John Anstruther (1736 - 1815)

Born 13 May 1736 in Carnbee, Fife, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Battle of Freeman's Farm, American Revolution

Biography

Colonel John Anstruther served with 62nd (Royal American) Regiment of Foot during the American Revolution.

John Anstruther was born in 1736, son of Sir Philip (Anstruther) Anstruther of Balcaskie 2nd Bt (~1688 - 1763).

The Anstruthers directly descended from William de Candela, Lord of Anstruther (ca.1100-1153). By the 18th century, the extended Anstruther family held two baronetcies (of Anstruther and of Balcaskie). John Anstruther was one of twelve children (the second son) born of Sir Philip Anstruther, 2nd Baronet of Balcaskie (1688-1763) and Catharine Hay of Spott (1697-1759). ^[1]

His siblings were:

1. Robert (Anstruther) Anstruther of Balcaskie 3rd Bt (1733 - 1818)
2. William Anstruther (1738 - 1805)
3. Christian (Anstruther) Lumsdaine (1742 - 1811)

Nationality: Scottish

Born: 13 May 1736

Regimental commission dates:Lieutenant-Colonel 21 October 1773

Wounded: Battle of Freeman's Farm, 19 September 1777

Captured: Saratoga, New York, 17 October 1777 (Convention Army)

Retired: 30 December 1782

Died: 10 February 1815

At the age of 14, John became an ensign in the 26th Regiment with a commission dated 2 May 1751. On 28 August 1756 he became a lieutenant in the 8th, or King's Regiment. Transferred to the 63rd Regiment when that corps was formed from the 8th 's second battalion in 1758, he became the 63rd Regiment's captain-lieutenant on 25 September 1761, captain on 23 July 1762, and major of the regiment on 5 November 1766. Perhaps either due to missing his early regiment-hopping days or desiring to be part of a more senior regiment, John Anstruther became lieutenant-colonel of the 62nd Regiment on 21 October 1773. As such, John Anstruther had the honor of commanding the regiment in the field either at home or abroad, in quarters or on campaign, due to the continued absence of the colonel of the regiment.

Colonel Anstruther joined Wolfe's Regiment in 1756. He was afterwards Major of the 63rd Regiment and Colonel in the 62nd Regiment. He served in the American War in General Burgoyne's division in 1777, was taken prisoner and twice wounded [sic: once]. When he retired from the army he sold his commission for £8,000, and bought the farm of Coates, near Charleton, and during the later part of his life lived at Coates House with his two daughters, Margaret and Catherine. Margaret married General [James] Durham of Largo.

Lieutenant-Colonel John Anstruther married Grizel Thomson ( - 1795) of Charleton (died 5 July 1795) in December 1774, herself from a very prominent family and in fact heiress to its great fortunes. John Thomson of Charleton, Fifeshire and wife Margaret had one son…who died at the age of eighteen, and two daughters—Rachel…who died young without children, and Grizel, who married Colonel John Anstruther. John Thomson of Charleton, not having given his consent to his daughter's marriage, took care that Colonel Anstruther should have no benefit, and left the Charleton property to his grandson. He also put into his will that anyone succeeding to Balcaskie should forfeit Charleton, and that in case of his grandson dying without an heir, Charleton should go to the second son of John Spottiswoode of Spottiswoode.

The first child of Colonel Anstruther John (Anstruther) Anstruther-Thomson (1776 - 1833). had a son, John (Anstruther-Thomson) Anstruther (1818-1904) who published a book titled Eighty Years' Reminiscences by Colonel Anstruther Thomson (Longman's, Green, and Co., London: 1904).

The eldest son of [Lieutenant-Colonel] John Anstruther, second son of Sir Robert [sic: Philip] Anstruther of Balcaskie took the name of Thomson on succeeding to the estate of Charleton on the death of his mother. He was born in 1776, and succeeded to Charlton in 1797. He raised a troop of the Fife Fencible Cavalry, of which regiment his father was Colonel. When they were disbanded the colours were sent to Charleton, where they now are [in 1904].

John died in 1815 aged ~79.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism:Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013. Ancestry Record 60143 #27322830

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