Person:John Porterfield (5)

John Porterfield

• The Marty Acks Wiki - John Porterfield, Laird of Cuchal (1515-1575)^S4

John Porterfield (1515-1575) was the first laird of Duchal and staunch supporter of the reformed church (Protestant). In 1544 John Lord Lyle sold most of the estate of Duchal to John Porterfield.^S4

John was the son of Robert Porterfield and Isobel Maxwell. John married twice.^S4

John first married Beatrix Cunninghame (aka Cunyngham), the daughter of the laird of Craigsend in 1540. They had issue:^S4

1. William - successor as laird to Duchal^S4

2. Gabriel^S4

3. Marion - married Maxwell of Calderwood and became Lady Calderwood.^S4

After the death of Beatrix, John married Jean Knox, the daughter of the Laird of Ranforlie in 1545. They had issue:^S4

4. John of Greenend^S4

5. Elizabeth - married Archibald Campbell of Gallon, Dumbartonshire.^S4

• John was born at the Porterfield estate around 1515. John was the first Porterfield to be associated with Kilmacolm by purchase of the Duchal estate in 1544. He also purchased lands in the parishes of Inverkip, Paisley, Kilpatrick, and Dumbarton. Under John, the Porterfield family were at the peak of their land holdings in Scotland.^S4
• John was described as a man man of "good sense and more than ordinary learning" as his charters granted him were in his own hand of quite legible. It is also mentioned that he was man of high integrity and application and diligence in business.^S4
• He also apparently killed one of his neighbors. John Brisbane of Branchill. Records of the time are unclear to whether any punishments. The matter was heard locally and then processed to Paisley for further action, but in disposition of the case has not been found.^S4
• Records of the time also document a dispute between John Porterfield and others in parish against Robert, Lord Sempill. The dispute probably arose from differences in faith as John and his allies were of the Reformed faith (Protestant) and Lord Sempill was of the Old Church (Catholic). In 1555, John and over 140 of their servants and tenants gather at Carsemeadow to plot the removal of Lord Sempill. The plot went astray and Porterfield and his group were brought up on charges in the court at Edinburgh. The case was dropped for lack of evidence.^S4
• John died about 1575. Upon John's death, his widow Jean retired to a dower house near Renfrew. Apparently she did not attend church on a regular basis. Starting in 1603 the minister of the Kirk of Renfrew, John Hay aggressively pursued her to attend the local kirk (church) and take part in the sacraments. As part of this affair she is described at obstinate, disobedient, and contumax. She is also cite judicially many times and prayers were said for her return to church. It appears she may have returned to the kirk for a brief time, but later charges were brought against her again as late as 1605. It is unclear what the final resolution of the matter was. Did she relent and start attending church or the minister Hay move on to other pressing matters? [2] Jean survived him by over forty years, passing away in 1616. Her testament was processed on May 20 of that year.^S4

• Lodge, John. Peerage of Ireland, or, A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of That Kingdom : With Engravings of Their Paternal Coats of...Vol. 7, Page 196.^S3

Uchter, the eldest son, married Janet, daughter of William, Lord Semple, by whom he had issue Uchter, his heir, William, progenitor to the Knox's of Silvyland; and two daughters, the elder of whom, Janet, married first Alexander Conyngham of the family of Craigends, and secondly, (John) Porterfield of Porterfield; and the second daughter married John Buntine of Ardoch, an ancient family yet existing in the shire of Dumbarton.^S3

1.   Semple, William Alexander. Genealogical history of the family Semple from 1214 to 1888. (Washington [District of Columbia]: L.C. Photoduplication Service, 1985?)
   Page 24.

   John Semple, in whose person the Semples of Fulwood failed, about the year 1679, alienated the lands of Fulwood to John Porterfield of that ilk. His son was

2.   Metcalfe, William Musham. A history of the county of Renfrew from the earliest times: with a map of the county. (Paisley [Scotland]: A. Gardner, 1905)
   Page 417.

   The lands of Fulwood belonged anciently to the Flemings, Earls of Wigton. 1 In the reign of Robert II., they belonged to one of the old families of the Semples. In 1452 William Semple of Fulwood witnessed the donation of Crukatshot by William Lord Lyle to the monks of Paisley. 2 John Semple of Fulwood was one of the arbiters chosen by Abbot George Shaw and the magistrates of Renfrew to settle the boundaries of their respective properties. 3 The family failed in the person of John Semple of Fulwood, who about the year 1679 alienated the lands of Fulwood to John Porterfield of that ilk, by whom they were given in patrimony to Alexander Porterfield, his second son. The Porterfields sold the lands of Fulwood to Mr. Archibald Speirs of Elderslie in 1774, with whose family they now are. The lands of Blackburn also belonged to an ancient family of Semples. For a time they were in the possession of a branch of the Semples of Fulwood. These also were acquired by Mr. Speirs of Elderslie.

3.   Lodge, John, and Mervyn Archdall. The peerage of Ireland, or, A genealogical history of the present nobility of that kingdom: with engravings of their paternal coats of armes... (Dublin [Ireland]: J. Moore, 1789)
   Vol. 7, Page 196.
4.   Porterfield, Frank B. (Frank Burke). The Porterfields. (Roanoke, Virginia: Southeastern Press, 1948).
5.   .pdf, in Commisariot Record of Hamilton and Campsie, Register of Testaments, 1564-1800, Francis Grant
   Page 41.

   KNOX, Jean, spouse of John Porterfield, of that Ilk, par. of Renfrew - 20 May 1616.

6.   The Marty Acks Wiki - John Porterfield, Laird of Duchal (1544-1575)
7.   John PORTERFIELD (1515-1575) who received the estate of PORTERFIELD from his brother, Alexander PORTERFIELD, and who acquired the barony of Duchall by purchase was twice married, first to Beatrix CUNNINGHAM of Craigends who deceased after the birth of William PORTERFIELD, their first child.
   His second wife was Jean KNOX.