We formally welcome the Nesmiths/Nasymths/Naesymths as our first recognized Sept of Clan Baird. A sept, as many of you know, is a named family that is closely related to a Clan and can be recognized as part of the Clan. We hope all the Nesmiths/Nasymths/Naesymths/Naismiths will join us and proudly wear our tartan, crest, and badges. We look forward to helping them promote their own family and Clan Baird.
ElectricScotland.com has the following information about how the Bairds and the Nesmiths became joined:
NASMYTH, a surname, formerly and properly Naesmyth. The family tradition accounts for the origin and spelling of the name by the following romantic incident. In the reign of Alexander III., the ancestor of the family, being in attendance on the king, was, on the eve of a battle, required by him to repair his armour. Although a man of great stature and power, he was unsuccessful. After the battle, having performed prodigies of valour, he was knighted by the king, with the remark that “although he was nae Smith, he was a brave gentleman.” The armorial bearings of the family have reference to this origin of the name, viz., a drawn sword between two war hammers or “martels” broken, with the motto, “ Non arte sed marte, in old Scotch, “Not by knaverie but by braverie,” (arte and knavery meaning skill, not cunning). Naesmyth of Posso is the head of this ancient family, being descended from the stalwart knight of the legend.
The Naesmyths of Posso, created baronets of Nova Scotia, have held lands in Tweeddale since the 13th century. Their ancestor, Sir Michael Naesmyth, fought in the wars with Bruce. Another Sir Michael Naesmyth was chamberlain to the archbishop of St. Andrews, and obtained, in 1544, in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of John Baird of Posso, the estate of that name in Peebles-shire. He was a staunch adherent of Queen Mary, and the tower of Posso was frequently inhabited by her on hawking excursions. It was fitted up for her reception by her royal mother, Mary of Guise, from the palace at Leith. The tower was burnt down in the reign of Charles I., and is now a ruin. Sir Michael Naesmyth fought on Queen Mary’s side at Langside in the year 1568. He was subsequently banished, and his property confiscated by the regent Moray. He died at an advanced age in 1609. His second son, John, was chief chirurgeon to James VI., and to the king of France. “Johne Nesmith, chirurgian,” was by chance riding beside King James, as he was hunting at Falkland on 5th August 1600, the morning of the Gowrie conspiracy catastrophe, when Alexander Ruthven came to his majesty, and was the person sent by the king to bring Ruthven back, after he had spoken with him, to say that he had determined to proceed to the earl of Gowrie’s house at Perth, in search of some imaginary treasure, as soon as the chase was ended. He died at London in 1613, and in his last will he bequeathed his “hert to his young maister the prince’s grace,” meaning Henry, prince of Wales. His son, James Naesmyth of Posso, was falconer to James VI. The royal eirie of Posso Craig is on the family estate, and the lure worn by Queen Mary and James, presented to him by the latter, is preserved as an heirloom.
According to J. Malcolm Bullock in "The Bairds of Auchmedden and Strichen" published in 1934, the family inherited the lands of Posso from the Bairds through two sisters, who were the final heiresses of those Bairds. "The Posso line became shaky through debt, and fell, apparently in the senior line, to two daughters of the house, who married respectively, Thomas Nasmyth and William Geddes of the Rauchane family, and in the middle of the sixteenth century the estate was halved between the Nasmyth and the Hay of Smeithfield families" (p.3).
Clan Baird welcomes our brothers and sisters from the Nesmiths/Naesymths/Nasymths/Naismiths and look forward to having you with us. Modern NeSmiths live all over the world. The arms/shield of the Nesmiths has 2 quarters with the Baird Boar, showing the close relationship between Clan Baird and the family Nesmith/Naesmyth/Naismith.
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