John (Ross) Ross of Halkhead (abt. 1395 - aft. 1473)

Born about 1395 in Renfrewshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died after 24 Aug 1473 after about age 78 in Renfrewshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Biography

John was the son of John Ross and Agnes Melville.^[1][2]

Family Note

The Ross of Halkhead were a Lowland Scottish family, likely originating from Yorkshire, and not related to the Highland Ross family of either the Earls of Ross or of Ross of Balnagown.

Lineage

Little is known of the detail of his parents. James Paul presumes him to be a son of a Johannes de Ross who, in 1392 and 1397, appears as miles, dominus de Halkhead, (knight, Lord of Halkhead), on 28 October 1405 as Johannes de Ross de Haukheid miles, and under the same designation on 13 October 1409. ^[3][4]

His date of birth is not provided in source. His father was still alive in Dec 1413 and there is no record of succession. However the John of this profile appears on the record as "Jon Rosse de Haukede" on 6 Aug 1447, suggesting he succeeded shortly before. He was appointed heritable constable of the castle of Renfrew.^[3]

Source records also provide that his son, Sir John Ross of Halkhead was of age when he appears in tournaments in Feb 1449 (New Calendar),^[3] suggesting that he, the son, was born c. 1420. Thus it might be expected that the John, of this profile, was born c. 1395.

His death is not recorded in source but his son appears as Lord of Halkhead in 1451 and it is presumed he died shortly before.

There is no detail of a wife provided in source but a son is noted:

• Sir John Ross of Halkhead

Research Notes

• Clan MacFarlane: Sir John Ross, of Halkhead

• The Peerage: John Ross

• Halkhead Castle

• Geni: John Ros of Halkhead, Constable of Renfrew Castle, N.B. disputes Agnes Melville as wife but this is based on another Agness who married a descendant.

Sources

1. ↑ Knowles, George Parker, "A Genealogical Account of the Rosses of Dalton, in the County of Dumfries, from their First Settlement in Scotland in the Twelfth Century, to the Year of our Lord 1854", London: private, 1855, Archive.org, p. 5
2. ↑ This is disputed by Fraser, William. "The Melvilles Earls of Melville and the Leslies Earls of Leven", Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable at the Edinburgh university press, 1890, Vol. I, Archive.org, p. 22 but it appears that this was a differrent Agnes Melville, daughter of Thomas Melville
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1910, Vol. VI, Archive.org, p. 248
4. ↑ Douglas, Robert, "The Peerage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom, from their Origin to the present GEneration. Collected from the Public Records and Chartularies of this Country, the Records and other Writings of the Nobility and the Works of Our Best Historians", Edinburgh: R. Fleming, 1764, Archive.org, p. 581

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q75488579