William Glasgow

Biography
William Glasgow was probably born during the 1580s or early 1590s, most likely in or near Glasgow.

He is currently identified, with some uncertainty, as the William Glasgw described as a son of Niniane Glasgow in Niniane's testament of January 1613. National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/9, Images 142–145, testament testamentar and inventory of Niniane Glasgw, flescher and burgess of Glasgow, 1613. The testament includes a provision for “William glasgw his sone”. 

On that identification, William's probable mother was Jonet Meik, the first known wife of Niniane Glasgow. Her own testament describes Niniane as her spouse and Robert Glasgow as her son. National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/5, Images 82–83, testament testamentar and inventory of Jonet Meik, spouse of Niniane Glasgow, recorded 27 August 1607. 

The maternal identification is not directly stated. Jonet's testament names Robert as her son but does not expressly identify William. It remains theoretically possible that William was a child of an earlier, unidentified marriage of Niniane.

The spelling in the manuscript and printed testament index is Meik. The form Melk found in some electronic indexes is probably an OCR or data-entry error and should not be treated as a separate surname.
Parentage evidence
The identification of the Leith mealmaker with Niniane's son rests on several points:

* Niniane's 1613 testament directly names a son William Glasgw.
* The surname Glasgow was uncommon in this period.
* The age and generation fit the William later found in Leith.
* A possible Glasgow baptism record shows a William Glasgow already married and fathering a child in 1612.
* William was certainly the father of a child baptised in 1618.
* The movement from Glasgow to Leith is credible for a tradesman working in the meal and grain trade.

There is, however, no presently cited record which explicitly styles the Leith man:

:William Glasgow, son of Niniane Glasgow, flescher and burgess of Glasgow

The parent links should therefore be marked uncertain or probable, rather than certain.
Marriage and children
William may be the William Glasgw recorded in the Glasgow High Kirk baptism register as husband of Christian Scot and father of:

* William Glasgw, baptised 8 November 1612, lawful son of William Glasgw and Christian Scot. Witnesses were John Allassoun and Mathew Sympsoun. Glasgow High Kirk Baptisms 1609–1777, volume 1/962, baptism of William Glasgw, 8 November 1612. 

This identification is plausible but not yet proved. The baptism places a man of the correct name in Glasgow immediately before Niniane's 1613 testament.

William was the father of:

* Archibald Glasgow, baptised in 1618. Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950, database, FamilySearch, entry for Archbald Glascow, 1618. 

William was the father of Archibald Glasgow. On 23 October 1639 the Edinburgh apprentice register described Archibald as the son of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, when he was apprenticed to Thomas Park, cordiner. On 1 May 1647 Archibald was served heir to William; the retour abstract again described Archibald as a shoemaker in Leith and William as a mealmaker in the same town, expressly calling William his father. These independent occupational and residence identifiers confirm that the adult Archibald was the son of this William. Francis J. Grant, ed., Register of Apprentices of the City of Edinburgh, 1583-1666, Scottish Record Society 28 (1906), p. 71 (https://archive.org/details/scottishrecordso28scotuoft/page/71/mode/2up), 23 October 1639. Great Britain Record Commission, Inquisitionum ad Capellam Domini Regis Retornatarum... Abbreviatio, vol. 2 (1811), Inquisitiones Generales, no. 3278, 1 May 1647, original retour xix.128, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/inquisitionumadc00grea_0). 

The 1618 baptism alone would only require William to have been born by about the late 1590s. If the 1612 baptism also concerns him, a birth in the 1580s or early 1590s is more likely.
Occupation and residence
William later lived in Leith, the port of Edinburgh, and worked as a mealmaker.

A mealmaker processed, prepared or sold grain meal, principally oat or barley meal. The occupation placed William within the urban food and grain economy rather than necessarily identifying him as a miller.

There may have been occupational links within the wider Meik surname:

* John Meik, mealmaker and indweller in Niddrie, had a testament recorded in 1635.
* William Meik, butterman in Whitburn, had a testament recorded in 1603.

