SINCLAIR OF BRUGH in the Parish of Nesting

1. EDWARD SINCLAIR of Strom acquired the lands of Brugh, from Margaret Reid, heretrix of Gilbert Cant, in Zetland, about the year 1530. On 19th September 1539, he has a respite for being art and part in the slaughter of John, Earl of Caithness, in the year 1529.
2. HENRY SINCLAIR of Strom and Brugh, probably his son, died 1575, having married Catherine Kennedy, and had issue:
   1. Hugh, his heir
   2. Captain William, born 1547, was a witness to the attempt of Cultmalindie, to murder Arthur Sinclair of Aith at Scalloway in 1575
   3. Edward of Marrasetter, in Whalsay, served heir to his brother Oliver, 18th August 1618, died 14th September 1622, married Margaret, daughter of Andrew Gifford of Weathersta, and had issue: Andrew of Marrasetter, Henry, and Donsie
   4. Oliver of Easthouse, father of Hugh of Easthouse, who married Lilias Sinclair, and Martha, who married William Adamson
   5. Janet
3. HUGH SINCLAIR of Brugh, had a charter from Robert, Earl of Orkney, and “to the heirs lawfully gotten betwixt him and the deceased Grissell Stewart, our natural daughter, each one after the others successively without any division of lands” of the lands of Howsbie, and the Isle of Auskerry in Orkney, on 21st April 1591. He had previously a charter under the Great Seal, on 7th November 1587, under the declaration that the lands were to descend according to the custom in Scotland, and not to be divided among his children as was usual in udal holdings, of the lands called the canonical lands of the Cathedral of Orkney, and lying the parishes of Dunrossness, Burra, Goldberryvik, Quhytenes, Weisdaill, Sandsting, Delting, Yell, Fetlair, and Unst. On 30th June 1597, he is ordained by the Privy Council to find caution to the extent of 5000 merks. He died about 1605, having married (first) the said Grissell Stewart; and (second) Jean, daughter of Alexander Bruce of Cultmalindie, and had issue:
   1. Robert, his heir
   2. Laurence, aftermentioned (No. V)
   3. Henry, married Margaret Umphray, who died 4th March 1645, and had Hew, Patrick, Helen, and Jean
   4. Alexander
   5. Margaret, married Malcolm Sinclair of Quendale
   6. Christina, served heir portioner of her brother Robert, on 14th March 1626
4. ROBERT SINCLAIR of Brugh, was served heir to his father and grandfather, on 8th October 1605, in the Barony of Brugh, consisting of 182 merks of land in Nesting, 233/4 in Weisdale, 7 in Whiteness, 16 in Sandsting and Aithsting, 431/2 in Walls, 9 in Northmaven, 37 in Bressay, 15 in Delting, 5 in Burra, and 9 in Unst, amounting in all to 3471/4 merks. He died before 31st July 1607. The inventory of his plate and household good show that he was possessed of 82 horses, 38 mares, 60 oxen, 118 cows, 3060 sheep, 165 barrels of oats, 212 barrels of beer, and 3 chalders of beer. He appears to have died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,
5. LAURENCE SINCLAIR of Brugh, served heir to his father Hugh, in the Barony of Brugh, on 31st July 1607. He was a witness at the trial of the Earl of Orkney before the Privy Council in 1610, and was appointed on 10th August 1614, a commissioner to apprehend any of the rebels of Orkney, who may proceed to Shetland. He died in December 1659, having married Margaret, daughter of James Sinclair of Scalloway, and had issue:
   1. Hugh, his heir
   2. Jean, married David Stewart in Sandwick
6. HUGH SINCLAIR of Brugh, only son, served heir to his father on 6th June 1671, and again on 11th June 1706, was a Commissioner of Supply for Zetland in 1678 and 1704. He granted a wadset for 500 merks to James Mitchell of Girlesta, over his 9 merks land in Stensland, in the parish of Walls, 3 merks in Tresta in Aithsting, and the island of Linga, lying in Whalsay Sound, on 26th January 1697. The estate of Brugh became the property of the Bruces of Symbister, in whose possession it still remains.