Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/70

 NOTES AND QUERIES.

[9 th S. I* JAN. 22, '98,

phant of Bachilton is mentioned as a witness 15 May, 1605, and again on 12 July, 1614. He was probably alive on 1 Feb., 1626, when in an instrument of sasine a George Oliphant of Bachilton is stated to be lawful son to the former George Oliphant of Bachilton. Wil- liam Oliphant, apparent of Bachilton, is mentioned in the same instrument, having previously appeared as a witness 29 Nov., 1610, when he is described as son of George Oliphant of Bachilton. Had George died about 1606, as stated in the Condie chart, he would have been described as the "umquhil" or "the former" in 1610. If the pedigree is correct in describing William as son of the second George Oliphant of Bachilton, then George was alive also in 1626, when William is "apparent of Bachiltoun." That the pedigree may be correct in asserting William to have been second son of George is sup- ported by the fact that William is not called "apparent" in the mention of 1610. It must, however, have been the father of William, and not his son George (assuming he had one), who sold Bachilton about 1627, seeing that the latter must have been dead in 1626.

We now come to the second family of Oli- phant of Bachilton. John Oliphant, the first of this line, who had a charter of the barony of Bachilton ratified to him in 1633 ('Scots Acts,' c. 109, v. 118), appears to have been a descendant of a bastard son of Laurence Oli- phant, abbot of Inchaffray (son of the second lord), who was slain at Flodden. According to the Condie chart his precise relationship was grandson to the abbot's bastard Thomas, who is therein stated to have married Eliza- beth Gil, " daughter of a countryman," and to have been styled "of Freeland." Their children are stated to have been (1) Laurence, styled "of Freeland," who married a daughter of Shaw of Lathagie, and was father of the first laird of Bachilton of the new line ; and (2) Sir William Oliphant of Newton, Lord Advocate of Scotland. The accuracy of these state- ments may, or may not, be capable of cprro- boration : but in writing of the Condie pedigree the late Lord Ly on remarks, " I believe gener- ally that it is by no means very accurate." John Oliphant of Bachilton took a pro- minent part in Perthshire affairs during the stormy period of the Great Rebellion. In 1630 he was one of the arbiters between the Earl of Tullibardine and the Laird of Gask. He was appointed a commissioner for rebuild- ing a bridge (1641), for raising a loan (1643), for provisioning the army (1645), and for re- valuing Perthshire (1649). He also appears on the Committee of War at various dates between 1643 and 1649. The chart so often

referred to gives him five sons and one daughter, Isabel, married the first baronet of Ochtertyre (Murray). Of the sons: (!) "Patrick, killed 1643, leaving a son John, called son to Patrick Oliphant, Fear of Bac- hilton"; (2) William, d.s.p.; (3) Laurence ; (4) John, " a bailie of Perth, married a daughter of Trotter of Mortonhall, died about 1686 "; and (5) George of Clashbennie. The exist- ence of Laurence, John, and George is con- clusively proved from other sources. George of Clashbennie had a sasine in favour of him- self of the lands of Clashbenny 16 Oct., 1665, in which he is described as " Mr. George Oly- phant, brother german to Laurence Olyphant of Bachiltoune " (' Perth Sasines,' Fifth Series, vol. iii. p. 134). Laurence Oliphant of Bachil- ton "married Helen Whyt, died before 1668 " (Condie chart). He was ordered to pay a fine of 1,500/. to the Protector in 1654, which was reduced in the following year to 500/. ('Scots Acts,' vi. 846 and vii. 90). After the Restoration Laurence was appointed a Commissioner of Excise. The ' Chronicle of Perth,' p. 48 (Maitland Club), records his burial: "June 20, 1666, Fryday. Laurence oliphant of bachiltoun buried in aberdalgie in efternoone."

Patrick Oliphant of Bachilton and his tutors are mentioned in 1672. This Patrick was on the assize that retoured William Oliphant of Gask heir to his brother George Oliphant of Gask. He married, in 1686, Barbara, daughter of Colin Mackenzie, a son of George, second Earl of Seaforth, and had issue Patrick, d.s.p. 1755, having married Mrs. Margaret Bennett (Condie chart). Patrick Oliphant entailed in 1729 the "toun and lands of Bachiltoun and otheis, county Perth" ('Index of Re- gistered Entails,' vii. 401). Laurence Oliphant of Bachilton, who died in 1666, had, besides Patrick, a son Laurence and a daughter Elizabeth (Condie chart). Laurence Oli- phant, the second son, had issue Alexander, David, and Margaret, who married John Oliphant of Carpow, and of her and her issue more remains to be told. David Oli- phant (Laurence the younger's second son) eventually succeeded his cousin Patrick in the estate of Bachilton. A memorial ring of this David is in the possession of Miss M. H. Rollo and affords the information that " R. H. Lord Olyphant, ob. 27 Oct., 1770, cet. 80." He appears as a soi-disant Lord Oliphant before 4 Oct., 1760, at which date the administration of Hon. David Oliphant, of the Isle of Jamaica, bachelor, is granted to his father David, Lord Oliphant (see 'Complete Peerage/ vol. vi. p. 122). David Oliphant was buried 5 Nov.,