SPENCE OF MIDBRAKE in the Parish of Yell

1. JAMES SPENCE, of Midbrake, said to have been a son of Henry Spence, of Houlland, is one of the persons before whom the Shynd Bill of the lands, goods, &c., of the deceased Peter Nisbet of Kirkabister, is given up on 10th October 1605. He died in March 1607, having married Katherine Greig, and had issue:
   1. George, his heir
   2. James, who it appears died before 1602, unmarried leaving his lands to his brothers George and David, and his sister Marion, and the Hail of Midbrake, to his mother in liferent
   3. David, of Bracow, married Katherine, daughter of Peter Nisbet of Kirkabister, and had issue: Katherine, Grizel, Ingagirth, Janet, and Agnes
   4. Marion, married Arthur Fraser, in Setter, Yell, and died in June 1632, leaving a son, Andrew
2. GEORGE SPENCE, of Midbrake, married Marion Gregoriousdaughter, of Sandvoe, in Northmaven, and had issue:
   1. James, his heir
   2. John, of Failie, North Yell, died before 1674, married Uphroa Niclay, and George of Failie
   3. Andrew
   4. George
3. JAMES SPENCE, apparent of Midbrake, is a witness to a charter by Magnus Nicolson, portioner of Culbenstoft, to Patrick Cheyne, of Vaila, of the lands of Culbenstoft, in Fetlar, on 13th September 1636. He married Agnes, eldest daughter of Henry Spence of Houlland, and had issue:
   1. George, his heir
   2. Marable
4. GEORGE SPENCE, last of Midbrake, married in 1679, Janet Spence, and had issue:
   1. James, said to have gone to Holland, and died there
   2. Barbara (see No.V)
   3. Elizabeth, married George Spence
5. BARBARA SPENCE, heiress of Midbrake, married James Dunbar, of Weathersta, and had an only child,
6. MARY DUNBAR, heiress of Midbrake, married 30th January 1745, Thomas Irvine, merchant, North Yell, son of Peter Irvine and Margaret Skedaway, his spouse, and built the present mansion house. They had issue:
   1. James, his heir
   2. William, born 20th January 1747
   3. Alexander, of Papal, North Yell, born 14th September 1749, father of Mary Barbara, who died 16th October 1860
   4. Barbara, born 9th November 1751
   5. Ludovick, born 10th June 1754
   6. Margaret, born 29th March 1756, died 1770
   7. George, born 7th May 1758
   8. Andrew, merchant, Lerwick, born 22nd February 1760, died 27th November 1850, married 22nd April 1798, Joanna Elizabeth, daughter of John Thomas Henry, of Foratwatt, and had issue:
      1. Alexander Cumming, born 13th March 1799, died 3rd March 1830
      2. Thomas, born 1st December 1800
      3. Margaret Catherine of Bellevue, died April 1872
      4. Mary Elizabeth, of Bellevue
      5. John William, M.D., born 29th March 1808, died 28th May 1846, unmarried
      6. William Andrew, born 2nd October 1814, died on his passage from Malaga, 15th November 1831
      7. Lilias, married her cousin, John Thomas Henry, of Burrastow
7. JAMES IRVINE, of Midbrake, born 21st November 1745, married 4th January 1789, Elizabeth, daughter of Gilbert Gauden, of Overland, and had issue:
   1. Thomas, last of Midbrake, sold same to Dr Pole
   2. Gilbert (see No.VIII)
   3. Alexander Ludovick, married Sarah Maria Creak, of London, and has issue: Fanny, James, Maria, Alexander Ludovick, Thomas, and Eliza Bruce
   4. Bruce Barbara
8. GILBERT WILLIAM IRVINE, of Melby Cottage, married Margaret, daughter of William Hoseason, of Dalsetter, and had issue
9. JAMES THOMAS IRVINE, of Melby Cottage, married (first) Ursula Margaret, daughter of James David Hoseason of Greenbank, Yell, and (second) Elizabeth Pugh, of Ludlow, and has issue:
   1. George Gilbert Andrew
   2. Ursula Margaret
   3. John William
   4. James Charles