Biography

John Graham of Balargus was born after 1458 in Scotland. He was the eldest son of Robert Graham and Matilda Scrymgeour. ^[1]

His wife is unknown.

He was the father of John Graham, who was the first to be known as Claverhouse, and the ancestor of Sir William Graham III of Claverhouse, and John Graham Viscount Dundee . ^{[1] [2]}

He obtained a charter on or about 9 March 1480, confirmed under the Great Seal, 18 February 1482, of the lands of Balargus in the regality of Kirriemuir.

He was a minor at the time of his father's death but he had reached full age by 14 November 1503 when he granted to Sir James Scrymegour of Dudhope, a discharge of his lands of Balargus, Bawlone, Drumgeith, Myrtoun and all lands and annual rents within the Burgh of Dundee. ^[1]

Subsequent to 14 November 1503 he acquired the lands of Claverhouse.

He died before 31 July 1511 and was succeeded by his son and heir, John Graham ^[1]

Research Notes

Although his wife is not named in most reliable records, George Crawford's "The Peerage of Scotland" 1716, names her as Marjory Scrymgeour, daughter of James Scrymgeour and his second wife Margaret Maitland. This is not reliable. If true this relationship would have been within the forbidden degree as she would have been the half sister of his mother. There appears to be no record of James Scrymgeour having a daughter named Marjory, although records are sketchy. It seems more likely that Crawford has confused the marriages of John and his father.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Balfour Paul, James, Sir, "The Scots Peerage" founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland,containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, published in Edinburgh by David Douglas, 1904-1914, Vol 3, page 316, (https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun03pauluoft/scotspeeragefoun03pauluoft/page/316/mode/2up)
2. ↑ Cokayne, George E, 1825-1811 "The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom ,extant, extinct, or dormant" (https://archive.org/details/completepeerageo04coka)

See Also:

• "The Scottish Nation : Dundee (https://electricscotland.com/history/nation/Dundee.htm)

• Mowbray Morris, Author "The Project Gutenberg ebook of Claverhouse" (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18254/18254-h/18254-h.htm)

• "Traditions and Stories of Scottish Castles-Mains Castle (https://electricscotland.com/history/castles/mains.htm)

• "George Crawfurd's "The Peerage of Scotland, containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, page 116, (https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_the-peerage-of-scotland_crawford-george_1716)