History of the Fife Pitcairns

TRANSFER OF DOVAN. 61
Balfour, in the lands of Dovan and Lawlethan. He was
descended from Peter Balfour, a younger son of Balfour of
Balfour, who, having married a daughter of Thomas Sibbald
of Balgonie, obtained from his father-in-law a charter of the
lands of Dovan in the reign of Robert III. The present
proprietor of Balbirnie seems, therefore, to divide with
Balfour of Fernie the representation of the ancient family
of Balfour of Balfour.
John Balfour of Balbirnie was born on the 23rd April
1811. On the 25th June 1840 he married Lady Georgiana
Isabella Campbell, second daughter of the late Earl of
Cawdor, and had issue, three sons and three daughters.
His son, Lieutenant-General Robert Balfour, succeeded to
Balbirnie. General Balfour died on the 31st October 1837.
His children were : Robert Frederick, born 30th April 1846 ;
Edward, born 23rd January 1849, tne present proprietor of
Balbirnie ; John William, born 20th August 1850 ; Emily
Eglantine ; Georgiana Elizabeth ; Mary Louisa.
Arthur James Balfour of Whittinghame, the Prime
Minister, was born on the 25th July 1848. He succeeded
his father, James Maitland Balfour, to Whittinghame in
1856. The lineage of Mr Balfour is as under : —
James Balfour, Esq., a younger son of John Balfour of
Balbirnie, married Lady Eleanor Maitland, daughter of
James, eighth Earl of Lauderdale, and died in April 1845,
leaving issue: James Maitland; Charles, of Balgonie and
Newton Don ; Mary, married to Henry Arthur Herbert,
Esq. of Muckross ; Anna, married to Lord Augustus Charles
Lennox Fitzroy, second son of Henry, fifth Duke of
Grafton, who died 23rd December 1857. The elder son,
James Maitland Balfour, Esq. of Whittinghame, born 5th
January 1820, married, on the 15th August 1843, Lady
Blanche Gascoyne Cecil, second daughter of James, Mar-
quis of Salisbury, and had issue : Arthur James, now of
Whittinghame ; Cecil Charles ; Francis Maitland ; Gerald
William ; Eleanor Mildred ; Evelyn Georgiana Mary ; Alice
Blanche.