These entries show that some people surnamed Meik worked in food-related trades. They do not prove that William Glasgow learned his occupation through his mother's family, or that either man was his relative.
Death and testament
William died in September 1645.

His Testament Dative and Inventar was registered in the Edinburgh Commissary Court on 22 July 1646. He was described as:

:William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith

 National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, CC8/8/62, testament dative and inventory of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, registered 22 July 1646. 

Because William died without a surviving testamentary will, his brother Johne Glasgow was appointed executor dative by the Commissary Court.

The record states substantially:

The testament dative and inventar of the guidis geir & sowmes of money pertaining to umquhile William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, quha deit in the moneth of September the yeir of God 1645 zeiris ... guidis & geir perteining to him & given up be the said Johne Glasgow his brother in name of executour dative, decernit to him be decreit of the Commissar of Edinburgh upone the xxij day of Julij 1646 zeiris ...

The present evidence does not securely identify this brother Johne with any existing profile. Possible candidates should remain in research notes rather than being attached solely on similarity of name and age.
Estate and financial connections
The inventory and debt account include the following working readings:

* £20 Scots owed by Andro Glasgow in Woodhead.
* £2 10s Scots associated with the late John Glasgow in England.
* £16 9s 4d Scots in debts owed by William and deductible from the estate.

These entries establish financial or commercial relationships. They do not by themselves establish that Andro Glasgow or the late John Glasgow was a relative.

The presence of several people surnamed Glasgow nevertheless suggests that William participated in a wider network of people bearing the surname across Leith, Glasgow, Lanarkshire and possibly England.
Possible brother Johne
William's testament expressly calls the executor Johne Glasgow his brother. His identity remains unresolved.

Possible profiles previously considered include:

* John Glasgow, associated with Mid Calder.
* John Glasgow, associated with Grodguen or Quodquhen in the parish of Libberton.
* John Glasgow, associated with Linlithgow.

None is presently proved to be William's brother.

The place written as Grodguen may represent Quodquhen, now Quothquan, but this palaeographic and geographical identification does not provide evidence of a sibling relationship.
Research notes
* This profile treats William as the probable son named in Niniane Glasgow's 1613 testament.
* The identification is based on name, generation, Glasgow association and chronology; there is no direct statement connecting the 1645 Leith mealmaker to Niniane.
* The parent links should remain marked uncertain.
* The correct manuscript and index spelling of the probable mother's surname is Meik, not Melk.
* Jonet Meik's testament expressly names Robert Glasgow as her son but does not expressly name William as her son.
* If William was already a husband and father in 1612, he cannot have been a child of Niniane's later wife recorded in 1613.
* Jonet Meik is therefore the most likely known mother, but an earlier unidentified wife of Niniane cannot be excluded.
* The possible 1612 marriage to Christian Scot remains unproved.
* The 1618 Archibald baptism supports the generation but does not alone establish William's parents.
* A John Meik was a mealmaker in Niddrie in 1635, but this is not proof of a maternal occupational tradition.
* The identity of William's brother Johne remains unresolved.
* Andro Glasgow in Woodhead and the late John Glasgow in England should not be attached as relatives solely from debt entries.
Sources
* National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/5, Images 82–83, testament testamentar and inventory of Jonet Meik, spouse of Niniane Glasgow.
* National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/9, Images 142–145, testament testamentar and inventory of Niniane Glasgw, flescher and burgess of Glasgow, 1613.
* National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, CC8/8/62, testament dative and inventory of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, registered 22 July 1646.
* Glasgow High Kirk Baptisms 1609–1777, volume 1/962.
* Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950, FamilySearch, entry for Archbald Glascow, 1618.

== Biography ==

'''William Glasgow''' was probably born during the '''1580s or early 1590s''', most likely in or near Glasgow.

