Sir Robert Gordon, 3rd Baronet (1647–1704) was a Scottish courtier and politician.

Life

Born 7 March 1647, was the eldest son of Sir Ludovick Gordon, 2nd Baronet of

Gordonstoun Gordonstoun School ( ) is an elite co-educational Private school (United Kingdom), private school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. Two generations of British royalty were educated at Gordonstoun, including Prince Philip, Duke of Ed ...

in Drainie,

Elginshire The County of Moray, ( ) or Morayshire, called Elginshire until 1919, is a historic county in Scotland. The county town was Elgin. The historic county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975. Since 1996 most of the historic ...

, by his first wife Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Sir Robert Farquhar of Mounie in Daviot,

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...

; his grandfather was

Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourt ...

. He travelled in continental Europe, learning mechanics and chemistry. Gordon represented

Sutherland Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...

in the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...

of 1672–74, sat in the convention of 1678, in that of 1681–82, and again in 1685–86. He was knighted in 1673 and succeeded to the baronetcy in September 1685. James II made him a gentleman of his household, and took an interest in his scientific inventions. On 3 February 1686, Gordon was elected

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

. He died in 1704.

Works and legacy

In April 1687 Gordon communicated to the Royal Society, by the king's command, ''Receipt to cure Mad Dogs, or Men or Beasts bitten by Mad Dogs'' (''Phil. Trans.'' xvi. 298). The year after his death his widow erected a mausoleum to his memory on the site of the old church of Ogston, immediately to the east of the mansion of Gordonstoun. An underground chamber at Gordonstoun was shown as his laboratory, and he lived in popular traditions of the neighbourhood as "Sir Robert the warlock".

Family

Gordon was twice married: #On 23 February 1676, to Margaret, widow of

Alexander Sutherland, 1st Lord Duffus Alexander Sutherland (died 1674) was the 1st Lord Duffus, a member of the Scottish nobility and a cadet branch, cadet of the Clan Sutherland. Early life He was the eldest son of William Sutherland, 10th of Duffus and his wife Jean, daughter of ...

, and daughter of

William Forbes, 11th Lord Forbes William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

. She died in April 1677, leaving a daughter. #To Elizabeth, only daughter of Sir William Dunbar, bart., of Hempriggs,

Wick Wick most often refers to: * Capillary action ("wicking") ** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp ** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts Wick or WICK may also refer to: Places and placenames ...

; they had a family of three sons and four daughters. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son

Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet (1696–1772) was a Scottish landowner and politician who sat in the British House of Commons, House of Commons from 1715 to 1722. Gordon was the eldest son of Sir Robert Gordon, 3rd Baronet of Gordonstoun and his s ...

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Robert 1647 births 1704 deaths Nobility from Moray

103 103 may refer to: *103 (number), the number *AD 103, a year in the 2nd century AD *103 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC * 103 (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Field Squadron, a territorial regiment * 103 (Newcastle) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers * 103 ...

Shire Commissioners to the Parliament of Scotland Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1669–1674 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1678 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1681–1682 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1685–1686 Fellows of the Royal Society Knights Bachelor