James Guthrie of Pitforthie - Father?

The only documentation available on the ancestral line of James Guthrie of Pitforthie comes from the biographical sketches on Rev. James Guthrie, Minister of Sterling (c.1612-1661). It is noted that the minister was a "cousin" to Rev. William Guthrie, Minister of Fenwick, who was the eldest of Pitforthie's sons. Once source specifically states that James Guthrie's father, an unidentified Laird of Guthrie, was Pitforthie's elder brother.

There were 7 Lairds of Guthrie during the lifetime of Rev. James Guthrie, and several of them are documented as having no heirs. Looking at this family puzzle from his perspective results only in uncertain answers and more questions.

Looking at it from Pitforthie's perspective there is only one good candidate Laird of Guthrie to be his father: Alexander Guthrie, 5th Laird of Guthrie who was married to Agnes Falconer of Halkerton.

Here's why....

James Guthrie, Laird of Pitforthie, was reportedly born in 1596.

The previous laird, Alexander Guthrie, 4th of Guthrie, married to Isobel Wood, was assassinated by Patrick Garden in 1587 long before Pitforthie's birth, as so would not be a candidate.

Alexander Guthrie, 5th Laird, held that position until his death in 1597, which is only about a year after Pitforthie's birth.

He was succeeded by his son, another Alexander Guthrie, 6th of Guthrie, whose DOB is unknown. If Pitforthie was born later than 1596 this 6th laird might be a candidate to be his father, but it is documented that he had no heirs, so the title was passed on to his brother, the next heir in line, William Guthrie, 7th Laird of Guthrie.

HOWEVER....

If Pitforthie was indeed the son of the Laird of Guthrie, and still alive in 1650, why then did William Guthrie, 7th Laird of Guthrie, transfer lands and title to his 3rd cousin once removed, David Guthrie, instead of passing land and title on to his younger brother?

William reportedly had no issue, but that does not mean he had no closer heirs in the form of Pitforthie and his six sons. (Or potentially Rev. James Guthrie, Minister of Sterling).

COULD IT BE A MATTER OF RELIGION?

Back in the time of Alexander Guthrie, 5th of Guthrie, the laird was in excellent standing with King James VI. So much so that he was appointed one of the 25 gentlemen pensioners ordered to attend the King's Majesty at all times in his riding and passing to the fields.

This was a period when the Guthrie family was basically in line with the king when it came to religious matters. They were Episcopalian.

This next generation saw a division in Scotland as it became more and more Presbyterian-minded. We have no actual documentation of James Guthrie, Laird of Pitforthie's stance on religious matters, but his eldest son, Rev William Guthrie, Minister of Pitforthie, was a close confidant of Rev. James Guthrie, Minister of Sterling during his youth. All but one of Pitforthie's sons were ministers, and on the side of the Covenanters.

Could it be that William Guthrie deliberately sold the lands and title of Guthrie away from his younger brother's (and potentially his own son's side of the family, if indeed Rev. James Guthrie, might have been his undocumented son)?

What do you think?