Thomas (Blair) Blair VIth of Balthayock (abt. 1500 - bef. 1568)

Born about 1500 in Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Katherine Ayton — married before 1559 in Scotland

Descendants

Died before 1568 before about age 68 in Scotland [uncertain]

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Biography

Thomas (Blair) Blair VIth of Balthayock was born in Scotland.

Thomas was born about 1500 son to Alexander Blair of Balthayock and his wife Jane, daughter to Andrew, second Lord Gray by his wife Elizabeth Stewart. .^[1][2]

When about five years of age, Thomas became heir to the estate of Balthayock in 1505. Following the death of Alexander Blair of Balthayock, Andrew Ayton paid to the Lord High Treasurer the sum of £213.6s.8d to purchase the ward of the deceased's estate. He received a letter of 30 October 1505 gifting him ward of the land of Cults by reason of the death of Alexander Blair of Balthayock. ^[3] This gave Ayton and his wife, Isobel Kincragie, control over the neighbouring lands of Cults in Fife. This gave the Aytons of that Ilk influence over the young laird's future and, in time, his marriage.

Thomas was retoured heir to his father Alexander on 2 May 1509, and following on from this he was seised in the lands of Balthayock on 2 June 1509 as instructed on 6 May in a Letter of Attorney by King James IV to Patrick Gray and others. ^[4] Patrick Gray, uncle to Thomas, was probably his Tutor during the time of his ward.

On the death of her husband, Andrew Ayton, Isabel Kincragie and her son Robert were gifted ward of the lands of Cults on 9 July 1516. This Kincragie/Ayton connection probably led soon to the marriage of Thomas Blair to Katherine Ayton.

It was not until 17 September 1521 that Thomas Blair was able to recover the lands of Cults out of ward. On that date he was granted sasine of Cults having agreed to pay the Sheriff of Fife £660 for its relief based on an annual rate of £40, it having been in the King's hands for the space of sixteen years. ^[5]

Thomas Blair married Katherine Ayton who was presumably the daughter of the laird Andrew Ayton of that Ilk in Fife. They had issue:

1. Alexander his heir^[6]
2. William, named as second son in the tailzie (entail) of 1542^[7]
3. Patrick, named as the youngest son in the 1542^[8]tailzie.
4. Catherine, mar. Thomas Chalmers of Northleys ^[9]
5. Isabel, mar. John Lindsay of Evelick^[2]
6. Christian, mar (1) Thomas Chalmer, son of Thomas Chalmer of Seggieden and (2) William Ramsay of Murray^[2]
7. Euphame, mar. (1) Andrew Scott and (2) James Monorgund of that Ilk^[10]

Thomas also had two natural sons:

1. Thomas tenant in Inchyra ^[11]
2. John tenant in Clien ^[12]

Thomas participated in an assize led by his uncle, Gilbert Gray of Buttergask on 21 July 1533 in settlement of a dispute over the marches of Panmure. ^[13]

Janet Gray, the mother of Thomas, married secondly to Lord Lovat and after his death she married David Lindsay of Edzell. Alexander Blair was witness at Dundee to a charter to David Lindsay and Janet, Lady Lovat on 27 November 1538^[14] and at Edinburgh to another on the lands of Edzell 19 March 1538/9. ^[15] Alexander was presumably her grandson and son and heir apparent to Thomas.

For his good service to the King, Thomas Blair of Balthayock resigned the lands of Ardler and Baldowrie in Forfarshire, Cults in Fife and Goddens and pendicles in Baltrody (Pitroddie) in Perthshire. At Perth on 10 June 1542 the King returned them to be held as the free barony of Ardler, the tower and fortalice of Ardler, and the principal messuage there to be held by Thomas and on his death by Alexander his eldest son and heir apparent and his heirs masculine whom failing William Blair, second son and his heirs, whom failing Patrick Blair the youngest and his heirs, whom failing Patrick Blair of Balmyle and his heirs, whom failing Andrew Blair brother german of said Patrick and his heirs, whom failing Alexander Blair burgess of Perth and his heirs, whom failing John Blair of Melginch and his heirs, whom failing William Blair of Balgillo and his heirs, whom failing John Blair of Ardblair and his heirs, whom failing Master George Blair of Bendochy and his heirs, whom failing George Blair burgess of Dundee and his heirs, whom failing Gilbert Blair in Auchteralyth and his heirs, whom failing David Blair of Balgray and his heirs, whom failing George Blair in Peattie and his heirs.texts ^[16]

