John Glasgow-1

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Biography

This page is an index for three separate men or working identities formerly combined under one biography:

The split avoids turning several compatible records into one implausibly long life. It also separates secure identities from proposed family relationships.

Core documentary findings

• John de Glasgu I witnessed Glasgow property acts on 21 June 1447 and 10 April 1455. Both were recorded by Henry Michael, notary and clerk of Glasgow's burgh court, and the 1447 wording places John among the burgesses of Glasgow.^[1][2]
• John Glasgw of Stirling witnessed Stirling acts dated 11 April 1475 and 2 March 1479/80. The repeated name, town and role make these two records highly likely to concern one man.^[3]
• John de Glasgow alias Smith jointly acquired a four-shilling annual rent from a Glasgow High Street tenement on 28 April 1506. Agnes, daughter and heir of Robert Watson, was the seller; the catalogue states no relationship between John and Sir Allan Smith and no occupation for John.^[4]
• A John Glasgow held an identifiable Saltmarket tenement in 1527 and 1548. The same four-shilling rent, street position and adjoining properties identify one continuous holding. John was described as deceased by 21 October 1553.^[5][6][7]

Identity and relationship assessment

Hypothetical family tree

The following tree is a research model, not a proved pedigree. Relationships above William Glasgow and all children marked “proposed” remain unsupported by a direct parentage record.

• John de Glasgu I — born before c.1425; active 1447–1455
  • John Glasgw of Stirling — born before c.1455; active 1475–1479/80; hypothetical son
    • John de Glasgow alias Smith / John Glasgow of Saltmarket — born before c.1485; dead before 21 October 1553; hypothetical son; combined identity plausible but unproved
    • William Glasgow — born c.1485–1495; dead before c.1543; hypothetical son; married Esbell Brade, born c.1490–1500
      • John Glasgow — born c.1510; dead before 8 November 1575; proved son of William and Esbell; married Jonet Spreull, born before c.1516 and alive after 1575
      • James Glasgow — born c.1515; alive after 1571; proposed son
      • Robert Glasgow — born c.1520; alive after 1572; proposed son; married Margaret Rolland, born c.1535
      • Isobella Glasgow — born c.1530; alive after 27 January 1563; proposed daughter; married Archibald Herbison, born c.1530
      • Archibald Glasgow — born c.1533; alive after 1560; proposed son; married Isobell Newlands, born c.1530

The only parent-child relationship in this model proved by a contemporary record is:

William Glasgow and Esbell Brade

→ John Glasgow, husband of Jonet Spreull

On 31 December 1534 William and Esbell transferred property to John, expressly described as their son, and to John's wife Jonet.^[8]

Why the hypothetical arrangement is plausible

• The chronology permits John of Stirling, an adult by 1475, to have sons active in 1506 and the early sixteenth century.
• All three working identities occur in formal urban property or annual-rent records.
• John de Glasgu I appeared with Andrew Brady in 1455; John of Stirling witnessed a 1479/80 act involving property beside Gilbert Brady; Robert Brade witnessed a Spreull transaction in 1488; and William Glasgow later married Esbell Brade while their son married Jonet Spreull.
• William's proved son was named John, which is consistent with — but does not prove — William having a father named John.

The naming pattern and civic network are supporting context only. They cannot replace an explicit term such as filius, heres, frater, relicta or proximior de sanguine.

What is not proved

• John de Glasgu I and John of Stirling are not proved to be the same man or father and son.
• John of Stirling is not proved to be the father of Alias Smith or William Glasgow.
• Alias Smith and the Saltmarket owner are not proved to be one man.
• Alias Smith is not proved to be William Glasgow's brother.
• James, Robert, Isobella and Archibald are not presently proved children of William Glasgow and Esbell Brade.
• No record yet joins the fifteenth-century bearers to the proved William–John pedigree by parentage or inheritance.

Research priorities

1. Transcribe GUA BL/204 in full, including witnesses, source of title, exact alias syntax and property description.
2. Inspect James Darow's Stirling protocol book, B66/1/1/1, for full entries, neighbouring acts and additional appearances of John Glasgw.
3. Trace the Saltmarket property immediately after John Glasgow's death between 5 January 1548 and 21 October 1553, looking for an heir, widow, assignee or nearest relative.
4. Inspect the complete 1534 William–Esbell–John–Jonet protocol for witnesses, prior ownership and source of title.
5. Reconstruct the Brady/Brade and Spreull families independently rather than assuming that recurring surnames identify one pedigree.

Detailed pages

• John de Glasgu I
• John Glasgw of Stirling
• John de Glasgow alias Smith / John Glasgow of Saltmarket

See also

• Early Glasgow Branches in Scotland, c.1447–1650
• Bearers of the de Glasgu Name and the Emergence of the Glasgow Surname
• Other Medieval Glasgow Candidates