There are some very grey areas in the lineage of the Guthries of Hiltoun primarily due to the lack of readily available original documentation from the late 1400s and early 1500s. The accepted theory is that John Guthrie, 1st of Hiltoun, was one of the younger sons of Sir Alexander Guthrie, 2nd Baron Guthrie, and 3rd Kincaldrum, and Margaret Lyon of Glamis.

John Guthrie’s placement within the correct generation may remain uncertain, but he is at least identified as a son of the Guthries of that Ilk.

The Guthries of Hiltoun line is the genealogical bridge connecting the Guthries of Guthrie to the Guthries of Craigie. However, there are few if any documents to corroborate the lineage.

1st Guthrie of Hiltoun: John Guthrie

Details about John Guthrie are minimal. Birth and death dates are unknown. Date of acquisition of Hilton / Hiltoun also unknown. Identity of his wife uncertain. Number and identity of his children also uncertain.

Looking at his father Alexander Guthrie for clues, we find that his birth year is also a moving target being listed between 1445 and 1460. He was designed as being of Kincaldrum during the lifetime of his father. On 7 Feb 1466 (1467 old style) Alexander obtained a charter of Kincaldrum from Sir Thomas Wemyss. His purchase of the estate of Ballindean came in 1468-9. He obtained a charter under the Great Seal, upon the resignation by his father, of the lands and barony of Lour.

If the 1466 date of conveyance of Kincaldrum to Alexander Guthrie was at about the time of his majority, the estimate of a 1445 DOB would be about accurate. This also suggests that a marriage would likely have taken place about that time, with the children’s probable births being in the 1470-90s. Alexander Guthrie was probably a little older than King James IV (born 17 March 1473 and coronated 24 June 1488) whom he served as one of twenty-five gentlemen who were ‘commanded to attend the King’s Majesty at all times in his riding and passing into the fields’ as ceremonial bodyguards.

Alexander Guthrie died along with King James IV at the Battle of Flodden on 9 Sep 1513. The Guthrie heir, David, also perished there, but he had a son, Andrew Guthrie, to continue the line. David was probably 25-45 years old at Flodden, or born about 1468-1488. The lands and title of Kincaldrum continued through Alexander’s son of the same name, Alexander Guthrie. The lands of Kinereich were conferred to his son George Guthrie. John Guthrie, presumably that 4th son, became associated with Hilton / Hiltoun.

For now, we’ll assign John Guthrie an estimated birth range of 1470-1490. Since he was the youngest of the four sons, the DOB would probably be at the tail end of the estimate.

2nd Guthrie of Hiltoun: William Guthrie who m. Margaret Ogilvy
Peerage Record – 53973
Just as with the generation of his father, John Guthrie, 1st of Hiltoun, there is little information to find about William Guthrie. The majority of the online sites mentioning him are user-submitted trees and lineage pages.

3rd Guthrie of Hiltoun: David Guthrie who m. Christian Wemyss.
One son, John, continued the line of Guthrie of Hiltoun, the other, Charles, was the ancestor to the Guthries of Craigie.

4th Guthrie of Hiltoun: John Guthrie who m. Agnes Ochterlony
Sold Hiltoun to Sir Walter Lindsay of Balgavies.

Agnes remarried after John’s death to John Oliphant, 2nd of Newton and Berrydale, when on 26 July 1588 they are mentioned in a complaint raised against her deceased husband’s family.

5th Guthrie of Hiltoun: Patrick Guthrie
End Guthrie of Hiltoun Line.

READING and RESOURCES

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. Digital Repository: Internet Archive.
Guthrie of Guthrie

Book: Burke, Bernard. Burke’s Landed Gentry of Scotland. Digital Repository: Ancestry
Guthrie of Craigie
Note that this edition erroneously lists John Guthrie 1st of Hiltoun as the 4th son of Sir David Guthrie, 1st of Guthrie.

