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This document bears to be the composition of an unspecified child of Anne Gordon, sister of Charles VI (or more probably VII) of Terpersie, at some time during the latter half of the 1700s. It subsequently passed into the hands of George Leslie (a descendent or other relation of John Leslie?) and was copied by William Leiper in March 1893.

At least superficially scholarly and self-assured, it challenges Wimberley in two important respects.

William III and IV were father and son according to this account; Wimberley, who, correctly or otherwise, conflates them into one single person, is explicitly dismissive of this idea. If the alternative view is accepted, then there were seven Lairds of Terpersie, not six. The truth of the matter is yet to be determined.

The extraordinary claim is also advanced that William I of Terpersie’s mother was a sister of King James V of Scotland; if this can be substantiated, then the line extends back uninterruptedly through the Stuart Kings, to Robert the Bruce, I of Scotland. According to Wimberley, the lady in question was Margaret, a daughter not of James IV but of Patrick Stewart of Laithers.

This division of opinion also remains to be resolved but it is noted for now that of several documents in Section J which treat of these matters, there is a solid consensus on both counts. It is likely that all these documents take as their common source George Leslie’s manuscript, composed at some time during the second half of the 18th century.

George Leslie manuscript


The Terpersie Family

                                                       from a manuscript belonging
to George Leslie grandfather
to Dr Wm Henderson - of
Caskieben1.

The 6th Laird.

 

Anne Gordon my mother was born
4th January 1679. She was daughter to George
Gordon of Terpersie the 6th Laird. This
George my grandfather was married to Anne
Burnett daughter of Sir Alex Burnett of
Craigmile & by her had two sons and four
daughters -

1st Charles who succeeded. He was engaged in
1745 & suffered for it at Carlisle. He left
a numerous family of whom afterwards.
2nd Thomas who died unmarried
3d Christian married to Peter Leith of Three-
field & has children.
4th. Ann my mother
5 - Jean married to Leslie of Buchanston
6th Eliza married to William Kennedy now
in Holland.

The 5th Laird
 






 		of Terpersie James my great grandfather:
was married to Ann Gordon a daughter of
Craig – one son George who succeeded and
two daughters. Jane married to Leith of Three-
field. Janet married to Gordon of Balbithen
and three sisters one of whom Isobel was2
married to Forbes of Skelitor. The other
two Harriet and Helen are unmarried.
The 4th Laird

 

of Terpersie William father to James
of whom formerly was married to ____ Ogilvie
daughter of Letchieston. He had Children
1st James who succeeded.
2nd John 1st Laird of Wardhouse.
3 – Harry 1st Laird of Auchline grandfather
to James Gordon of Auchline and Knockespock
commonly called Judge Gordon.

He had made money in Antigua and lately
purchased Terpersie from the government
who bought it under forfeiture and resides
mostly in London.

The 3d

laird of Terpersie William was married to _____
Ogilvie daughter of Invercharritie and had
children William before mentioned who succeeded
and the first Laird of Badenscoth eldest of the
family of Terpersie & one daughter married
to Cumine of Cullen.
The 2nd

 

Laird George was married to Lady Cluny
Gordon daughter of Earl of Sutherland
had no children I know of but William
who succeeded.
The I.st

 

Laird William of Terpersey was
the 2nd son of James Gordon of Lesmore
by Stewart lawful sister of James the 5th
King of Scotland & relict of Barclay
of Gartly he married Margt3 Ogilvie +
a daughter of Banff by whom he had
George who succeeded. I know no other
children of his. The present lineal heir
of the family is James Gordon who was
engaged with his father Charles in 1745
and taken prisoner in Carlisle but pardoned
on condition of his going abroad. He is
now in Jamaica and said to be making
money fast. He has two brothers and
four sisters.



Copied – March 1893 –
Wm Leiper

Notes

1 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? Dr Henderson is stated in a letter from Margaret Garden to William Leiper, dated 10th May 1877, to have ‘died lately’.

2 The date 1764 has been added in pencil, level with this line but it is not immediately clear which event it refers to.

3 ‘Margt’ has been written in pencil over a line in ink, accompanied by a note, also in pencil, ‘relict of Alex Gordon younger of Strathavon + Cluny’