Alexander Traill of Blebo

ALEXANDER TRAILL OF BLEBO

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

7 October 1549: Dispensation for marriage by James Scot, provost of Gorstorphin and commissioner of Mr. John Thorntoun, prothonotary, precentor of Moray and commissioner of the papal penitentiary, in favour of Alexander Traill and Elizabeth Farny, who were related in the fourth degree of consanguinity. The parties' procurators were William Farny of Foxtoun and Mr. John Logane, as appeared by an instrument under the hand of Patrick Stevinsoun, clerk of St. Andrews diocese and notary by apostolic authority. The process is in virtue of commission, empowering Thorntoun to dispense in forty-five cases, of date 16 February 1548/9. National Recrds of Scotland, Papers of Bethune family of Blebo, Fife, reference GD7/1/6

                   2

17 October 1549: Instrument of sasine narrating that Patrick Leremond of Dersy, as bailie for John, archbishop of St. Andrews, gave sasine to Alexander Traill, son of John Traill of Blabo, and his heirs male by Elizabeth Farny his affianced spouse, whom failing to the daughters of deceased John Traill, Alexander's elder brother of the tenandry of Blabo, viz:- The Mains of Blabo, lands of Hoill, Baruchy, Myltoun of Blabo and a sixth of the lands of Clatto, which were resigned by said John Traill, elder, and Agnes Bruce, his spouse, to whom a liferent is reserved; on precept by the archbishop, dated at St. Andrews, [blank] October 1549, before these witnesses: John lord Lindesay of Byris, John Wemys of that ilk, Patrick Leremond of Dersy, William Bruce of Erllishal, Mr. Andrew Oliphant, the archbishopo's secretary, and John Hamilton, cubiculorius. Witnesses to sasine: Mr. John Spittale, official principal of St. Andrews, Andrew Farny of that ilk, William Farny, his son and apparent heir, William Farny of Foxtoun and sir Thomas Traill and John Smyth, notaries public. Notary - Patrick Stevinsone. St. Andrews diocese. National Recrds of Scotland, Papers of Bethune family of Blebo, Fife, reference GD7/1/7

                   3

17 October 1749: Instrument of sasine in favour of Alexander Traill and Elizabeth Farny, of half of the Mains of Blabo and the "quheit myln", on precept specified in preceding. Witnesses and notary as in GD7/1/7 National Recrds of Scotland, Papers of Bethune family of Blebo, Fife, reference GD7/1/8

                   4

28 February 1570: Instrument of resignation and sasine whereby Alexander Trail of Blabo resigned the lands of Ower Magask into the hands of Patrick Kynnynmounth of Craghall for new infeftment in favour of said Alexander Traill and Elizabeth Farny, his spouse. National Recrds of Scotland, Papers of Bethune family of Blebo, Fife, reference GD7/2/415

                   5

28 May 1614-29 January 1629: Papers relating to the claims of Alexander Traill, second lawful son of John Traill of Blebo, against John Traill, now of Blebo, son of John Traill, younger, of Blebo, and grandson of John Trail, elder of Blebo following on (1) bond by John Traill of Blebo to Alexander, his second lawful son, on an annualrent from the Mains of Blebo, dated 3 July 1600; (2) bond by same to Patrick; his third lawful son, on an annualrent from the Mains of Blebo, dated 3 July 1600, assigned to Alexander on 19 May 1619; bond by same to Katharine Ramsay (see GD7/1/26), dated 25 June 1604, assigned to Robert Ramsay on 30 October 1613 and to Alexander Traill on 16 November 1616; (4) bonds by John Traill, fiar of Blebo, to James Hammiltoun of Kilbrakmonth, dated 7 February 1611 and 20 June 1612, assigned to Alexander Traill in Blebo on 1 October 1614; (5) bond by John Traill, fiar of Blebo, to Alexander Tailyefeir, merchant, Edinburgh, and Marlon Williamsone, his spouse, dated 14 February 1612, assigned to Alexander Traill (styled of Clatto on 10 June 1614; (6) bond by John Traill, elder, and John Traill, younger, of Blebo, to John Knox, merchant, St. Andrews, dated 8 May 1612, assigned to Alexander Traill in Blebo on 13 November 1624. [14] National Recrds of Scotland, Papers of Bethune family of Blebo, Fife, reference GD7/2/431

