'Bruce03'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Bruce of Clackmannan, Bruce of Wester Kennet
Most of the upper section of this page was previously within the old version of Bruce02. It was redone in June 2007 as part of a review of various Bruce families. See here for more details.

                               
Thomas Bruce, 1st of Clackmannan (d by 1384)
Thomas's ancestry is unclear. TSP (Elgin & Ailesbury) starts off with the following sentence: "Of the origins of the Bruces of Clackmannan and the exact nature of their connection with the Royal House of Bruce, so far no certain evidence has been discovered." Various (but not all) sources appear to share the view that his father was a Sir Robert Bruce who was killed at the battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332 but the parentage of that Sir Robert varies, some identifying him as a natural son of King Robert I who fitted that description (and, some say, was created Earl of Ross for life) although TSP (Elgin & AIlesbury) reports that this "is not only unfounded but can be positively disproved". We connect to a different Sir Robert (in a way that is consistent with the second sentence of TSP (Elgin & Ailesbury) which reads "Several theories have been put forward on this subject, of which the oldest, and the one which has been the tradition of the family from early times, is that the House of Clackmannan was descended from John, younger son of Robert de Brus, fifth Lord of Annandale, the Competitor'.") but it should be noted that this is by no means certain.
m. Marjory Charteris
1. Sir Robert de Bruce, 2nd of Clackmannan (d c1389)
  m. Isabel Stewart (dau of Sir Robert Stewart of Durrisdeer)
  A. Sir Robert Bruce, 3rd of Clackmannan (d by 1406)
  m. ?? Scrimgeour (dau of Sir John Scrimgeour of Dudhope, Constable of Dundee)
  i. Sir David Bruce, 4th of Clackmannan
  m. Jean Stewart (dau of Sir John Stewart of Lorn and Innermeath)
a. John Bruce, 5th of Clackmannan (d 1473)
  m. Elizabeth Stewart (dau of Sir David Stewart of Rosyth)
  (1) Sir David Bruce, 6th of Clackmannan (d c1500)
  m1. Janet Stirling (dau of Sir William Stirling of Keir)
  (A) Robert Bruce of Rait (dvp before 1490)
--
Robert and his son David were passed over for the succession to Clackmannan, possibly at the instignation of his stepmother.
  m. (c1484) Elizabeth Lindsay (m2. Alexander Scott, son of William of Balwery)
--
  m2. Mariot Herries (dau of John (or Robert) Herries of Terregles, widow of Sir David Stewart of Rosyth)
  (B) Sir David Bruce, 7th of Clackmannan (a 1556)
  m. Janet Blackadder (dau of Sir Patrick Blackadder of Tulliallan)
  (i) John Bruce, younger of Clackmannan (dvp before 14.02.1550-1) - continued below
  m. Janet Murray (dau of William Murray of Touchadam)
  (ii) Edward Bruce of Blairhall (b 1505, d 1565) --
  m. Alison Reid (dau of John Reid of Aikenhead) --
  (iii) David Bruce of Green (d by 12.06.1556)
(iv) Robert Bruce of Lynmylne
  TSP notes that "The Swedish Bruces ennobled in 1668 were probably descended from him."
  (v) Patrick Bruce of Valleyfield (dsp)
  m. Margaret Falconer
  (vi) David Bruce, 1st of Stanstill (d by 13.06.1595) mentioned by RedBookScot as possibly of this generation
  (vii) Elizabeth Bruce
  m1. (by 22.04.1540) Alexander Dundas of Fingask (d Pinkie 10.09.1547)
  m2. (by 1555) Robert Colless of Bonnymoon (Collace of Balnamoon)
(viii) Marion Bruce (d 07.1575)
  m1. Robert Bruce of Airth
  m2. Magnus Sinclair of Kinninmonth (d 16.07.1586, son of William, 4th Lord, by Mariote Bruce)
  (ix) Agnes Bruce
