THE KINCARDINESHIRE NICOL FAMILY m H m <w HmS V\< I •-', irJ* t. I Hr - V I *-"• I 38ti * •J ' - H H Bi *&&'mm ^6. as", c i National Library of Scotland B0001 96651' Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/genealogyofnicolOOnico ooo THE GENEALOGY OF THE NICOL FAMILY KINCARDINESHIRE BRANCH Privately printed. 1909- LAMLEY & CO., South Kensington. **^ ^1C ,--,-. ETC I PREFACE. In presenting this Genealogy to the descendants of the Kincardineshire Branch of the Nicol family, I have to thank many members for their kind help in correcting the printed draft lately circulated. My thanks are specially due to the Rev. James Smith, B.D., of St. George's-in-the-West Parish, Aberdeen, for his diligent searchings of old Registers in Edinburgh, etc., and for his most kind and ungrudging help. With regard to the more ancient history I have been assisted by Skene's book, " The Highlanders of Scotland," published in 1837. This publication was awarded the prize offered by the Highland Society of London for the best History of the Highland Clans. Much of Skene's information was derived from MSS. the property of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, and in particular the MS. believed to have been written in 1450, and which has the date upon it— 1467. As errors may have crept in, I should be greatly obliged by their being pointed out to me. Should any new matters of interest in connection with the family be discovered, it is probable that a further addition of this Genealogy will be printed. W. E. Nicol. Ballogie, July, 1909. The Nicol family are undoubtedly descendants of the Macnical or Macn'icail Clan, who were descended from the ancient Gaelic tribe (the Northern Picts), the earliest inhabitants of the district of Ness, on the north-west coast of Scotland, off the Minch. Skene, in his "Table of the Descent of the High- land Clans," shows the Macnical Clan as one of the eighteen great clans. They were under the Maormor- ship or Earldom of Ness, Macnicol being Chief of the Clan. From Skene's account of the Macleod and Macnical Clans, it appears that on the death of the last Macnicol chief, his daughter and heiress married Torquil Macleod, a younger son of the Chief Macleod of Glenelg or Harris. By this marriage the Macleods acquired possession of Edderachylis, Duirnes, Assint, and Coygash, the lands previously owned by the Macnicols. There is little doubt that after the death of the Chief, the Macnicals lost adhesion, and ceased to exist as a clan. The Nicols to which this Genealogy refers came from the County of Sutherland. After frequent and severe fights with the Macintoshes, they, with others of the clan, moved southwards about 1600, many settling in Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, others going as far south as Glasgow. William Nicol. B. 1692. M. 1st, abt. 1723, Ann Jaffray, B, 1693. She D. 14 May, 1728. M., 2nd. 21 Apl., 1730, Isobel Milne or Mill. B. 1709. She D. 5 Apl., 1770. He was a farmer at Bringieshill, or Brownieshill, in the parish of Arbuthnott. He D. 23 Dec, 1753, and was buried, as were many members of his family, in Arbuthnott Churchyard. Issue, 1st Marriage : I. Robert. B. abt. 1724. M. Nov., 1745. {Vide p. 3) II. John. B. 20 May, 1727. D. in infancy. A. Jean. B. 1728. Baptised 15 Apl., 1729. D. in infancy. Issue, 2nd Marriage : I. William. B. 25 Mch., 1732. D. in infancy. II. James. B. 31 July, 1734. M. 4 Nov., 1764. D. 18 Apl., 1808. {Vide p. 4) HI. Alexander. B. 15 Feb., 1745. D. 14 Mch., 1766. IV. William. B. 13 Feb., 1747. M., 1st, 22 Nov., 1771. M., 2nd, 23 Apl., 1786. D. 26 Apl., 1815. {Vide p. 5) V. John. B. 25 Apl., 1749. D. 9 May, 1749. A, Isobel. B. 19 Feb., 1731. D. in infancy. B. Elspet or Elizabeth. B. 19th Apl., 1733. D. in infancy. : C. Margaret. B. 25 Apl , 1736. D. 20 Oct., i75i- D. Janet. B. 10 Apl., 1738. D. in infancy. E. Jean. B. 27 June, 1740. D. in infancy. F. Isobel. B. 22 Nov., 1742. D. 7 Feb., 1776. G. Jean. B. 28 Aug., 1750. D. in infancy. H. Margaret. B. 1 Apl., 1752. From the Tombstone in Arbuthnott Churchyard, there were two more daughters, Christina and Ann. As their names appear after Robert, the eldest son, they were probably born in 1725 and 1726. Robert Nicol. {Vide p. 2) B. abt. 1724. M. Nov., 1745, Elizabeth Young. B. 1724. He was farmer in Craighill, in the parish of Arbuthnott. He appears to have moved to the farm of Hareden, in