The Genealogy of the Families of Douglas of Mulderg and Robertson
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Iill I . //J. ^ National Library of Scotland *B000426185* 7UBRA8 THE GENEALOGY OF THE FAMILIES DOUGLAS OF MULDERG ROBERTSON OF KINDEACE WITH THEIR DESCENDANTS DINGWALL: A. M. ROSS & COMPANY. MDCCCXCV. PREFATORY NOTICE. We think it may be well to state here the reasons why the genealogical outlines •of the families of Douglas of Mulderg and Robertson of Kindeace have been printed. They are the work of a descendant of the Douglas family, who lives amongst us, and has been known during the last thirty or forty years as a genea- logist of gx-eat ability and possessing very wide information. This gentleman has frequently of late years been asked for information regarding these two families, therefore he has kindly complied with the request of some of those interested in the Douglas and Robertson families that his genealogical knowledge of them should be printed. The advantage of printing will be seen when it is understood that a large portion of the matter this book contains has not hitherto been pub- lished, and might easily be lost and forgotten, as many of the descendants of these families have not been proprietors of land and their representatives have gone to all quarters of the globe in order to make their fortunes. The habit of wandering far afield has rendered the collection of full particulars in some cases extremely difficult, and in others impossible ; so, when there are errors in this book, they may, we hope, be pardoned, as great care has been taken in trying to avoid mistakes. It is with considerable regret that the system of giving authorities for every sentence and word has been abandoned ; but, if this plan is properly carried out, it increases the bulk of a book to a tremendous extent, and, owing to the long quotations necessary, renders a genealogy rather broken ; also, if the system of giving authorities is not scrupulously adhered to, it leaves as much room for romance and false statements as there would be if no authorities were given. However, most of the quotations from documents and sasines in these two genea- logies were kindly given by Sir James D. Mackenzie, Bart, of Scatwell and Tarbat, from the genealogical papers of his late brother, Lewis M. Mackenzie, Esq. of Findon ; as well as by Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, Esq. of Drummond, who has most courteously allowed information to be reprinted from his valuable, and now scarce, work, " The Antiquarian Notes," which contains so much matter relating to the Robertsons of Inches and their descendants. Much information has also been gathered from such books as Dr Hew Scot's important collection of particulars concerning Scotch ministers, the " Fasti Ecc. Sco.," as well as "The Origines Parochiales Scotia," "Northern Notes and Queries," and many other works of an historical character. Also contemporary MSS., and other sources, from which genealogical matter can be obtained, have been searched. ; VI. PREFATORY NOTICE. Regarding the origin of the Clan Robertson, nothing has been said, as it has been considered better to begin that genealogy from a distinct and clear ancestor, rather than to try and find the name of their progenitor through a mist of years, which has allowed even great authorities to arrange the Robertson origin according to fancy, and to carry them down, unsupported by contemporary evidence, until a firm foothold could be found. The remote origins, through a string of names, given to Clans may be pleasing to some people on account of great antiquity, bub to those who think about genealogies these wild flights of speculation or romance make a work absurd, and cast suspicion and doubt on the portions treating of a later date, which are probably really honest and worthy of credence. Sincere and grateful thanks are due to the following for their kindness in giving information : —Sir James D. Mackenzie, Bart, of Scatwell and Tarbat Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, Esq. of Drummond ; George Mackay, Esq., M.D., Edinburgh ; Charles Robertson, Esq. of Kindeace ; Mrs Robertson of Chilcote Miss Mary Eleanor Robertson ; Mrs Douglas of The Rock, Isle of Man ; William Munro, Esq. of Balerno ; A. A. Bethune-Baker, Esq. ; George Bain, Esq. of Rose- bank, Nairn ; Alexander Bain, Esq., Gilgarren ; The Rev. A. W. Cornelius Hallen, of Alloa, Editor of "Northern Notes and Queries"; Raymond Thine Berthon, Esq., and many others who have given invaluable assistance. The late Mrs Balfour-Melville of Pilrig and Straith Kennes was also most kind in lending her papers, which contained the result of continued research for genealogical inform- ation regarding her own family, their ancestors and connections. The orthography of the names of persons and places, in printing from the^e MSS., has been strictly followed. Since going into press