John Guthrie of Hiltoun and the Eassie Cadet Line

Primary charters establish that John Guthrie, long known as 1st of Hiltoun, was the same individual as John Guthrie of Eassie (Esse/Essy). This unified treatment presents the full chain of evidence supporting a major revision to longstanding secondary pedigrees.

Overview and Significance

A close examination of primary documents and timelines has significantly revised our understanding of the Guthries of Hiltoun and their ancestral connections.

The pivotal figure in this line is John Guthrie, 1st of Hiltoun. For generations, secondary sources have identified him as a younger son of Sir Alexander Guthrie, 2nd of Guthrie / 3rd of Kincaldrum (killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513) and Margaret Lyon. Contemporary records tell a different story.

John Guthrie was the son and heir of David Guthrie of Esse (Eassie). He first appears in records styled “of Esse” and was formally recognized as heir to his father’s lands in Eassie in November 1544. In 1545–1546, while still styled “of Esse,” he received infeftment in parts of Hiltoun (Hilton of Guthrie) and Easttown of Guthrie. Only after these transactions does he begin to appear styled “of Hiltoun.”

The Eassie line had been rooted in Angus (historic Forfarshire) since the mid-15th century. Located near Glamis in the Vale of Strathmore, Esse was under the superiority of James, Lord Ogilvy. Hiltoun and Easttown were lands held under the superiority of Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, as part of the barony of Guthrie. John’s acquisition of these lands was not a direct paternal inheritance, but a feudal grant. Notably, some of the 1545-1546 documents describe him as a kinsman of Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie — language that suggests a recognized family connection, even if not the direct father-son relationship claimed in traditional pedigrees.

This article examines the origins of Eassie cadet line, including a hypothetical earlier link to the Kincaldrum line, and to the subsequent Hiltoun descent. It also explores the flaws in the traditional pedigree — which placed John as a son of Sir Alexander Guthrie and Margaret Lyon — that is no longer supported by the surviving primary evidence.

^{The Shire of Angus or Forfar / Herman Moll, 1745 / Map image courtesy of NLS}

Locations: Eassie and Hiltoun

• Hiltoun / Hilton of Guthrie: Elevated lands overlooking the Lunan Water, within the Guthrie barony proper (near Guthrie Castle, Guthrie Hill, and Langlands). It was a fragmented holding—parts of Hilton, Easttown of Guthrie, teinds, annualrents, and wadsets—rather than a large consolidated estate. This fragmentation contributed to genealogical complexity in older accounts.

• Hiltoun / Hilton of Guthrie: Elevated lands overlooking the Lunan Water, within the Guthrie barony proper (near Guthrie Castle, Guthrie Hill, and Langlands). It was a fragmented holding—parts of Hilton, Easttown of Guthrie, teinds, annualrents, and wadsets—rather than a large consolidated estate. This fragmentation contributed to genealogical complexity in older accounts.

Important context on fragmentation: Hiltoun was never a single large consolidated estate. It consisted of fragmented holdings that included parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie, Langlands, teinds, annualrents, and wadsets. This fragmentation contributed significantly to genealogical confusion in later secondary sources, as different portions were held, wadset, or transferred separately over time.

The two locations are roughly 8 miles apart, consistent with related but distinct local landholdings in 16th-century Angus. Kincaldrum lies approximately 5 miles north of Eassie (Esse on the map) and 9–10 miles from Hiltoun, placing all three in a compact corner of central Angus.

Early Guthrie Presence at Eassie

Guthrie men styled “of Esse/Essy” appear reliably from the 1450s, indicating an established local presence well before the Hiltoun connection. 

The following represents the most likely documented and hypothesized generational sequence based on surviving records. As with most Scottish lineages, there is an abundance of men with the same names, so it is vital to look at document dates, any key anchor dates (fixed event points), and realistic estimates birth/death/age ranges.

• Alexander Guthrie 1st of Kincaldrum and wife Marjorie / Margery Guthrie
  • Reportedly had a younger son named William Guthrie, styled in secondary sources (pedigrees) as William Guthrie of Eassie. 

• William Guthrie of Eassie
  • No known primary charter identifies him “of Eassie” or directly links him to these lands, so the connection remains speculative. He would have been active in the mid-15th century. This places him as a possible bridge to the documented Guthries of Eassie.

