Spens Family History

Notes


Patrick Dunbar

of Kilconquhar, son and heir general of George 12th Earl of March; Douglas in his Baronage states that he could discover no descendant of that family in existence excepting those of the said Margaret, thus the Spens' of Lathallan are undoubtedly the heirs of line of that great and illustrious house.


Alexander Spens Heir

appointed high constable of the town of Crail for life and got a charter of the same, dated 29th December 1458 (microfische 087).


Katherine Wood

sister of Sir Andrew Wood of Largo;


John de Spens Heir

designed both as "of Glen Douglas" and "of Lathallan". He was described as a person of "great parts and spirit, and extremely active in business." In 1434 he was chosen one of the lords of the articles in a full parliament held at Perth by King James I. He died in the beginning of the reign of James II.


Isabel Wemyss

progenitor of the earls of Wemyss;


Thomas de Spens Bishop

Bishop of Galloway and of Aberdeen, and a learned prelate, appointed in 1458 lord-privy-seal for Scotland; in 1459 "upon being translated to the see of Aberdeen, he resigned the privy seal, but in 1468 received it again, and held it until 1471. Being very prudent and expert in business, Bishop Spens was employed in several embassies, particularly in the treaty of marriage between the duke of Savoy and Lewis, Count de Maurienne, his son, wiht Anabella, sister of King James II., in 1449. On 27 July 1451, he was appointed ambassador from Scotland to negotiate a truce with England. There is an effigy of Bishop Spens in the colligiate church of Roslin. He errected an hospital at Edinburgh, where he died, and was buried in the Trinity college church yard at the foot of Leith Wynd in 1480.


Patrick de Spens

ancestor of the family Spens-Destignots in France; Patrick was an officer in the company of Scots guards, sent from Scotland by King James II. to Charles VII. of England in 1450.


William de Spens Heir

Proprietor of the lands and barony of Lathallan, and several others in the same county, of which the earls of Fife were superiors till the forfeiture of Murdach duke of Albany and earl of Fife in 1425, after which the family held the lands of the crown. William died at "an advanced age."


Isabel Campbell

Heiress of Duncan Campbell


William de Spens

first of Spens of Kilspindy, Pershire, Scotland; William de Spens flourished principally in the reigns of James I. and James II; now extinct;


John Wemyss Sir

progenitor of the Earls of Wemyss;


William de Spens

Father of two sons;


Walter de Spens

witness in a writ of the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1382