A royal letter of 11 February 1549/50 gifted Thomas Blair the ward of the lands of Kinnell and the marriage of the young heir through the death of Robert Fraser of Kinnell and through the death of the late Dame Janet Gray, the mother of Thomas. ^[17]

Thomas attended the Scottish Parliament of 1560 which decreed the Reformation of the Church in Scotland. ^[18]

On 3 January 1566, Thomas Blair, Katherine Ayton his spouse and William, Patrick, Margaret and Christian agreed a contract with Alexander Blair the eldest son. ^[19] No mention is made of the other sisters.

Thomas died in early1568. A Ratification of a contract dated 18 March 1568, shows that he was survived by Katherine Ayton and their three sons, Alexander, William and Patrick. ^[20]

Research Notes

For further information and extracts of Balthayock Charters see "The Blairs of Balthayock and Their Cadets 1150-1850" pub. 2001 The Clan Blair Society . Library of Congress Control Number 00-092595

Sources

1. ↑ MacGregor, Gordon, The Red Book of Scotland, Scotland, private, 2022, Ed. 3, Vol. I, p. 833
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Douglas, Robert, "The Baronage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. Collected from the Public Records and Chartularies of this Country, the Records and Private Writings of Families and the Works of Our Best Historians", Edinburgh: 1798, Google Books, p. 188
3. ↑ Livingstone, Matthew, ed., "Registrum Secreti Sigilli Regum Scotorum: The Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland", Edinburgh: H. M. General Register House, 1908, Vol. I p. 166, no. 1147
4. ↑ Balthayock Charters 52,53 and 54
5. ↑ McNeill, George Powell, "Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum - Exchequer Rolls of Scotland", Edinburgh: H. M. General Register House, 1895, Vol. XV p. 592
6. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum Vol.iii 2683 see [1]
7. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum Vol.iii 2683 see [2]
8. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum Vol.iii 2683 see [3]
9. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum Vol. iv 323 see [4]
10. ↑ Douglas, Robert, "The Baronage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. Collected from the Public Records and Chartularies of this Country, the Records and Private Writings of Families and the Works of Our Best Historians", Edinburgh: 1798, Google Books, p. 305
11. ↑ Court Case 1549
12. ↑ Pitcairn Criminal Trials Vol.i Pt.i p.424 Balthayock Charters 185
13. ↑ NRS GD45/16/580
14. ↑ Reg. Mag. Sig., "Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum : The register of the Great seal of Scotland, A.D. 1513-1546 published by the authority of the Lords commissioners of H.M. Treasury.", Edinburgh: General Register House, 1883, Vol. 3. Archive.org, pp. 416-7. no. 1874
15. ↑ Reg. Mag. Sig., "Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum : The register of the Great seal of Scotland, A.D. 1513-1546 published by the authority of the Lords commissioners of H.M. Treasury.", Edinburgh: General Register House, 1883, Vol. 3. Archive.org, p. 436, no. 1951
16. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum Vol.iii 2683 see [5]
17. ↑ Balthayock Charters 116
18. ↑ Maule, Harry, "Registrum de Panmure: Records of the Families of Maule, de Valoniis, Brechin, and Brechin-Barclay, United in the Line of the Barons and Earls of Panmure", Edinburgh: private, 1874, Vol. II, Archive.org, p. 312
19. ↑ NRS Cal. Of Deeds Vol.9 item 53
20. ↑ Balthayock Charters 178