• John Guthrie of Eassie / 1st of Hiltoun (fl. 1543–1546+): 
  • The pivotal figure who links the Eassie line to Hiltoun (detailed in the next section).

• Alexander Guthrie of Eassie
  • Son of John Guthrie of Eassie (the 1454/1490/1493 man). He is explicitly named with his father as a witness to the 18 May 1493 instrument of sasine concerning the lands of Halkerton (Laing Charters No. 214). He was therefore active in the 1490s and likely into the early decades of the 16th century. No additional primary charters have yet been identified that style him “of Eassie” or record further land transactions under his name. He forms the documented generational link between the mid-15th-century John and the early-16th-century David in the Eassie line. Estimated birth range: c. 1450–1465.

• David Guthrie of Eassie
  • Likely son (or possibly grandson) of Alexander Guthrie of Eassie. He was deceased by 3 November 1544, when his son John Guthrie was formally recognized as his heir in the lands of Kirktoun of Esse through a precept of clare constat issued by James, Lord Ogilvy (NRS GD16/3/42, Papers of the Earls of Airlie). This 1544 document is the critical anchor that directly connects the established Eassie line to John Guthrie of Eassie & 1st of Hiltoun. David was therefore active in the late 15th century through at least the 1530s–early 1540s. Estimated birth range: c. 1480–1500.

• John Guthrie of Eassie / 1st of Hiltoun (fl. 1543–1546+): 
  • The pivotal figure who links the Eassie line to Hiltoun (detailed in the next section).

This chain establishes Eassie as an independent or early cadet presence with at least four (and possibly five) generations traceable before or leading into the Hiltoun acquisition. The William hypothesis provides one possible distant connection to the broader Kincaldrum stem; the documented Eassie records stand independently regardless.

The Pivotal Figure: John Guthrie of Eassie, 1st of Hiltoun

JOHN GUTHRIE is the unifying individual. He appears in records first as “John Guthrie of Esse” (or Essy) and, through standard feudal process, receives recognition and infeftment in Hiltoun lands while the “of Esse” styling persists in some documents indicating that they referenced the same person.

Key sequence (1544–1546):

• 10 May 1546: Charter and instrument of sasine by Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse for parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie (NLS Saltoun Papers Ch.14167–14169).

• 10 May 1546: Charter and instrument of sasine by Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse for parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie (NLS Saltoun Papers Ch.14167–14169).

• 10 May 1546: Charter and instrument of sasine by Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse for parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie (NLS Saltoun Papers Ch.14167–14169).

• 10 May 1546: Charter and instrument of sasine by Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse for parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie (NLS Saltoun Papers Ch.14167–14169).

This sequence is classic feudal procedure: recognition of prior rights (clare constat) followed by formal grant/sasine. It does not represent a new creation of a cadet branch from the main Guthrie line but rather an additional infeftment to an established Eassie landholder. The fragmented nature of Hiltoun holdings (parts of Hilton, Easttown of Guthrie, etc.) is consistent with the way these grants were structured.

Spouse: Unidentified in primary sources. Some secondary pedigrees suggest an Ogilvy connection, but this risks conflation with the contemporary John Guthrie of Colliston (whose wife was Isobel Ogilvy and whose father was Henry Guthrie per a 1528 document). The two Johns operated in the same local circles but are distinct. They are found listed in the same primary document as individual witnesses.

• Children Traditionally Accepted via Secondary Pedigrees:
  • William Guthrie, 2nd of Hiltoun. (see next section)
  • Elizabeth Guthrie (unverified)
  • John Guthrie (unverified)

Continuation of the Hiltoun Line

WILLIAM GUTHRIE, 2nd of Hiltoun

William Guthrie of Hiltoun is listed in the Banff Charters and Papers in the Pedigree of John Ramsay, son of William, son of Alexander, son of Dalhousie as the 2xGGF of the subject. He succeeded his father and continued the family’s interests in the Hiltoun lands during the later 16th century. He is traditionally styled as 2nd of Hiltoun and said to have married Margaret Ogilvy. However, this numbering and the identification of his wife derive from secondary sources, primarily Alex J. Warden’s Angus or Forfarshire. No charter, sasine, or other primary record has yet been identified that explicitly styles him as “of Hiltoun” or names his wife.