Traill Family
THE ORKNEY LINEAGES

BACKGROUND

Alexander Traill of Blebo & his spouse, Elspeth Fairnie (d. of Fairnie of that ilk) (ref SMI01) had two younger sons recorded in family papers (ref TRA07) as having gone to the Orkney Isles with Lord Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney.

Of these two sons, George Traill (progenitor of the Orkney Traills) was married to Jean Kennedy, the "name daughter" of Earl Robert's wife, Lady Jane Kennedy (d. of Kennedy of Carmunks). George is known to be one of Earl Robert's Orkney officials, "servitor of ane nobil lord". With such a close family and political connection, it is probable that George Traill & his wife Jean, and possibly his brother, Patrick, travelled to Orkney, as stated, with Earl Robert's official party after charter of the Earldom was granted to him in 1564. It has been suggested that George was Earl Robert's factor, a role that would have made him very unpopular with the old Orkney landowners, but which would have put him in a position of considerable power during the Stewart Earl's roughshod conversion of Orkney's udal land-title to the more profitable feudal system.

Very little is known of the other brother, Patrick Traill, who also ventured to Orkney. He married Margaret Lindsay in Fife before going to Orkney, but appears to have left no issue there. There is some thin evidence that suggests that he may have been one of the 16 men killed or executed while supporting Earl Patrick (Earl Robert Stewart's son) against the king in 1614.(more details regarding this event may be linked here later)

Of all the sources available regarding the Orkney Traill genealogy, one stands head and shoulders above the rest for its accuracy and completeness - rather than "re-inventing the wheel", that book by William Trail of Woodwick is presented here with annotations to serve as the backbone of the Orkney section of the Traill site.

Source:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ingram/traill/ork...

ANCIENT ORIGINS OF THE TRAILLs
In the mists of antiquity

1.	 (Contributed by Elsie Ritchie.) The origin of the name Traill and some early corroborative history. In the first 500 years AD, it is well documented that Norse long boats sailed down both the channel coast and the Irish coast, both warring and trading amber and other goods to the Romans and their colonies. It is also known that they formed permanent settlements in different areas, Dublin in fact being the most famous of these settlements formed by the Danes. However the Norwegian long boats came down what is known as the channel coast and one such settlement was formed on the coast of Brittany. They were certainly there between the years 440 and 464 during the reign of Pope Leon Le Grand and the men of the settlement are known to have fought for the local leader against the onset of invading tribes. They were in return allowed to continue their hereditary customs under their own leader. During this period they were converted to Christianity, by a missionary from Galloway in Scotland.

The remains of a very ancient Christian monastery has been found on what is now known as St. Mary's isle near Kirkcudibright. According to research done by Georges Traill of St. Gildas, Brittany; in 487 the Franks overran Brittany and in consequence the Nordic settlement from Brittany emigrated to Galloway then known as the Kingdom of Rheged. They settled there and fought for the Kings of Rheged.

In support of this research is the fact that St.Mary's Isle by the 9th century was known as Traill Isle. It was common for people seeking a secure place to settle to settle around monasteries and both support and take part in the life of the priests in return for which there were many benefits to both sides. In addition the name Traill is made up of two words Tr meaning settler of and Aill meaning the Isle. There are many such surnames in Celtic areas with the prefix Tre and the suffix giving a description of an area or place. The likeness to the name Tirol is in fact likely to be only for this reason, although the world being so much smaller then the possibility of a blood relationship cannot be discounted, certainly both names have the same Celtic Latin basis in their prefix, and they were therefore of the same nationality.

