John Mylne was born in 1611 in Perth, Scotland, and known as John Mylne’ junior’, or ‘the Younger’.
John Mylne junior painted around 1650
John was a Scottish master mason and architect who served as Master Mason to the Crown of Scotland. He was the son of John Mylne 1585-1657, also a master mason, and Isobel Wilson 1589-1628.
In 1636 John was the principal master mason, who designed Tron Kirk, Edinburgh (opened 1647), partly built Heriots Hospital 1643-59 and Edinburgh College 1646-7.
The Dictionary of National Biography Vol 1-22 states that he served with the Scottish Covenanters.
In 1633 he was admitted as a burgess of Edinburgh by right of descent, and was made a fellow of craft in the Edinburgh Masonic Lodge.
In 1637 he was appointed master mason to the town of Edinburgh, and was elected M.P. for Edinburgh in 1662.
John is said to have married three times.
He first married Agnes Fraser, with whom he had five children –
- George b ca 1631 Edinburgh Married Marjorie Davidson. 4 children.
- John b 1634 Canongate, Edinburgh
- Barbara b 1636 Canongate d 1714 Coversea, Moray.
- Euphame b 1640 Canongate, Edinburgh d 1680 Perth. Married James Dewar Scott (Town Treasurer of Perth). 6 children.
- Elizabeth b 1642 Edinburgh.
After Agnes’ death between 1642 and 1646, John married on 11 Feb 1647 Janet Primrose, who only survived a short time.
He then married Janet Fowlis on 27 April 1648. (Dictionary of National Biography). Janet was the daughter of Gilbert Primrose, Clerk to the Privy Council.
John Myles died in December 1667 in Edinburgh and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard where a monument stands to his death.
On his headstone in Greyfriars churchyard he is described as ‘the fourth John by descend from Father to Son and the sixth master mason to a royal race of seven successive Kings.’
There is more information about John Mylne on his wikipedia page here.
