Alexander Gordon, 2nd Baronet

Sir Alexander Gordon, 2nd Baronet (* 1650 ; † 1726 ) was a Scottish nobleman .

Life

He came from a branch line of the Gordon Clan and was the second son of William Gordon (1614-1679), lord of Earlston in Berwickshire , from his marriage to Mary Hope († 1696), daughter of the Judge at the Court of Session John Hope, Lord Craighall (1605-1654).

He was a staunch Presbyterian and was thus in opposition to the Stuart King Charles II , who tried to expand the Anglican State Church to Scotland. Together with his father he took part in the unsuccessful rebellion of the Presbyterian Covenanters in 1679 . In the Battle of Bothwell Bridge on June 22, 1679 they were subject to government forces. His father was killed in action, Alexander escaped and escaped to the Netherlands . In absentia, he was sentenced to death on February 19, 1681 by the High Court of Justiciary for treason and his lands were confiscated.

While crossing to a conspiratorial meeting in Newcastle , he was picked up and arrested by customs officers at sea on August 21, 1683. He was first imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle and interrogated there between November 1683 and January 1684 about his knowledge of the Rye House conspiracy . At the personal order of King Charles II, the interrogation took place under torture . Since it was unusual to torture a prisoner sentenced to death, the Scottish Privy Council only approved the king's order after some hesitation. Due to the intercession of his relative George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon , the execution of the death penalty was suspended for the time being, also in order to be able to interrogate him as a witness in ongoing proceedings against other conspirators. He was transferred to various prisons, including Bass Rock , and eventually to Blackness Castle , and made several unsuccessful attempts to escape. After the June 5, 1689 Glorious Revolution , he was finally pardoned and released from prison.

In December 1718, on the death of his younger brother Sir William Gordon, 1st Baronet , he inherited his title as 2nd Baronet , of Earlston and Afton in the County of Kirkcudbright.

Marriages and offspring

His first marriage was on November 16, 1676, Janet Hamilton, daughter of Sir Thomas Hamilton of Preston. With her he had seven children:

• Anne Gordon (1670–1761) ⚭ 1697 John Neilson of Corsock;
• Mary Gordon (1681-1723) ⚭ 1701 Edward Goldie of Craigmuie;
• Sir Thomas Gordon, 3rd Baronet (1685-1769);
• Margaret Gordon (1687–1715) ⚭ 1706 John McCartney of Blacket;
• Robert Gordon (1688-1750);
• Archibald Gordon (1691-1754) ⚭ 1721 Janet Young;
• Janet Gordon (1692-1725) ⚭ 1713 William Martin of Kirkland.

On March 8, 1698, he married Hon. Marion Gordon, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 5th Viscount Kenmure . He had two children with her:

• Grizell Gordon (1703-1740) ⚭ 1721 Alexander Gordon of Carleton;
• William Gordon (1706–1757) ⚭ 1740 Isabel McCulloch Gordon.

Literature and web links

• Charles Mosley (Ed.): Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage . Volume 2, Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, Wilmington 2003, p. 1588.
• Sir Alexander Gordon of Earlston and Afton, 2nd Bt. On thepeerage.com

predecessor	title	successor
William Gordon	Baronet, of Earlston and Afton 1718-1726	Thomas Gordon