He is currently identified, with some uncertainty, as the '''William Glasgw''' described as a son of [[Glasgow-3182|Niniane Glasgow]] in Niniane's testament of January 1613.<ref name=Ninian1613>National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/9, Images 142–145, testament testamentar and inventory of Niniane Glasgw, flescher and burgess of Glasgow, 1613. The testament includes a provision for “William glasgw his sone”.</ref>

On that identification, William's probable mother was [[Meik-1|Jonet Meik]], the first known wife of Niniane Glasgow. Her own testament describes Niniane as her spouse and Robert Glasgow as her son.<ref name=Jonet1607>National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/5, Images 82–83, testament testamentar and inventory of Jonet Meik, spouse of Niniane Glasgow, recorded 27 August 1607.</ref>

The maternal identification is not directly stated. Jonet's testament names Robert as her son but does not expressly identify William. It remains theoretically possible that William was a child of an earlier, unidentified marriage of Niniane.

The spelling in the manuscript and printed testament index is '''Meik'''. The form '''Melk''' found in some electronic indexes is probably an OCR or data-entry error and should not be treated as a separate surname.

=== Parentage evidence ===

The identification of the Leith mealmaker with Niniane's son rests on several points:

* Niniane's 1613 testament directly names a son '''William Glasgw'''.
* The surname Glasgow was uncommon in this period.
* The age and generation fit the William later found in Leith.
* A possible Glasgow baptism record shows a William Glasgow already married and fathering a child in 1612.
* William was certainly the father of a child baptised in 1618.
* The movement from Glasgow to Leith is credible for a tradesman working in the meal and grain trade.

There is, however, no presently cited record which explicitly styles the Leith man:

:'''William Glasgow, son of Niniane Glasgow, flescher and burgess of Glasgow'''

The parent links should therefore be marked '''uncertain''' or '''probable''', rather than certain.

=== Marriage and children ===

William may be the '''William Glasgw''' recorded in the Glasgow High Kirk baptism register as husband of '''Christian Scot''' and father of:

* '''William Glasgw''', baptised 8 November 1612, lawful son of William Glasgw and Christian Scot. Witnesses were John Allassoun and Mathew Sympsoun.<ref name=Baptism1612>''Glasgow High Kirk Baptisms 1609–1777'', volume 1/962, baptism of William Glasgw, 8 November 1612.</ref>

This identification is plausible but not yet proved. The baptism places a man of the correct name in Glasgow immediately before Niniane's 1613 testament.

William was the father of:

* [[Glasgow-3078|Archibald Glasgow]], baptised in 1618.<ref name=Archibald1618>''Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950'', database, FamilySearch, entry for Archbald Glascow, 1618.</ref>

William was the father of [[Glasgow-3078|Archibald Glasgow]]. On 23 October 1639 the Edinburgh apprentice register described Archibald as the son of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, when he was apprenticed to Thomas Park, cordiner. On 1 May 1647 Archibald was served heir to William; the retour abstract again described Archibald as a shoemaker in Leith and William as a mealmaker in the same town, expressly calling William his father. These independent occupational and residence identifiers confirm that the adult Archibald was the son of this William.<ref>Francis J. Grant, ed., ''Register of Apprentices of the City of Edinburgh, 1583-1666'', Scottish Record Society 28 (1906), [https://archive.org/details/scottishrecordso28scotuoft/page/71/mode/2up p. 71], 23 October 1639.</ref><ref>Great Britain Record Commission, ''Inquisitionum ad Capellam Domini Regis Retornatarum... Abbreviatio'', vol. 2 (1811), Inquisitiones Generales, no. 3278, 1 May 1647, original retour xix.128, [https://archive.org/details/inquisitionumadc00grea_0 Internet Archive].</ref>

The 1618 baptism alone would only require William to have been born by about the late 1590s. If the 1612 baptism also concerns him, a birth in the 1580s or early 1590s is more likely.

=== Occupation and residence ===

William later lived in '''Leith''', the port of Edinburgh, and worked as a '''mealmaker'''.

A mealmaker processed, prepared or sold grain meal, principally oat or barley meal. The occupation placed William within the urban food and grain economy rather than necessarily identifying him as a miller.

There may have been occupational links within the wider Meik surname:

* '''John Meik''', mealmaker and indweller in Niddrie, had a testament recorded in 1635.
* '''William Meik''', butterman in Whitburn, had a testament recorded in 1603.

