NOW TO WORK BACKWARDS  

FROM THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.   

In an endeavour to combine the family name of the 20th century A.D. with that name of previous historical connection I approached the problem from two directions;  

FIRSTLY   coming forward from the time of   DONALD,  the second  Lord of the Isles and

SECONDLY   going backwards in an endeavour to find  a common meeting point. 

SCOTLAND     THE    CON – CONN  OF  AUCHRY 

1450  AD -  - 1690  AD   

The Cons or Conns of Auchry in Scotland is the starting point to travel forward from DONALD, second Lord of the Isles and Kintyre, had an association with Margaret Leslie,  one of the daughters of the Baron of Straloch.   I have not been able to discover whether or not they had actually married but after the birth of   WILLIAM,  she, some time later left him with the Donalds, and returned to her kinsfolk in the Aberdeenshire area. 

Now this, WILLIAM, a Donald,  a son of Donald, the second Lord of the Isles and  grandson of John, the first  Lord of the Isles, became involved in a family dispute and had to leave, taking with him some of his kinsfolk.   He is believed to have been a monk.   There could of course be some truth in this as at this particular time in history sons of nobility who had no future in the family i.e. inheriting the title, did take their share of their inheritance, become part of an order in a monastery and hand their wealth over.  They could of course renege and leave the order.  It is probable that William  did not marry until middle age or even later.   His mother had originated in the highlands, Aberdeenshire, and this is where he finally settled  on the land called Auchry, though formerly called Fintry, near Turriff, which belonged to the hereditary high constable of Scotland.   The time in history would be the late 15^th century,  and during the lifetime of William Hay, third Earl of Erroll.  

LET  US  NOW  DIGRESS  A  LITTLE. 

Today, in the twentieth century, for services rendered, or perhaps part of a perquisite,  a customary extra right or privilege, in later life,  a life Peerage may be awarded but a peerage which carries no Real Estate.   In the middle centuries period of Scottish history the reward was of somewhat different character.  In the period now being referred to, the Anglo-Norman-Scots had rather cornered the peerages and earldoms but were happy enough in many cases to disgorge portions of land, river and forest, or maybe heath and moorland only, which had, at least potential for services rendered.   Such gifts were bestowed mainly within the family or through marriage.      This paragraph it is hoped will go some way to explain the presence of this family of Con, in the parish of Monquitter. 

After the defeat of John Comyn, third Earl of Buchan, by Robert the Bruce, at Barra, near Inverurie in 1307, The Bruce, intent of destroying the power of a rival claimant to the throne, dispossessed Comyn of all his land in Buchan, giving the eastern and smaller part to the Hays of Erroll [Perthshire] in recognition of faithful service; and the western and larger part [including the future Monquitter] to Sir John Ross, whose wife was niece of the same Earl of Buchan.   As Bruce burned and sacked the Buchan area immediately after Barra, [an act of barbarism which Bannockburn can never wholly erase] it may reasonably be supposed that he was now prepared  “to call it a day” in respect of John Comyn, who now goes out of local history. 

Had events taken a different path, it is unlikely the Cons would have taken up domicile in Monquitter.  UNLIKELY, but not IMPOSSIBLE.   And the circumstances could have been very different. 

After the Comyn disaster of Barra, the feudal system continued, the HAYS doing well, as the tidying up of real estate brought an increasing number of minor lairds into the system giving it a broader base.   Also with the passing of the years there were many Comyn descendants, notwithstanding Barra, and a century later, notwithstanding Harlow, there were many DONALDS.    It seems fairly evident that the very large feudal barons, in a period of acute political uncertainty, were not unwilling that kinsmen should shoulder some of the responsibility in keeping the estates secure for something approaching a quid pro quo  [something for something].   Even kinship was not always necessary, but political affinity and social background were.    A social fabric had to be defended and who better to help do so than a family of this social elite and preferably one with a chip on its shoulder.  

With this premise giving the background, WILLIAM CON, grandson of the Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, loser of the Harlaw battle, came to Auchry.   This preferment coming his way through the good offices of the then William HAY of Delgaty. 

To avoid any confusion, it had better be stated that the Macdonalds had come from Ireland some centuries before William Con arrived at Auchry and were well established on the western seaboard and the nearby mainland.   Clan Donald, as it became, used various patronymics [names derived from the name of a father or ancestor] and the Donald family which settled in the parish which became, in due course, Monquitter, used the name Con, or maybe Conn, derived from famous Irish, and notably Antrim, ancestors.   The Cons were at Auchry for little more than a century.   Wedded to the Roman Catholic faith and it would seem uncompromisingly so, the Cons were not remembered by the Reformers.  But it can be said, that, although the family was lost to Monquitter there are many thousands bearing the name throughout the world.   [Extracts from The Cumine Family - The Sale of Auchry Estate from the Banff & Buchan District Council] 

BACK TO MY VERSION OF THE HISTORY STORY. 

Now that he was there he had to have a family surname to conform with local customs so he took from his ancient ancestors the unusual surname of CON.   This was the name by which he and his descendants became known and they were a sept of the Clan MacDonald.  [the spelling often varied and included, Con, Cone, Conn, Conne, Cuin and even Cann or Quinn]. 

The hamlet where they first settled became known as Con in the parish of Auchry in Monquitter near Turriff.   They established themselves there in their own territory eventually as a family Scottish Clan.  [Not confirmed by the Lord Lyon]    Firstly being tenants of land then owners. 

A group of fierce Isles clansmen they were at times known as “the Children of the Mist”.  They were a Roman Catholic family.   No other such name occurred elsewhere amongst the baronial families of Scotland. 

 Their family motto was   “Constant and Kynd”   an obvious play on the name “Con”.   The coat of arms was a shield with two thin gold bars, one broad gold bar, and two thin gold bars, all horizontal with one coney at the top and  two coneys at the bottom.   At the top of the shield was a falcon.  [This may well have been the ancient Banner of King Conn of Ireland. Gerald Tudor] 

This highlander WILLIAM Con,  and his wife, Jean Cheyn of Straloch, a well established family; descendants of Norman immigrants to Aberdeenshire, gave birth to a race who served the Gordons and Hays in their tribal wars for nearly 200 years. 

By the year 1552, the Cons  were well established in Monquitter and had erected at Auchry [castle of the kings], and for their own occupation a modest stronghold named ‘Red Castle’ due to the colour of the stone.   It was also known as Con Castle or Manor House and stood at the top of a steeply rising spur about a mile west of  Cuminestown, (which at that time did not exist).  Auchry farm built in 1767 by Joseph Cummine of Auchry, stands on this site.   Built of red sandstone and from its size and situation forms a prominent object in the landscape.   There is still, in 1999,  a derelict quarry near to the site of Auchry called  ‘Conns Quarry’. 