RedBookScot shows Agnes's husband as James Cunningham of Polmaise, son of Robert. We provisionally follow TSP which shows her husband as ...
  m. John Elphinstone (parson of Invernochty)
  (x) Alison Bruce
  m. (c1530) Sir James Colville of Ochiltree
  (C) Alexander Bruce
  (D) Christian Bruce
  m. Sir James Shaw or Schaw of Sauchie
(E) Marion Bruce
  m. (by 02.12.1500) John Menteith of Caverkay
  (2) Robert Bruce, 1st of Cultmalundy (d by 13.05.1491)
  m. Janet Barbour (dau of John Barbour of Cultmalundy)
  b.+ other issue - Patrick of Hill or Huyl (a 1449), James (a 1449)
  ii. Thomas Bruce
  This Thomas (if he existed) is identified by TSP (Elgin), BP1934 (Elgin) & Commoners (vol ii, Bruce of Kennet) as ancestor of the Bruces of West Kennet. That ancestor is identified as a natural son of this generation by TSP (Elgin) & BP1934 (Elgin) and as a legitimate son of this generation by Commoners (vol ii, Bruce of Kennet) but by Gordon McGregor (in RedBookScot) as a legitimate son of a generation earlier. We follow GMcG. See note below (##).
  ii. daughter possibly of this generation
--
  m. Alexander Forrester
--
  B. Sir Edward Bruce of Airth
--
  TSP reports that the founder of the House of the Bruces of Airth was Alexander, son of the second Robert Bruce of Clackmannan. RedBookScot shows him as Edward but of the next generation. We follow what is shown by BP1934 (Elgin & Kincardine), BP1934 (Bruce of Stenhouse) and other sources which give him as Edward of this generation.
  m. (by 1417) Agnes Airth (dau of Sir William Airth of Airth)
--
  C. James Bruce, Bishop of Dunkeld, Chancellor of Scotland
  D. Thomas Bruce of Wester Kennet (d temp James I who r. 1406-1437)
  As noted above (##), this Thomas is shown by TSP (Elgin), BP1934 (Elgin) & Commoners (vol ii, Bruce of Kennet) as of the next generation. Gordon McGregor kindly advised us (21.07.07) that Thomas "had a charter for the lands of Wester Kennet, Pitfolden and other from his father Robert Bruce of CXlackmannan on 2 May, 1389". We therefore follow GMcG's 'RedBookScot' in showing Thomas as of this generation. His Thomas's descendants are as reported by the Perthshire site supported by Commoners. Because of reports in TSP (Balfour of Burleigh) and elsewhere that the undermentioned Margaret was heiress of Wester Kennet, we identify his & his successors' property as 'Wester Kennet' rather than just Kennet which is what is given in Commoners.
i. Patrick Bruce of Wester Kennet this generation omitted by Commoners
  a. Thomas Bruce of Wester Kennet
  (1) David Bruce of Wester Kennet (d before 17.05.1496)
  m. Agnes Redhach or Reidheugh
  (A) David Bruce of Wester Kennet (a 1513)
  m. Margaret Kinninmont (dau of Andrew Kinnimont of that ilk)
  (i) Patrick Bruce of Wester Kennet (d before 09.1551)
  (a) John Bruce of Wester Kennet (dsp before 13.06.1556)
(b) Robert Bruce of Wester Kennet
  Commoners shows this Robert as having married a daughter of Andrew Kinnimont but we follow RedBookScot in showing her to have been his grandmother.
  ((1)) Margaret Bruce of Wester Kennet (d 09.1579)
  m. (1568-9) Archibald Bruce (d 1609, son of David of Green)
  (ii)+ other issue - Robert, Thomas, Henry, John
  E. Helen Bruce
  m. David Ross of Balnagowan
  Probably of this family, of this generation, were the following sisters ...
  F. Margaret Bruce (b c1367)
--
  m. (c1387) Sir Thomas Traill of Blebo (b c1367, d 1439)
--
  G. Elizabeth Bruce (b 1368)
--
  m. (1385) Sir Alexander Traill of Blebo (b c1370, d 1420)
--
2. David Bruce, Bishop of Glasgow (d 1447)

