In the book History of the County of Ayr: with Genealogical Account of the Families of Ayrshire. By James Paterson, Vol II, 1852, pages 136-137 it says: “IV. Robert Boyd of Portincross succeeded, as we have seen, before 1610. His name repeatedly occurs in testamentary documents. He married Jean Montgomery, sister of Sir Robert Montgomery of Skelmorlie, who died in December 1621, and from whose testament and latterwill it appears that besides Robert his heir, he had several sons and daughters. … “Legacie “At Portincross, the xix day of December, the zeir of God jai vi c, and twentie ane zeiris, the quhilk day Jeane Montgomerie nominat Robert Boyd of Portincross, hir husband, executour. Item, my will, and I ordane my husband, to help our bairns, Nans, Elspeth, and Barbara Boyds, eftir this maner, viz, to Nans viii c. merks, to Elspeth vii c merkis, and to Barbara five hundrith merks. And to our eldest sone Robert, ane hundred merks, and ane brone naig, to George, thrie hundrith merkis, to Archibald thrie hundrith merkis, to Gavin thrie hundrith merks, and James thrie hundrith merks. And farder, I request my husband, for the love that has been betwixt my husband and me, and for the favour he beiris to our bairns abonewritin, to give the third part of the movahill guides and geir that appertains to ws, to be equallie devydit amangis our four zongest sones, George Archibald, Williame and James, and our thrie doctors, Nans, Elspeth, and Barbara Boydis. And I leif my brother, Sir Robert Monrgomerie of Skelmorlie, and George Montgomerie, our brother, to be overseers to my bairns; and ordanes thame, with my husband, to gif the portion that is left to ony of my dochteris to the rest of our bairns, incais, as God forbid, ony of thame abuis their bodeys in harlotrie,” &c” Mike Boyd’s notes:- (1) Does anyone have a “modern” English version of this Testament? (2) What is the meaning of “the third part of the movahill guides”? Is this a property? If so where is it located. (3) It would appear from the above article/record that this family of Boyd of Portincross composed of:- A1 Robert Boyd, b / /158x ( ), d / /1658 ( ), bu , m / /160x (church, town, etc), Jean Montgomery, second dau of Robert Montgomery of Skelmorely and Dorothy Sempill, b / /15xx ( ), d /12/1621 ( ), bu , and had issue:- Children from the Legacie of 1621:- B1 Robert Boyd, eldest son, b B2 George Boyd, assume second son?, b B3 Archibald, assume third son, b B4 Gavin Boyd, assume fourth son, b B5 James Boyd, assume fifth son?, b B6 Nans Boyd, assume first daughter?, b B7 Elspeth Boyd, assume second daughter?, b B8 Barbara Boyd, assume third daughter?, b Our four youngest sons B9 George Boyd, b B10 Archibald Boyd, b B11 William Boyd, b B12 James Boyd, b James Paterson in his book suggested that Robert’s parents were married in 1582. Thus suggesting that Robert [A1] himself was born in the mid 1580’s and may not have married until about 1605. Thus leaving some 16 years for his wife to have her children. This list of children, would SUGGEST that Robert and Jean had three daughters living in 1621. And as there were no married names or husbands mentioned, Mike Boyd would suggest that these three daughters were then single and MOST LIKELY born after 1601. It is quite clear that the eldest son was a Robert Boyd – born about 1605-1610. But it is not clear from this “Legacie”, if Robert and Jean had five sons or nine sons. In the two lists, there are two George Boyd; two Archibald Boyd and two James Boyd, but only one Gavin Boyd and one William Boyd. So was Gavin a name interchangeable with William? Or did Gavin have a second name of William? (Oh, could Gavin have been called William by the family rather than his given name of Gavin?) This does not explain why there are two separate lists for the sons and if there are only five or nine sons. The daughter listed hear as “Nans” might have been Agnes Boyd rather than Nans Boyd. Then there is the question if the younger son – either four or eight – remained in Portincross or moved to other parts. Their uncles may have taken part in the Montgomery/Hamilton migration to County Down in 1606 or gone as part of the 1609 Plantation, so it would not be at all surprising to see some of these younger sons of Portincross also moving to Ireland to lease land there. I would like to know what happened to these younger children – both male and female – and did they have any family of their own? So is there anyone researching this family, I would like to hear from you please. The other question is that given that his wife died in 1621 but he did not die until 1658, could this Robert have remarried? This family goes back to the 6th generation of the Head of Clan Boyd, so anyone connected with it can go back to the first Sir Robert Boyd who was born in the 1100’s. Thank you Mike Boyd Historical Committee, HBS