This letter from Margaret Garden to William Leiper was accompanied by an
important enclosure, her transcript of a surviving portion of George
Leslie’s manuscript on the Gordons of Terpersie.
From “Scots Magazine” 1748
Edinburgh, June 1748
Pursuant to the Vesting Act which
directs the barons of Exchequer
at Edinburgh to keep a Register
of the several forfeited estates
real or personal, and to transmit
duplicates of the entries made
of such estates to the Sheriffs of
the Shires where they respectively
lie, that all persons having
interest might enter their
claims notice is given by an
advertisement dated June 27,
1748, that such duplicates
concerning the estates lately
belonging to the persons lately
designed as follows, are
accordingly so transmitted
to the Deputy-Sheriffs viz
James Drummond (commonly
called Duke of Perth1
Alexander Lord
Pitsligo, Charles Gordon of
Terpersie, Francis Farquhar-
son of Monaltrie, Adam Aster2
and John Gordon of Glen-
bucket, to the Sheriff of
Aberdeen
Woodthorpe
May 10
1877.Dear Mr. William
The above extract from
“Scots Magazine” with the portion
enclosed of Mr. Leslie’s manuscript
are all I have been able as yet
to glean for you. Dr. Henderson3
died lately and Mr. Garden
being his man of business as
well as one of his Trustees,
the manuscript came for a
short time into his possession.Mr. Charles B. Davidson found
on Searching that the Knock-
espock Titles4 were in EdinburghThe first time he is there he is
to try to get a look of themIn the manuscript some
words had entirely faded
which makes a difficulty in
making sense of it all as
for instance in the account
of the Third Laird. Has Mr.
R. Stewart5 no particulars
as to what became of the
descendants of Charles Gordon?
It would be very interesting,
to say the least, if their for-
tunes could be followedYou see that the Gordons
of Terpersie & the Gordons of
Knockespock were the same
Gordons. I shall hold on endeavour-
ing to get all the information I can
on the subject. I hope you have
all been pretty well during the
long winter. With kindest regards
believe me very truly yoursMargaret Garden
Notes
1 Three unintelligible symbols appear here, one on this line and two on the next, probably a form of
shorthand.
2 The surname which I have interpreted as ‘Aster’ is unclear and is subject to verification.
3 A son or other direct descendant of ‘John Henderson Esquire of Caskiebain’, mentioned in the 1806
Testament Testamentary and Inventory of
Margaret Lindsay MS Gordon?
4 Procuratory of Resignation and Deed of Entail and
Disposition & Deed of Tailzie
5 Apparently referring to Robert Stuart of 27, Burns Road, Aberdeen, presently understood to have been a
cousin to William Leiper.
Margaret Garden to William Leiper