Spouse: Margaret Ogilvy

• Children Traditionally Accepted by Secondary Pedigrees: 
  • David Guthrie, 3rd of Hiltoun (see next section
  • Janet (aka Joneta) Guthrie, m. Alexander Ramsay, legitimate son of the Lord of Dalhousie.

DAVID GUTHRIE, 3rd of Hiltoun

Spouse: Christian Wemyss
David held the designation of Hiltoun in the late 16th century. The family’s holdings continued to be divided among heirs and subject to financial arrangements (tacks and wadsets) typical of the period.

Children Traditionally Accepted in Secondary Pedigrees:

• John Guthrie, 4th of Hiltoun. (see next section)
• Charles Guthrie of St Andrews 
  • Charles was the father of Patrick Guthrie of Saint Andrews, goldsmith, (married Margaret Raitt) parents to John Guthrie, Bishop of Moray, and other clerical branches.
  • Note that John Guthrie, Bishop of Moray later purchased the title and lands of the Barony of Guthrie, becoming 11th of Guthrie.
  • Charles was the 3xGGF of James Guthrie, 1st of Craigie. (See: Guthrie of Craigie)

JOHN GUTHRIE, 4th of Hiltoun

Spouse: Agnes Ochterlony
John Guthrie is traditionally identified in secondary sources as 4th of Hiltoun and husband of Agnes Ochterlony (also spelled Auchterlony). They are said to be the parents of Patrick Guthrie, later styled 5th of Hiltoun. However, a primary document dated 5 June 1568 (NLS Saltoun Papers, Ch.14171) records a tack of the teinds of Hilton of Guthrie granted to Thomas Guthrie, elder, of Hilton and his wife Agnes Auchterlony. Agnes is later described as the widow of John Guthrie of Hiltoun who subsequently remarried John Oliphant. This discrepancy between the primary record (Thomas) and traditional secondary pedigrees (John) remains unresolved and complicates the precise identification and numbering of the 4th laird.

Children Traditionally Accepted in Secondary Pedigrees:

• Patrick Guthrie, 5th of Hiltoun.

PATRICK GUTHRIE, 5th of Hiltoun

Patrick is the last commonly referenced figure styled as of Hiltoun. By this period the original Hiltoun holding had been heavily subdivided and partially alienated. It is unclear whether Patrick held any formal heritable title. The designation “of Hiltoun” gradually faded as the family’s main identity shifted.

No specific children are proven by contemporary primary records for the Hiltoun designation.

The Pedigree Debate: Traditional View vs. Evidence-Based Revision

Traditional View (A 150-Year Assumption)

For nearly 150 years, since Andrew Jervise’s Epitaphs & Inscriptions (1879) and Alexander J. Warden’s Angus or Forfarshire (1880), and repeated in Burke’s Landed Gentry, Stirnet, and many online trees, John Guthrie, 1st of Hiltoun has been placed as a younger son of Sir Alexander Guthrie, 2nd of Guthrie / 3rd of Kincaldrum (killed at the Battle of Flodden, 9 September 1513) and Margaret Lyon, daughter of John Lyon, 3rd Lord Glamis. This placement made Hiltoun a direct cadet of the senior Kincaldrum –> Guthrie line and positioned it as the genealogical bridge to the later Guthries of Craigie.

The Core Problem: The Compressed Timeline

The strongest evidence against the traditional view is the severely compressed timeline it requires for Margaret Lyon to marry and produce a family with Sir Alexander Guthrie that would fit the calculated birth range estimates.

Margaret Lyon married James Rynd, younger of Broxmouth (son of Alexander Rynd and grandson of James Rynd of Broxmouth) by marriage contract dated 10 June 1495. James Rynd died between 10 June 1495 and 22 March 1500. On 22 March 1500/01, Margaret Lyone, widow of James Rynd, appears as the defendant in a civil cause.

Margaret then married Sir Alexander Guthrie sometime between 1500 and 1513 (no marriage contract is indexed at Glamis or the NRS). Sir Alexander and his eldest son David both died at Flodden on 9 September 1513. Sasine was granted to Andrew Guthrie (adult grandson and heir) on 15 May 1514.

