I previously wrote that Gilchrist Mure [aka Gilcrist Mure] acquired the majority of the Caldwell Estate in present day Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire, Scotland in the 14th century.
This was based upon two secondary sources: (1) "The Statistical Account of Ayrshire by Ministers of the Respective Parishes," published 1800s by William Blackwood & sons Edinburgh, states Gilchrist second son of Sir Reginald [Mure], acquired the Estate of Caldwell by marrying the Heiress of Caldwell of that Ilk." (See posting here, 3/6/02. David Caldwell, Manitoba) (2) Burke's Landed Gentry states Gilchrist More acquired the estate of Caldwell in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire through marriage with the heir of Caldwell, of that ilk. (http://www.burkes-peerage. net/sites/common/sitepages/page13b-may.asp, From Caldwell To Tasmania)
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Tom Caldwell and Barry Robertson have asserted that the Caldwell heiress married Godfrey Mure, not Gilchrist Mure
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Tom Caldwell wrote 1/17/02 that a female Caldwell descendent married Godfrey son of Gilchrist Mure of Cowdams who became Mure of Caldwell. On 2/28/02, he again stated the heiress Caldwell married (?circa 1350) Godfrey son of Gilchrist Mure of Cowdams. He mentioned however, that his source was uncertain.
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In his article, "The Caldwell Mystery," posted here on 2/23/02, Barry Robertson cited ‘The History of Neilston’ (1910) by Doctor David Pride, who wrote that the Caldwell Estate came to the Mures through the marriage, in 1347, of a Godfrey Mure to the heiress of Caldwell, she being of ‘That Ilk. Robertson also noted: "It seems that the Lady of Caldwell did not own all of the estate - a younger male branch of the family held Little or Wester Caldwell – the area surrounding the present Hall of Caldwell, including the area later to become the golf course. Little Caldwell did not come into the Mure possession until towards the end of the 17th century."
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David Caldwell of Manitoba informs us that John Mure of Caldwell is the first who was designated the first of the name who appears designated "of Caldwell," in 1409. In contrast, Barry Robertson had stated Godfrey became Laird of Caldwell in the right of his wife, taking the title due to its existence in the first place.
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William M. Metcalfe, D.D. (1840-1916), authored "History of the County of Renfrew, With a Map of the County," 1905, Paisley: Alexander Gardner. Copies can be found at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at various universities (e.g., Cal Berkeley). He wrote: "Godfrey Muir is the first who is designated of Caldwell." (p. 105) He states that the estates of Caldwell in the counties of Ayr and Renfrew were acquired at the close of the fourteenth century by a marriage with the heiress of Caldwell of that ilk, then a family of some note, having given a Chancellor to Scotland in 1349. (p. 105) Metcalfe cited as his sole source "The Selections from the Family Papers Preserved at Caldwell, 1696-1853," edited by William Mure. Glasgow: [printed by W. Eadie for Maitland Club]. no. 71 (part I).
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I decided to do a little investigation.
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Gilchrist Mure was born 1301 in Cowdans, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. He was the son of Robert Reginald Mure (1267 - >1329). Gilchrist's son, Godfrey Mure, was born in 1352, possibly in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. Godfrey's son, John Mure, was born in 1390, at the Mure of Caldwell Estate. There are numerous websites containing this information. I relied upon http://www.chesebro.net/wgf120. html#I35940.
I have read Metcalfe's book, but not the Maitland Club Papers. Assuming that Metcalfe correctly paraphrased the information contained in the these Maitland papers, I have to conclude that the Maitland papers are in error in linking a 1347 marriage of the Caldwell heiress to Godfrey rather than Gilcrist. Godfrey had not yet been born. Gilcrist needed a male heir. At the time Gilcrist married the heiress of the Caldwell Estate, she likely was kin of William Caldwell, then Prebendary of Glasgow, and soon to be appointed Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. I cannot as easily reslve the issue of who was first known as "of caldwell." If the designation was intended to refer to birthplace, then surely John Mure of Caldwell would be the first. If the laird was owner of several Estates, at Cowdams, Caldwell, and elsewhere, perhaps the surname "of Caldwell" was used less often than some other designation.