Auchry was part of the barony of Uddoch.   It first appears in the Register of the Great Seal on 15th August, 1505.  At Stirling  on this date King James 1V, confirmed pro bono servitio, to  Thomas Copland  half the lands of Udoch, Ardin, Auchry and Balquhindachy, all part of the barony of Udoch. [[Kinedward and the county of Abirdene; - which are adjudged to belong to the King through the death of Jon, Earl of Buchan, constable of France, etc., and baron of Kyneward].   The great barony of Kingeward had passed to the Lords of the Isles and at length back to the king.    The lands had been in the hands of the king since the non-entry of them by John, Earl of Buchan (Register of the Great Seal, II, 2869).   Thomas Copland had been one of the tenants there.   He was also warden of all the masons in the north-east, having been appointed by the king (D. Stevens - Origins of Freemasonry, p.32)   The Cons have been putatively (supposedly)  [confirmed in the time of Alexander Con b.1510] connected with the design and construction of castles during that century which possibly explains their presence in Auchry at that time. 

The other half of the lands of Udoch were granted to Robert Gordon of Udoch in July, 1507, having been alienated by John Forbes of Brux (Register of the Great Seal, ii, 3111).   So, in the first decade of the sixteenth century, the lands of Udoch were divided into two halves and Thomas Copland and Robert Gordon were therefore portioners of Udoch (owners of a small estate).   The Cons were not landowners at that time, but were probably tenants on the lands of Udoch.   No-one was “of Auchry” at that time, it being part of Udoch. 

During the decades following their arrival they acquired lands and estates in Auchry from Robert Gordon whose heir had not survived, and the wadset of Meikle of Auchry,  after Lord Borthwick to whom it was granted in 1545,  fled the country to escape punishment as a heretic. 

For the next two to three centuries the name ‘CON’ played an important role in the highlands and in the affairs of Scotland.  When PATRICK Con married Margaret Cheyne, the lauchful dochter to Thomas Cheyne of Essilmont , the Cheynes were manrented to the Earls of Erroll.   This appears to cause a switch in loyalties for the Cons from the Earl of Huntly to the Earl of Erroll.   

In 1560 came the Reformation in Scotland.   Religion started to rear its head towards the end of the century.   Although the reformation had long been on the go in central Scotland  it took about thirty years to have its impact in the north.   

 In July, 1592, ”Francis Hay, Earll of Errole was put in Ward in the castle of Edinburgh for Papistry” and in February, 1593, the “Earls of Huntley and Errole denounced rebels and put to the horne for not appearing to subscribe the Band concerning Religione”   The Earls of Huntly, Erroll and Angus forfeited their titles to the crown.   JAMES V1 was forced to this by the church against his wishes.   The Reformed church was very strong at this time and made its presence felt.   The Protestants were on the ascendant with Catholics being forced to defend themselves.   They were required to give assurances that they  “...shall assist in pursuit of them when required and that the said principals shall, when charged, appear before the King [James V1] and council or before the Justice in the tolbooth upon fifteen days warning”.   Principals, sureties and penalties were as follows:-  “Patrick Cheyne of Essilmonth with  Patrick Con of Auchry, 5,000 merks”. 

In 1594 they were charged to appear before the King and Council to answer for good rule and loyalty.   Patrick Con of Auchry along with eight others failed to comply and so were denounced as rebels on 11th July, 1594. 

The Earls of Huntly, Erroll and Angus raised rebellion in their defence which ended in victory at Glenlivet on 3rd October, 1594.   The outcome of the battle was greatly affected by the skilful handling of a disciplined body of between one and two hundred picked horsemen of Erroll’s.   Patrick’s grandson Thomas Chalmers wrote:- 

“PATRICK Con . . .most distinguished for bravery, who by his energy and valour in that wonderful victory of Glenlivet of three hundred Catholic horsemen against ten thousand heretic infantry, himself having to change horses twice in the course of the conflict, added greatly to the immense slaughter of the enemy”. [Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum. 

Thomas Chalmers wrote in homage to his mother, Christina of the birth brief, “She was the daughter of Patrick Con of Auchry, who was captain of Cavalry in the army of the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland, at the Battle of Glenlivet”.  [“Alba Amicorum” Ab. Univ. Studies No. 95]   Glenlivet was the last effort of arms, victorious but vain, to restore the ancient faith in Scotland. 

After the battle things seemed to settle a little and we find PATRICK Con in transactions..  However, he was soon in trouble again because of his religion.   The Keith’s who supported the reformed church were given a commission to seek out and take the prominent Catholics in the north-east.  i.e. the Gordons, the Leslies, the Hays, the Cheynes, the Cons etc. 

A resurgence against the reformation had long been on the go since 1575 and the general assemblies had been much concerned with means of of its suppression.   An extract from “The booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland” brings the matter direct to the CON door.   In 1596 the Assembly deliberated “. . . in respect of the report of the brethern of the north, that gentleman and burgesses are like to leave their houses for fear of the enemies, seeing their great insolence unrepressed at home, returning to their wives in the country again, and their provisions in their houses and castles for their home coming whilk is murmered against in all the country.   For remedy it is craved that the ladies of Huntlie and Arroll presently be brought again and placed in St. Andrews;  my Lord Gordon to be brought to the south and be put to the schools.   Their friends in the south to be wardit;  as Cluny Geight. . . .;[ten are named, mostly Huntly’s people]. . .Towie Barclay, PATRICK Con.” 

The defeat of Glenlivet was left unrevenged for long but Huntly and Erroll were forced to make their escape to the continent, and it would appear that Towie Barclay and PATRICK Con, of Erroll’s following, had likewise fled the country.   In the same year of 1596 he seemingly appeared with his son at a catholic college in Douai in France since in Scotland the education of children was charged only to persons professing the religion “now” established.    Taking children abroad to be educated even under the care of Scottish teachers was against the law.   He was described in the Douai diary of 1596 as Partick Conne “ex Calviniano factus Catholoicus”.   Thereafter a number of Cons were educated at Douai between 1596 and 1685 and “made a Catholic from a Calvinist”. 

The Earls of Huntly, Erroll and Angus had their titles restored to them in 1597 which seemed to lead to a quiet spell. 

By 1597 PATRICK Con had returned and was again busy at his duties.   He still held office in the courts.   He became Commissioner to the Earl of Errol and later obtained  lands in Ayrshire adding further to the Con’s estates.   Life seemed to return to normal. 

Soon after the death of PATRICK Con in 1642 the Cons were driven into exile and so disappear from the Scottish scene.   About 1690 the Cons finally disappeared in an important but pathetic letter from Paris and dated the 26 Octobre 1690, from Cone to John Twelfth Earl of Erroll in which an old poverty stricken PATRICK CON  signing himself Cone places his own and his sons swords at the Earls disposal; obviously having forgotten that the old order had passed away.   This letter was preserved in the Charter Chest at Slains Castle.  It is re-produced as follows;- 

Cone to John Twelfth Earl of Erroll.

