General Notes

REFN: 2503AN
REFN: P2504
There is a Family Tree Maker User Book on line that discusses the ancient
McIlvane history in Scotland.
See http://path2.med. upenn. edu/genea logy/intro3.html.
2) Grimmet.
a farm 1 1/4 miles northeast of Maybole: in Car rick.
Gaelic GRIOM AT. Griom, s.m. (ancient gaelic) war, battle.
At (p. aet) s.m. ind a swelling, protuberance, prominence, a hillock.
Literally:
The low hill of battle.
According to Frank C. McElvain, NIGEL MACYLVEYNE lived from 13 95-1465,
and is credited by tradition with being the founder of the estates o f
Grimmet, although, as we have seen earlier, the family may have held
esta tes in the area from a much earlier time. He is brought into the
records in a confirmation of the lands of Grimmet and Attiquin by King
James of Alan, son of Gilbert MacYlveyne in June 1529. This record
confirms the tenancy of.the family dating to the non-entry ofNigel. While
no definitive relationship to N igel is given, it is presumed that he was
the father of Gilbert. It does not seem rea~nable that the non-entry
would have dated to a previous Nigel severa l hundred years earlier. Some
authorities assert that Nigel was the son of a Gilbert MacYlveyne.
Darrel Iwerks reports that King James I succeeded to the t hrone of
Scotland in April, 1406, on the death of his father Robert III. Jame s,
then aged 7. had become heir to the throne four years earlier. In March,
1406, only a month before his death, Robert III decided that James would
be safer in France, but the young prince was captured at sea by the
English. Kin g James remained a prisoner king in England for 18 years,
while first his unc le Albany and later his cousin Murdac acted as
Governors of Scotland. At last in December, 1423, a treaty was signed in
London by which James was allowed to return to his kingdom in exchange
for a large ransom, the payment of which was to be guaranteed by wealthy
hostages. Twenty-seven of these were sent to England immediately but
exchanges were made at regular intervals. Among thos e sent south in 1432
was Nigel MacYlvayne. The hostages were detained either at the tower of
London or at one of the other castles, where they lived at th eir own
expense with retainers and servants who were allowed to travel freely to
and from Scotland. On the payment of the ransom, all returned to Scotla
nd .
Most authorities agree that Nigel had at least two sons Gilberto, who
succ eeded him as heir, and John. John was shown as a witness in Dumfries,
1477. H e probably married a Miss Kennedy, sister of Gilbert Kennedy, Earl
of Cassili s. There is some question whether this is the same John
Makilvane who appears in court documents from 1503-1516. The later dates
lead some researchers to believe that he may have been the younger
brother or cousin of Alan. The Glas gow Commissariat October 15, 1515
cites John Makilvane et al for the slaughte r of James Douglas, and he is
mentioned in the records of Ayrshire and Carric k as early as 1503 and
later in 1512, 1516, and 1524. He is not named in any of the early
confirmations of the grants of Grimmet and Attiquin, either to G ilbert,
Alan, Gilbert, or Patrick.
In the PBGR # 1044 Gilbert Kennedy of Kir kmichael, compearing in the
Tolbooth of Air before Charles Campbell, Macer of the Sheriff of Air, in
that part especially constituted in the cause of reco gnition between
Gilbert and Allan M'Ylveyne, protests that whatsoever shall b e done in
said cause before said judge, shall not prejudice David M'Ylveyne, a son
of Gilbert's sister, as to the right he has in the lands of Attiquin. T he
"young Laird of Attiquin" reported in records as killed in 1512 had been
a Kennedy. It is possible that his interest passed to his sister, and
from t here, by marriage, to the Lairds of Grimmet.
Sources:
Title: House of Grimmet t by William Ordway
Author: William Ordway
Note: Donald Lee McIlvain, Jr.
67 67 Griffith Lake Dr.
Milford, DE 19963-3511
Uni