SOME FRASER PEDIGREES BY DUNCAN WARRAND, M.A., F.S.A. INVERNESS: Robert Carruthers & Sons 1934 To CHARLES IAN FRASER, OF REELIG, HEIR-MALE OF THE HOUSE OF CULDUTHEL, in gratitude for his unfailing interest in this work. PREFACE To every serious student of history, genealogy will, sooner or later, become a science. Without it, the Middle A.ges, and indeed the Later Ages, can never be properly understood. Where this is true of Kings and Queens, it must, when dealing with local events, be equally true of Squires and Dames. In the Highlands especially, matrimonial alliances of Lairds and Ladies played no small part in the annals of parishes, often of whole districts. The Clan or Sept as a unit, absorbing and renaming each individual coming within its sphere of influence, is so old that, scattered as its members now are throughout the world, every one of them believes that at some period, however remote, there was a close connection between his own im-me­ diate ancestor and the Chief himself. This is a very natural and a very proper belief, and it is true more often than is sometimes supposed, but the right method must be taken to prove it. Unfortunately, genealogy has sometimes been sorely mishandled. In England since the reign of Elizabeth, pedigrees have been made to suit the ambitions of the newly prosperous; and of some of the.se. that eminent historian, the late J. Horace Round, has made good sport. In Scotland the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw many and varied compilations. Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty wrote fantastically of godlike ancestors; the Chief of the Macfarlanes made conscientious collections. But, who to-day, however honest, could write from memory or hearsay of first, second and third cousins without making slips innumerable? How much more so in times when public records were almost inaccessible? Even to-day, however complete may be the material, it is almost impossible to imagine a pedigree of several generations without any mistakes at all. In practice errors may to a great extent be avoided, by a sparse use of family histories which fail to give references. For the historian, these pub­ lications are almost valueless; for the genealogist, they form at best a basis for further inquiry. Traditions, however old, are dangerous, and legends vi. PREFACE handed down through g1·andmothers and grandaunts, however respectable, should be heard politely but without credulity. In offering these articles to the public, I have purposely stopped short of to-day, in most cases by about a hundred years, to avoid unnecessary matter. Doubtless every Fraser knows his or her descent for that period. I have, however, tried to find the younger sons of former generations, as possible links for such as are in doubt. The pedigrees chosen are of Frasers of Inverness-shire only, but the well­ known line of the Chief, so often legally debated, has been omitted. To write a complete history of all Frasers would occupy a lifetime; to find the material might cost a fortune. I therefore give what I have found, trusting that these accounts may be of use, not only to genealogists but to local historians; though in point of fact the two must go together. D. W. CONTENTS )I,. oa( Page Preface ... • •• . .. ... .. .. ... v . List of Abbreviations .. ... .. ... ... IX• Culbokie ••• • •• ... .. ... .. ... 1 Belladrum ... • •• ... ... .. .. ... 11 Achnagairn ... ... .. .. ... .. ... 19 Culmiln ... • •• ... ... .. .. .. 22 Clunevackie ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 24 Foyness ... .. ... .. .. .. 25 Kinneries ... • •• ... ... .. .. .. 26 Little Struy... ... .. ... .. ... ... 38 Teanakyle ••• . .. ... .. .. ... .. 40 Struy ••• • •• ... .. .. .. ... 43 Eskadale (I) ••• ... .. ... .. .. 49 Muilzie ... • •• ... .. .. ... ... 54 Eskadale (2) ... ... ... ... ... .. 56 Reelig .. .. ... ... .. .. ... 58 Ballindoun ... .. ••• . .. ... .. ... 67 Foyers ... .. ... ... ... ... 71 Garthmore (1) ... .. .. ... ... ... 78 Garthmore (2) ... .. .. .. ... ... 80 Fairfield ... ••• ... ... .. ... ... 82 Bught .. ... ... .. ... ... ... 85 Farraline .. .. ... .. .. .. ... 87 Erchitt ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 95 Balnain .. .. ... .. .. .. ... 100 Culduthel .. ... ... .. ... ... 102 Errogie . ... ... .. .. ... ... 110 Gortuleg .. ... • • • ... ... .. ... 113 Leadclune .. ... ... .. ... ... ... 116 Mid Mains .. ... ••• .. ... .. ... 120 121 Boblanie and Ardachie ••• ••• '. ' ~·· ... ... Vlll. CONTENTS Ardachie ••• • •• ... ... ... .. ... 123 Boblanie ... .. .. ... ... ... ... 126 Dunballoch ... ... ... .. .. ... ... 129 Phopachy and Torbreck ... ... ... 134 Munlochy and Daltullich ... .. .. .. 137 Addenda ••• ••• ... ... ... ... .. 140 Freeholders .. ... ... ... .. .. 143 Chart ••• .. ... ... .. ... .. 145 Index ... ... .. .. .. ... ... 