John Wedderburn and Agnes Hoppringill, and so named
1575, July 4 (ib. 212, 220) ; 1575, April 9, 16 to 10 Aug. 1576, "younger, witness" (D.P.B. 191) ;
1578, June 24, decree for him (D.B.R. 247) ; Dec. 17, discharge to him as son and heir of umquhill
David Wedderburn (D.B.R. 244); 1579, March 4, younger, merchant, burgess of Dundee, joins in a
protest (D.P.B. 194) ; 1580, April 20, witness, (ib- 204); 1581, Sept. 14, witness (D.P.B. 197 6) ;
1583, Jan, 1, gets sasine of an annual rent (ib. 219 a); 1584, March 14, witness (D.B.R. 271c);
1585, May 20, younger, witness (ib. 258); 1586, Nov. 10, cautioner for John Wedderburn, (R.A.D. 22) ;
1587, Jan. 12, Mr. Stephen Wilson sues David Earl of Crawford, Alexander Wedderburn, younger,
and others, for payment of a pension [ib. 21) ; 1588, Sept. 23, Alexander Wedderburn, " Mr. Hospi-
tull," is one of those elected Counsellors (D.C.B. 13) ; 1594, May 10, burgess of Cupar, witness (G.S.R.