Following on the initial general analysis of the available data, as set out in the "1126 to 1700" Page, and given that Alan M102, would have been the first generation Mortimer, numbered (1), in Scotland, a "Generation Timeline" can now be drawn up for each County, and, hopefully, after 18 generations, merged with the "interface" at 1650-1700.
The construction of such a Timeline will reveal "the missing generations", and thereby identify where further research effort should be directed.
| year and | ||||||
| generation | ||||||
| 1100 | Aberdour | Related | ||||
| 1 | Alan M102 | |||||
| 2 | William M105 | |||||
| Fowlis Easter | ||||||
| 3 | Roger M109 | Hugo M106 | ||||
| 1200 |
4 |
|
Constantine M107 | |||
| Dundee | ||||||
| 1300 | 6 | Roger M114 |
|
|||
| 7 | Edmond M110 | Roger M111 | William M112 | |||
| 8 | Roger M120 | Roger M113 | ||||
| 9 | Janet M136&M139 | |||||
| 1400 | 10 | John M126 | Flemington | |||
| 12 | John M121 | |||||
| 13 | John M128 | John M123 | ||||
| 1500 | 14 | John M251 | Thomas M124 | |||
| Walter M127 | ||||||
| 15 | John M129 | *** | ||||
| 16 | Patrick M130 | *** | ||||
| 1600 | 17 | *John M167 | Thomas M122 | Robert M132 | ||
| George M133 | ||||||
| 1700 |
Commentary.
Given that Alan(1) is related to ( probably a younger son of ) William Mortimer of Attleborough ( see "NORMAN LINEAGE" ), it would have been proper for him to name his own eldest son "William"; and so begins the ancestral line of the Mortimers in Scotland.
Contemporary with William(2), and probably close relatives, were Hugo, Prior of the Isle of May, and Constantine, associated with the Abbey at Lindores, both in the County of Fife. "Hugo", of course, relates back to Hugo, Bishop of Coutance, ( see "NORMAN LINEAGE" ), and "Constantine" was a name used by the Mortimers of Attleborough.
In 1189,Roger(3), ( another ancestral name ), acquired, through marriage, lands at Fowlis Easter ( just west of Dundee ).
{ In 1209, a Roger, said to have been the son of a "Constantine", and possibly a cousin of the above Roger, was Sherriff of Perth.}
Around 1300, a Roger(6) who had links with the Abbeys at Couper Angus and Lindores, was granted lands at "Ballandro" by the Earl of Atholl, and was related by friendship to the Earl of Mar who held lands in Banffshire; this association with the Earl of Mar is to feature frequently in the subsequent history of the Mortimers in Scotland.
Edmond(7) of Fowlis Easter, Roger, "a soldier", and a William comprise the known seventh generation.
The eigth generation would have been Roger(8), who held lands also in Perthshire and Fife, and whose daughters(9) were recognised as "heiresses of Aberdour"; this would confirm the direct line from Alan. It is also interesting to note that one of these sisters married one of the first Mortimers of Craigievar ( see Aberdeen County Page ).
Between 1395-1420, there was a John(10) who was a Burgess of Dundee.
By 1476, the Mortimers were said to be already "well established" at Flemington, in the parish of Aberlemno (close to Forfar), and in the surrounding area; the first recorded was John(12); to be followed by John(13); and then another John(14).
Within the thirteenth generation, Thomas, brother of John(13), was sued for the non-payment of rents, and a Walter held a senior post at Dunkeld Abbey.
Around 1550,the fifteenth generation was represented by John(15), a vicar in Dundee, to be followed by Patrick(16), a "reader" in a church in Fowlis Easter.
It is in the early 1600s, when Thomas(17) has to sell Flemington, (after eight generations), just as John(17), having sold Craigievar (see Aberdeenshire Page), "returns" to Angus to re-establish the family at Brechin, and George, a "trafficking Jesuit" languished in a Glasgow Prison awaiting deportation.
This was clearly a period of instability and dispersal which is reflected in the wider distribution of the family name, in the second half of the 1600s, as recorded in the parish records.
From an overall perspective, one can see two definite lines; (A) directly from Aberdour, through Fowlis Easter and Dundee; and (B) through Flemington: Line A would probably have followed a trade or entered the Church, whilst line B, due to the stable period of 150 years at Flemington, would have given rise to the younger sons setting up as tenant farmers in the surrounding parishes of Forfar, Glamis and Mains.
Throughout this history, there have been many references to associations between Mortimers and the Church: Whether this is a peculiarity of the Scottish Mortimers or simply because such associations were recorded, is a matter of conjecture: Nevertheless, the involvement does seem to have been proportionately high, relative to the probable number of Mortimer families.
The Interface:- 1650-1700.
The task of interlinking across the interface between the records before and after the introduction of parish records can now be studied; this will require further detailed research.
In view of the fact that this research will be frequently updated in the light of new findings, it will be displayed on a separate subsidiary Page.
To see the Angus "INTERFACE" - - - - - - - - - - CLICK HERE.
To Return to "INDEX" - - - - - - - - - - CLICK HERE.