the same parish, in 1760. No record of the date of his death has been found. She D. 9 July, 1784. Issue I. A child. B. Nov. or Dec, 1747. II. Robert. B. 6 Nov., 1749. D. 22 July, 1761. III. Alexander. B. Feb., 1760. D. 8 Mch., 1760. IV. John. B. 8 Aug., 1761. A. Elizabeth. B. 15 Dec, 1751. B. Isobel. B. 25 June, 1757. : No further trace of this family has been discovered. James Nicol. (vide p. 2) B. 31 July, 1734. M. 4 Nov., 1764, Elizabeth or Elspet Rankine. In the marriage register she is entered as of the parish of Fetteresso, but at one time her father, James Rankine, was tenant of Upper Criggie, in the parish of Dunnottar. She B. 1733. D. 27 Feb., 1812. Jas. Nicol was for some years tenant of Bringies- hill and Overseer on the Arbuthnott Estate. About 1783 he became tenant of the farm of Fawsyde, parish of Kinneff. In 1802 he built for himself a cottage in Upper Catterline, which was called Birdy's Knapp. He D. 18 Apl., 1808. See epitaph Arbuthnott Churchyard. Issue : I. William. B. 1765. M. 1794. D. 1827. {Vide p. 6) II. James. B, 1767. M., 1st, 1789, 2nd, 1816. D. 1849. (Vide p. 8) III. Andrew (twin). B. 1769. M., 1st, 1795, 2nd, 1807. D. 28 May, 1837. (Vide p. 10) A. Helen (twin). B. 7 Mch., 1769. M. 2 Feb., 1790, James Cowie, Mains of Catterline, parish of Kinneff. Issue 1. Hugh. B. 12 Sept., 1792. 2. William. B. 8 July, 1794. a. Jane. B. 17 June, 1796. died B. Jean. B. 22 July, 1770. A11 three ) oun and were Cc. Kacnei.Rachel Ba. 30*o AolApl., 1772.1772 U g' buried in Arbuth . D. Elizabeth. j nott Churchyard. E. Margaret. M. 7 Sept., 1797, George Watt, from Montrose. William Nicol. (Vide p. 2) B. 13 Feb., 1747. M., 1st, 22 Nov., 1771, Helen Robert. She B. 24 June, 1742, D. 28 Oct., 1784. M., 2nd, 23 Apl., 1786, Rebecca, dau. of Alexr. Taylor, farmer, Easttoun of Glen- bervie. She B. 3 May, 1757. D. 22 July, 1789. He was farmer at Bringieshill, parish of Arbuth- nott, where he D. 26 Apl., 1815. See epitaph Arbuthnott Churchyard. Issue, 1st Marriage : I. William. B. 19 Sept., 1772. M. 15 Sept., 1798, Ann Edward. She D. 14 Apl., 1803. Issue : 1. Alexander. B. 13 Dec, 1800. 2. David. B. 9 Feb., 1802. II. David. B. 14 Aug., 1775. III. Alexander. B. 9 Apl., 1778. D. 28 Apl., 1822. : IV. John. B. 13 Nov., 1782. A. Elspet. B. 19 Mch., 1780. Issue, 2nd Marriage I. James. B. 15 July, 1789. M. 1818. D. 1869. {Vide p. 12) A. Helen B. 25 Jan., 1787. M. 21 Nov., 1818, Alexander Byres, Burnfoot in Menmuir. William Nicol. {Vide p. 4) B. 27 July, 1765. M. 25 Nov., 1794. D. 25 Nov., 1827. He married Margaret Dyce, only surviving child James Dyce of Badentoy and Mains of Findon, a merchant and burgess of Aberdeen. She B. 17 Dec, 1772. D. 23 Jan., 1841. Wm. Nicol, M.A., M.D., Aberdeen, a Surgeon R.N., from which he retired 1792, and settled in Stonehaven as a medical practitioner. There is no record of the date of his entering the Navy, but he served on the Mediterranean Station on the Flagship " Leander " from June, 1789, to March, 1792. He was buried in Fetteresso Kirkyard. She in St. Andrew's Scottish Church, Rodney Street, Liverpool. Issue : I. James Dyce. B. 1805. M. 1844, Catherine Loyd. D. 1872. {Vide p. 13) ; A. Jane Fordyce. B. 1795. M. 1818, John Fleming. D. 1841. (Vide p. 15) B. Mary. B. 1797. M. 1816, Alexr. Low. D. 1867. (Vide p. 16) C. Margaret Dyce. B. 1799. M. 1822, Wm. Nicol. D. i860. (Vide p. 18) D. Elizabeth Forbes. B. 1802. M. 1828, R. Duckworth. D. 1868. (Vide p. 17) E. Grace. B. 3 July, 1809. D. 18 Mch., 1811. Buried in Fetteresso Churchyard. F. Christina. B. 181 1. M. 1835, J a s- Wright. D. 1845. (Vide p. 18). From a memorandum book kept by Dr. Wm. Nicol from 1 Jan., 1802 to 30 June, 1804, now in the possession of Sir Dyce Duckworth, some insight is got into his habits and character. He was evidently a very sociable, hospitable person, dining and supping out very frequently, whether accompanied by his wife or " not is not recorded. An entry often appears : Had company to dinner." He was fond of a game of cards, his losses or gains, varying from 6d. to 3s., are entered in 2J years he was a loser of Cs. 3d. He took much interest in county business, attending County and District Road Meetings, Excise and Small Debts Courts ; he was a Commissioner of Income and Property Tax, a Captain of Volunteers from 30 May, 1797 to 1 May, 1802, when the Volunteers were dis- charged, by order of the Lord-Lieutenant.