Godfrey (McCullough) McCullough of Myretoun 2nd Bt. (abt. 1640 - 1697)

Born about 1640 in Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Agnes (Kennedy) McCullough — married 26 Oct 1667 in Scotland

Descendants

Died 26 Mar 1697 at about age 57 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Biography

Godfrey (McCullough) McCullough of Myretoun 2nd Bt. is Notable.

Godfrey (McCullough) McCullough of Myretoun 2nd Bt. is a member of Clan MacCulloch.

Godfrey McCulloch was the son of Sir Alexander McCulloch, 1st Baronet of Myretoun [spelling varies]^[1] and Anna Ferguson^[2], presumably born around 1640. He is also known as Godfrey McCulloch of Ardwall, as he is descended from the McCullochs of Ardwall. His grandfather John McCulloch was the first to be styled "of Myretoun" after he acquired the lands in 1635 in addition to his Ardwall estates^[3].

In 1667, Godfrey married Agnes Kennedy^[4]. Their exact number of children is unknown, but McCulloch family historian Walter Jameson McCulloch believes there is sound evidence for the following legitimate issue in personal correspondence and the General Register of Sasines^[5]:

• John McCullough
• Gilbert McCulloch
• Agnes McCullough

After the death of his father in 1675, Godfrey inherited his title and became Sir Godfrey, 2nd Baronet of Myretoun.

He represented the Stewartry in the Convention of Estates in 1678^[6] and was a Commissioner for the Supply of Wigtownshire in 1685. He was also appointed a sheriff deputy in 1682, but refused to have anything to do with the treatment of the Wigtown Martyrs^[7].

For most of his adult life Sir Godfrey seemed to struggle with money. He sold most of his land but was constantly in debt, trying to evade his creditors. His father had started a violent feud with the nearby Gordons of Ardwall over the true ownership of Cardoness Castle, and Godfrey continued this feud even after he was granted sasine of Cardoness in 1676 and took up residence there^[8]. After an argument with William Gordon about some cattle, on 2 Oct 1690 Sir Godfrey approached the residence of William Gordon and asked to speak with him. When William presented himself, Sir Godfrey shot him in the leg. William later died of his injuries and Sir Godfrey fled to the Isle of Man^[9].

By 1696 Sir Godfrey had returned to Scotland and was living in Edinburgh under the alias of "Mr. Johnetoune". However, he was recognized and arrested. He was tried on 8 Feb 1697, found guilty, and executed via beheading by the Maiden on 26 Mar 1697 at the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh^[10][11].

The baronetcy of Myretoun was ended upon his death, as his estate was divided between his creditors^[1]. The fate of his family (both legitimate and illegitimate) is unknown. Many 19th and 20th century sources say they fled to Ireland^[12], though Walter Jameson McCulloch proposes this could be a confusion with the descendants of his sister Janet McCulloch, who married an O'Neill^[5].

Research Notes

• Sources for Godfrey's birth, marriage, or any births of his children could not be found on ScotlandsPeople. Sources for this information come primarily from Walter J. McCulloch's History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch which appears well researched and cites many primary documents.
• A transcription of Godfrey's full indictment and verdict can be found here. His final speech here and letter to his wife and children in Walter J. McCulloch's History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch, p. 74.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} “Legal records - Wills and testaments,” database and images, ScotlandsPeople (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 1 Nov 2020), Godfrae McCulloch, 26 Jan 1705, Testament Dative and Inventory; citing Edinburgh Commissary Court, Wills and testaments reference CC8/8/82.
2. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 67.
3. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 59.
4. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 78.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 79.
6. ↑ Joseph Foster, Members of Parliament, Scotland, Including the Minor Barons, the Commissioners for the Shires, and the Commissioners for the Burghs, 1357-1882 (London: Hazell, Watson and Viney, 1882), 2nd ed., p.224; image copy, Internet Archive, (https://archive.org/details/membersparliame00fostgoog/page/n246/mode/2up : accessed 1 Nov 2020).
7. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 72.
8. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 68.
9. ↑ Walter Jameson McCulloch, A History of the Galloway Families of McCulloch (Ardwall: Private Printing, 1964), p. 72-73.
10. ↑ William Mackenzie, The History of Galloway, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time (Kirkcudbright: John Nicholson, 1841), vol. 2, appendix, p. 52-54; image copy, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/historyofgallowa02mack/page/n567/mode/2up : accessed 1 Nov 2020).
11. ↑ “Old Parish Registers Deaths and burials,” database and images, ScotlandsPeople (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 1 Nov 2020), Godfrey McCloch, 26 Mar 1697; citing Parish of Edinburgh, ref no. 685/1 830 23.
12. ↑ The New Statistical Account of Scotland (Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1845) vol. 4, County of Wigton, p.225-226; image copy, Google Books (https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=9uk1AAAAMAAJ&rdid=book-9uk1AAAAMAAJ&rdot=1 : accessed 1 Nov 2020).

See also:

• Wikipedia: Godfrey McCulloch
• Wikidata: Item Q5576502, en:Wikipedia
• Anderson, William, The Scottish Nation (Edinburgh: A. Fullerton & Co., 1867), vol. 2, p. 713 link
• McKerlie, P. H., History of the lands and their owners in Galloway (Edinburgh: William Paterson, 1870), vol. 1, p. 75 link