John Ogilvy (abt. 1542 - 1581)

Born about 1542 in Inverquharity, Kirriemuir, Forfar Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Helen Ogilvy — married 1559 (to after 1581) in Scotland

Descendants

Died 4 Jul 1581 at about age 39 in Near Kirriemuir, Angus

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Biography

John was the eldest son of Sir John Ogilvy of Inverquharity by his wife Elizabeth (Isabel) Ogilvy. He was born about 1542.

He married Helen Ogilvy. Helen was the daughter of the Master of Airlie by his wife Catharine Campbell. The Master fell at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547 and Catherine Campbell secondly married in 1550 to David, Earl of Crawford. After the death of the earl in 1558 she held sway over both the houses of Airlie and Edzell. The following year she arranged the marriage of her daughter Helen with John, the son of Sir John Ogilvy of Inverquharity.^[1]

An entail of the house of Airlie shows that within a few years of their marriage John and Helen had sons John and David. ^[2] They had five children:

1. John his heir

2. David who puchased Over Kinnalty in the early 1600's and was then designed "of Kinalty." Before his death in 1613 he purchased Glasswell by Kirriemuir and was then designed of Glasswell.

3. Catherine who married David Sibbald of Letham. Some doubt exists as to whether she was a daughter of John or of his father Sir John but she appears to have been named after Helen's mother.

4. Janet who married Donald Farquharson of Castleton of Braemar. She was Donald’s second wife and had by him three sons and two daughters.^[3]

5. Anna born in 1574 she married Alexander Kynmounth, minister in Kirriemuir. She died in 1605.

When witnessing a sasine of Lord Glamis on 10 March 1567, John was designed Fiar of Inverquharity presumably as his father Sir John had installed him in the management of the estate. ^[4]

By January 1580/1, John Ogilvy had taken over much of the responsibility for running the estate. ^[5]

This was a time of turmoil in Angus due to the Lyon / Lindsay feud. It seems that in July 1581 this spilled over into an affray involving the neighbouring family of Lindsay of Blairyfeddon whose lands of Whitforret and Blairyfeddon lay two miles south of Inverquharity. John assisted by several of his brothers and his kinsmen John Ogilvy of Balinsho and his son Henry of Woodhead took part in this perhaps accompanied by Sir John Ogilvy who by this time was about sixty years of age. The laird of Blairyfeddon, Alexander Lindsay, a few years younger but probably in his fifties was assisted by his sons John and David. In all probability, both parties were accompanied by armed servants although no injuries are reported among supporters. The tragic outcome of this encounter left Alexander Lindsay dead and his younger son David badly wounded on the Lindsay side while John, the fiar of Inverquharity was killed by them.

John Ogilvy was survived by his wife, Helen and his sons John and David. His father and those kinsmen involved in the affray were put to the horn, the escheat of the lands of Inverquharity and the gift of the marriage of the young heir apparent was granted to Airlie and the lands of Easter Balinsho were gifted to John Lindsay, brother to the earl of Crawford.

Sources

1. ↑ NRS GD205 Box12 bundle 33.
2. ↑ RMS No 1755 dated 24 Dec 1566.
3. ↑ Farquharson of Bruchderg MSS 1733
4. ↑ Glamis Writs Box 9 item 207
5. ↑ NRS GD205 Box 22, item 18.