John Gordon (1609–1679) was the 14th

Earl of Sutherland Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of Clan Sutherland. The origin ...

. He was the son of

John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland (1576–1615) was a Scottish landowner and courtier. He was the son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland and Jean Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. He spent two years in France and ...

and Agnes Elphinstone (d. 1617), a daughter of the

Lord Treasurer The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Acts of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third-highest-ranked Great Officer of State in ...

, Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone.

Civil War

A strong

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...

, Gordon was called "the good Earl John" by his associates. He fought against the royalist

marquess of Montrose A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

at the

Battle of Auldearn The Battle of Auldearn was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It took place on 9 May 1645, in and around the village of Auldearn in Nairnshire. It resulted in a victory for the royalists, led by the Marquess of Montrose and Ala ...

in 1645, but afterwards rendered good service to Charles II.

Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland

Gordon was appointed by the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

to the post of

Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. The office has rem ...

in 1649 and he held the post until 1660. He is the only Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland to be appointed by the

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

Sutherland estate

According to

Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...

, who himself was a younger son of

Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (died 1594) was a Scottish landowner. Early life He was the son of John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland and Marion Seton. When he was about fifteen years old in 1567, his parents were poisoned at Helm ...

, in 1631, Alexander Murray ("Morray") of Aberscross ("Abiscors") died after a ''fall from a stair''. He left one son and two daughters. Half of his estate went direct to the Earl of Sutherland while the other half also went to the Earl of Sutherland because of the death of the last Laird of Duffus who was superior of that part of the estate under the Earl. According to Sir Robert Gordon, John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland dealt nobly with Alexander Murray, his wife and his children in respect of the ancient and faithful service that the family had given to the Sutherlands. He gave part of the estate to the old widow (mother of Alexander and wife of John Murray of Aberscross), part to the widow of Alexander, and part to the children of Alexander to maintain, while another part was reserved to the Earl as acknowledgement of his superiority. According to Gordon, the estate of Aberscross ("Abiscors") became so overburdened with debt that it would never again be redeemed by the true and lawful heirs.

Family

John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland was married to Lady Jean Drummond, daughter of James Drummond, 1st Earl of Perth, by whom he had four children: #John Gordon, Lord Strathnaver, born on 21 November 1632, and died on 14 October 1637 of

Smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

Dunrobin Castle Dunrobin Castle (mostly 1835–1845 — present) is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland, as well as the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie and approximatel ...

. # George Gordon, 15th Earl of Sutherland, his heir and successor. #Robert Gordon, born at Dunrobin on 31 December 1635. He was elected as commissioner for Sutherland for the parliament of 1661. He married Jean, eldest daughter of John Mackay, 2nd Lord Reay. #Lady Jean Gordon, born on 10 October 1634, who married Captain Robert Stewart of Ethay in 1657. He married second Anna Fraser, daughter of

Hugh Fraser, 7th Lord Lovat Hugh Fraser, 7th Lord Lovat (1591-1645) was a Scottish landowner. Hugh Fraser was the son of Simon Fraser, 6th Lord Lovat and Katherine Mackenzie, daughter of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail. He was known as the Master of Lovat until he succeeded hi ...

References

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

1609 births 1679 deaths Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1639–1641 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1643–44 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1644–1647 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1648–1651 {{Scotland-earl-stub