Robert the Bruce conquered Galloway during his reign and it is after this that we find Canon Thomas on the records at Aberdeen. Coming as the Traills did from a monastic settlement their early respect for, and involvement in, education and religion is easily understood. On the defeat of Galloway Prince Fergus retired to the Abbey at Hollyrood presenting the monastery with the Island. The order at Hollyrood decided to again build a monastery on the Island and rededicated it to St. Mary the Virgin, covering the older building which had long fallen into disrepair with new buildings.

As over the 500 years the Traills were in residence in the area they had undoubtedly become well known, and considering they were using the twin powers of both arms and education, it is not really surprising that both Cannon Thomas and Bishop Walter Traill were both well educated and powerful monks. A third monk is on record from the Traills, know as Friar Thomas in the late 14th century, very little is known about him.

Quoting from Research undertaken in Scotland in 1999 by Diane MacNichol her report says; (Editor's note: Diane is a professional researcher used by Elsie - G.D.I.)

The religious house at St Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbrightshire was the priory 'Prioratus Sanctæ Mariæ de Trayl' dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Founded in 1129c by Fergus, Lord of Galloway it was sited on a peninsula half covered by sea at high water; originally this 'island' was called Trahil or Trayl.

The priory was a seat of canons-regular of the order of St Augustine, a dependent cell of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, and the prior was a lord of Parliament. In the mid 16th century the post was held by David Panther or Paniter of whom John Knox was reported to have commented "eating and drinking was the pastyme of his lyif", a not uncommon pastime for priors at that time, and one that was the part cause of the Reformation. The extensive area of priory lands was cleared of buildings in the 17th century to make way for a more pleasing prospect. In the late 18th century an ancient burial-ground was unearthed, predating the priory, containing 14 skeletons lying next to each other, with their feet facing east.

Monks of the early Celtic Church tended to seek isolation, away from worldly pressures and temptations. They were not necessarily averse to sharing it with other like-minded men and women who also were followers of Monasticism.

Small communities thus grew up where living was sparse and difficult. It may be that St Mary's Priory was located at Trail because there was a supportive infrastructure, set up originally to feed and serve the ancient Celtic monks. When the locals moved away from their home area they tended to use the name of the place they left as their 'surname', which became increasingly common in the 13th and 14th centuries. The practice seems to have been introduced in France early in the 11th century, brought to Britain by the Normans and thereafter spread to Scotland.

This area in the south west of Scotland is a wealth of ancient monuments and early Christianity. Kirkcudbright itself is 'Kirk Cudbright' i.e. church dedicated to St Cuthbert; Kirkmadrine near Stranraer has some of the earliest inscribed Christian monuments in Britain; Whithorn Priory was built on the site of the 5th century 'Candida Casa', the white house of St Ninian, bishop, apostle of the Picts (alleged), and possibly the first British Christian missionary.

Reference to Christian Scandinavians at Blebo at the beginning of the 12th century The researcher was a schoolteacher called Robert W. Traill of Springfield Illinois, (b 22/8/1918 and died 11/10/1982). Among other things he includes in his information this paragraph: " At the end of the 12th century and it could have been earlier, there were several families of Scandinavian descent living at Blebo, who were asked to be "keepers of the coast" on the eastern shore of Scotland to prevent further raids from the Vikings.

Etymolgy Trail?- 'settlement on an island or rock', from terra/tref isle/eilean or aile 'stone/rock'

Terms with a common root:-

tribe- tref- Celtic/Brittonic 'settlement', e.g. Tranent, an East Lothian town, is 'settlement by a stream'. trelawney- Welsh 'settlement by a church'. terra- Latin 'earth'. terremare- rectangular villages on piles by either side of the river Po in northern Italy. Tyr- ON wargod Triballi- a Celtic tribe tyrannos- Greek 'tyrant', possibly from seizing land Places:-

Tir-nan-og- 'Land of the Dead', in Ireland. Tyrol- earlier occupied by the Rætia, a Celtic tribe. Tyrone- 'Owen's country' in Northern Ireland.

Source:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ingram/traill/ant...