Draft:Clan Dinwiddie

Clan Dinwiddie (also spelt as Dinwoodie, Dunwiddie, Dunwethy, Donewithy, Dunwedy and Dunwoody) is a Scottish Clan hailing from the Lockerbie area of the Lowlands, as of the dissolution of the Lairdship of Dinwiddie in 1620 the head of the clan has been the chief of the Maxwell Clan, however as the Maxwells do not currently have a chief, Clan Dinwiddie could be considered an armigerous clan.

Origins and early records of the Dinwiddies
The First Recorded mention of a Dinwiddie is from 1191 in the record of the first Feudal Court held by William DeBruce, the Lord of Annandale, at his Castle of Lochmaben, this court was held in preperation for First Crusade. DeBruce, his knights and retainers, accompanied King Richard on this crusade. It is therefore likely that a Dinwoodie was a crusader.

The Name does not appear again in the historical record until 1220 when Sir Alan Dinwiddie was named seneschal of Annandale, His Son another Alan has his signature on the Ragman Rolls

Scottish Wars Of Independence
The evidence of Dinwiddie involvement in the Scottish wars of independence is scant although it appears the Dinwiddies stayed true to their pledge on the ragman rolls and remained loyal to the Balliol Claim to the throne, in spite of the fact they were vassals of the Bruce's. We do know that an Alan Dinwiddie was serving in the Garrison of Lochmaben Castle who seems to have joined the English when the castle fell.

The "Great Feud" in Annandale
In 1498 heard before the Lords of the Privy Council of Scotland, the Crown sued the following Annandale gentlemen.

Adam of Johnstone of that Ilk. (Johnstoun)

Sir Thomas Dunwedy. (Dinwiddie)

Gavin of Johnstone. (Johnstoun)

John of Johnstoun. (Johnstoun)

Gavin Johnstoun of Elsieshilds. (Johnstoun).

The Crown Sued these men after they had illegally seized lands belonging to the Carlyles. The Carlyles had been granted the lands of the Exiled James Douglas, the Dinwiddies & Johnstones felt entitled to theses lands as they had helped to drive Douglas out at the Battle of Lochmaben Fortunately For Dinwiddie, laird Johnstone was staunch to his friend Dinwiddie and strong enough to take all responsibility, and so when the same case comes before the Lord's of the Council again in 1500, John of Johnstoun the younger answers for all five defendants, and showed that his grandfather the Laird Adam of Johnstoun (who heads the list of the defendants) was pledge and security for them all. This incident was to become the catalyst for the "Great Fued" as the King in an attempt to resolve the situation appointed Lord Maxwell as Seneschal of Annandale. It was now part of the Johnstone and Maxwell Feud and all Annandale took sides with either the Laird or the Lord-Seneschal. As Jardine of Applegarth whose lairdship bordered Dinwiddie to southwards was one of Maxwell and Carlyle's chief opponents, Thomas of Dinwiddie found himself wedged between his staunchest friend the Johnstone to northwards and his bitterest foe the Jardine to southwards. The lands of Dunwiddie thus became the buffer-state through which the Jardines made raids towards the domain of the Johnstouns and where the Johnstouns and Dinwiddies responded in kind.

For Example the Great Erskine Raid which is recorded in the records of the Lord Privy Council: "Adam of Johnstone of that Ilk, Thomas Dinwiddie of that Ilk, William Smyth, Alexander Graham, Gavin of Johnstone of Elschescheles, Thomas Clerk,Thomas Halyday, Simon of Johnstone. Robert Dinwiddie and John of Johnstone.

Who with their accomplices, to the number of 60 persons, came upon forethought felony in manner of murther under silence of night, to the said Bertilmar's place of Glendinwin

and there strak up the duris of the samyn place and spulyeit and tuk away with theme 4 horses, 144 oxen, beddin, napery, silver spunis, pottis, panns and insight gudis to the availe of 100 marks".

This Attack would not go without reprisal. Laird Thomas was Stabbed by the Jardines in his own home reportedly by "[His] ain fireside". And sadly for the Lairds of Dinwiddie this would not be the last of their chiefs to die on the point of Jardine dirks as Thomas's son Thomas II was murdered in Edinburgh in 1512 although no record exists of the trial it is safe to assume he too was killed by the Jardines. Even more outrageously in the Dinwiddies' eyes when the case of Thomas I went to trial in 1504 a Royal Pardon was produced, granted to

"John Jardine in Sibbald be-side, and

Robert Brig living with Alexander Jardine,

for art and part of the cruel slaughter of

Thomas Dinwiddie of that ilk,

at his place of Dinwiddie"

(Sibbald be-side was in the N.E. corner of Applegarth, adjoining Dinwiddie Green, a mile or more south of old Dinwiddie Hall.)

