David Maitland Makgill Crichton of Rankeillour

David Maitland Makgill Crichton (4 March 1801 – 11 July 1851) was a Scottish lawyer who inherited his father's estate at Nether Rankeilour in Fife to become a country gentleman. He played an important role in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland and consequently was photographed by Hill & Adamson. He organised a local committee to start the Fife Sentinel newspaper. Following his death a memoir of his life was published, written by J. W. Taylor, a Free Church minister from Fife. His statue overlooks the South Bridge in Cupar. Ancestry and early life David Maitland Makgill Crichton, of Rankeilour, was born at Nether Rankeilour on 4 March 1801. He was the fifth child and the second son of a family of fifteen. His father, Colonel Maitland, was descended from the Lauderdale family. His mother was Marie Johnstone of Lathrisk. His grandfather was the Fredrick Lewis Maitland, son of Charles Maitland. His uncle, Frederick Maitland, was a very distinguished naval officer, who on board the Bellerophon received the submission of Napoleon. About the year 1837, David established his claim to become heir to the first Lord Frendraught,- a Scottish peer who owed his title to Charles I., and had been one of the officers of the Marquis of Montrose. It was in this way he took the name of Crichton in addition to Maitland, that of his father, and Makgill, that of his grandmother. Through his grandmother, the Hon. Margaret Makgill of Rankeilour, the name of Crichton represents him as heir of line to Viscount Frendraught, Lord Crichton, whose daughter was the wife of Sir James Makgill of 1665. David was a pupil at St Andrews Grammar school and with the help of his tutor, Mr Ogilvie, proceeded to the University of St Andrews and subsequently the University of Edinburgh.