| Anne Gordon |
| Died 18th December 1672 |
Bulloch (p. 127-28) records that James Gordon, IV of Terpersie;
married Anne, daughter of John Gordon of Craig (by Jean, daughter of Sir James Gordon of Lesmoir, 1st bart., and relict of George Gordon, fiar of Coclarachie). She was educated in France (Balbithan MS., 47). Her name was given in on July 2, 1663, as “Ladie Terpersie, excommunicate for popery,” and also (with that of her father-in-law, William Gordon) on September 18, 1667 (Exercise of Alford, pp. 7, 102). She died December 18, 1672, and is commemorated by a stone in Tullynessle churchyard, inscribed with these lines (which have been deciphered by Mr. J. A. Henderson, the historian of Banchory):-
Hier lyes Anna Gordon, somtym spous to James Gordon, laird of Derpersie who depairted this lyf the 18 of December 1672.Hier lyes inclosed within this litle shrine
The precios body of a soul divine.
The souls retourned to God who did it give
To sing His prais and shal forever live.
The body, which with beautie was adorned,
Most now to dust from whenc it was returned
But yet in remembrence of hir vertue shel
Indure from eag to eag perpetual.
As Palas she hir wisdom still did show;
As Pytho she in eloquence did flow;
And Juno, who in riches did excel,
Was not mor free nor yet mor hospital.
The poor she fed, the naked clad also;
Non hungry naked from hir hous did go.
Of beautie, meaners, and humility
A perfect pattern she...
... and these hir lyf did grace,
And showed hir discent of a worthy race.
Lo hier the Pheynix of hir tyme doth ly,
Who lived unspotedly and blest did dy 1672.Mr. Henderson notes that the inscription is a curiosity, there being no attempt to present the verse in lines. “The comparison of the lady to Pytho - the Greek for Pythoness - the priestess of Apollo, who gave oracular answers; to Pallas, the goddess of wisdom among the Greeks; and to Juno, who was guardian of the national finances of Italy, is flattery of no ordinary character.”
For another and weaker attempt, see The Terpersie Stone, Anna Gordon, d. 1672.
| Forebears |
As stated in the extract cited above, Anne was a daughter John Gordon of Craig and his wife Jean Gordon. Anne’s
maternal grandfather was Sir James Gordon of Lesmoir, 1st bart.