MySource:Samples 59/Hereditary Sempill Lords of Craiginfeoch, Craigbetts, and Balgreen

Hereditary Sempill Lords of Craiginfeoch, Craigbetts, and Balgreen

• Paul, James Balfour. 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, with armorial illustrations. (Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1904-1914). Vol. 7, Page 537.^S2

DAVID SEMPLE. On 17 July 1526 he was included in a respite granted by King James V for the slaughter of Cornelius de Mathetema, Dutchman, at the Tolbooth of Edinburgh. He was denounced rebel for the murder of William Cunynghame of Craigends and his servant in 1534. He had a precept of remission, on 12 March 1553, for traitorously being at Glasgow moor with William, Earl of Glencairn. He obtained from his brother Robert, Master of Sempill, the lands of Craigninfeoch in 1546, and was possibly father of John and grandfather of William Sempill, friar of Craigenfeoch in 1589.

• The Scots Peerage by Paul, James

Page 545 – JOHN SEMPILL ‘of Bruntschellis, sone laufull to Robert, Lord Sempill,’ on 12 July 1568, had a gift under the Privy Seal of the escheat of John Hamilton, Archibishop of St. Andrews., He was one of the substitutes after his nephew and brother Andrew, and before his brother John of Beltries, in the charter by his father, dated 8 November 1572, and was therefore most probably a son of the marriage with Isabel Hamilton. He was named as a hostage to Queen Elizabeth I of England on behalf of the Scots 18 April 1573, when he is stated to be his father’s second lawful son living, of the age of thirty-six years or thereby. He died before 7 February 1587-88, possibly without issue, for the lands of Bruntschiells are said to have been granted in 1560 by his father to Andrew, his elder brother.

• Semple, William Alexander. Genealogical History of the Family Semple: From 1214 to 1888. (Hartford, Connecticut: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1888), Page 49.

SIR ROBERT SEMPLE of Craiginfeoch, cousin-german of Sir James Semple of Beltrees, had a charter from his grandfather, Robert, Third Lord Semple, of the lands of Craiginfeoch, which before pertained to David, ancestor of the Semples of Craigbetts (a branch of whom settled in Spain). He left a son.

I. 252. John Semple (ie. of whom next).

• Semple, William Alexander. Genealogical History of the Family Semple: From 1214 to 1888. (Hartford, Connecticut: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1888), Page 49.

252. JOHN SEMPLE, who married Margaret Atkine, the heiress of Balgreen (which lands lie in the northwestern part of the parish of Lochwinnoch). He obtained the lands of Longcraft and Muirshield from James, Earl of Abercorn, August 26, 1642. He also had a charter granted by William Lord Cochran and Dundonald of the lands of Queenside-Muir, dated October 13, 1655. In Queenside-Muir a high hill is situated called the Hill of the Stake, and Queenside Loch, out of which the river Calder hath its source, which empties into Castle-Semple Loch (Lochwinnoch), below the house of Barr. John Semple of Balgreen, died in 1679, and left issue.

1. Robert (see 253).

2. Hugh, ancestor of the Semples of Cartside (see 254).

• Semple, William Alexander. Genealogical History of the Family Semple: From 1214 to 1888. (Hartford, Connecticut: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1888), Page 50.

II. 253. Robert Semple, Sheriff-Deputy of Renfrewshire, eldest son of John Semple of Balgreen, sold the lands of Balgreen, formerly called Easter Cloak, Longeraft, Muirshield, and Queenside-Muir, to his kinsman, Robert Semple of Fulwood, July 6, 1697, but continued to reside at Balgreen until his death in 1726. These lands were acquired by Sir John Houston, of that ilk, April 25, 1718, and afterwards passed into the possession of Robert Fulton (by Sir John Houston, son of the first mentioned), merchant in Paisley, December 11, 1729, who sold the lands of Muirshield and Queenside-Muir to William Caldwell of Yardfoot, and were acquired from him by William McDowall of Castle-Semple, 1782. Robert Semple left a widow, Mary Edminstone.

• Hector, William. Selections from the judicial records of Renfrewshire: illustrative of the administration of the laws of the county and manners and conditions of the inhabitants in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1961), Second Series, Page 62 to 65.

Robert Semple, of Balgreen the more immediate subject of these notes, held the office of Sheriff-Depute of Renfrewshire, under the hereditary Sheriff-Principal, The Earl of Eglinton, from 1690, till his death in 1726. The founder of the Balgreen family was John Semple, an illegitimate son of Lord Semple, who came into possession of the lands of Balgreen early in the seventeenth century, by (ie. another John's marriage with Margaret Atkine, heiress of Balgreen). John Semple made considerable accessions to his wife’s property, by purchasing the lands of Longcraft and Muirshiel in 1642, and Queenside Muir in 1655. The estate, thus increased, came through successive generations, from John Semple to Robert Semple, Sheriff-Depute. The Sheriff having unfortunately, by cautionary obligations, got into financial difficulties, he, on 6th July, 1697, disponed his whole estates of Balgreen, formerly called Easter Cloak, Longcraft, Muirshield, and Queenside Muir, to his kinsman, Robert Semple, of Fullwood, then also holding an appointment as Sheriff-Depute of the county.