                                                                                    Paris the 16 Octobre 1690. 

Richt Honorable

                        I can not say, my lord, that anie of my former letters cam saife to your Lordships hands, since I never had the least return; and tho this be a verie unseasonable tym writing since the ordenarie commirce dis not goe on as formerly; yet necessitie oblidges us, in thir hard tyms to find out some by way, to make our  present condition knowne to our friends, as I doe now to your Lordship with my best respects; begging that your goodness may extend itself now towards your poore seruents, for that little anuel rent which is yeasrly due to me upon a part of your Lordships estate; whereof is some arrieres, besides the yeare current due at this terme of Mertines, which my cousin the Laird of Balquhyn can make bettir knowne than I, to whom I have sent a generall discharge and acquittence for allbygones, untill this verie tearme; which shows the trust and confidence I have in you bothe, as persons of honor and justice that will doe noe body wrong.   The only motive that I can bring to your Lordship to doe me this favor is the ancient connection of friendshippe that passed betwixt that honorable and worthy persone of glorious memory Francis Erle of Arroll, and old Patrick Conne of Auchry, my grandfather; and ever since we have bene most noble familie; whereof  your lordship is now become the chiefe and head, as the true and lawfull successor, and I believe we had some particular relation to your famille besyds, from the house of Eslemont, but this I can not affirm perfitly, it being so manie years since I came from home.  Whosouir I expect your lordships kindness, and that you will doe me, nor myn, noe wrong.  I am now too old myself to offer my service, but since it has pleased God to give me three boys, on of them shall be allotted to be alservent to you and your familie at home; if God send ou more happie and more peaceable tyms, that honest [men] may liue upon their awne, my thoght is to satle one my children there, under your lordships favourable protectione.   This is my ernest wishe that all discords may be takne away, and that we may serue God, king, and countrie with freedome and peace.   I can say noe more at present, but the duty and respects of this poore familie to your lordship, your noble ladie, and all yours as being

                                    My Lord

            Your most humble and most obedient true seruent

                                                            Conne 

[The Erroll Papers - Misc. of the Spalding Club Vol. ii p. 198]                 

For interest only there was an Inverness townsman by the name of Cumine who valiantly defended the Oak Bridge during the burning of Inverness by ALEXANDER, Lord of the Isles.   Strangely when the Cons estate at Auchry was taken from them it passed into the hands of a family of Cumines.   Early in the nineteenth century the estate was bought from them by a family of Lumsden 

So we return to  

WILLIAM, a Donald,  who is credited with the founding of this family in the late fifteenth century. 

Then we have ALEXANDER  Con who was born c.1480 and of whom nothing has been found recorded. 

At this time the Leslies of Balquhayne intermarried with the Cheynes of Straloch so in the early days of the Cons of Auchry an obvious attempt was made to marry into recognized families in their new habitat and to reinforce their tentative foothold. 

ROBERT  Con died before 1540.   Little Auchry had belonged to Robert Gordon of Udoch’s half of the barony of Udoch and he in turn had granted it to Robert Con.   So he had been the superior of Robert Con.  Little Auchry was obviously too small a portion of land for Robert Con to style himself   “Of Little Auchry”  . Robert Gordon of Udoch had died leaving a minor heir.   He had been a vassal of the Crown and the land had reverted into the sovereign’s hands because he had left a minor heir.   Under these circumstances the King could gift the ward to a person of his choosing, that person drawing the income from those lands until such time as the heir reached his majority.   (R.P.S. ii-2774). 

ALEXANDER  Con, the son or brother of Robert Con was on the 31^st August, 1536 the recipient of Royal letters exempting him from attending “all conventions, inquestis, schireff-courtis, assemblies, perambulations justice-airis, oistis and raidis for all the dais of his life”  (R.P.S. ii-2164).   He was in December, 1540, given the gift of the ward of the lands of half the town of Little Auchry by the Crown.   The Cons were one step nearer to becoming small landowners.   We now find a clear indication of lairdship by the mention of ‘Alexander de Auchry.   The normal method of denoting lairdship was to give the name followed by the land held. 

In the past farms were multi-tenanted, not as they are today and so landowners could draw rents from those living there.   Aberdeenshire was part of the governable part of Scotland and people there had few clan ties.   Clans were restricted to the Highlands and were followers of chieftains there.   Landholding in Scotland was feudal.   At the head was the King, the superior or overlord who granted lands to his vassals, they having to perform some form of feudal duty, often commuted to a payment in money or kind.  Those vassals could, in turn, grant parts of their lands to their own vassals, so becoming superiors or overlords themselves.  Records of change of ownership of lands held directly from the Crown are recorded in the register of the Great Seal or Register of the Privy Seal.   However, lands held from a vassal of the king do not, but can be found in the records of landowners.   Not only could lands be sold, but they could be acquired through marriage, be inherited from another branch of the family or be acquired through alienation by the owners.   In the past when a landowner needed a large sum of money, he was forced to borrow and would often pledge his lands as security.   This arrangement was known as a “wadset” a type of mortgage.   The wadsetter would become the virtual owner while the debt remained unpaid.   Often, the debt was never repaid and so the wadsetter became the new owner. 

In Scottish records, a landowner is distinguished by being described as “of” a particular place, while a tenant or indweller is always recorded as “in” that place. 

The two most powerful lords in the North-East of Scotland were the Earl of Erroll and the Marquis of Huntly.   Following the reformation in 1560 they had continued to adhere to the Roman Catholic faith and had even plotted for its restoration.   Lesser lairds found it convenient to shelter under the wings of these lords.   During the sixteenth century the Gordons and Hays were allies but this changed later.   The Cons like many other families who had remained Roman Catholic sheltered under the wings of both lords and in 1594, they were all defeated by JAMES V1 who thereafter arranged for Huntley castle to be destroyed and personally supervised the blowing up of Slains castle.   Thereafter their power in the North-east was curtailed.   However, many of the smaller lairds who had earlier found shelter with Huntley and Erroll, signed bonds with James V1 to keep the peace and so did not get involved with the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594. 

In October 1553 ALEXANDER Con now calling himself of Auchry, was at the Earl of Erroll’s castle at Slains where he witnessed a contract which involved some underhand dealing by George, Earl of Erroll who was planning to divorce his wife, Margaret Robertson, so that he could marry an heiress, Barbara Hay, who was still a minor   She  had been held captive at the castle as the arrangements were made.    ALEXANDER Con was witness to several documents involving the affair.  (I of E.C. Erroll Charters - 516; 532; 586). 

