Robert Gordon (philanthropist) Robert Gordon (philanthropist) Robert Gordon (1668–1731), a 17th-century merchant and philanthropist, was born in Aberdeen. He was the only son of Arthur Gordon who married Isabella Menzies of Balgownie. When Arthur Gordon, a well-respected advocate in the Edinburgh courts, died in 1680, he left his twelve-year-old son the sum of 20,000 merks (about £1,100 then and considerably more in modern currency). When Gordon reached the age of sixteen he became a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen. Among other benefits, this entitled him to follow a merchant's trade in the town. During the next few years he attended Marischal College,
Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet (1696–1772) was a Scottish landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1722. Gordon was the eldest son of Sir Robert Gordon, 3rd Baronet of Gordonstown and his second wife Elizabeth Dunbar, daughter of Sir William Dunbar, 1st Baronet of Hempriggs, Caithness. His father died in 1704 and he succeeded to the baronetcy. His mother married secondly James Sutherland afterwards Dunbar who was Member of Parliament for Caithness from 1710 to 1713. Gordon was elected MP for Caithness at the 1715 general election. As the