147 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A. & D .... ... .. .. .Acts and Decreets B.P. ... ... ... .. .. Bught Papers C. of D. .. ... .. .. Calendar of Deeds C.P. ... ... .. .. .. .. Culloden Papers Com. Abd. Test. Commissariot of Aberdeen, Testaments Com. Ed. Test. ...... Commissariot of Edinburgh, Testaments Com. Inv. Test.... Commissariot of Inverness, Testaments E.R. ... .• •. Exchequer Rolls F.B. .. ••• . Family Bible F.E.P. ... ... .. Forfeited Estates Papers F.-:\I. lISS. ... .. ... Fraser-Mackintosh MSS . G.S.R. .. ... ... Great Seal Register Inv. ... ... .. .. __ ... Inverness I.G. .. ••• • •• . .. ..Inquisitiones Generales L.H.T. Lord High Treasurer­ }I.I. .. ... .. Monumental Inscription N.S.C. ... New Spalding Club P.R. ... ... • •• • •• • •• . Parish Register- P.R.H. • •• Particular Register of Hornings P.R.I. .. .. Particular Register of Inhibitions P.R.S. .. .. .. Particular Register of Sasines P.S.R.. ... ... .. ... .. Privy Seal Register- R. .. ... .. .. ... ... .. Retours R. of D .... .. Register of Deeds s.c. ... ... .. Spalding Club S.C.B. .. ... ... Sheriff Court Books Sec. R. ... ... Secretary's Register S.H.S. .. ... Scottish History Society S. of H. .. ... ... Services of Heirs S.R.S. ... ... ... ... Scottish Record Society W. l\IS. .. ... Wardlaw Manuscript vV.B. of JL •.. Wardlaw Book of ~Iortality SOME FRASER PEDIGREES -·- CULBOKIE 1 William Fraser of Guisachan, brother-german of Hugh, Lord Fraser of Lovat, resigned his heritage of the two Guisachans and Frigay into his brother's hands and had a charter for the same, dated ab Lovat, i5 January 154011, the said land being in the lordship of Lovat and sheriffdom of Inver­ ness.1 A sasine followed dated 23 May 1541.2 He is stated to have been killed at the battle of Blair-na-leine in 1544. The name of his wife does not seem to be known. He had issue three sons:- L Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan, of whom hereafter. 2. James Fraser, mentioned in 1568 as brother of Hugh Fraser of Guisachan,3 for whom see BELLADRUM. 3. John Fraser, mentioned in 1574 as son of the late William Fraser of Guisachan.4 2 Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan is described as "Hucheon Fraser alias Williamson of Guisachanis" in a contract dated 8 February 1567/8.5 On 31 May 1556 he was served heir male to his uncle, James Fraser ''of Foenes" in the lands of uKynkell Clairscheour, Dawochearnen, Davochpolls, Gulbokye'' and the alehouse thereof, and in Pitlundie in the lordship of Ross and Ardmeanoch, sheriffdom of Inverness; and he was declared to be of law­ ful age, and it was stated that the lands had been in non-entry for twelve years since the death of the said James Fraser. 6 On 1 March 1562 /3 he and hi$ wife had a confirmation of the western half of the lands of Easter Cul­ bokie and the eastern half of the said Hugh's lands of Wester Culbokie.7 He died in May 1587. s 2 SOME FRASER PEDIGREES He married Margaret Munro, who had her terce of Guisachan 29 Nov­ crr1ber 15879 and was living 5 April i593.10 They had issue three sons and two daughters:- 1. Alexander Fraser, sometime described as of Guisachan, who was certainly his father's son and heir.11 2. Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan, of whom hereafter. 3. William Fraser named in 1580 as son of Hugh Fraser of Guis­ achan.12 1. Janet, wife of Thomas Chisholm, son of Alexander Chisholm of Comer. On 26 March 1578 she and her husband had a charter of the lands of Comermore and Easter Invercannich.13 She was certainly contracted shortly before Whitsuntide 1580 to Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston14 and she appears as the widow of Lauchlan Mackinnon of Strathswordsdale in 1608.14a 2. Marion, daughter of Hugh Fraser of Guisaohan, appears in 1587.16 3 Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan, second son of Hugh Fraser of the same by his wife, Margaret Munro, has already been discussed in Note ii. He was certainly "of Culbokie" in 159316 and his descendants used this de­ scription even long after Culbokie had been sold. In 1616 he acquired from Lachlan Mackintosh of Dunachton the town and lands of Drumchardiny, which were incorporated into the barony of Drumchardiny.17 He died 3 January 1634, and the inventory of his goods was given up by his widow.18 He married about 1593 Catharine, second daughter of John Mackenzie of Gairloch.19 She survived him many years, dying 7 March 1667 in the parish of Wardla,v, as "Goodwife of Kingillie." She made her will there 2 March 1667, as relict of Hugh Fraser of Culbokie, and the same was witnessed by John Cuthbert of Castlehill, Alexander Fraser of Reelig, and Mr James Fraser, minister of Wardlaw, who subscribed on her behalf.20 They had issue four sons and two daughte1·s:- 1. William Fraser of Culbokie, of whom hereafter. 2. John Fraser, for whom see CLUNEVACKIE.21 3. Al~xander Fraser, for whom see FoYNESs.21 4.