In March 1553/4 he was at Strathbogie, acting as a baillie for the Marquis of Huntly’s son.  (C.of C.- 611)   In April he and his son Mr. William Con were granted the lands of Meikle Auchry as a wadset.  (I of E.C. 536).   After its redemption they were to receive a lease of  5 years.   So by 1554 the Cons had acquired Little Auchry  (the heir of Robert Gordon of Udoch had apparently not survived) and Meikle Auchry    The Cons could certainly start calling themselves “of Auchry”.   ALEXANDER Con was  at Slains in October 1557.

In May 1548 ALEXANDER Con was witness to a charter confirmed by Queen Mary  [MARY - QUEEN OF SCOTS] in Edinburgh. 

In March 1558  ALEXANDER Con   was murdered and on the 2^nd November, 1564, John Forbes of Brux and his brothers and  several others were granted a Precept of Remission for his  murder.   (R.G.S.- vi-1813).   In 1507 when Robert Gordon had been granted Udoch it was recorded that he had held it in wadset from Forbes of Brux.   The Forbes family probably  resented the fact that Alexander Con had been given the gift of the ward of Little Auchry and had no doubt sought revenge).    The accused family were Protestant and Con was a staunch Catholic.   The Reformation in Scotland had started so it could have been some feud to do with religion though it was perhaps a little early for the Reformation, to have made an impact in the isolated north-east.  Some squabble over land is more likely. 

ROBERT Con who was born sometime about 1540 was a vassal to the Marquis of Huntly and had the lands of  Codrane [Culdrain] in the barony of Strathbogie.   He was killed in battle and had his lands forfeited to the Crown.  (R.P.S. - vi-1566).  The battle was that of Corrichie, a marshy  hollow almost surrounded by the heights of the Hill of Fare in Banchoory, Ternan parish, on the border of Kincardineshire and Aberdeen, which took place on the 28^th October, 1562.    Troops loyal to MARY - QUEEN OF SCOTS won a victory over the Catholic leader, George Gordon, the Earl of Huntly, commonly regarded as the greatest magnate in Scotland and nick-named  “cock of the north” - who died  after battle of a heart attack.   The Queen’s forces were led by her half-brother, JAMES STEWART  on whom she bestowed the title, Earl of Moray.   He was a Protestant, ambitious to displace the Gordons from their control of the north-east, and a strong influence on the 19 year old  MARY.   The Leslie’s, Hays and Forbes turned traitor to Huntly and it is said that it was they who killed the Gordons who died that day, not the forces of  Moray. 

The Queen granted  the deceased Robert’s lands to Master  WILLIAM Conn. 

WILLIAM Con, born c.1509 or before was the son and apparent heir to Alexander Con in Auchry and on the 19^th June , 1530, was granted a charter of the lands of Intown of Logy-auldtoun, 1/3^rd of Brukhills, 1/3^rd of the Fauld of Bakyhill and two riggs between Brukhills and Reidhill in the barony of Aucheterless-Dempster. (R.G.S.-iii-951; R.P.S. - ii-659)    He and his father were living on the lands of Auchry,  more likely as tenants than just indwellers. 

In June, 1541  King JAMES V granted to WILLIAM Con the lands of Rothierbrisbane in the parish of Fyvie, they having been resigned to the Crown by Robert Stewart of Aithers.(R.G.S.- iii-2370).    By this time he would be in his late 30’s or 40’s and his father Alexander in his 60’s.   On the 22^nd June, 1563, he fell heir to the lands of Codrane.  In April, 1564  he was attacked by the Gordon’s of Gight, a notorious family, James Cheyne and eighteen others and by April, 1567, he was suffering from  “the gravell and uthiris seiknes within his body” and was exempted from attending public meetings of all kinds. (R.P.S.- vi-3404).   This was ratified by the Queen on 7th April, 1567, by letter to him. He died soon afterwards.   His wife Barbara Leslie, daughter of Leslie of Balquhain, appears to have killed herself in May of that year and in that year the Crown gifted her goods which it had confiscated (escheat) to John, Bishop of Ross recording that this was “through  the slaughter of Barbara committed by herself”.  (RPS - vi-3646).  He in turn gave it to the keeping of William Leslie of Balquhain. 

ALEXANDER Con also had a daughter, JONET Con, who married Robert Crichton of Condiland. 

Another son of ALEXANDER was THOMAS,  recorded as his second son, when on a jury in March, 1556.   In October, 1559  he was in court contesting the right to Balmelie with Andrew Craig and was again on a jury in July, 1574. (R.S.C.Ab.-vol.i pp.124; 142; 145 and 211). 

The ‘Con of Auchry’ reputed to be a master mason  [Jervise, “Epitaphs & Inscriptions”, 1, 177] and builder of the “Catholic Castles” of Gight, Delgaty, Craig and Towie Barclay [possibly also Lesmoir and Auchry] as well as Errol Lodging in Turriff, must have been a son or nephew of  the ALEXANDER Con b. 1510.  [Stuart Mitchell - 1998].  No christian name is recorded.  

When WILLIAM Con had died,  his heir,  PATRICK Con, was a minor, and the gift of the ward was given to William Leslie of Balquhain.   It  recorded that WILLIAM died in November 1567 and had never taken official possession of the lands of Auchry.  (R.P.S.- vi-46).   He was to hold the lands until the heir, PATRICK Con, came of age.    In January ,1573/4  he had done so and was served heir to his grandfather, Alexander Con  of Auchry and to his father, William Con,  in half the lands of Hairmoss which had been in non-entry for 6 years and 2 months.   PATRICK must therefore have been born c.1552. (R.S.C. Ab. - i-p.193). 

In October, 1574,  THOMAS Con in Auchry, the uncle of PATRICK Con,  brought an action of spuilzie (stealing moveable goods) against John Leslie of Balquhain and James Leslie, burgess in Aberdeen, involving alleged  spuilzie committed by William Leslie of Balquhain during the time he had the gift of the ward.  (R.S.C.Ab. -i-p.213). 

PATRICK Con, son and heir of Mr. WILLIAM Con inherited his father’s and grandfather’s lands in January 1573/4.   He married Margaret Cheyne, second youngest daughter of Thomas Cheyne and Elizabeth Gordon.   She was one of thirteen children.   Her father had died when she was very young and not long after his own father,  Patrick Cheyne of Essilmount had died.   (E.C.T.Ed.C.C.-18 July 1565 and 17 July 1565 respectively).   Patrick Cons grandmother  was  Elizabeth Gordon, her father was James Gordon, Laird of Haddo.    PATRICK and Margaret had six children.   The lands he had inherited were half of Little Auchry and half of Hairmoss.   The lands were part of the barony of Udoch, the other part belonging to the Coplands of Udoch.   Close by were the Craigs of Craigfintray, the Mowats of Balquholly and the Hays of Delgatie (relatives of the Earl of Erroll and a more substantial family) 

The Cons history during the first half of the seventeenth century cannot be viewed in isolation.   What happened to them was closely bound up with who their neighbours were.   They were all fairly small landowners and so were hungry for land and as a result clashes and feuds abounded. 

