• General Notes

  Alexander KIRKPATRICK, ,of Orchardton,Kirkmichael and Conheath
  ef:A History of the Family of Cairnes or Cairns and it's connections.By H.C Lawler. "Alexander Kirkpatrick, Knight, of Kirkmichael,who eventually succeeded as heir of his mother's third portion of Orchardton." The dates of his mothers marriages are not known, but by 1591 she had married her third husband, a marriage evidently most distasteful to Alexander ,who fearing his mother might leave her estate to her husband, seized her person and locked her up. Her husband appeared before the Privy Council to demand redress. On hearing this complaint, the Lords of the Council commanded Sir Alexander to bring his mother in person before the King, of which command the offender took no notice. How the difficulty was settled is not known, but as Sir Alexander shortly afterwards appears as heir of his mother's portion of Orchardton, it is probable the lady rather conveniently died about this lime. Sir Alexander sold his portion of the property, which included Orchardton Castle, in 1616 to Robert Maxwell, son of Sir Robert Maxwell of Spottes, Knight, brother of Lord Maxwell.(Sir Robt. Maxwell who bought out the three Cairnes heiresses of Orchardton seems to have obtained crown charter for Kirkpatrick's portion only, the transfer of the other two thirds not appearing in the register of the Great Seal.)

Details of Alexander's family with Margaret Charteris