The accounts of the Dunlop family in Burke's Peerage and Baronetage (16th ed.) and in J. G. Dunlop's The Dunlops of Dunlop (1939), give some detail of the early Carolina colonist, Alexander Dunlop's life to 1685. Following his arrest in 1683 and indictment in the following year, Dunlop emigrated to South Carolina, where the Lords Proprietor appointed him sheriff of Port Royal County in 1685. In Carolina he became associated with two politically powerful men, Henry Erskine, 3rd Baron Cardross, and William Dunlop, a relative and local militia commander, both of whom had arrived in 1684.

It appears that Alexander Dunlop returned to Scotland by early 1686, probably with the intention of returning to Port Royal, given that he had accepted money and goods from the wives of Cardross and William Dunlop to deliver in Carolina. Dunlop, however, sailed first to Antigua, shipping goods from there to Port Royal by way of his servant Thomas Steel, and then returned to Scotland. There is no firm evidence that Dunlop ever returned to Carolina, and both Cardross and William Dunlop returned to England after 1688 and the accession of William III.

Scope and contents:

he memorandum book of Alexander Dunlop, of Dunlop, Ayrshire, Scotland, is written entirely in Dunlop's hand, with later additions in the hand of his son John, 1699. The book contains:

I. Alexander Dunlop Entries

A. A short narrative of the voyage of the vessel Richard and John of London from Kelburne (south of Largs, Ayrshire), departing for Antigua March 4, 1686; in port in Antigua May 15 to July 27, and returning [Folios 93-92, reversed at back of book]. Other entries related to this voyage include a note concerning £15 received from Lady Cardross, February 26, "to be delivered to My Lord Cardros when I shall come to portroyall in Carolina" and a note dated July 26 in Antigua that the money "was sent by me A D to Mylord Cardros with Tho: Steill some tyme my servitor according to his recept" [folio 2]. A copy of Steill's receipt, partly torn away, is on folio 4. the verso of folio 2 contains more accounts between Dunlop and Steill, particularly pay for the latter's service in the several weeks spent in Antigua. Folios 5 and 90b-89b contain accounts possibly related to this voyage.

B. Entries concerning financial affairs, debts, etc., on folios 3, 5-6, and 89b-86b. Folio 88 mentions "tutors" and "curators."

C. A long letter from Alexander Dunlop to his wife Antonia, daughter of Sir John Brown of Fordal, whom he married in 1667, folios 7-13b. Topics of the letter are money matters, sale of an estate to the Earl of Dundonald, the Earl's resignation in favor of the Dunlops' son John, their other children, and debts. This letter may have been Alexander's draft of intentions for care of his affairs after his death (see Folio 9b: "so you & freends may divyde among the childen as they deserve").

II. John Dunlop (d. 1706) Entries

A. "Rentall of the Lands of Dunlop," June 13, 1699. Detailed set of written entries, folios 17-32, followed by tables. A number of places are specified, including the park of Dunlop (f. 17), Auchentiber (ff. 29b, 34), Stewarton (f. 34b), Mirrimouth (f. 20). Money rents totalled over £2,000, and rents in kind included meal, beer, hens, capons, coal, etc., some given with cash equivalents.

The writer of these accounts is clearly the landowner, not a clerk. he refers to his father and grandfather (ff.19b, 28b) and makes repeated mention of "tacks" (tenure documents) kept in a Cabinet "in the South side of the hall in Dunlop" (f. 20, 22, 25, 26).

B. Financial notes and lists, 1699 (ff. 15, 38-40), including one item for £14,666.

III. Entries in unidentified hands

A. Notes at end of rental accounts (ff. 32, 34b, 35), and table on folios 33b and 34. Possibly by Francis Dunlop, the brother who succeeded John.

B. Undated notes of financial involvements of Alexander Dunlop, f. 14, 89-85b. the same hand added a note to the letter of Alexander to his wife, concerning John Dunlop, f. 8b. Are they possibly a more youthful form of the hand of John Dunlop?

Provenance:

The material in this guide was taken from a longer description provided by the dealer from whom the Clements Library acquired the manuscript.

M-2318
recat. 7/96 rsc

Subject index to the Alexander Dunlop Memorandum book

Back to brief guide

Return to:

Homepage	Manuscripts	Collections	Staff	Hours and policies