Robert Chisholm

Sources:

• History of the Chisholms with genealogies of the principal families of that name - Link: https://archive.org/stream/historyofchisho00mack#page/n21/mode/2up
• more info on wikitree

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https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mytree110110&id=I...

VIII, Robert de Chisholme, ultimately succeeded to the Roxburgh estates and became the head and progenitor of the Border branch of the family. That this Robert was not Sir Robert as claimed by Mr. Scott Chisholme, is clear from the Brieve quoted by himself; for had he been Sir Robert he would have been so described in that document. There is also the insuperable difficulty to be got over that even the second Sir Robert Chesholme is on record as early as 1358, or seventy-eight years earlier than 1436, the date at which, according to Mr. Scott Chisholme himself, this Robert succeeded to the Border estates of Chisholme ; and this question of dates is much more conclusive than it at once appears. When we first meet with the second Sir Robert in 1358 he is one of the Justices of the King, and must, therefore, have been not less than twenty-one years of age. The Robert who succeeded to the Border estates of Chisholme in 1436 must also have been of age before he was served heir to his brother John. In this way twenty-one years at least must be added to the seventy-eight which intervene between the date on which the second Sir Robert appears on record in 1358 and this Robert's succession in 1436, making the impossible gulf for one man to bridge over of more than a hundred years, even if he died immediately after succeeding to the Border estates. But, on the contrary, he certainly lived down to 1442, and probably much longer ; for he was one of the Lords of Justiciary who, on the 2ist of January in that year, gave judgment in an action raised by William Stirling against Gilbert of Stirling, in which connection he is styled "Robert of Cheshome."* But if there was only one Sir Robert, as some authorities maintain, this im- passable gulf would become wider still, for we find the first Sir Robert on record in the capacity of one of "the Magnates of Scotland" as early as 1346, a date at which, from what we know of his history, he must have been considerably advanced in years. True Mr. Scott Chisholme introduces us to a John Chisholme after his second Sir Robert, but as he admits this John to have been the third Robert's brother, the difficulty as regards the dates cannot to any material extent be affected ; for this John de Chisholme grants a charter to John Rose, VII. of Kilravock, as late as the 24th of April, 1420, and he is said to have lived down to 1436, the same year in which his brother Robert succeeded him in the Border estates of Chi^holme. These dates we think must be held as conclusive, not only in this particular case but as regards all the preceding heads of the House.

The Robert Chisholme who succeeded to the Border estates of the family in 1436, must have been, in these circumstances, the younger son of the second Sir Robert ; and from him we now proceed to show, as clearly as possible, with the slender materials at our disposal, the descent of the present Border family.

Robert married Marion, daughter of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig, Hawick, and Selkirk, all three Baronies of which he received a charter of confirmation, dated the 30th November, 141 2, from James I., written on vellum in the King's own hand. Sir William was an illegitimate son of James, Earl of Douglas and Mar, killed at Otterburn on the 19th of August, 1388. By Marion Douglas, whose mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Stewart of Durisdeer, Robert Chisholme had issue, four sons:

1. John, his heir and successor
2. Robert, whose descendants, if any, we have not been able to trace
3. William, who was bred to the church, and became vicar of Pettin.
4. Edmund, progenitor of the Chisholms of Cromlix

He was succeeded by his eldest son, John Chisholme, IX , who married, with issue —

Genealogy

1. History of the Chisholms : with genealogies of the principal families of the name. By Alexander Mackenzie, FSA. Scot. (A. W. Mackenzie, Inverness, MDCCCXCI), 232 pp. including index, https://archive.org
2. History of the Chisholms, pp. 185-7
3. Stirnet: Chisholm 03
4. History of the Chisholms, By Alexander Mackenzie, FSA. Scot. (A. W. Mackenzie, Inverness, MDCCCXCI),, https://electricscotland.com/
5. More about the Clan Chisholm