John (Fleming) Fleming First Earl of Wigton (1567 - 1619)

Born 1567 in Boghall castle, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Lilias (Graham) Fleming — married 13 Jan 1585 in Montrose, Angus, Scotland

Descendants

Died 16 Apr 1619 at about age 52 in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland [uncertain]

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John (Fleming) Fleming First Earl of Wigton was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

John (Fleming) Fleming First Earl of Wigton is a member of Clan Fleming.

John Fleming was the only son and heir of John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming, and his wife Elizabeth Ross, only child of Robert Ross (killed at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, Master of Ross, eldest son of Ninian Ross, third Lord Ross (of Halkhead).^[1] He is stated to have been four years old at the time of his father's death in 1572, and born 1567.^[2]

In 1579, he is noticed when, along with his four sisters, he was decerned by the Privy Council, on 24 September 1579, to share the lordship of Fleming equally with their cousin Jane, daughter of James Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming.^[3]

In 1580, 26 July, he was retoured heir to his mother, father, uncle, and grandfather in their whole lands.

In 1582, 28 February, he had a charter of the lands of Boghall, Mylntown, and Arretsholl from John Fleming of Boghall who had been with his father during the Siege of Dumbarton castle in 1571. This Charter was confirmed under the Great Seal 14 April 1582.

In 1583, 18 September, he received a grant from King James VI of the office of Usher or Janitor of the Royal House, a position occupied for a time by his father, for his lifetime. This was renewed on 30 July 1587.

In 1584 he came to the peace of the nation.^[4] This provides that the King adn Parliament gives and grants to his well beloved cousin John, lord Fleming, the like favour, grace and benefit of pacification so that he may possess and enjoy the like privilege and conditions as are contained in the pacification made and accorded upon at the burgh of Perth on 23 February 1573. He appears in Parliament from 1585.^[5]

In 1589, 18 January, from King James VI., he had a charter of his whole lands erected into a lordship and barony, to be called the lordship of Cumbernauld, and the towns of Biggar and Kirkintilloch into burghs of barony.

In 1590 he was appointed by the King as his ambassador to Denmark.

In 1596, 31 January, he received another charter of his lands, on his own resignation, for new infeftment to himself and the heirs-male of his body, whom failing, Alexander Fleming of Barrochan and the heirs-male of his body, whom failing, to his own nearest heirs-male whatsoever bearing the arms and surname of Fleming. This appears unusual. The Flemings of Barochan have not previously been connected with this line of Fleming. The estate of Barochan is in Renfrewshire and there is an Alexander Fleming of Barochan who, with two of his sons, was in 1596 pursued at law by Patrick Maxwell of Dargavel, for the forcible abduction of Rebecca Maxwell his daughter.^[6] The relationship to Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld is not known.

On 14 December 1598 he was admitted a member of the Privy Council, and charged to reside at Boghall for the repression and pursuit of Border thieves 28 July 1600.

In 1599 he is noticed as a Burgess and Freeman of the Borough of Glasgow.^[7]

In 1606, 19 March, he was advanced to the dignity of EARL OF WIGTOWN, LORD FLEMING AND CUMBERNAULD by patent dated at Whitehall, and was formally invested at Perth on 1 July 1606.

He rendered many services to King and Country; amongst others he was assessor to the Earl of Dunbar, Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of July 1608; and assessor to the Justice in the trial of Lord Balmerino at St. Andrews on 4 March 1609. He was commissioned by the Privy Council to reconcile Lord Sempill and the Earl of Glencairn 16 March 1609, for success in which he received the Council's thanks 1 June 1609; was commissioner for the King in the clerical conferences at Falkland 4 and 5 May 1609; he had a commission to report on the complaints against Patrick, Earl of Orkney, 13 June 1609, was a Lord of the Articles in the Parliament of May 1609, was reappointed a member of Privy Council 20 January 1610, and was made one of the Ecclesiastical High Commissioners 15 February 1610.

In 1610, 14 June, he was entrusted with the transportation of Sir John Bruce of Airth from Stirling Castle to Edinburgh Castle. Sir John Bruce was the son of his sister Jean Fleming and William Bruce, Master of Airth.

He made his testament on 1 November 1615; and, on 23 December 1618, executed a revocation of several deeds granted by him in favour of Sarah Maxwell, since her marriage to him, alleged to have been obtained by her craft and circumvention. He died in April 1619.^[8]

Family

He married, firstly, contract dated at Kincardine, Airth and Callendar 12 and 13 January 1586, Lilias Graham, only daughter of John Graham, third Earl of Montrose. She was noted for her piety and devotion, and her zealous efforts to promote the principles of the Reformation then underway in Scotland.^[9] They were married under the Church of Scotland. Lord Fleming was not nearly as fervent as his wife and Records of the Presbytery of Glasgow, under date 13th July 1596, shows that the Earl was somewhat remiss in his attendance on religious ordinances, at least in his Parish Church. With his first wife he had:^[10]

• John Fleming, born c. 1589, and likely baptised at Kincardine about 9 December 1589, who will become 2nd Earl. Unlike his ancestors, this John Fleming became a fervent Protestant, following his mother's beliefs.

