Origins of the Clan The personal name Gregor comes from the
Greek for
vigilant, through its
Latin translation of
gregorious. In about 1408 the Griersons acquired the lands of Lag, which became the principal seat of the clan chiefs. Gilbert Grierson is described in a charter dating from 1420 as
armour bearer to the
Earl of Douglas. Gilbert married Janet, daughter of Sir Simon Glendinning, whose mother was Mary Douglas, daughter of the fourth Earl of Douglas and Princess Margaret. These royal connections secured the early fortunes of the Griersons. In 1460 Vedast Grierson built a strong tower at Lag.
15th and 16th century conflicts Vedast Grierson's son, Roger, obtained a royal charter confirming his lands in 1473. However Roger was later killed at the
Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. The Grierson Lairds of Lag also followed
James IV of Scotland to the
Battle of Flodden in 1513 where they met the same fate as the king. During the wars surrounding
Mary, Queen of Scots the Griersons declared for
James VI of Scotland in the confrontation between the Queen and the Protestant lords. Chief William Grierson of Lag was allied to the powerful
Clan Maxwell and joined forces with them against the
Clan Johnstone at the
Battle of Dryfe Sands in 1593.
17th and 18th centuries William Grierson of Lag was knighted by James VI in 1608. His son was Sir Robert Grierson who was succeeded by his cousin, another
Robert Grierson. This Robert Grierson became the first Baronet of Lag. This Robert Grierson for a time made the name of Grierson synonymous with terror and death throughout the south and west of
Scotland, with his persecution of the
Covenanters during the reign of
James VII of Scotland. He was created a
Baronet of Nova Scotia in March 1685. In that same year he surprised an illegal Covenanter service at
Kirkconnel and in the ensuing struggle most of the worshipers were killed and Grierson of Lag refused to give them a decent burial which earned him his feared reputation. Amongst the Covenanter martys was John Bell of Whiteside. Bell's stepfather was the
Viscount Kenmure who was with
John Graham of Claverhouse when they encountered Sir Robert Grierson and a quarrel broke out. Kenmure drew his sword but Claverhouse dissuaded him from fighting a
duel. Kenmore made an alliance with the Douglas
Duke of Queensberry by marrying the Duke's sister, Lady Henrietta Douglas and not surprisingly the Griersons did not support the
Glorious Revolution, considering William of Orange and his wife Mary to be usurpers. In 1689 Sir Robert Grierson was arrested and held in prison until a substantial cash surety was paid. He was later imprisoned on two more occasions, including for being accused of counterfeiting money but was cleared of all the allegations. He died in 1736 but secured immortality in
Sir Walter Scott's novel
Redgauntlet. He was succeeded by his son,
Sir William Grierson, 2nd Baronet who died just four years later and was in turn succeeded by his brother, Sir Gilbert Grierson. His son was William Grierson who was a close friend of Sir Walter Scott.
19th and 20th centuries William's eldest son was Thomas Grierson, a soldier who distinguished himself at the
Siege of Delhi in 1857 but died of wounds received there. Sir Alexander Grierson, 8th Baronet of Lag was commissioned into the
78th Ross-shire Highlanders regiment. During
World War I, Sir Robert Grierson, 10th Baronet of Lag served in the
King's Own Scottish Borderers, however by this time most of the Grierson lands had been lost, although the ruins of Lag Tower still stand today.
George Abraham Grierson was a distinguished linguist who devoted much of his life to the study of dialects from the Indian sub-continent.
John Grierson is widely regarded as the father of the British documentary film movement. ==Clan Chief==