John Dishington, chamberlain & sheriff-depute

There are quite many primary sources regarding the heirs of William Dishington of Ardross and the estate he left. John is not mentioned in any of them, and was quite certainly not Williams son.

John Dishington, chamberlain and sheriff-depute (chief judge) of Orkney and Shetland.

John Dishington was possibly a younger son of William Dishington, fiar of Ardross, but this is unproven. His seal attached to some Orkney charters has the same coat of arms as the Ardross family - On a bend three escallops.

John found employment in the household of Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, where he served as chamberlain, bailie, sheriff-depute, witness and commissioner.

John first appears in Robert's service 1-11-1572 when, as co-principal with William Elphinstone and James Hay (qq.v.), and with Adam Bell and Laurence Bruce (qq.v.) as cautioners, he concluded contract in Edinburgh with James Marshall and William Menteith (qq.v.) for sale of Orkney bere.

His first known appearance in Orkney was on assize of Wappenstein Court at Yards 24.2.1580, one of courts held by Robert during his brief return between his escape from Morton's attentions and his investiture as earl.

Some time before 4.5.1584 he delivered various sums from, Robert to Jean Kennedy and was at that date designated chamberlain on first known occasion.

John was appointed one of the executors of Earl Robert's will in which he received discharge of his intromissions as chamberlain and sheriff-depute, and was the subject of a clause seeking to ensure Patrick's ratification of his pension.

John continued in the service of the next Earl Patrick, and is mentioned in 1603 as his sheriff-depute.

Sources:

• Earl Robert and his administration in Orkney and Shetland 1564-93
• Miscellany of the Maitland club; consisting of original papers and other documents illustrative of the history and literature of Scotland
• Records of the Earldom of Orkney, 1299-1614

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From Wikipedia, retrieved 8 October 2015:

John Dishington was one of the Gentleman Adventurers of Fife who, in 1597, attempted to seize the Isle of Lewis from Clan MacLeod after the latter's claim to the land was set aside owing to constant feuding of the clan with neighbors and amongst themselves. When the attempt failed, many of the Adventurers (Dishington included) retreated to Orkney.

John's son Andrew served as master of the grammar school in Orkney, and Andrew's son James served the Stewart family as an agent in Bergen, Norway. James married and remained in Norway, beginning the Scandinavian branch of the Dishington name.[4]

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Petter Vennemoe: Jakob Andersen Dishington Del 2: Den eldre slekt Dishington i Skottland/Orknøyene. Genealogen 1/2019

notes

• 2. Wood, Walter (1887). Edinburgh: D. Douglas. The East Neuk of Fife: its history and antiquities. Page 218
  • There was also branch of the family settled in Orkney. As early as 1603, John Dishington was Sheriff of Zetland, and in 1660 Thomas Dishington, minister of St. Magnus, married Margaret Elphinston.
• 4. University of St. Andrews Institute of Scottish Historical Research

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From CHAPTER XVIII -ORCADIAN FAMILIES "PETERKIN, Alexander -"Rentals of the Ancient Earldom and Bishopric of Orkney" Edinburgh, 1890 Publisher: John Moir, Printer (1820) ASIN: B000IZG5SS" :

DISCHINGTON William de Dischington received from King Robert Bruce the lands of Balglassie, Aberlemno, and others in Forfar. Prior to the year 1330 he married Elisabeth, the king’s younger sister. Of his two sons, John, the younger, obtained the lands of Langhermiston. William, the elder, was, by David II, his cousin, knighted and appointed steward of the palace. In 1368 he received a royal charter of a third part of the barony of Ardross, Fife, in succession to his relative John Burnard, and also the same year a charter of the lands of Kynbrachmont. A skilful architect, he constructed the castle of Ardross, and the church of St.Monans, which latter was erected at the cost of David II to denote his gratitude to God for being preserved from a storm which overtook him and his queen, Margaret de Logie, when crossing the firth to visit William de Dischington at Ardross, The Dischingtons continued in Fife till 1673. In 1549 Margaret Dischington is noted as wife of Edward Sinclair of Strom, and as being under the special protection of Bishop Reid. In 1583 John Dischington, a younger son of the Laird of Ardross, passed to Orkney, and was acknowledged as a relative by Earl Patrick Stewart, who appointed him Sheriff and Commissary of Orkney and Shetland, Several of his descendants figure as officers in the royal navy and as ministers of the church.

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From Scottish History Society. cn. Publications of the Scottish History Society (Volume ser.2, v.7) online. (page 38 of 50)

15. Dischington. Mr. John. An ornamental shield, with initials i. 'd. at top and sides, bearing arms : — On a bend three escallops. No legend. Diam. ]-£ in. No. ccvi.

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From Page 165 of Kirkwall in the Orkneys by Buckham Hugh Hossack. W. Peace, 1900.

"The first of the Dishingtons in Kirkwall was John, Sheriff of Orkney and Zetland, whose house was "Gockhall," near the Shore.
'In 1595, the Sheriff's son, Andrew, was appointed master of the Grammar School. In 1599, he became minister of Stromuess; in 1601, he was translated to Rousay and Egilshay, and, about 1613, to Walls and Flotta. He left a son, John, who was served heir, 1644. *"

From Page 120 of Kirkwall in the Orkneys by Buckham Hugh Hossack. W. Peace, 1900.

Behind the Butter Storehouse and Tounigar stood the house " of old called Gockhall," which, in 1677, belonged to Thomas Dishington, precentor. A hundred years earlier it had belonged to John Dishington, Sheriff of Orkney and Zetland. There is no record of the family which " of old " built or first occupied this house. They and their dwelling may or may not have called forth the old rhyme —

" Befa', befa', whate'er befa',
They'll aye be gowks in yonder ha'. "