Wedderburn book > History

116 THE WEDDERBUKN BOOK.
^ rt n - of her name, wife of Andrew Boyd, who is now and again named in the
records, e.g., 8-10 Feb. 1635, decree v. Andrew Boyd, mariner, and Helen
Wedderburu, his spouse (D.B.R. 414 a) ; 23 Dec. 1646, bond by them (ib.
458). He died before 19 Jan. 1653, when she is named as his relict (ib.
459), as she is also 4 July in that year, when she revokes an assignation of her
property which she made in favour of Patrick Boyd when ''in her agony
and grief shortly after she was convalescit of ague fever" (D.B.R. 461).
She is named again as her husband's relict in a decree 9 Jan. 1655 (ib. 465)
and in a discharge by her, 23 June in that year, registered 18 Feb. 1657 {ib.
468 a). The date of her death does not appear, nor have I ascertained
whether she left any issue.
4. James Wedderburn [1568? — 1644], l fourth sou of Alexander Wedderburn and
Janet Myln is first named, 22 Sept. 1 . r >75, in regard to the settlement of an annual rent
upon him (D.W. 11 i), and must, I think, be the James Wedderburn named as the
owner of consignments from the Isles 9 Dec. 1580 (D.R.S. 2). 2 There is then no
mention of him till 1584, in which year, Jan. 24, he is a witness, and designed
"burgess " although not yet admitted to the freedom of the burgh of Dundee (D.P.B.
236). He was a substitute in a settlement by his father on his sister Katharine in this
year, 15 April (D.W. 1 1 e), and is again called " burgess " when a witness, 13 June
1586 (D.P.B. 251). In 1588, May 27, he, " son of the late clerk," acquired an annual
rent (ib. 272), and he had, of course, his share in his parents' estate (D.W. P2 a b,
Ed. T. 5, 6). He is also named 13 Sept. 1595, as resigning an annual-rent to James
Durham of Pitkerro (D.P.B. 303 b) ; and 29 May 1596. he grants a feu-ferme to his
brother, the clerk, by a charter under his own hand (S.W. 112). 3 He is occasionally
mentioned in the Compt Buik of his brother David as having various dealings with
him (D.W. 3, 8 e), and as standing godfather to David's son James in 1 60 1 (ib. 1 4 g,
15 g). He was admitted a burgess of Dundee by the privilege of his late father,
25 Aug. 1603, the entry describing him as " mercator " (D.L.B. 34) ; and he was
long a prominent merchant and citizen there, acquiring considerable property and
taking an active part in municipal affairs. 4 In the same year, Dec. 11, one Henry
Fyff was convicted of troublance against him in the High Street and sentenced to beg
his pardon (D.C.B. 26), while nearly two years later, 7 Oct. 1605, there was a feud
between James and one Robert Bollok (ib. 30) owing to which James was not allowed
to bear arms without a warrant from the Privy Council, which, however, he at once
obtained (ib.)
He took his share in family affairs and is often present on occasions of family
interest. Thus he was party, with his brothers and sisters, to the discharge, 2 Feb.
1604, anent the estate of their brother William (S.W. 157) and also to the contract
in regard to William's death (R.A.D. 61); 9 June 1609, he witnesses a sasine
given in implement of the marriage contract of his nephew James Wedderburn
' Synopsis of References :— S.W. 75, 112, 117, 157, 163, 176, 187, 192, 202, 205, 213, 216, 224, 229-31, 236.
271a, 282, 2S3, 293, 295 ; Bl. 9 4 , 24 ; D.W. 2 a, 3. 8 e, 11 e. i. 12 a b, \lg, 15 q, 1\</h; D.C. 43, 48, 62 ;
D.L.B. 34, 40 note ; D.P.B. 236, 251, 272, 288a, 301, 303 6, 307. 311, 370a, 379 a, 381, 382,383,387,
390, 399, 402 a, 405, 426 a, 466, 493 ; D.B.R. 286 b, 297 e, 308, 321 b, 343 c, 357, 358 a, 360, 386, 388,
389a, 392, 407 c, 408, 417, 419, 427, 444, 453, 484 ; D.C.B. 26, 30, 40, 45, 47, 52, 63 ; D.D. 1, 8;
D.A.O.B., 9 n ; D.R.S. 2, 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32 ; D T.G. 3 6. 4, 6 ; G.S.R. 97 ; RH 22 ;
R.D. 26, 55, 79, 101, 102, 105, 109, 127; R.A.D. 61; Ed. T. 5, 6; Br.T. 1, 2, 10, 11, 13;
P.B.N. 6 a, 16, 19.
s He would then be but twelve or thirteen years old, but might even so have begun to trade. See
Br.T. 5, when Magdalen Wedderburn (ante, p. 79) leaves a legacy to her brother John, " merchant,
as soon as he attains the age of fifteen."
3 See the facsimile of his signature opp. p. 13 of vol. ii ; and another (S.W. 202) opp. p. 32.
4 He is repeatedly named from 1606 — 1642 as bailie, dean of gild, kirkmaster, &c. , his name and signature
being frequent in the Lockit Buik (D.L.B. 40note). So again, 1606 Aug. 11, 25 ; 1607 March 11, he is
on assize (D.B.R. 357, 35S a) ; 1614 Feb. 7, on assize (ib. 388); Sept. 21, elected a councillor
(D.C.B. 40) ; 1615 June 6, councillor (D.C. 48) ; 1617 Jan. 25, bailie, audits the piermaster's accounts
(D.K.S. 16) ; 1618 Sept. 27, elected a bailie (D.C.B. 45) ; Oct. 14, 31, on the bench as bailie (D.B.R.
407 c) ; 1620-31, audits the piermaster's and shoremaster's accounts (D.R.S. 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31,
32) ; 1622-42, bailie (D.A.C.B. 9>i) ; 1623, elected kirkmaster (D.C.B. 47 ; D.R.S. 26) ; 1624-25, often
bailie (D.B.R. 408) ; 1626-27, gives sasine as bailie (S.W. 224, 230-31) ; 1627 July 3, bailie (D.D. 1) ;
162K-29, elected dean of gild (D.C.B. 52) ; 1630 Oct. 5, newly elected dean of gild, and accepts office
(D.G.R 6 ; D.R.S. 32) ; 1638, on assize (D.B.R. 417) ; 1641 Sept. 21, elected a bailie (D.C B. 63) ;
Oct. 22, 25, on the bench as bailie (D.B.R. 427) ; 1642 Jan. 22, March 5-7, April 15, baUie (S.W.
282-83 ; D.P.B. 466).