Balfours

[denmylne]

Hi
, Im new to this forum, however, i have searched every other datad base on the planet in the last 2 years regarding the Balfours and probably have the largest data base of family trees concerning the balfours in fife. if anyone is interested then just ask.
Im trying to find out about a certain Michael Balfour of Northbank st andrews. He inherited the estate from his father, Sir Andrew Balfour circa 1694, when his father died. I have read a lot of conflicting info about Sir Andrew Balfour dying without issue but I have good reason to believe this is false and would like to find out more about northbank and Michael, if anyone has any info, i would be very greatful.
ps anyone who wishes acces to the Balfour family trees i have done, is more than welcome, however most dont go beyond 1750-1800. they do start at in the 11th century

[diddymiller]

hi welcome to RC.

SP at:

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

has a will:

BALFOUR ANDREW 28/03/1694 SIR, M.D.      TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY;
 INCLUDES EIK DATED 16/12/1695    EDINBURGH COMMISSARY COURT
this can be viewed by paying £5  (2 pages)

Diddy

[Piglet01]

Hello

The link below, pages 409 to 416 is dedicated to the 'Memoirs of Sir Andrew Balfour', mentions a son, but does not name him.

Regards,   Steve 

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wBQbAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA409&dq=Sir+Andrew+Balfour&lr=&cd=39#v=onepage&q=Sir%20Andrew%20Balfour&f=false
"
Also if you search in Google books for 'Michael Balfour Northbank', you find a reference

Sir Andrew Balfour died 10 January 1694. The testament of 28 March, executed by
his son Michael Balfour of Northbank, refers generally to his ..."

- and then if I'm not mistaken, 'your' Michael Balfour dies in 1759 and leaves a 2 page will -also sourced for £5.00 from www.scotlandspeopel.gov.uk

BALFOUR MICHAEL 10/04/1759 SIR, OF DENMILN, BART., PARISH KIRKCALDY, TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY ST ANDREWS COMMISSARY COURT CC20/4/22

[denmylne]

Thanks very much for your input guys. much apprieciated
i have come across the book which refers to his son and I have found the names of sir andrews balfours sons being baptised in edinburgh(oddly enough he had 3 sons all called andrew, could this be due to infant death?) but as i said, most biographies say he died without issue. Im offshore at the moment and i think the fire wall is stopping me from completing payment on scotlands people, i may need to wait until i get back onshore.

the comment about andrew balfour of north bank is very interesting as well, Ill see if i can find the source which mentions him.
the sir micheal balfour of denmylne 1759, is the GGson of alexander balfour 3rd Bart of denmilne, not the son of sir andrew balfour(alex and andrew were brothers)
I have already done a great deal of work on this family and am in the process of uploading the familly trees i have done to my website, denmylne.co.uk  see the history tab. Im doing this as part of a grant application to historic scotland for work to be done on denmylne castle, which i recently purchased. the other balfour trees will be uploaded to the site as soon as i get back onshore, i have competed 8 balfour trees so far. It is strange that it is relativly easy to trace back as far as 1200 ad but making a link between 1700 and 1800 is so difficult, it must have been a time of great movement and upheaval. I really would like to find the ancestors of sir andrew balfour as i am pretty sure that all of the other major houses of balfour are extinct in the male line. It would be nice to add some personalised touch to this work. I also believe that any descendant of andrew balfour would be the true heir to the title of balfour of balfour and not the present claiments, ie trenabie and fernie
once again, thanks for your input
 

[Noaky1]

Hi there,
I have Balfours in Fife in the family too - I haven't managed to get far at all on that line at the moment though so I don't know if our Balfours are connected or not.

I have George Balfour married to Ann Cummings who had a son Robert Balfour  in 1864 who was born I think in Lower Largo - is there a connection there?

Kind regards
Noaky

[denmylne]

Hi Noaky1

I dare say that they will be connected, the further one goes back in time, all fife balfours are decendant from the same person, Siward the Dane, Thing is, up until 1700-1800, all the families held lands and estates, but beyond that time, the great upheaval changed everything
If you have a look at this web site
http://www.denmylne.co.uk/history/history.html

you will see some of the trees I have done, more will be added over the coming weeks, but as i said in my previous posts, information beyond 1700-1800 is very difficult to find. mainly due to the movement of most people from there ancestral home lands

As the others posted, scotlands people is a good starting place to trace back your family and you should eventually be able to tie into the trees I have done
best of luck

[sidsmith]

Hi There
I also Have BALFOUR in my tree and at the moment cant get any further back ..   this is what I have:-
David BALFOUR b about 1618 maybe Ferryport on Craig
Married Elizabeth KIRKCALDIE  when ?
Had 5 children one of which ..
David BALFOUR c 2 Jul 1657 Ferry Port on Craig married
Janet HENDERSON c 27 Apr 1656 on 2 Dec 1679 at Ferry Port on Craig
Had 10 Children one of which ..
Christian BALFOUR c 15 Jun 1701 Ferry Port on Craig married my Alexander SMITH b Abt 1701 from Kilrenny on 14 Mar 1731 at Ferry Port on Craig
David BALFOUR b Abt 1618 is my 8th Great Grandfather

regards
sid

[Ruskie]

Denmylne, welcome to rootschat. 

The Balfour name in your title caught my eye as I have this surname in my tree (but living and having children on the other side of the country in Dumfriesshire). I only have one person by that name so far and sadly have no indication about his origins with probably no chance of ever finding out. 

Im doing this as part of a grant application to historic scotland for work to be done on denmylne castle, which i recently purchased. 

I know this is slightly off topic, but I am very interested in what your plans are for Denmylne Castle. Are you able to tell us a bit more?

[denmylne]

Hi Sid, where is Ferry port, craig????I have not come across this name anywhere and had thought I had covered pretty much all of Balfours in Fife,, I might be able to help you