'Durham02'
Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Durham of Largo, Durham of Pittkerrow
| This page was first prepared using BLG1850 & Commoners (together 'Burke') & 'East Neuk of Fife' with some support from Stirnet's 'BG family records'. That reported a number of discrepancies between Burke & 'East Fife'. The page was reviewed & expanded on 11.08.25 using Douglas's 'Baronage', which was probably one of the sources used by Burke. An attempt to continue that review using 'RedBookScot' (Gordon MacGregor, vol 6 (2024 edition), 'Durham of Pitkerro & Luffness', p134+) was curtailed. We hope to complete that review in due course. | |||||||||||||||
| John Durham of Dundee, 1st of Pittkerrow (d before 04.01.1539/40) | |||||||||||||||
| m. Isabel Kyd (dau of _ Kyd of Cragie) | |||||||||||||||
| 1. | James Durham, 2nd of Pittkerrow (d by 1620) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Janet Wishart (dau of Sir James Wyschart of Pittarrow) | |||||||||||||||
| A. | Alexander Durham, 3rd of Pittkerrow (d by 1621) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Jean Ramsay (dau of David Ramsay of Balmain) | |||||||||||||||
| i. | Sir James Durham, 4th of Pittkerrow (d 1633) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Janet Durham (dau of James Durham of Duntarvie) | |||||||||||||||
| a. | Sir James Durham, 5th of Pittkerrow (d 1663) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (Isabel?) Hepburn (dau of (Sir Adam) Hepburn of Humbie) | |||||||||||||||
| (1) | James Durham of Easter Powrie & Pittkerrow (b c1622, d 25.06.1658, minister at Glasgow) | ||||||||||||||
| After mention of his younger brother Sir Alexander, James is the first mentioned by 'East Neuk of Fife'. | |||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret Mure (dau of William Mure of Glanderston, widow of Zachary Boyd) | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | Francis Durham, 2nd of Largo (dsp 1667) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1664) Christian (probably not Jean) Scott (dau of Sir James Scott of Ardross) | |||||||||||||||
| Francis inherited Largo from his uncle, Sir Alexander, below. | |||||||||||||||
| (B) | James Durham, 3rd of Largo (d c1671) | ||||||||||||||
| James & Margaret are shown by Burke (and an old notebook that forms part of Stirnet's 'BG family records') as parents of James, Margaret, etc. by Margaret, dau of Sir Thomas Rutherford of Hunthill. Moreover, those sources do not mention a younger brother Alexander whilst 'East Neuk' shows such an Alexander as father of those children by Margaret Rutherford. That Margaret's wife was named Alexander is supported by TSP ('Rutherford'). Confused by the reference to Hunthill, which moved from one branch of Rutherfords to another around this time, and the reference to Sir Thomas, we used to show James's wife (and mother of his alleged children) here (as dau of Sir Thomas of Edgerston & Hunthill). | |||||||||||||||
| (C) | Alexander Durham of Largo | ||||||||||||||
| As indicated above, we now disagree with Burke and instead follow 'East Neuk' in showing Alexander as father of the later Durhams of Largo by Margaret Rutherford. However, 'East Neuk' follows those other sources in identifying her father as Sir Thomas of Hunthill whereas TSP ('Rutherford') identifies her as ... | |||||||||||||||
| m. (31.10.1671) Margaret Rutherford (a 1713, dau of Andrew Rutherford of Hunthill, niece of Sir Thomas of Hunthill, 2nd Lord) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | James Durham, 4th of Largo (b 1678, d by 1755 (1741?)) | ||||||||||||||
| Commoners & BLG1850 do not name James's 1st wife and suggest that he had issue only by his 2nd wife. Douglas shows Alexander (but not John), Margaret and 4 daughters who dsp (shown below in italics). As reported below, 'East Neuk' shows several children by this marriage but some we think are duplications of his siblings. | |||||||||||||||
