John Makgill (abt. 1564 - abt. 1646)

Born about 1564 in Cranstoun Riddel, Midlothian, Scotland

Ancestors

Died about 29 Apr 1646 at about age 82 in Midlothian, Scotland

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Biography

John Makgill is a member of Clan Makgill.

John Makgill was a member of the aristocracy in Scotland.

John Makgill was the son of David Makgill and Elizabeth Forester. He married, secondly, Maria Sandilands (Marioun Sandelandes) on 6 August 1606. He died circa 29 April 1646. He was Writer to the Signet (W.S.).

The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since disappeared and the Society is now an independent, non-regulatory association of solicitors.

Solicitors in Scotland were previously known as "writers"; Writers to the Signet were the solicitors entitled to supervise use of the King's Signet, the private seal of the early Kings of Scots. Records of that use date back to 1369. In 1532, the Writers to the Signet were included as Members in the newly established College of Justice, along with the Faculty of Advocates and the Clerks of the Court of Session. The Society was established in 1594, when the King's Secretary, as Keeper of the Signet, gave commissions to a Deputy Keeper and 18 other writers.

Writers to the Signet began as clerks to the Keeper of the Signet, and were afforded the privileges of freedom from taxation by the Burgh of Edinburgh, exemption from military duty, and rights of audience before the bar of the College of Justice. Writers were involved in drawing up summonses to the Court of Session. Writers were, however, de jure prohibited from acting as procurators but de facto this was often ignored.

In civil actions in the Court of Session, a pursuer is required to have his writ stamped with the Signet to give him authority from the Queen to serve the writ on the defender. That conferral, called "passing the Signet," was previously carried out by the Signet Office, the administration of which was one of the Society's responsibilities. In 1976 the Signet Office was merged into the General Department of the Court of Session and the Society was relieved of any responsibility for it. Nevertheless, the requirement of "passing the Signet" survived.

Children:

1. James Mcgill 1608–Deceased • MG68-7T2 ​
2. Jonet Mcgill 1611–Deceased • MV5F-5JL ​
3. John Mcgill 1613–Deceased • MV5X-9QW ​
4. Jon McGill 1616–Deceased • 94C8-SC3 ​

Sources

• "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYM6-HMR : 10 February 2018), Johnne Mcgill and Marioun Sandelandes, 06 Aug 1606; citing Edinburgh Parish,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,066,688.

• The Peerage

• Wikipedia - Clan Makgill

• The Scots peerage, Vol. VI, page 594

• Geni

• Family Search

• Wikipedia - Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet

• A history of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet - Page 129