some further information has been forthcoming, which is given in Addenda I. and II.; also several errors are rectified in the Corrigenda. A. M. ROSS & CO . THE DOUGLASSES OF MULDERG. The exact date at which the Douglasses settled in Ross-shire cannot now with accuracy be ascertained. But the traditions of the family uniformly assert that they came from Lanarkshire to the North about the time of the Reformation. It appears from reliable evidence that they were located about the Abbey of Fearn, in Easter Ross, at the latter part of the sixteenth century, and possessed landed property in the seventeenth and early part of the eighteenth century, in the parishes of Fearn and of Kiltearn. In the Valuation Roll, 1644, of the Sheriffdom of Inverness, including Ross, Hector Douglas I. of Mulderg is styled "of Mulderg;" his rental in Fearn parish is marked £1540 Scots, and in Kiltearn parish £533 6s 8d Scots. In 1646 he was one of those selected to make a loan, his name and the amount appear- ing in a list discerned at Aberdeen thus—" Hector Douglas, Elder of Mulderg, £1333 6s 8d Scots." Hector Douglas IV. of Mulderg was appointed one of the Commissioners of Supply for the Sheriffdom of Ross in 1661. In 1662 he was fined £2400 for non-conformity to Scottish Episcopacy, the highest fine being that of Mackenzie, Kilcoy, £6000, who is said to have been a pious man. The second largest was that of the excellent Sir Robert Munro, Baronet of Fowlis, £3600. The third highest was that of Hector Douglas, Mulderg. He was in good company, for Wodrow, the historian, testifies relative to those who were fined, "that so far as he could learn anything about them, generally speaking, they were persons of the best morals and most shining piety in the places where they lived, and chargeable with nothing but being Pres- THE DOUGLASSES OF MULDERG. byterians. Middleton thought that all the fines would have come into his own hands, as well as the estate of the Marquis of Argyle ; but of all this he was disappointed, as the money came to other hands. But the fines were uplifted and much more by military force" (see Wodrow's -History, vol. I., page 271). From the title deeds of the property of Mulderg in the possession of the present proprietor, it appears that there was a "Hector Douglas, younger," in 1647 ; also that a "Hector Douglas died in 1675." The Douglas family ceased as pro- prietors of Mulderg in 1718. Some of the Douglasses also possessed the estate of Rainy, which adjoins that of Mulderg to the north and north-east. Both these properties were possessed by the Maccullochs at a later date. The Douglasses of Mulderg and of Kiltearn were the same family, and their burying-grounds in both parishes can be pointed out. Below is a copy of the initials in the burying-ground of the Douglasses in the aisle adjoining the Abbey of Fearn at the north-east. I.H.D. H.R. I.H.D. B.G. R.D. M.I.K. D.I.M.R. L.D. M.H. of Reny. Mors tua. Mors Christi. Fraus. Mundi Gloria Coeli. Et Dolor inferni. sint. Meditandi tibi. As far as can be discovered the "I" here signifies interred. The burying-ground of the Douglasses in Kiltearn is at the east gable of the Parish Church, surrounded by a high iron railino- attached to the gable of the Church, and several tomb- stones on pillars along the gable within the railing. — THE DOUGLASSES OF MULDERG. 9 DESCENT OF THE DOUGLAS FAMILY. I. Hector Douglas I. of Mulderg was proprietor as early as 1630, for his son Hector was then "apparent of Mulderg." According to "Northern Notes and Queries," Hector the elder married Janet Ross, but it is more likely his wife was H. Ross —see the initials on the Douglas tomb at Fearn, where he and his wife are buried. He was living 1647, but died before September, 1653, leaving issue : 1. Hector, his successor, of whom below as II. of Mulderg. 2. Agnes, married to the Rev. Thomas Mackenzie III. of Inverlael, parish of Lochbroom, Archdean of Ross. They had sasine of lands in Kincardine, 28th June, 1641 ; and she had sasine of lands of Cadboll, 26th January, 1653, and was still living in 1669. The Rev. Thomas Mackenzie, who died 7th April, 1665, and was buried at Fearn, had been admitted minister of Tarbat, 1633, but he deserted his charge in 1635, and went to Ireland, from whence he returned and took up his residence in Ross-shire, being admitted at Killearnan prior to 2nd Novem- ber, 1638. He was second son and eventually heir of the Rev. John Mackenzie I. of Inverlael, Archdean of Ross, who purchased the estate of Inverlael from Lord Lovat in 1610, having married, 31st May, 1606, Margaret or Janet Lines, daughter and co-heir of William Lines of Calrossie, and grand-dano-liter of Walter Lines of Calrossie, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Lauchlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh (who was murdered by some of his clan, 1524) by his wife Jean, only daughter of Alexander Gordon of Lochinver.