| m1. (1708) Anne Don (dau of ?? Don of Hattonburn, sister of James Wachop-Donn of Edmonston) | |||||||||||||||
| (a) | Margaret Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1735) John Gillespie of Kirkton | |||||||||||||||
| (b)+ | other issue (d young) - Robert, Alexander | ||||||||||||||
| (d)+ | other issue (dsp) - Anne, Rebeca, Mathilda, Christian, Barbara | ||||||||||||||
| m2. (1728) Ann Anstruther (dau of Sir Robert Anstruther, Bart) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | James Calderwood Durham, 5th of Largo & Polton (b 1732, d 1808) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1753) Ann Calderwood (b 1734, d 1797, dau of Thomas Calderwood of Polton) | |||||||||||||||
| ((1)) | James Durham, 6th of Largo (b 14.01.1754, dsp 05.02.1840, General) | ||||||||||||||
| m1. (1779) Elizabeth Sheldon (b 1757, d 1826, dau of Col. Sheldon of Fletwich House) | |||||||||||||||
| m2. (1827) Margaret Anstruther-Thomson (dau of John Anstruther-Thomson of Charlton) | |||||||||||||||
| ((2)) | Thomas Calderwood Durham of Polton (d by 1840) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1793) Elizabeth Young (dau of James Young of Netherfield by Lilias, dau of John Alston of Broomly) | |||||||||||||||
| ((A)) | Lilias Calderwood Durham of Polton & Largo (b 1799, d 1862) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (09.04.1822) Robert Dundas of Arniston (b 19.06.1797, d 08.06.1838) | |||||||||||||||
| ((B))+ | other issue - James Steuart (dvp 1818), Thomas (d young?) | ||||||||||||||
| ((3)) | Sir Philip Charles Durham, later Henderson-Calderwood-Durham of Fordel, Polton & Largo (b 29.07.1763, d 02.04.1845, Admiral) | ||||||||||||||
| m1. (28.03.1797/9) Charlotte Bruce (d 1816, dau of Charles, 5th Earl of Elgin) | |||||||||||||||
| ((A)) | Thomas Calderwood Durham of Polton & Largo (b 1797, dvpsp 1842) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1820) Anna Cunningham Graham (dau of (William) Cunningham Graham of Gartmore) | |||||||||||||||
| m2. (1817, sp) Anne Elizabeth Henderson (dau of Sir John Henderson, Bart of Fordel) | |||||||||||||||
| ((4)) | William Durham (b 1764, d by 1840) | ||||||||||||||
| ((5)) | Margaret Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1783) James Charles Edward Stuart Strange (son of Sir Robert the engraver) | |||||||||||||||
| (j) | Robert Durham (d 1752) | ||||||||||||||
| (k) | Preston Durham (d 10.06.1766) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (John) Balneaves of Cairnbadie (Colonel) | |||||||||||||||
| Commoners & BLG1850 report that (James &) Margaret Rutherford had 4 daughters but do not name them. 'East Neuk' identifies 3 daughters of this generation (Mary m. John Gillespie of Kirkton in 1704, dau m. _ Burns (clergyman), Christian m. John Lundin of Baldastard in 1700) but then shows the James of the next generation as having the following by Ann Don: Robert (d young), Alexander (d young), Ann (m. _ Wemyss of Cuttlehill), Isabel (m. David Burn, minister of Fetteresco), Margaret (m. John Gillespie of Kirkton in 1735) and Magdalene, Rebecca, Christian & Barbara ("one of whom married Lundin of Baldastard"). We suspect that some duplication has arisen and, in showing the following as of this generation, follow Douglas (who names only Ann, showing but does not name the other daughter) and the 'BG family records' (which names them all). | |||||||||||||||
| (ii) | Ann Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. W. Wemyss of Cuttlehill | |||||||||||||||
| (iii) | Margaret or Mary Durham | -- | |||||||||||||
| m. (1704?) John Gillespie of Kirkton | -- | ||||||||||||||
| (iv) | Isabel Durham | -- | |||||||||||||
| m. David Burn (minister of Fetteresco) | -- | ||||||||||||||
| (v) | Christian Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1700) John Lundin of Baldastard (bpt 29.06.1696) | |||||||||||||||
| (vi)+ | other issue - David (b 1686, dsp), Alexander (dsp), Robert, David, William (dsp 1711) | ||||||||||||||
| (2) | Adam (or Sir James?) Durham of Lufness | ||||||||||||||