As all these families lived fairly close to each other, disputes arose over ownership of parts of lands and their boundaries.   The Mowats of Balquholly, for example, had had a quarrel with the Craigs of Cragfintry over a piece of land called Balmelie, each claiming ownership.   The Mowats had stolen cattle belonging to the tenants of the Craigs.   At a later stage, a relative of the notorious Gordons of Gight had attempted to extend the boundaries of Balmelie by building a fold dyke on Mowat land.   At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Magnus Mowat of Balquholly had been oppressed by Patrick Copland of Udoch and his brother, Alexander, a freebooter.   They had trampled down corn, attacked tenants and had even occupied the Mowat castle on their lands in Caithness, taking away its contents and also stock on the home farm. 

Patrick Copland died in 1606, but his son, Alexander Copland, continued to oppress the Mowats.   He invited the assistance of PATRICK Con of Auchry and his son, also Patrick, John Gordon of Ardlogie (one of the seven lawless sons of Gordon of Gight) and several others.   In July, 1607, they and retainers, rode to Glenhill moss on Balqholly land (Mowarts) where tenants were cutting peats.   They carried away large numbers and cast the rest back into the peat pits.   Then Copland and John Gordon, egged on by   PATRICK Con and his son Patrick, laid siege to Balquholly castle and waited for Magnus Mowart to come out.   Fortunately for him he stayed inside.   (R.P.S. (RPC) addenda 419).     It appears here that John Gordoun of Ardlogie was a notorious troublemaker.  “They went about the country as Champions of Rome, but their real object was plunder”.   It is doubtful whether the Cons were out with the Gight “boyis” on a regular basis.  This was basically a family feud between the Copelands and Gordouns and Magnus Mowat in which the Cons taking the side of the catholics got embroiled.  [The House of Gordon].

The aggression however, was not one sided.   In July, 1607, PATRICK Con and the widow of Patrick Copland  complained to the Privy Council that Magnus Mowat had a grudge against them and intended molesting them over their possession of Balquhandachie.   (R.P.C.-537/2; 540).    

In August 1607, Mowart  was ordered by the Lords to find caution or 2,000 merks not to harm PATRICK Con and Elizabeth Auchinleck (Copland) . (R.P.C. - vii-685).    The following year Magnus petitioned to have the amount reduced to 1,000 merks, he being “ane mean gentilman”.  (R.P.C. - viii-42).   Thereafter no further clashes occurred between them.. 

However, in 1612, PATRICK Con  had to face invasion by  Arthur, Lord Forbes, who had gone to Teuchar, part of Little Auchry, where he had pulled up “cornis sawine thairupoun by the ruitis”, trampling the corn down by riding through it and “wirring a certaine number of his scheip with his doggis”. (R.P.C.-ix-402) 

Not only was money scarce at the beginning of the seventeenth century but the country had suffered a series of poor harvests as the sixteenth century drew to a close.   The annual income of landowners was derived from rents paid by tenants and so many of them found themselves in dire financial straits as a result of these setbacks.   PATRICK Con was no exception.   In August, 1601 he had been forced to borrow 700 merks from James Pantoun and his wife, tenants in Meikle Auchry, granting them the shadow half eight oxingates of Little Auchry in wadset.  (Aberdeen Sasines (RS4) - RS4/1 f.190).   He redeemed the lands in May 1604.  (RS4/3 f.206), indicating that his affairs had improved.   They certainly had for in 1603 he acquired the wadset of the eight oxingate lands of Meikle Auchry known as Potdrum, part of the barony of Craigfintry from Thomas Urquart of Craigfintray, tutor of Cromarty.  (RS/3 ffs. 117; 119).   These he held until 1609 when they were redeemed by Thomas Urquart for 2,000 merks.   However, in 1604, having redeemed the lands from Pantoun, he needed money again and so borrowed 2,050 merks from Archibald Ramsay, granting him wadset of the sunny half lands of Little Auchry and Teuchar, which he redeemed in June, 1605.  (RS/3 f. 288;  RS/4 ffs. 1312; 433). 

In May, 1607, John Forbes of Brux and his wife, sold him the shadow half lands of Udoch-Brux. (RS4/6 f.44; RMS) when he lent money to his neighbour, Alexander Hay of Delgaty, in return receiving the wadset of the lands of Meikle Atrichie in the parish of Logie Buchan. (RS5/1 f.81). 

The Cons appear to have decided to quit Auchry and move to Meikle Atrochie. for in December, 1617, Patrick and his eldest son sold Little Auchry to Alexander Hay of Delgaty (RS5/1 f.77), and in 1618, they acquired the Copland land of Balquhandachie and in 1620 sold it too to Alexander Hay. (RS5/1 f.333; RS5/2 f.500). 

Thereafter, the CONS became known as “of Meikle Atrochie” although they also appear as “of Auchry” perhaps because they were still feudal superiors of those lands. 

PATRICK Con was sheriff depute of Aberdeen for a time. (RS.C.Ab.- ii-99).   He was also servitor to the Earl of Erroll, acting for him in many transactions. (RS Records).   In 1616 he was appointed by the Privy Council among others to apprehend and try thieves in the vicinity of Slains. (R.P.C.-x-674).   He is assumed to have died in the latter part of the 1620’s as he ceases to occur in records after 1627. 

PATRICK Con and Margaret Cheyne his wife have marked their time on earth by a stone, carrying the initials of the pair - P.C. and M.C. and displaying a coat or arms [see photographs]  which unfortunately  was never registered at the Court of Lyon.  The stone can be seen built into the west gable of the farmhouse called “The Castle of Auchry” near Turriff.   A description in heraldic terms, minus the supporters, is given by Jervise [Epitaphs and Inscriptions 1875] 

Details now of the manner of Patrick’s land dealings which complicated affairs for his grandson Patrick  

