Alexander (Abercrombie) Abercromby of Pitmeddan (1535 - 1593)

14. Alexander Abercromby, (heir) b. 1531, Laird of Pitmedden, married Elizabeth Leslie, of Pitcaple, daughter of Alexander Leslie, of Pitcaple and his wife Margaret Gordon. He had the charter of Pitmedden on 19 April 1550 but being underage he was given a royal charter of these lands to himself and his wife having resigned then for re-investment in the King’s hands with consent of his curators. They had a large family and Elizabeth died ca. 1572. Alexander was murdered at the Moor (Moss) of Cotstoun, Morayshire on 12 March 1594. Their sons are listed but only one daughter is named.

The children of Alexander and Elizabeth Leslie: 15. (1) Sir Alexander Abercromby, b.1557, d. c. 1593; married Margaret, daughter of William Leslie ninth Baron of Balquhain, first laird of Fetternear. Originally designated of Towie and Galcors before Pitmeddan. He received a charter, 1571, of the lands of Galcors, Banff. He had died by 1586/7 when his son got the Charter of Pitmeddan. Their sons: James Abercromby, b.c. 1575. He begins the Birkenbog line as a continuation of this line at Pitmeddan, the main trunk of the family tree. See below. Alexander Abercromby, George Abercromby, Hector Abercromby, in 1626 as the grandson of the owner, he acquired the right of a Perpetual Lease of Fetternear, Aberdeenshire and became Lord Glasfoord for life. Hector began the Abercromby’s of Fettenear Line. The Fourth Branch of the Family Tree. (2) Andrew Crombie, b. 1558; In 1618 Burgess of Aberdeen. His son: David Crombie, 1606, Burgess of Aberdeen. (3) Giles Abercromby, dtr. 1558 twin sister of Andrew, died in infancy. (4) Patrick Abercromby, b. 1559; Burgess, Aberdeen 1576: Died Paris. (5) John Abercromby, b. 1560, was the Rector of Oyne, husband of Marjory (Forbes) Abercromby . His father sold him the lands of Pitmeddan, 29th April 1582, reserving his own liferent and that of his elder son Alexander and providing that John should have no power to see or alienate the lands, but that the heir-male of Alexander, junior, could redeem the lands at any time by paying ten merks in the parish of Oyne; while the father himself reserved power to sell or mortgage the land without John’s consent. John was the author of two energetic treatises in defence of the Church of Rome against the principles of the Reformers, entitled ‘Veritatis Defenslo,’ and ‘Haeresis Confusio.’ He flourished about the middle of the sixteenth century. Around this time in France, François Morin, known as Cromé was writing his Dialogue d'entre le Maheustre et le Manant, denouncing what was happening to the Church in France. His son: William Abercromby, of Kempill. (6) George Abercrombie (abt. 1562 –). In 1591 he was a Writer (Barrister) to His Majesty’s Signet: 1591-98; Commissary of Old Aberdeen: 1619, Burgess of Aberdeen; His sons: Sir Thomas Crombie b. abt 1586, married Margaret Ker, dtr of James Ker merchant, Burgess of Edin. In 1606, Writer (Barrister) to His Majesty’s Signet, Burgess of Aberdeen, purchased Kemnay in 1624, built Kenmay House. (Inverurie and the Earldoms of the Garioch) PDF pages 234/5, 249, 256/7, 266, 272, 284,296, 303 and 420. “The plundering of his girnals at Kenmay House in 1639 was the first overt act of the Civil War. Thomas died in 1644 in an Edinburgh Prison. Their sons: John Crombie, 1616, Fetternear Patrick Abercromby, in 1617, Groom of His Majesty’s Privie Chamber; 1630 Burgess of Aberdeen His sons: James Crombie, 1685 at Garioch. Thomas Crombie, after 1670 Tutor/Bookkeeper to Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Glamis Castle, Perthshire, whose father died when he was under 4 years of age. Thomas wrote 90% of the Book of Record with Patrick writing from 1686-89. By then Thomas was accompanying Patrick’s second son on a tour of Europe, and Patrick was helping establish an army for King James VI. Thomas Abercromby, 1616, Fetternear. He married Helen Brown. Their sons: David Abercromby, b.1643, Seton, near Cullen, Banff. He was educated at the Jesuit College at Douai, Northern France and ordained a Jesuit and returned to Scotland c.1668. He also graduated in medicine and had taught mathematics and philosophy as a Jesuit novice at Nancy, Lorraine. He returned to Scotland in 1668 and, after two years, decided to practice medicine in London. He is known for his medical, theological and philosophical writings: He died about 1702. By the end of the 17thcentury he had become a protestant. His writings: Protestancy to be embrac’d or, A new and infallible method to reduce Romanists from popery to Protestancy: 1682. A safe and effective method for taking care of mercury often without mercury and always without salivation: 1684. About Pulse Variation: 1685 A Discourse of Wit: 1685: It contains some of the most characteristic metaphysical opinions of the Scottish philosophy of common sense. Reasons Why A Protestant Should not Turn Papist: 1687 Academy of Sciences: 1687 Opuscula: 1687. The art of exploring the healing possibilities of plants from the soil flavor: 1688 A Moral Discourse of the Power of Interest: 1690. Christopher Abercromby, b. 1648, at age 16, 1664, he began his studies at the Jesuit College of Douai, France and was ordained a Jesuit in Paris, 1669. Their daughters: Lucretia Abercromby, married, 1632, George Leslie of Kincragie; Elizabeth Abercromby, married Thomas Nicholson of Petmathen in Oyne and Cluny (7) Rev. Walter Abercromby, Archdeacon of Aberdeen, husband of Beatrix (Fraser) Abercromby. Walter died before 1624. Their child: Beatrix Abercromby, m. James Lesley of Warthie. They were married 60 years and had many children. (8) Robert /Henri Abercromby (abt. 1565), Jesuit Priest. Abbot of Scone. Died Battle of Glenlivet (9) James Abercromby (abt. 1567) He was five when his mother died and 22 when his father was murdered. James began the Cromey lines in Ireland: Sons: James, Dungiven; Thomas, Cromore; Robert, Antrim and Patrick Donegal. The Third Branch of the Family Tree. Look at www.crombie/info 900 years of the Abercromby/Crombie family in Scotland....... Carmel Crombie Dahl