| (3) | Sir Alexander Durham, 1st of Largo (d unm 1663, Lord Lyon King of Arms) | ||||||||||||||
| 'RedBookScot' (Gordon MacGregor, vol 6 (2024 edition), 'Durham of Powrie & Largo', p140) reports that Sir Alexander had a natural son ... | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | Adolphus Durham of Edinburgh (a 1675) ancestor of Durhams of Boghead | ||||||||||||||
| (4) | Adolphus Durham (dsp) | ||||||||||||||
| (5) | Grizel Durham (d 09.1666) mentioned by Burke & Douglas | ||||||||||||||
| m. (mcrt 07.1639) John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton (b c1608, d 1673) | |||||||||||||||
| b. | Grizel Durham possibly of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| There appears to be confusion between successive generations of Grizels, daughters of a James Durham of Pitkerrow (possibly including the earlier one shown below as married to an Alexander Fothringham). TCP reports one (d 09.1666, sister of Sir Alexander) as married first to Sir Alexander Fotheringham then in 1630 to Sir Gilbert Ramsay, 1st Bart of Balmain, then in 07.1639 to John, 1st Earl of Middleton. However, BP1934 (Ramsay of Balmain), which also attributes those 3 marriages to her, also reports that Sir Gilbert Ramsay was alive in 1661-3. 'The Genealogy of the Fothringhams of Pourie-Fothringham' reports that the Grizel who married the 11th laird of Pourie was remarried to Sir Gilbert Ramsay, 1st Bart, as his 2nd wife (making no mention of a 3rd marriage) but reports that her 1st husband did not die until 1654. We suspect that not only is there more than one Grizel Durham involved but that there is also more than one Alexander Fothringham or Gilbert Ramsay involved, possibly including the Alexander Fothringham shown below as of an earlier generation, and/or that marriages have been reported in the wrong order. We hope to research this further in due course. | |||||||||||||||
| m1. (1630) Sir Gilbert Ramsay, 1st Bart of Balmain (a 1651) | |||||||||||||||
| m2. Sir Alexander Fothringham, 11th of Pourie (dsp 1654) | |||||||||||||||
| c. | Jean Durham (d 19.07.1645) probably of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m1. James Sinclair of Stevenson | |||||||||||||||
| m2. (1645) Sir James Balfour of Kinnaird, 1st Bart of Denmiln (b c1604, d 14.02.1657, Lyon King of Arms) | |||||||||||||||
| a. | daughter mentioned by Douglas | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Drummond of Megginch | |||||||||||||||
| a. | daughter mentioned by Douglas | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Hay of Seggyden | |||||||||||||||
| d.+ | other issue - William of Linlithgow, John, Robert | ||||||||||||||
| ii. | Jane Durham (bpt 20.09.1601) probably of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m. (30.04.1622) Sir William Blair of Balgillo | |||||||||||||||
| iii.+ | "several children" | ||||||||||||||
| B. | Grizel Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. (mcrt 22.05.1609) Alexander Fothringham (of Pourie family) | |||||||||||||||
| C. | Joanna Durham probably of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m. Sir Michael Balfour of Denmiln (b 1579-80, d 04.02.1652) | |||||||||||||||
| D.+ | 3 other sons + another daughter | ||||||||||||||
| 2. | Isabel Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Auchterlony of Kelly | |||||||||||||||
| 3. | Margaret Durham | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Dempster of Dundee | |||||||||||||||
| 4.+ | other issue - John (dsp), Alexander of Omachie, Francis in Banffshire | ||||||||||||||
Main source(s): BLG1850 ('Durham of Largo') & Commoners (vol 1, 'Durham of Largo', p287+), referred to above jointly as "Burke", 'The East Neuk of Fife' (Rev. Walter Wood, 2nd edition (1887), p82+), 'Baronage of Scotland' (Robert Douglas, 1798, 'Durham of Pittkerrow, Largo, &c.', p473+) with some support from Stirnet's 'BG family records'
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