The only known primary evidence of the Guthrie-Lyon marriage is a 1518 document in which Margaret Lyon, “Lady Guthrie”, arranges a marriage contract for her daughter Elizabeth. This timeline (1500–1513) rules out Margaret Lyon as the mother of Sir Alexander’s older sons, including David Guthrie (who fought and died at Flodden in 1513). It indicates that Sir Alexander was previously married. Elizabeth (whose 1518 marriage contract was arranged by Margaret) is likely Margaret’s biological daughter. George Guthrie of Kincreich, who first appears in records in 1522, is listed in some secondary pedigrees as a possible son of the Guthrie-Lyon marriage remains a candidate.

Crucially, there is no John Guthrie of the same generation connected to Sir Alexander Guthrie and Margaret Lyon in any primary records.

These facts create an implausibly tight generational squeeze that makes it chronologically impossible for David Guthrie and Alexander Guthrie to be Margaret Lyon’s biological children..

Additional Evidence:  The 30+ Year Delay and Three-Generation Gap

Even setting aside the compressed timeline above, the documentary record creates further serious problems for the traditional view. Under that pedigree, John would be a legitimate younger son of Sir Alexander Guthrie (d. 1513). In Scottish gentry practice of the period, sons typically received their portions (specific lands, charters, or infeftments) during their father’s lifetime or very shortly after his death.

Yet there is no record whatsoever of John receiving Hiltoun (or any other portion) from Sir Alexander before 1513, nor in the immediate years after Flodden. The first clear documentary appearance of John receiving the Hiltoun lands occurs only in 1545–1546 — more than 32 years after Sir Alexander’s death.

Even more telling: these 1545–1546 documents come from Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie — three generations removed from Sir Alexander (Sir Alexander → son David [also d. 1513] → grandson Andrew, 3rd of Guthrie → great-grandson Alexander, 4th of Guthrie). A supposed son of Sir Alexander would be receiving his “portion” from his great-nephew (or equivalent distant relation) more than three decades later, while still being styled “of Esse” in the documents.

A delay of more than 30 years — spanning three generations of the main line — is highly anomalous for a legitimate younger son of the main Guthrie line.

Age Calculations – Why Birth Year Alone Does Not Fix It

Single birth years that appear in many online trees are usually guesses and often create false precision. More useful are evidence-based ranges grounded in known anchor dates (charters, precepts, tacks, deaths, and marriages) and reasonable generational spacing of roughly 25–28 years.

The table below brings together the key figures discussed in this article for easier comparison:

These ranges are intentionally presented as ranges rather than single years because the strength of evidence varies significantly. John Guthrie of Eassie & Hiltoun and the 1568 generation have the strongest primary anchors. The middle Hiltoun generations (William 2nd, David 3rd, and Patrick 5th) rely more heavily on generational spacing from better-documented individuals.

Note on the birth range for John Guthrie of Eassie & Hiltoun

The range c. 1505–1523 (most likely 1508–1520) does overlap with the narrow window in which legitimate children of Sir Alexander Guthrie (d. 1513) and Margaret Lyon could have been born (roughly 1501–1513). However, this overlap is not strong evidence in favor of the traditional pedigree. Even if John had been born in that window, the 30+ year delay before he received any lands (1513 to 1545–1546), his persistent styling as “of Esse” in the 1540s documents, the explicit 1544 father-son link to David Guthrie of Esse, and the complete absence of any primary record naming him as a son of Sir Alexander and Margaret Lyon all weigh heavily against the traditional attribution.

Key Documentary Evidence

John was already an established landholder at Eassie. In November 1544 he is recognized as heir to his father David Guthrie of Esse. The 1545–1546 Hiltoun documents represent an additional infeftment from the feudal superior (Alexander 4th of Guthrie), not a long-delayed portion from a father who had died more than three decades earlier. This fits normal practice for an adult laird expanding his holdings and aligns with all surviving primary records.

Why the Eassie Cadet Hypothesis Resolves the Issues

• It eliminates the fundamental chronological impossibility created by Margaret Lyon’s 1495 marriage, her widowhood by 1500/01, her subsequent marriage to Sir Alexander (1500–1513), and the 1513 Flodden succession.

• It treats Hiltoun as an expansion of an existing local holding rather than a mysteriously delayed main-line portion.

• It treats Hiltoun as an expansion of an existing local holding rather than a mysteriously delayed main-line portion.