These entries show that some people surnamed Meik worked in food-related trades. They do not prove that William Glasgow learned his occupation through his mother's family, or that either man was his relative.

=== Death and testament ===

William died in '''September 1645'''.

His '''Testament Dative and Inventar''' was registered in the Edinburgh Commissary Court on '''22 July 1646'''. He was described as:

:'''William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith'''

<ref name=Testament>National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, CC8/8/62, testament dative and inventory of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, registered 22 July 1646.</ref>

Because William died without a surviving testamentary will, his brother '''Johne Glasgow''' was appointed executor dative by the Commissary Court.

The record states substantially:

<blockquote>
The testament dative and inventar of the guidis geir & sowmes of money pertaining to umquhile William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, quha deit in the moneth of September the yeir of God 1645 zeiris ... guidis & geir perteining to him & given up be the said Johne Glasgow his brother in name of executour dative, decernit to him be decreit of the Commissar of Edinburgh upone the xxij day of Julij 1646 zeiris ...
</blockquote>

The present evidence does not securely identify this brother Johne with any existing profile. Possible candidates should remain in research notes rather than being attached solely on similarity of name and age.

=== Estate and financial connections ===

The inventory and debt account include the following working readings:

* '''£20 Scots''' owed by '''Andro Glasgow in Woodhead'''.
* '''£2 10s Scots''' associated with the late '''John Glasgow''' in England.
* '''£16 9s 4d Scots''' in debts owed by William and deductible from the estate.

These entries establish financial or commercial relationships. They do not by themselves establish that Andro Glasgow or the late John Glasgow was a relative.

The presence of several people surnamed Glasgow nevertheless suggests that William participated in a wider network of people bearing the surname across Leith, Glasgow, Lanarkshire and possibly England.

=== Possible brother Johne ===

William's testament expressly calls the executor '''Johne Glasgow his brother'''. His identity remains unresolved.

Possible profiles previously considered include:

* [[Glasgow-1030|John Glasgow]], associated with Mid Calder.
* [[Glasgow-3296|John Glasgow]], associated with Grodguen or Quodquhen in the parish of Libberton.
* [[Glasgow-1561|John Glasgow]], associated with Linlithgow.

None is presently proved to be William's brother.

The place written as Grodguen may represent '''Quodquhen''', now Quothquan, but this palaeographic and geographical identification does not provide evidence of a sibling relationship.

== Research notes ==

* This profile treats William as the probable son named in Niniane Glasgow's 1613 testament.
* The identification is based on name, generation, Glasgow association and chronology; there is no direct statement connecting the 1645 Leith mealmaker to Niniane.
* The parent links should remain marked uncertain.
* The correct manuscript and index spelling of the probable mother's surname is '''Meik''', not Melk.
* Jonet Meik's testament expressly names Robert Glasgow as her son but does not expressly name William as her son.
* If William was already a husband and father in 1612, he cannot have been a child of Niniane's later wife recorded in 1613.
* Jonet Meik is therefore the most likely known mother, but an earlier unidentified wife of Niniane cannot be excluded.
* The possible 1612 marriage to Christian Scot remains unproved.
* The 1618 Archibald baptism supports the generation but does not alone establish William's parents.
* A John Meik was a mealmaker in Niddrie in 1635, but this is not proof of a maternal occupational tradition.
* The identity of William's brother Johne remains unresolved.
* Andro Glasgow in Woodhead and the late John Glasgow in England should not be attached as relatives solely from debt entries.

== Sources ==

<references />

* National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/5, Images 82–83, testament testamentar and inventory of Jonet Meik, spouse of Niniane Glasgow.
* National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9/7/9, Images 142–145, testament testamentar and inventory of Niniane Glasgw, flescher and burgess of Glasgow, 1613.
* National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, CC8/8/62, testament dative and inventory of William Glasgow, mealmaker in Leith, registered 22 July 1646.
* ''Glasgow High Kirk Baptisms 1609–1777'', volume 1/962.
* ''Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950'', FamilySearch, entry for Archbald Glascow, 1618.