John (Trotter) Trotter Ist of Mortonhall (1553 - 1641)

Born 1553 in Catchelraw, Berwickshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1641 at about age 88 in Mortonhall, Midlothian, Scotland [uncertain]

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Biography

John Trotter was likely born in 1553 in Catchelraw, Scotland. His parents were Robert Trotter and Elizabeth Sinclair of Catchelraw. He died about 1641, likely at his home in Mortonhall, Midlothian at age 80 and is buried in the Greyfriars kirkyard in Edinburgh.^[1][2] The family vault has inscriptions:^[3]

and inside the vault:

John was the second son and became a merchant, eventually buying the estate and baronage of Mortonhall. The estate was large and his line took on the title of Trotter of Mortonhall.^[1] He married Janet MacMath, eldest daughter of David MacMath, of that Ilk, with whom he had ten children, six sons and four daughters:^[1]

• John christened 29 Jul 1599 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.^[4] He succeedeed his father in 1641 becoming the second Baron Mortonhall.
• Jonet [Janet] christened 4 May 1600 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[5]
• Marion christened 28 Aug 1603 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[6]
• Robert christened 27 Apr 1606 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[7]
• Edward christened 30 Aug 1607 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[8]
• Helene christened 5 Jun 1610 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[9]
• James christened 9 Feb 1612 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[10] Note - not listedin baronage
• Nicoll christened 28 Feb 1613 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[11]
• Charles christened 4 Apr 1615 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[12]
• Elspet [Elizabeth] christened 8 Jan 1618 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[13]

The Mortonhall estate was given to Henry St Clair of Roslin in 1317 by Robert the Bruce. In 1635, the first Baron of Mortonhall, John Trotter, bought the estate.^[14] He made charitable contributions to a number of places including the University of Edinburgh, Saint Paul's Hospital, Trinity Hospital, the town of Edinburgh and the town of Lanark^[15].^[16][1]

Research Notes

• Catchelraw was renamed Charterhall probably by the mid-19th Century^[17]
• Several sources say he had 9 children but ten have been found. "The Baronage of Scotland" lists 9 with James not being mentioned but he did make it to adulthood and marry.
• Transcription and extraction of information from the 154 pages of John's will and testament papers may provide addtional information. The will appears to have been written in 1641 with the rest of the pages having been processed in 1642.^[18]
• Typed copies of the papers of the Trotter family are kept at the National Library of Scotland under MSS 20268-9 John M. Trotter.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Sir Robert Douglas, The Baronage of Scotland , (Edinburgh : Bell and Bradfute, et. al., 1798), p. 206, entry for Trotter of Mortonhall; Google Books (Page 206 #VI John Trotter : accessed 21 July 2023).
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 June 2020), memorial page for John Trotter (1553–1641), Find a Grave Memorial no. 80511083, citing Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland; Maintained by Plantagenet Princess (contributor 49922906) . Find A Grave: Memorial #80511083
3. ↑ Brown, James, fl. 1860. The Epitaphs And Monumental Inscriptions In Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh. Edinburgh: J. M. Miller, 1867, p 68-69; Hathti Trust, digital images, (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn3n2m&view=1up&seq=170&q1=trotter: accessed 10 June 2020).
4. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-RVS : 11 February 2020), Johnne Trotter in entry for Johnne Trotter, 1599.
5. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-44N : 11 February 2020), Johnne Trotter in entry for Jonat Trotter, 1600.
6. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-H2B : 11 February 2020), Johnne Trotter in entry for Marioun Trotter, 1603.
7. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTP7-CHN : 11 February 2020), Johnne Trotter in entry for Robert Trotter, 1606.
8. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-KPY : 11 February 2020), Johnne Trotter in entry for Edward Trotter, 1607.
9. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-72F : 11 February 2020), Johne Trotter in entry for Helene Trotter, 1610.
10. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4N-Y3V : 11 February 2020), Johne Trotter in entry for James Trotter, 1612.
11. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ4J-9MP : 11 February 2020), Johne Trotter in entry for Nicoll Trotter, 1613.
12. ↑ Edinburgh, (Midlothian, Scotland), Old Parish Registers, OPR 685/1, ref 20 127, Charles Trotter christened 4 Apr 1615; digital image, National Records of Scotland, ScotlandsPeople' (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 10 Jun 2020)
13. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X1TY-79P : 11 February 2020), Johne Trotter in entry for Elspet Trotter, 1618.
14. ↑ McGowan, Peter, Report to Edinburgh City Council, Survey of Gardens and Designed Landscapes: 214 Mortonhall, 2007, p 3; (https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/23048/mortonhall : accessed 9 Jun 2020),
15. ↑ "The New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45 : correct publication dates of the parish accounts" by J.A. Gibson, pp. 3-52, in 'Scottish naturalist', Vol. 107, 1995 digital images (https://archive.org/details/b21365805_0001/page/4/mode/2up?q=trotter : accessed 10 June 2020) p 4.
16. ↑ Grant, Alexander, Sir, 8th bart., 1826-1884. The Story of the University of Edinburgh During Its First Three Hundred Years, v 2, p 189. London: Longmans, Green, and co., 1884. (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044014471643&view=1up&seq=357 : accessd 10 Jun 2020) Footnote indicates a chamber was named for John Trotter
17. ↑ "Charterhall," Alexander Trotter of Mortonhall & Charterhall, Mortonhall, (https://www.mortonhall.co.uk/charterhall/about-charterhall-estate/ : accessed 10 June 2020)
18. ↑ Legal records - Wills and testaments, CC8/8/60, pagea 1-154 Edinburgh Commissary Court, Trotter, Johne, ; digital imtage, National Records of Scotland, ScotlandsPeople' (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 4 Jun 2020)

See also:

• https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I30335&tree=CC.
• Description or Mortonhall estate in: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Archaeologia Scotica: Or, Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. v 1, p 304, Edinburgh: Printed for the Society, 1792–1890. (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002257018z&view=1up&seq=364 : accessed 10 June 2020)