• It treats Hiltoun as an expansion of an existing local holding rather than a mysteriously delayed main-line portion.

• It treats Hiltoun as an expansion of an existing local holding rather than a mysteriously delayed main-line portion.

The traditional pedigree, while widely repeated in secondary sources, does not withstand scrutiny against the surviving primary charters and normal succession practice.

Implications and Open Questions

The revision of John Guthrie’s origins from the traditional main-line pedigree to the documented Eassie cadet line has several implications for broader Guthrie research, while also surfacing important questions that require further investigation.

Implications

• Value of primary records: Grounding John Guthrie of Eassie & Hiltoun in contemporary charters and precepts improves the reliability of research on lines that descend from him, even where some connections remain uncertain.

• Value of primary records: Grounding John Guthrie of Eassie & Hiltoun in contemporary charters and precepts improves the reliability of research on lines that descend from him, even where some connections remain uncertain.

Open Questions

• Can additional primary records help clarify the identity of the laird associated with Agnes Auchterlony in the 1568 tack and resolve the discrepancy between “John” in secondary sources and “Thomas” in the contemporary document?

• Can additional primary records help clarify the identity of the laird associated with Agnes Auchterlony in the 1568 tack and resolve the discrepancy between “John” in secondary sources and “Thomas” in the contemporary document?

• Can additional primary records help clarify the identity of the laird associated with Agnes Auchterlony in the 1568 tack and resolve the discrepancy between “John” in secondary sources and “Thomas” in the contemporary document?

• Can additional primary records help clarify the identity of the laird associated with Agnes Auchterlony in the 1568 tack and resolve the discrepancy between “John” in secondary sources and “Thomas” in the contemporary document?

Areas for Continued Work

• Y-DNA or autosomal matches illuminating the Eassie vs. main-line relationship.

• Y-DNA or autosomal matches illuminating the Eassie vs. main-line relationship.

• Y-DNA or autosomal matches illuminating the Eassie vs. main-line relationship.

Researchers should consult original NRS, NLS, and local archives.