In July. 1672, Dr David Hay, owner of Delgaty, who also described himself as heritable proprietor of Artrochie instituted an action in the Court of Session in Edinburgh against various people connected in some with the Cons.    Among those listed was Patrick Con (described as now of Artrochie).   The resulting action threw up a complicated and at times confusing set of events which had followed the acquisition by Patrick Con of the lands of Artrochie.    While the sasines indicate that Patrick Con had acquired Artrochie through his loan to Hay of Delgaty, the action in 1672 explained that what had happened was that Auchry had   been excambed   for Artrochie,   in other words,   a straight exchange had taken place, although it was argued that the lands of Auchry were more valuable than Artrochie.   Then in 1642, Patrick Con calling himself by then  of Artochie,  had died leaving no issue.   His nephew, William Con,   son of Alexander Con of Woodend,   brother of Patrick, became his heir.   Once heir,   William Con,   finding himself in need of money, had used the lands of Artrochie as security for a loan.    He had alienated them to    Captain William Neilson   , a soldier of fortune, who had in turn alienated them to John Alexander, an advocate in Aberdeen and George Buchan of  Savoch.   However, the lands were already burdened with a debt which his uncle, Patrick Con, had incurred.   He had borrowed œ1,000 Scots,  from Thomas Menzies of Balgreen and so Thomas Menzies had a prior claim to the estate, should he wish to reclaim the debt.   However, in 1643, he had sold his claim to Dr. Did Hay, the institutor of the action in 1672.   The object of the action was to prove the  prior claim and so have all other claims declared null and void by the court.   This was the outcome of the case.   What also emerged in the case was that   Patrick Con had a sister, Helen Con, who had married George Wood in Woodend, part of the Mowart estate of Balquholly which had been alienated to Alexander Con,   William Con’s   father and grandfather of Patrick   (CS22/38 - Acts and Decreets of the Court of Session 20 July, 1672 - Decreet - Hay v Jamesone and others).This court case put a seal on the Cons ownership of Artrochie.   Because of debt they were no longer landowners and so no longer appear in property records.   Patrick Con cited in the case as heir to William Con of Artrochie was not present, being described as “without the realm”.   He was almost certainly on the continent and probably in France where so many of his family had been training as priests or attending Jesuits colleges.  

Details of  PATRICK’S FAMILY 

(1).                   PATRICK Con, the younger, of Auchry.  Born in 1581  he was the first Con to enter Douai in France in 1596.    He was  supposedly a Calvinist when he joined the College and came away a catholic.   He returned from France to join the service of his father and the Earl of Erroll as is noted by a mention on 18th August, 1597.  On 26th May, 1607 he accompanied his father in his official duties and acted as a witness to transactions in Aberdeen.   Around 1609 he started acting independently of his father.   In 1617 he is mentioned as having a wife, Helen  Kinnaird,   but they appear to have had no issue.   She is recorded as his widow in 1642.   In early 1620 he went to France with the Earl of Erroll’s son and the brother of the Earl of Kinghorn.   On returning in March, 1620 he was apprehended at the port of Leith near Edinburgh.   His chest was opened by the baillie and it was found to contain “sundrie popish treatise and works” as well as letters to various noblemen and others.   This was reported to the Privy Council and he duly appeared before them but his case was dismissed. (R.p.c.- xii - 226n; 240; 241n)   This seemed odd but they wanted the Earl as well.   

Later that same month, on 28th March, 1620, at Holyroodhouse, a charge is made to the Earls of Erroll to appear and answer, the one for sending his son, and the other for sending his brother to France in the company of  PATRICK Con, a known Papist; with charge also for the appearance of the said Patrick Con.   “Forsomekle as. . . .in the company with Patrick Con, younger, of [Auchrie] who is a person known to be Papist. . . .and against the acts of His Majesty’s Council and .  . . kirk, that noblemen or gentleman’s sons should be sent out of the country under the charge of such persons as are of a known sound and unsuspect religion. . . charging the said twa Erles and the said Patrick to appear personally before the said Lords under pain of rebellion”.   It would seem that the charge against the Earl and Patrick came after his return, apprehension and release at Leith. 

PATRICK CON and his wife were ordered to leave the country by the lst June.    

Patrick complained to the Privy Council that this did not give him time to dispose of his estate nor to settle his affairs and so the Lords extended the time to October, 1631.  (R.P.C. - iii-515).    In October the time was extended to January, 1632. (R.P.C.-iv-372).  He and his wife duly left but in June 1632, Patrick had returned carrying with him a letter by Charles lst dated 28^th October, 1631, in which allowed him to remain for a year.  (R.P.C.- 525-6).   As he and his wife had no heir the lands passed to another branch of the family, his brother ALEXANDER. 

A letter from the King, Charles 1 . . . .given at our court at Whitehall this 28 of October 1631 to the privy council is as follows:-  “We are informed by Patrick Con that he having in obedience to our laws and late orders of our council retired himself and his family furth of the country, was notwithstanding by the Presbytery of Aberdeen excommunicated after his departure and by consequence thereof those to whom he entrusted his estate have hitherto and may still [though unjustly] detain it from him, except that we out of our princely commiseration dispense with the rigour of the law and grant him our licence to abide and follow his business within the country for one whole year.   We therefore consider that the petitioner being from the cradle bred in poperie and having yielded humble and timely obedience to our laws and government, ought not in equity or reason to incur the punishments that are due to disobedients only. . . provided that he shall not give scandal or just offence to the Church or Government”.  On 22nd November 1631 Patrick and his family were given licence to return from exile and remain in Scotland for one year. 

Five years later PATRICK Con is still in Artrochie, whether after a second spell in exile is not clear.    He died before November, 1642, when his wife Helen Kinnaird was described as “widow of Patrick Con” when she complained against WILLIAM Con of Artroch and others for assault on servants while engaged in harvesting.   It seems that WILLIAM tried to apportion Helen’s land against her will.   “It was ordained that William Con be warded in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh until they release him and he pay”.   WILLIAM was Helen’s nephew.    Nothing much is known about Helen Kinnaird  apart from her name and relation to Patrick.   She appeared only a few times in records.   In 1622 she was given as spouse of  PATRICK Con of Mekill Artroquie.   The surname originated in Perthshire and even today is still uncommon in Aberdeenshire. 

[2].                   ALEXANDER  Con, in Woodend, who married Margaret  Kennedy,          daughter of the deceased John Kennedy of Kermucks and Isobel or Elizabeth Cheyne (Margaret Cheyne was Isobel Cheyne’s niece).   John Kennedy of Kermucks died in 1591 and his widow, Isobel Cheyne re-married to Magnus Mowat of Balquholly, neighbour of the Cons. They had two sons:- Alexander Con died as a fairly young man and his widow re-married to Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of Ellon (Fasti vol ).  

[i]                    WILLIAM described as a “pupil son” in 1609 (a pupil being under 14)  (RS4/8 f.17).  who became the heir to the Con lands.  In 1624 he is “son of Alexander con in Wodend” and next he is “son of Alexander Con in Wodend, curators of . . .”.   This implies that his father Alexander had died and that he was still under twenty-one years of age.  [Sasines]  In 1642  William [Con of Artroch] assaulted the harvesters at Mains of Artrochie and was ordained to be warded in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh.   The action was brought by Helen Kinnaird, widow of Patrick Con [2nd].   It would seem that William did not get on too well with Patrick [1st], his uncle and Helen, his cousin by marriage.   1655 is the last mention of William Con in Sasines. 

