Charles Fort's Ancestral Scottish Connections

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Merely out of curiosity, I had spent some time online, researching Charles Fort's ancestry.

To my surprise, if not indeed astonishment, something quite unexpected has transpired.

I wondered if Fort's ancestral Scottish connection was known?

If not and maybe of interest, I shall provide further details.

Once particularly notable ancestor, perhaps especially so to @gordonrutter, is Charles Fort's 10th great-grandfather, Alexander Gray, a former Burgess of Edinburgh.

 

[gordonrutter]

Cool well done. I'm a Burgess of Edinburgh too.

 

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I'm a Burgess of Edinburgh too.

I was indeed aware of this remarkable link in the chain, to your good self....!

Alexander Gray's wife was:

Helen (Margaret) Little
1534-1602
Born in Edinburgh
(Charles Fort's 10th great-grandmother)

Helen Little is a notable historical figure:

www.jceaston.com/Helen_Little.pdf


Helen's parents were:

William III Clement Baron Over-Liberton Provest Old Edinburgh
1488-1543
(Charles Fort's 11th great-grandfather)

Margaret Murray of Falahill
1505-1538
(Charles Fort's 11th great-grandmother)


Alexander and Helen had two children, one of whom was:

Lady Agnes Gray
1563-1594
Born in Edinburgh
(Charles Fort's 9th great-grandmother)


Aside from which, another tangent leads us to:

Reverend John Duncanson
1540-1601
Born in Stirling
(Charles Fort's 9th great-grandfather)

According to his ancestry dot com profile,
apparently, the Rev. Duncanson was:

"minister of Stirling and to the Household of King James VI..."


Overall, perhaps not so much a Scottish connection, as an Edinburgh one!

Naturally, this ancestral association is resultant of a marriage in later years and I am endeavouring to locate precisely between whom and when.

Note that this is largely referencing work already undertaken by others researching their family history and needs to be thoroughly verified.

What I have checked so far, using different sources, does seem to be evidenced.

If it proves possible to go back even further, my intention is to confirm a Royal connection and that Charles Fort was 'in line for the throne'.

 

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This origin of our Scottish connections can be traced back to:

Reverend James Duncanson
Stirling, Stirlingshire , Scotland
1564-1624
(Fort's 8th great-grandfather)

...who married...

Helen Livingston
1590-1633
Stirling, Stirlingshire , Scotland
(Fort's 8th great-grandmother)

They had a daughter:

Maritje Duncanson
Born: About 1614
Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Died: 7 November, 1697
Albany, New York
(Fort's 7th great-grandmother)

Seemingly having emigrated to America, Maritje married Pieter Jans Lookermans and they had a daughter:

Annetje "Anna" Lookermans
1657-1742
Albany, Albany Co., New York
(Fort's 6th great-grandmother)

The lineage eventually then brings us to:

Symon (Simon) Nicolaase Fort
1734-1789
Half Moon, Saratoga, New York
(Fort's 3rd great-grandfather)

...and so on.

Tell you what though, there are a few twists and turns in this route alone, with the Reverend James Duncanson's father, the Reverend John Duncanson (1540-1601) - Fort's 9th great-grandfather - apparently having an involvement with withchraft trials of his era.

Nearly now actually able to post a link to the entire Charles Fort ancestry, which Is much lengthier than ever intended.

Some interesting material on the 'colonial' side - did I read that one of Fort's ancestors might have made the national news, having being kidnapped by 'Red Indians'...

 

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Charles Fort's 'Napier' ancestral connection, can only be traced so far back as the Napier lineage itself and all other researchers seem to end here:

Alexander Napier 1st Laird of Merchistoun
1364-1454
Merchiston, Midlothian, Scotland

This is Fort's 15th great-grandfather.


His son, Sir Alexander Napier, the 2nd Laird...

"...probably served King James I as a young man, but certainly served King James II and King James III with distinction. He was Vice-Admiral of Scotland and Master of the Royal Household. He was also Lord Provost of Edinburgh three times, 1455, 1457, and 1469-72. He inherited the Merchiston estates in 1454 and was knighted in 1461. He died sometime after October 1473".

Also perhaps of relevance and particularly maybe unknown to members of the Edinburgh Fortean Society:

"Merchiston Tower, also known as Merchiston Castle, was probably built by Alexander Napier, the 2nd Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier. It was the home of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston and the inventor of logarithms, who was born there in 1550".

So next time we pass by, how remarkable it was likely to have been built by Charles Fort's 14th great-grandfather - in a direct lineage of descent.

Equally fascinating is that Merchiston Tower was also the birthplace and residence of John Napier - quoting Wikipedia:

"John Napier of Merchiston (February 1550 – 4 April 1617), nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston. His Latinized name was Ioannes Neper".

We can only surmise what Charles Fort and John Napier might have discussed over a dram or three.