Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ogilvy, Walter
OGILVY or OGILVIE, Sir WALTER (d. 1440), of Lintrathen, lord high treasurer of Scotland, was the second son of Sir Walter Ogilvy of Wester Powrie and Auchterhouse. The father was the 'gude Schir Walter Ogilvie' of Wyntoun's 'Chronicle,' who was killed in 1392, with sixty of his followers, at Gasklune, near Blairgowrie, by a body of highlanders of the clan Donnochy. His mother was Isabel, daughter and sole heiress of Malcolm Ramsay, knight of Auchterhouse. The Ogilvys trace their descent from Gilbert, a younger son of Gilbride, first thane of Angus, on whom the barony of Ogilvy was bestowed by William the Lion. The eldest son of Sir Walter of Aucherhouse is 'the gracious good Lord Ogilvy' mentioned in the old ballad as 'of the best among' those slain at the battle of Harlaw in 1411. The second son, Walter, had a charter of various lands in the barony of Lintrathen from Archibald, earl of Douglas, which was confirmed by Robert, duke of Albany, on 20 Nov. 1406. He had also a ratification from Alexander Ogilvy of Ogilvy of the lands of Wester Powris on 2 Aug. 1428. On 8 June 1424 he had a safe conduct for a year to go to Flanders (Cal. Documents relating to Scotland, 1357-1509, entry 962). After the arrests of the nobles at Perth in 1435 [see under James I of Scotland] he was made lord high treasurer, and he was also one of the jury who in the same year sat at the trial at Murdoch, duke of Albany and his relatives. In 1426 he founded and endowed two chaplainries in the church of Auchterhouse for the safety of the souls of the king and queen, and of those who fell at the battle of Harlaw. With other Scottish commissioners, he had on 24 Jan. 1429-30 a safe-conduct to meet the English at Hawdenstank to redress complaints (ib. entry 1032). On 11 Dec. 1430 he was appointed one of the special envoys to treat for the prorogation of a truce and a final peace with Henry, king of England (ib. entry 1037), and on 15 Dec. he signed a truce with England for five years from 11 May 1431 (ib. entry 1038). In 1431 he was appointed treasurer of the king's household, and was succeeded in the office of lord high treasurer by John Myrton. He was one of those who, in 1431, attended the Princess Margaret into France on her marriage with the dauphin. By warrant of the king he erected Airlie tower or fortalice of Airlie, Forfarshire, into a royal castle. He died in 1440. By Isabel de Durward, heiress of Lintrathen, he had two sons and a daughter. The sons were: Sir John of Lintrathen, his heir, whose son, Sir James Ogilvy of Airlie, was created by James IV on 28 April 1491 a peer of parliament by the title of Lord Ogilvy of Airlie; and Sir Walter of Auchleven, whose eldest son, Sir James, was ancestor of the Ogilvys, earls of Findlater, and whose second son. Sir Walter Ogilvy of Boyne, was ancestor of the lords of Banff. The daughter, Giles, was married to Sir William Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott.
[Cal. Documents relating to Scotland; Crawfurd's Officers of State. pp. 356-7; Douglas's Scottish Peerage, ed. Wood, i. 29.]