This Royal Pardon was produced at the behest of Lord Maxwell the Kings Seneschal as Jardine was an ally of his. The feud calmed down after the murder of Thomas II and although raids still occurred the feud was eclipsed by the larger War of the League of Cambrai and later the Skirmishes during the regency of James V.

Thomas III and The Last Of The Lordly Dinwiddie's
Thomas the third was a loyal vassal of James IV and fought with him at the disastrous defeat at Flodden Field He Continued to serve the crown after James's death as he was a staunch ally of the Regent Albany, due to his steadfast loyalty to Albany his Lands were seized by anti-regency partisans in 1519 However remembering his "good and thankful service" to King James IV before Flodden, Thomas Dinwiddie may owe the restoration of his seisin to the accension of young James V to real power in 1526, and to the some friend at Court (possibly the Queen Mother) who reminded the boy-King of his father's faithful servant now down on his luck. In 1526 Laird Thomas III recovered Dinwiddie and settled down at home. He was already married and we know he had two sons Alexander and John.

Thomas' Son, Alexander, would be the last laird of Dinwiddie as when he died somewhere between 1552 and 1564 the Lairdship would pass to his daughter Lady Jane Dinwiddie however as soon as she married a family arrangement was made between the Dinwiddies and Maxwells. Lady Jane Dinwiddie resigned the Lairdship to her brother-in-law, Robert Maxwell; thus after 13 Jan. 1568 the Lairds of Dinwiddie, although still styled in documents and by their tenants as Dinwiddie, were of the Maxwell surname; a name that before now had been detested by all Dinwiddies.

The Lairdship of Dinwiddie was now a Maxwell title.

The Governor & The Provost
Other male branches Of Dinwiddie survived however, among those was the line of the first Laird of Germiston Robert, the Glasgow Merchant. He bought the estate of Germiston in Glasgow in 1690 where he founded a successful tobacco merchants Robert would have Four sons, two of them of note. The youngest Lawrence would go on to become Lord provost Of Glasgow in 1742 and start the Delftfield Pottery Company alongside James Watt in 1748 this would be a succesful venture and operate well into the 19th century.

The Eldest son Robert would have an immensely successful career in the colonial administration of North America joining the colonial service in 1727 and in 1751 becoming Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Dinwiddie had a large role in starting the seven years war when he ordered British Colonial forces under George Washington to attack Fort Duquesne leading to the surrender of Washington and his forces. Dinwiddie then lead Virginia through the war which was hugely taxing on him and so at his own request he was relieved of office in 1758, and with his wife and two daughter's returned to Britain. He died in London on July 27, 1770. He is buried in Bristol with a monument marking his resting place. The inscription on his monument reads In this church are deposited the remains of Robert Dinwiddie,

  Esq. formerly Governor of Virginia.

Who Deceased July 27th 1770 in the 78th years of his age

  The annals of that country will testify

With what Judgement, Activity, and Zeal he exerted himself

  In the Public cause when the whole of the North American Continent

Was involved in a French & Indian War

  The rectitude of Conduct in his Government

And integrity in other Public employments

  Add a lustre to his Character which was revered while he lived

And will be held in estimation whilst his name survives

  His mere private virtues and amiable social qualities he possessed

Were the happiness of his numerous friends and relations,

  Many of whom shared his bounty

All lament his loss

  As his happy dispositions for domestic life

Were best known to his affectionate Wife & Daughters

  They have, erected this monument

To the memory of his Conjugal and Paternal Love

  Which they will ever cherish and revere

With that piety and tenderness he so greatly merited.

Farwell Blest shade, no more will grief oppress

Propitious Angels guide thee to thy rest.

The County of Dinwiddie County in Virginia is named after Governor Dinwiddie

Castle
The Dinwiddies had held some form of fortification on the banks of the Annan since the inception of the family this painting by the artist, J. B. MacIonnais depicts the last iteration of the family hall before it was demolished to make way for Dinwiddie Tower built by Robert Maxwell. Painted around 1550. The "Trumpets of Dynwyddie" depicts the view of the castle from the south approaching along the old Roman road that ran up the Annan River valley. This is the south elevation of the castle.

The circular keep at the center of the painting is the oldest part of The castle. Note the vertical apertures in its walls over the arched entrance for the use of a long bow. The armorial bearings of Dinwiddie with a severed hanging head appear on the plaque over the arched entrance to the keep. The wing on the left was added at an early date as evidenced by the cross-shaped apertures in the walls to accommodate a cross bow. Note that the lookout tower at the upper left corner of this addition also appears in the second painting. The wing on the right is a later addition to the castle. This addition was somewhat smaller than the first and had what appears to be a center arched entrance with a vertical row of windows (barely visible) on its east facade.