 

 

John Bruce, younger of Clackmannan (dvp before 14.02.1550-1) - continued above
m. Janet Murray (dau of William Murray of Touchadam)
1. Sir Robert Bruce, 8th of Clackmannan
  m1. (mcrt 21.01.1550) Janet Livingston (dau of Alexander Livingston of Dunipace, widow of John Lichton of Ullshaven)
  m2. (1559) Margaret Moray (dau of Sir William Moray, 10th of Tullibardine)
  Uncertain which wife was mother of which of the children.
A. Sir Robert Bruce, 9th of Clackmannan
  m1. Janet Wardlaw (dau of Andrew Wardlaw of Torrie)
  Uncertain which wife was mother of which of the children except that Janet was mother of Janet and Helen was mother of George, Helen, Margaret (2nd), and probably Katherine. The following allocation of children is therefore partially presumptuous.
i. Sir Robert Bruce, 10th of Clackmannan (d by 11.1663)
  m. Elizabeth Haliburton (dau of Sir James Haliburton of Pitcur)
  a. Sir Henry Bruce, 11th of Clackmannan (d by 14.04.1674)
  m1. Mary Schaw (d 05.1668, dau of Sir Alexander Schaw of Sauchie)
  Commoners (vol iv, Bruce of Clackmanan and Cowden or Newton), which provides support for the following, reports that Mary was mother of David, John & Henry.
  (1) David Bruce, 12th of Clackmannan
  m. (07.1674, div 08.1694) Margaret MacKenzie (dau of George MacKenzie, 1st Earl of Cromarty)
(A) Margaret Bruce (bpt 15.10.1676)
  (2) John Bruce, 13th of Clackmannan (d before 02.12.1724)
  m. Ann Roberton (dau of Archibald Roberton of Bedley)
  (A) Margaret Bruce
  m. John Forbes of Newhall
  (3) Henry Bruce, 14th of Clackmannan (b c1661, d 1741/2, Colonel)
  m. Jean Bruce (dau of Alexander Bruce, 4th of Kinnaird)
  (A) Alexander Bruce (dvp unm)
(B) Henry Bruce, 15th of Clackmannan (dsps 08.07.1772)
  m. Catherine Bruce (b c1694, d 04.11.1791, dau of Alexander Bruce of Newton)
  (C) Jean/Janet Bruce
  m. William Bruce of Cowden (d 27.01.1801)
  (4) Janet Bruce presumed of this marriage
  m. James Bruce of Powfoulis
  m2. (13.10.1670) Anne Ramsay (dau of William Ramsay, 1st Earl of Dalhousie, widow of John, Earl of Dundee)
  (5)+ other issue - James (bpt 26.04.1671), Alexander (dsp before 12.1724)
b. George Bruce of Harpersland (d before 07.1696, Major)
  (1) Helen Bruce confirmed as of this generation (GMcG, 21.07.07)
  m. (12.03.1676) John Arbuthnott of Fiddes (b 1652)
  (2) Isobel Bruce sister of Helen
  c. William Bruce (d 09.1651, Lt. Colonel)
  m. Elizabeth Bruce (bpt 08.07.1629, dau of Robert Bruce of Wester Kennet)
  (1) Marie Bruce
  m. (01.11.1670) John Neilson (son of Gilbert of Craigaffie)
  d. Ann Bruce (bpt 19.03.1630)
  m. Patrick Blair of Kirkton of Essie (Major)
  e. Helen Bruce
  m. (1664) Alexander Bruce, 4th of Kinnaird (d 1711)
f.+ other issue - Marie (bpt 29.04.1631), Annabel
  ii. Henry Bruce (d by 1655)
  m. Janet Gaw (bur 04.09.1685, dau of Alexander Gaw of Gaw)
  a.+ issue - Alexander (bpt 20.04.1633), Robert (bpt 20.04.1633), Janet (bpt 11.03.1641)
  iii. Janet Bruce
  m. Sir William Auchinleck of Balmanno
  iv. Annabell Bruce
  m. (mcrt 26.01.1637) William Halliday of Tulliebole
v.+ other issue - Alexander, Andrew, John, David (d c1643), William, Margaret, Marjorie, Agnes, Jean
  m2. (by 18.06.1620) Helen Durie (dau of Henry Durie, 2nd of Craiginluscor)
  xiv. Helen Bruce
  m. Sir Alexander Shaw or Schaw of Sauchie (d before 03.1682)
  xv. Katherine Bruce
  m. Sir Andrew Fletcher of Innerpeffer
  xvi.+ other issue - George, Margaret
  B. Norman Bruce of Ayth & Growbister (Colonel)
  m. (1595) Janet Norvell (d before 02.10.1629)
  i. Robert Bruce (a 10.1629)
  ii. Katherine Bruce confirmed as of this generation (GMcG, 21.07.07)
  m. (before 06.1636) William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart (d c1651)
  partner unknown
  C. Walter Bruce had issue
2. Alison Bruce
  m. (mcrt 22.10.1561) James Blackadder of Tuliallan

Main source(s):
(1) For upper section : TSP (Elgin & Ailesbury) with some support from BP1934 (Elgin and Kincardine), RedBookScot (Perthshire, Bruce of Clackmannan)
(2) For lower section : RedBookScot (Perthshire, Bruce of Clackmannan) with some support as reported above
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