 [ii]       JAMES who married Helen Kinnaird who was a niece of the Helen Kinnaird who had married Patrick Con.      

                        JAMES  Con had three children:- 

(i)                     ALEXANDER   b. 1621, who was ordained in 1640 and died in 1663.    (Records of the Scots Colleges)

(ii)                    PATRICK was born in 1615   and spent his first seventeen years in Aberdeenshire and then entered Douai in France in 1632.   From Douai he returned to Scotland due to ill-health  He is next heard of in 1642 at the Scots College in Rome leaving there in 1644 to live a full life in France, Italy and Spain with  Agnes Robertson  his wife and  family.   

The Blairs Papers provides a short history;    “Patrick Con, nephew to George Con, and son of Patrick Con of Auchry, Aberdeenshire.    A distinguished layman who did a great deal to help the Scottish Secular clergy.   He held some post in the household of Cardinal Barberini and at the Restoration acquired influence at the English Court.   His letters for the period 1660-70 are extremely outspoken and illuminating for the history of that period”. 

He had a son George.   This family were living in Paris  in  the 1670’s when Patrick went to the rescue of   James Mowat,   a merchant in Paris and Roman Catholic like himself.   James Mowat had fallen on hard times and PATRICK Con continued to aid him and his family as they descended into destitution.   He did so partly because he had “the honour of being somwhyt related” to   James Mowat (CS181/10/3 - Miscellaneous records of the Court of Session).   James Mowat’s sister had married a Robertson.   In 1680 PATRICK  appointed another frequent visitor to Paris, James St. Clair of Roslin as his factor to deal with any business he had in Scotland (RD4/296/67 - 15 Mar 1681 - made in Paris in 1680).   In 1688 he was visiting London when he lent Kenneth,  Earl of Seaforth   14,000 merks Scots (RD2/73/490 - 21 Jul 1691).   In 1692 anxious to get his money back he appointed Mr. James Leslie, advocate in Edinburgh as his factor.   The arrangement was signed in Paris (RD22/74/477 - 9 Feb 1692).   

PATRICK Con [Conne]  now at eighty three and the last laird had chosen to lead his life outwith his homeland though much of it was spent aiding other refugees.   Spain, France or Italy could unearth much of the family fortunes after this period though the direct line in Scotland seems to end here. 

PATRICK Con was dead by May 1700 and his son, GEORGE born in 1672 and who attended the Scots College at Douai from 1685 to 1688, was his heir to the Earl of  Seaforth’s Bond.   In May 1700 he wisely disposed of that Bond to Charles Davidson Esq., the arrangement being made in Flanders.   GEORGE Con  had been born in Paris, educated at Douai and lived all his life in France.   He would, therefore, have been very much a native.   Roman Catholic by religious persuasion and French speaking as would any and sisters he might have. 

(iii)                    WILLIAM   who married Jean Sandilands.    She was b. 1636 and  d. 5/8/1687.   He is reputed to have been her second husband.   There is a record of an inscription on a gravestone in St. Nicholas Churchyard in Aberdeen  of a John Moir,  first of  Stoneywood who died on 15 Nov. 1674.    His widow was this Jean Sandilands. 

                        ALEXANDER   left as his heir his eldest son,    WILLIAM  Con.   who in 1635 received sasine of Woodend. (RS5/9 f. 332).   In September, 1655,  he became heir to the lands of Atrochie, the sasine recording that PATRICK Con elder had been his “grandsir” and PATRICK Con younger, his uncle. (RS5/18-f.87). 

(3)                    GEORGE  Con,   scholar and Roman Catholic priest  .  He was born  in 1604  or [1598],   and entered  Doulai college at the age of fifteen and left at seventeen on account of his health, which being at the best very tender, became more so under the  strict discipline observed in the college.   His education was completed at the Scots College in Paris and then at the National College of Rome and then on to the University of Bologna.  He then became tutor to the sons of the Duke of Mirandola until 1623, when he left their service to further his own career and was attached for a brief period to the household of Cardinal Monalto who unfortunately died six months later leaving George a handsome legacy.   He must have made a good impression after such a short period with him.   He then became secretary to Cardinal Barberini, nephew of Pope Urban V111, accompanying him on his missions as Papal Nuncio to France and Spain, clearly being groomed for the diplomatic service of the Vatican;  domestic prelate to Urban V111:  Canon of St. Lorenzo in Damaso in Rome, and enriched with other benefices;   he brought with him to England in 1636 a record of scholar and historian.   His first work was a life of Mary Stuart published in 1624.   His tour of duty as Papal Envoy to the court of Charles 1 lasted till 1639 and he was conspicuously successful at Court but his health failed him and he died on the 10^th January 1640,  whilst on his way to Rome, having been designated Cardinal.    He was buried in the church of   St. Lorenso,  in Damaso, Rome   (S. Tocher   The Book of Buchan).   His tomb is surmounted by a bust of George Conaeus and his coat of arms.   A portrait of him hung in Gordon Castle but is now misplaced after the castle was sold relatively recently.   He had accumulated a great fortune which he left entirely to the Barberini family except part of his library which he bequeathed to the Scots College.  [Album Amicorum, Aberdeen University Studies, No. 95], [Archaeologia Scotica, Vol. iv. p.376, W.C. Trevelyan], [Dictionary of National Biography Vol. xii. p.20] 

[4)                JONET  Con,  who married   William Gordon   at the milne of Udoch.  In 1602, they obtained the wadset of part of the Balquholly lands,  redeemed by Magnus Mowat in 1607.  (R.S.C.Ab.- ii-99).    In November, 1607, they were granted the wadset of half of Balquhindachie and Ardin. (RS4/6. f.244) 

(5)                    CHRISTIAN or CHRISTIANE Con who married  Gilbert  Chalmer of Cults the son of Alexander Chalmer and Jean Lumsden. (Aberdeen sasines   index). 

(6)                          HELEN Con who had married   George Wood   in Woodend. 

(7)                    JAMES Con, servitor to the Earl of Erroll. (Register of the Privy Council vii-661).   In 1622 he was a tenant of  Knockiemilne  on an Erroll estate west of Turriff.  In 1625 he appears on a list of Roman Catholic priests and adherents drawn up at the beginning of the reign of Charles 1 and appears as “James Con of Knokkemill a railer and convoyer ordinarlie of Priestis”.   He was following the family faith. Excommunicated as a papist in 1627-8. (R.P.C.-2^nd ser. ii 478; 502; 508). 