WEBSITE: The Peerage
John Guthrie, 1st of Hilton

WIKITREE: John Guthrie 1st aka of Hiltoun

WEBSITE: National Library of Scotland – Search Results “Guthrie” and “Hilton”

DOCUMENT: Records of the Guthrie Family of Guthrie, Angus. National Library of Scotland, Ref: GD188.

DOCUMENT: Precept of clare constat by Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie to John Guthrie of Hilton, of Guthrie, 15 October 1545. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14167
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)

DOCUMENT: 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. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14168.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of sasine to John Guthrie of Esse of parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie, 10 May 1546. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14169

DOCUMENT: Tack by Gabriel Guthrie, provost and parson of Guthrie, son of Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie, of Guthrie, and the said Alexander Guthrie to Thomas Guthrie, elder, of Hilton and his wife Agnes Auchterlony of the teinds of Hilton of Guthrie., 5 June 1568. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14171.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of renunciation by James Betoun of Melgo and Lutres Betoun his wife of an annualrent from Hilton of Guthrie., 11 April 1580. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14177.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of sasine to Gabriel Guthrie of the prebendary of Hilton and Langland’s of Guthrie, 17 June 1580. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14179.

DOCUMENT: Contract between David Lindesay of Balgays and David Guthrie, son of David Guthrie of Hilton, 8 February 1614. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14288.

DOCUMENT: Inhibition at instance of David Lyndsay of Balgayis against Mr John Lyndsae, minister of Aberlemno, and Mr David Ogilvie of Pitmowis concerning Hilton of Guthrie, 3 June 1615. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14289.

DOCUMENTS: Documents relating to land ownership, 1471-1607, undated. National Library of Scotland. Catalogue Entry, Ref: Ch.14153-14211.
Scope and Contents: The earlier documents relate mainly to Guthrie of Petmowis and the lands of Stotfaulds and others in Monikie, the later to Guthrie of Guthrie and the lands of Hilton and Langlands of Guthrie, which were acquired by Lindsay of Balgays in 1603. There are also documents concerning the Collegiate Church of Guthrie (of which Guthrie of Guthrie was patron) and Innerpeffer (sold to Robert Fletcher in 1596).

BOOK: History and Traditions of the Land of the Lindsays in Angus
p.172 “It may be noticed that Sir Walter’s landed interest
was not confined to the lands of Balgavies, or even to the
barony, in which were included the Hilton of Guthrie, Lang-
lands, and Innerdovat ; but embraced Little Markhouse, and the
Haughs, and Cunningair, and other parts of Finhaven, and also
Carlungie and Balhungie in the barony of Downie, as well as the
barony of Inverarity and the patronage of the church.* In all
these he was succeeded by his son David, who died in 1615,
from whose son and successor, Walter, the lands passed to other
hands in 1630, from which period the Lindsays entirely ceased
to have any connection with Balgavies.
It is likely that Sir Walter acquired Balgavies about 1571,
as in that year he had a charter from his father of the adjoining
property of Kempshill, in the parish of Guthrie ; but this pro-
perty is not to be confounded with the Kemp or Camp Castle,
which tradition speaks of as having topt the neighbouring hill of
Turin, which is reported to have come to the Lindsays by their
taking forcible possession of it from the owner, who is said to
have borne the name of Kemp.f This story at best is confused
and improbable, and may have arisen from the fact of Sir
Walter having been possessor of Balgavies and Kemphill at the
same time. Perhaps, however, although all record has been lost,
both Balgavies and Kemphill had been places of consideration
in old times, and had something to do with the disastrous engage-
ment which occurred here betwixt the Picts and Scots, or during
the invasion of the Danes at a later period. At least, the Gaelic
origin of the names would imply something of this sort, for Bal-
gaise means ” the town of bravery and valour,” and the name of
Kemp is associated with that of a Northern deity, remarkable for
gigantic stature, and for prowess and valour.”