• James Fleming, designed "of Boghall", who entered the University of Glasgow as a student in 1607, had a charter of the lands of Boghall, Milltown, and Arretshole from his father on 10 April 1593, and died in October 1623. He married, contract dated 7 November 1612, Janet Brisbane, daughter of John Brisbane of Bishopton, and had a number of children: John Fleming, served heir to his father 9 September 1646 in Boghall, became fatuous and unable to manage his affairs. His cousin, Lieutenant-Colonel John Fleming, was served tutor to him on 24 May 1654. He, with consent of his tutor, disponed the lands of Boghall to Matthew Brisbane of Rosline on 22 August 1656. He died without children; James Fleming, who predeceased his brother before 24 May 1654, without children; Francis Fleming; Anna Flemming; and Jean Fleming, all named in their father's testament.

• Malcolm Fleming, third son, is a substitute heir in a charter granted to Jean Fleming, Countess of Cassillis, of the lands of Gilmerton in Midlothian on 28 December 1597. His wife is not noted but he had children: Lieutenant-Colonel John Fleming, eldest son, was, as nearest cousin on the father's side, served tutor-at-law to John Fleming, only son of James Fleming of Boghall, on 24 May 1654, and as heir in special to him on 29 June 1667. He died in April 1684; William Fleming, who with his brother John and others disponed to Matthew Brisbane of Roslin all their interest in the lands of Boghall, Milltown, and Arretshole on 2 August 1658 and died before 8 October 1684; Jean Fleming, who married Adam Murray of Garden; Helen Fleming; Mary Fleming, her sisters and she were served heirs-portioners to their brother John on 8 October 1684, and were seised in an annualrent from 23,000 merks secured over the lands of Cumbernauld, sasine recorded 28 October 1684.

• Alexander Fleming; he renounced his provision of 10,000 merks from lands of Cumbernauld to John Fleming, his brother and second Earl, on 5 May 1620. He was the alleged ancestor of Charles Ross Fleming, who will later lay claim to the earldom. This Alexander is also claimed as an ancestor by the Rev. W.Alexander Fleming of Bishopthorpe Vicarage, Leeds.

• Jean Fleming, married, contract dated 1603, to George Campbell, Master of Loudoun. Her tocher was 21,000 merks. She died in March 1612.

• Ann Fleming, married, firstly, contract dated 5 November 1607, to Sir William Livingston of Darnchester, eldest son of Sir William Livingston of Kilsyth; her tocher was 12,000 merks. Secondly, contract dated 18 September 1618, to Sir John Seton of Barns, and died in July 1625.

• Margaret Fleming, married, contract dated 1613, to Sir John Charteris of Amisfield; her tocher was 9000 merks. They had a charter of the lands of Kilmichael on 9 January 1617. She was dead before 6 June 1622.

• Lilias Fleming; married, contract dated 30 October 1627, to Sir David Murray of Stanhope. Her father bound himself to support them and to bring up their children in place of tocher under the contract.

• Mary Fleming; married, contract dated 14 February 1634, to Archibald Stewart, younger of Castlemilk, who died in the lifetime of his father Sir Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk in May 1643. Her tocher was 10,000 merks.

• Rachel Fleming; married, contract dated in November and December 1624, to George Lindsay of Covington.

He married, secondly, Sarah Maxwell, eldest daughter of John Maxwell, Lord Herries and friend of his fathers. She was the widow of Sir James Johnston of Johnston, who had died 6 April 1608. The marriage occurring c. 1610. She had a charter of the lands of Thornyquhat in Dumfriesshire 12 December 1620 and survived him marrying again to Hugh Montgomery, first Viscount Montgomery of the Great Ards in Ireland, and was buried in Holyrood Abbey 29 March 1636. With Sarah Maxwell he had children:^[11]

• Sarah Fleming, of which noting is noticed.

• Jean Fleming; who with her sister is mentioned in a bond of provision by John Fleming, Lord Fleming, in 1616, as daughters of the Earl by his second wife. She was engaged to marry James Grant, seventh of Freuchie, but his friends opposed the match, and he broke it off. She died at Newbie 21 December 1638.

John Fleming had an illegitimate son, although not named in Balfour Paul, to whom he granted an instrument of premonition for redeeming the lands of Edmonstoun dated 5 April 1594.^[12]

Arms of the Earl of Wigtown

Balfour Paul provides, quoting those recorded in Lyon Register: Quarterly: 1st and 4th, gules, a chevron within a double tressure counter- flowered argent, for Fleming; 2nd and 3rd, azure, three fraises (or five saltireways according to some) argent, for Fraser.

CREST: A goat's head erased argent, armed or.

SUPPORTERS. Two harts proper, attired with ten tynes or, a collar azure charged with three fraises argent.

MOTTO. Let the deed shaw.

Research Notes

• John Fleming, 1st Earl of Wigton on "The Peerage", noting that this source is incomplete.

• Cracroft's Peerage; The Complete Guide to the British Peerage & Baronetage; Earl of Wigtown is more complete but contains inaccuracies; his year of birth as an example.

• Stirnet.com

Sources

1. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 544
2. ↑ #S-2 William Hunter; page 526
3. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 545
4. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), 1584/5/38.
5. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), A1585/7/1.
6. ↑ Pitcairn Criminal Trials; vol. i. p. 377
7. ↑ The Burgesses and Guild Brethren of Glasgow; 1573 - 1750; Publications of the Scottish Record Society; James Anderson, Ed..; page 27
8. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 546
9. ↑ #S-2 William Hunter; page 551
10. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 546
11. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 548
12. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 8, page 549

• Source S-1 Balfour Paul. The Scots peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom. Vol. 8. Edinburgh: Douglas, 1904. archive.org

• Source S-2 William Hunter. Biggar and the House of Fleming: an account of the Biggar district, archaeological, historical, and biographical. Edinburgh: Paterson, 1867. archive.org