On 2nd December, 1628, CHARLES 1  sent a “Charge to the Marquis of Huntly and Lord Lovat, Sheriff-Principal of Elgin and Forres, to apprehend certain persons . . .James Con in Knockiemylne is named.   Huntly and Lovat are given authority. . .”to pass, search, seek, take and apprehend”. . . .the persons named and to commit them to ward and detain them. . . .”aye and while they may be conveniently exhibited before his Majesty’s Council to undergo their deserved trial and punishment”.   So James Con was under threat of losing land and goods. In December, 1630, JAMES Con was included in a list of Aberdeenshire men for . . .”returning to their houses”. . . against direct orders to the contrary and required them to be entered into ward. he was ordered to be warded in Blackness castle.  (R.P.C. - iv-599). In September 1640 he was harboured by Captain Alexander Copland in Aberchirder.  (P.B.Str- (Spalding Cub) p.25)    

In 1643 he is caught up with :-  “Upone Setterday 11 November, James Con in Knokkiemill was brocht in to Abirdene by the schirref of Banf, callit the laird of Birkenbog.   He had bein takin and wardit in the tolbuith of Banf nyne weeks abefoir for his religioun onlie,  being ane excommunicat papist, and that day was convyit in to Abirdine, quhair he wes wairdit in the tolbuith and deliverit to Mr. Williame Davidison, schirref deput   He remanit thair whill the 17 of November, and then wes transportit be the schirref deput to the schirref of the Mernis, and so furth from schire to schire, whill he was brocht to Edimnbrughe, quhair he were receavit and wairdit”. [Spaldings Troubles in Scotland 1630 -45].  

At Edinburgh on 2nd January, l644 he is released from prison on the assurance that he will depart the country”. . . .under pain of one thousand pounds and till the occasion of a ship be offered for his transport . . “and promised not to return”. . .under pain of death”.    In January, 1644, he was sent abroad. (S.S. - Justiciary Cases - 1624-1650).   He may have been the JAMES Con, excommunicate papist recorded in August 1652 as keeping company with Lord Oliphant (who had property in the parish of Rothiemay in Banffshire).   Lord Oliphant was reported as having a leaning towards popery   (P.B.Str.-p.223).   James Con seemingly went to Paris where he met with Father Gilbert Blakhal who wrote  “. . .James Conne at Knokiemilne being banished out of Scotland for the Cathilick religion, did come to paris, and there he did tell me that. 

That same year [1644] a letter from his nephew De Chalmer, son of Christine Chalmer nee Con.   It was dated July 8th 1644 in Paris and was sent from De Chambers to Lothian [Marquess of Lothian.  Asking him to. . .”. .move the Privy Council to recall his old uncle, James Conne, who having been banished his native country for no other crime but his religion and was cast away upon the sands of St. Vallery in Picardy and so made shipwreck of all he had. . .who never having had his health since being in France should justly be pitied, which moved me to beg at your Lordships hands that he might be suffered to return to his native country when I shall give  sufficient caution he shall give no scandal much less do anything that will prejudice the public weal of that kingdom, so that I make bold being moved  with compassion to supplicate your lordship in all humility that you would be pleased out of your wonted generosity to take this poor old man in your noble protection and being an instrument to move the right honourable Lords of his Majesty’s Council for to recall him he may be suffered to end his days [which can not be long] in his native country”. [Inventory of Documents, State papers and Letters belonging to the Marquess of Lothian; Register House, Edinburgh]. 

In April of 1650 he is seen back in the north-east.   The plea presumably having worked but is again accused of poperie along with the Laird of Delgaty and his daughters Sopia and Anne Hays.  [Presbytery of Aberdeen [Synod].  Extreme Crimes]. 

In 1652 Lord Oliphant is acknowledged to “frequent the companie of one JAMES Con, an excommunicate papist”. 

He crops up again in 1660 as being a noted catholic but then is heard no more.   For someone who pleaded ill-health in 1644 he certainly seemed to recover his vitality and used his time as a noted ‘resistance worked’. [The Innes Review Vol. viii No. ii 1957] 

Many of the family of Con had been training as priests or attending Jesuits colleges in France.   In particular that of Douai record quite a few Cons.   There was   Patrick Con from Scotland in 1596;   Patrick Con from Turriff aged 17 in 1632;   Alexander Con from Turriff aged 15 in 1636, the son of James Con and Helen Kinnaird;   Patrick Con in 1675, and George Con aged 13 in 1685, the son of Patrick Con and Agnes Robertson.   There were also a number recorded at Rome - Francis Con from Aberdeenshire in 1614;   George Con in 1619; Patrick Con in 1644; another Patrick Con in 1675 and John Con from France in 1698 (S.Coll- New Spalding Club). 

It has already been seen that the Cons stayed faithful to the Roman Catholic faith and several of them became Roman Catholic Priests.   It is quite possible that  PATRICK Con  heir of WILLIAM Con  could have become a priest.   In 1670 for example on 18^th August, a complaint was made by the King’s advocate against the fact that Jesuits coming into Scotland to preach and convert people were on the increase.   He cited Francis Irvine, brother of Alexander Irvine of Drum, an Aberdeenshire landowner who had corresponded with Jesuits, seminary priests and papists.   Mass had been heard in his mother’s house in Aberdeen and in the house and lodgings of Sir Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels.   Francis Irvine had received and entertained at least six priests, one of them was Father Con,   a Jesuit and trafficking priest, who went under the alias of Mr. Sinclair.(R.P.C.-3^rd series, iii, p.210) 

While the Cons sold their lands of Auchry there were still several Cons  living in the area after that.   One such was WILLIAM  Con,  servitor to Isobel Cheyne,  widow of Magnus Mowat of Balquholly.   After her husband’s death, her grand-daughter Elspet Kennedy had kept her company for four years.   Isobel had promised to pay her, but her circumstances had been so reduced by debt on the estate that she had been unable to do so.   In 1642, Elspet Kennedy decided to institute an action against her grandmother in Aberdeen Sheriff Court.   Isobel Cheyne was ordered to attend, but being old and sick sent word to the Sheriff that she was unable to attend.   Undaunted the court decided to go to Balquholly castle to try her.   However, they were met at the gate by Isobel Cheyne’s redoubtable servant, WILLIAM Con who barred their entrance.   No further action appears to have been taken by the court.   (SC1/7/8 - 15 July 1642). 

There is mention of   Con in Ayrshire in the 15^th century, in Edinburgh in 1505  and in Glasgow in 1606. 

In Ireland there is a record of a  Hugh  Conn of  Kilwinniny, Ayrshire, born  2^nd April, 1810,   who died on 23^rd January, 1839.   He is buried in Movilla graveyard, Newtownards, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.   He had a son  Hugh Conn born 1834-5, died 1836, 16 months old, and buried in the same graveyard.

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