Primary / Archival Catalogue Sources

1. National Library of Scotland, Ref: GD188: Records of the Guthrie Family of Guthrie, Angus.
2. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch. 14167. Precept of clare constat by Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie to John Guthrie of Hilton, of Guthrie, 15 October 1545.
   Note: A ‘precept of clare constat’ is a deed by which a superior recognizes the title of the heir of a deceased vassal or tenant to enter upon the superior’s land. (Merriam-Webster)
3. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14168, Charter by Alexander Guthrie, son of Andrew Guthrie of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse of parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie., 10 May 1546.
4. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14169, Instrument of sasine to John Guthrie of Esse of parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie, 10 May 1546. 
5. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14177, Instrument of renunciation by James Betoun of Melgo and Lutres Betoun his wife of an annualrent from Hilton of Guthrie, 11 April 1580. 
6. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14185, Instrument of resignation by Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie in favour of Mr Walter Lindsay of Kemphill, of Hilton of Guthrie and superiority of Langlands, 15 November 1583. 
7. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14194, Charge at instance of Mr Patrick Lindsay… prebendary of Hilton and Langlands, 30 November 1588. 
8. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Legal Instruments. Instrument of renunciation by James Wishart… of half of Hilton of Guthrie, 5 May 1589. 
9. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14196, Assignation by Alexander Wishart of Carnbege and James Wishart his son to Gabriel Guthrie… of the wadset of Hilton of Guthrie, 10 March 1589/90. 
10. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14280, Contract between Sir Walter Lindsay of Balgavies and David Lindsay, his son, and Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie and Alexander Guthrie, his son, concerning Hilton and Langlands, 19 July 1603. 
11. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14288, Contract between David Lindsay of Balgays and David Guthrie, son of David Guthrie of Hilton, 8 February 1614. 
12. National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ch.14153–14211, collection description noting later documents concerning Guthrie of Guthrie and the lands of Hilton and Langlands, acquired by Lindsay of Balgays in 1603. 
13. National Records of Scotland (NRS): GD121/3/27 (1490 Fothryngham inquest); SP13/45 (1543–44 remission warrant); GD16/3/42 (1544 precept of clare constat, Papers of the Earls of Airlie).
14. The Laing Charters No. 214 (1493 Halkerton sasine).
    John Guthrie of Essy and Alexander his son are present as witnesses to the 18 May 1493 instrument wherein “James Stewart, Earl of Buchan, and Lord of Auchirhous, gave sasine to Alexander Guthrie, son and apparent heir of Patrick Guthrie of Halcartoune, of the lands of Halcartoune, which were resigned into the hands of the said Earl, by the said Patrick, who reserved his own life rent and the terce due to Janet Guthrie, his spouse.
15. Scotlands People. National Records of Scotland, 1779, John Guthrie of Guthrie (Coats of Arms Volume 1 Page No. 519Z, page 1 of 1).
    • This is the matriculation of arms of John Guthrie of Guthrie Chief of that ancient surname eldest son an heir of John Guthrie of Guthrie by Joan daughter of the Reverend Mr James Hodge of Bathkennar, Minister of the Gospel.
      • Per the numbering system, this document applies to John Guthrie, 16th of Guthrie, who was the product of multiple Guthrie lines. His 3xGGF was John Guthrie, Bishop of Moray, a direct paternal line descendant of John Guthrie of Eassie & Hiltoun. The bishop purchased the lands and barony of Guthrie making him 11th of Guthrie. His daughter Bathiah Guthrie was married to her cousin Francis Guthrie 3rd of Gagie, whose descent goes through the Kincaldrum to Guthrie to Gagie line.
      • The relevance of this 1779 document is that it lists the genealogy of John Guthrie, 16th of Guthrie, including the Guthrie-Lyon connection. This document names Margaret Lyon as the wife of Sir Alexander Guthrie, although it mistakenly identified her father as the 5th Lord Glammis instead of the 3rd. Excerpt: “Andrew was son and heir of David Guthrie apparent heir of Guthrie who was killed with his Father and three uncles by his mother together with his cousin Sir Thomas Maule of Panmure at the Battle of Floundoun (Flodden) the ninth of September 1513 and (blank) eldest daughter of Forquhard MacIntosh of MacIntosh by Giles second daughter of High second Lord Lovet which David was son and apparent heir of Sir Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie and Margaret daughter of John fifth Lord Glammis which Sir Alexander was so and heir of Sir David Guthrie of Guthrie Chief of his name by Janet daughter of Sir Archibald Dundas of Dundas Knight…. etc, etc.”

Genealogical / Compiled Secondary Sources

1. Alex J. Warden’s Angus or Forfarshire (1880s volumes, detailing lairds and inquisitions). Chap. XVIII — Eassie and Nevada p.205
2. Stirnet, Guthrie1, Guthrie of Guthrie, Kincaldrum, Hiltoun, St Andrews, and Craigie pedigree. 
3. Guthrie Genealogy, Guthrie of Hiltoun, current article and source list, including Hiltoun spelling chart, 1545–1546 NLS references, and Burke 19th edition note. 
4. Burke’s Landed Gentry of Great Britain, 19th ed., Vol. 1, The Kingdom in Scotland, ISBN 0-9711966-0-5. The edition reportedly places John Guthrie of Hiltoun as fourth son of Sir David Guthrie, a placement that conflicts with other pedigree versions and creates chronological difficulty.
5. Earlier Burke / later pedigree traditions, placing John Guthrie, 1st of Hiltoun, as a son of Sir Alexander Guthrie and Margaret Lyon, rather than Sir David Guthrie.
   • BOOK: Burke, Bernard (1850) [Burke’s Gentry] Vol. 1: A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, for 1850L comprising particulars of upwards of 100.,000 individuals. See: Guthrie of Guthrie. Digital Repository: Internet Archive.
   • BOOK: Burke, B. (1882). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. 6th ed. with supplement. London: Harrison.
6. WEBSITE: The Peerage – John Guthrie, 1st of Hilton
7. WIKITREE: John Guthrie 1st aka of Hiltoun
8. WEBSITE: National Library of Scotland – Search Results “Guthrie” and “Hilton”
9. BOOK: History and Traditions of the Land of the Lindsays in Angus, p.172
10. William Fraser’s History of the Carnegies, Earls of Southesk (1867), referencing the 1454 inquisition.
11. James Cargill Guthrie’s The Vale of Strathmore: Its Scenes and Legends (1875), which covers local traditions, chivalry, and the old church of Eassie.