GORDON, John 4th (and last) of Auchindachy, Jacobite 1715 ^{1 2}

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John married Jean INNES before 1716.¹ (Jean INNES was born about 1695.)

  Marriage Notes:

"John Gordon of Achyndachie was a student at Marischal College in 1697-98 (Anderson's Fasti, ii., 275). During his father's lifetime he was frequently a witness of leases of portions of the lands of Auchindachy granted by his father. He lived at a period when the old position of the small landowner had, through economic causes, become an impossible one. He had received the property burdened with debt, and his action in joining the rebellion of 1715 - he was imprisoned in Banff Tolbooth, 1716 (Cramond's Banff, ii., 189) - could not have improved matters for him. Dr. Cramond (Banffshire Journal, 1898) noted that John Gordon became involved in financial difficulties, and, having lost a case in the Court of Session in 1719, sold his estate in 1726 to John Duff of Cowbin for £236 (being more than eighteen years' purchase), including Auchanassie, Boghead, Goldenknows, Wester Chalder and Rivhillock - names which have absolutely vanished. Cramond says :

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'John Gordon was by no means willing to part with his lands ; in fact, he flatly refused to give up the title-deeds of his estate, and offered rather to go to prison than reveal where he had hid them. The factor for the creditors was compelled to give him £103 Scots before the secret was revealed. The laird's next move was to sell the wood on the estate, and the factor, Thomas Innes of Muiryfold, had to prosecute upwards of sixty persons before the Regality Court of Strathisla in the year 1731 to debar them from buying. The rental of Auchyndachy alone in 1723 was £482 Scots (£40 3s. 4d) sterling). John Duff, the purchaser of Auchyndachy, five years after his purchase, became bankrupt, and Auchyndachy and Auchanassie, five years later, came into the hands of William Duff of Braco, whose representatives still hold them.'

After the property was sold he still retained the old designation, for on June 3, 1749, John Gordon of Achynachy was a witness at the baptism of John, son of Charles Gordon in Bush of Muldearie and Janet Anderson, his spouse. Perhaps Charles was his brother. He married (before 1716) Jean Innes, and had at least one daughter, Jean, who was born on March 10, 1721, and baptised the same day. As already noted, Auchindachy was described in 1742 as 'ane old ruinous house'."

from Auchindachy ¹