THE SINCLAIRS OF BULLISTER AND SWINING, NESTING

1. EDWARD, his heir.
2. GILBERT.
3. HENRY.
4. JAMES.
5. ANDREW of Kirkhouse and Southerhouse, whose son EDWARD succeeded him in those lands.

1. ELIZABETH, married James Ross of Swarraster.
2. BARBARA.

II EDWARD SINCLAIR OF BULLISTER. There is preserved a document in the Norse language in which Andrew Mouat of Hugoland, Shetland, and his dear spouse the worthy and honourable lady Else Trondsdaughter of Erisfiordt, acknowledge their indebtedness to the honourable and discreet man Effuart Sincklar, residing in Shetland at Bollesetter, for a friendly loan of 300 Rix dollars, and convey as security various lands in Shetland, being the just Odal inheritance of Lady Else. Sealed at Gieresvig in Norway the 20th June 1597.

Lady Else was one of several daughters of Christopher Throndson Rustung, a Norwegian, who after an adventurous career attained the position of Admiral to the King of Denmark and Norway. His seven daughters were - Else, Maren, Magdala, Margaret, Anna, Dorothy, and Christina, of whom Anna was married or betrothed to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell; Dorothy married, it is said, John Stewart, a Shetlander; and Else married (1st) John Haar of Gjeresvig in Norway, (2nd) Axel Fredrikson, Lawman at Bergen-1569-1585, and (3rd) Andrew Mouat of Hugoland, and had issue Axel, Christopher, and Karen. Axel is frequently mentioned (1630-1641) as a naval officer of high rank, latterly as Vice Admiral of the Fleet, and much employed by the King. He died 29th January 1661, aged 68, the owner of large estates in Norway. His sister Karen, who died in 1675, was married to Ludwig Rosenkrands of Rosendal, who collected all the property of the Mouat family (partly in Hardanger), which was made a Barony, under the name of Rosendal. Within seventy years thereafter most of this property, once belonging to Axel Mouat, was lost by the Rosenkrands family, which in 1723 became extinct in the male line, when the Barony reverted to the Crown. Admiral Mowat had a natural son, Anders Axelson, living as late as 1690, whose descendants remain in Norway to the present day. [Goudie]

NOTE - Rustung: This sobriquet occurs in the Decree by the Lawman of Bergen in 1485 A.D., when Eudrith Swenson-Rostungh is noted as a Council-man of [Bergen or] Shetland.

On 3rd July 1602, he and William Sinclair of Ustaness promised to compear and rakin among themselves before 1st August thereafter, and upon 26th August same, take certain acts of Court. He granted a charter on 1st August 1623, with consent of James Sinclair, his eldest son, to their loving friend Thomas Cheyne, of certain lands which had been disponed to them by the deceased Andrew Wishart and Annabel Leslie, his spouse. He died 17th March 1630, having married Janet Sutherland, who died 1623, and had issue -

1. HENRY.
2. JAMES, his heir.
3. ANDREW of Swining.

III JAMES SINCLAIR OF BULLISTER married Margaret, daughter of James Edmondston of Hascosay, and had issue -

1. HENRY, his heir.
2. HUGH.
3. JAMES.
4. ANDREW.
5. JOHN.

1. ELIZABETH, married James Oliphant of Ure, a descendant of Oliphant of Gask.
2. JEAN, married Hugh Tarrel of Laxvoe.
3. MARTHA.

IV HENRY SINCLAIR OF BULLISTER, died 25th November 1714, having married Christian, daughter of Robert Pitcairn.

V ANDREW SINCLAIR OF SWINING (see above) died after 1684, having married in 1648 Elizabeth, daughter of James Buchanan, and had issue -

1. HENRY, his heir
2. ROBERT, mentioned 1678
3. EDWARD
4. GILBERT

1. LILIAS, married Hugh Sinclair of Skelberrie, Lunnasting
2. BARBARA, married David Mouat
3. MARY

VI HENRY SINCLAIR OF SWINING died 16th December 1718, married Martha, daughter of Gilbert Neven of Scousburgh, and had issue -

1. GILBERT, his heir.
2. ANDREW
3. HENRY of Still, who in 1767 conveyed the Island of Uyea and parts of Clivocast to Hunter of Lunna. He had issue -
   1. DAVID of Still, whose daughter Martha married Thomas Fell of Clivocast.
   2. KATHERINE, married William Gauden of Overland and Swinister, and died 17th October 1839.

1. MARY, married Hugh Tarrel of Laxvoe.
2. MARTHA, married John Wallace.
3. JANET.

VII GILBERT SINCLAIR OF SWINING died 1720, having married (first) Katherine, daughter of William Tarrell of Laxvoe, and (second) Prudence McDougal, who after his death married Mr. Thomas Hay, minister of Yell, and died 26th June 1730, aged 45. He had issue -

1. HENRY, his heir.
2. GILBERT.

1. MARTHA, married Arthur Edmondston of Hascosay.
2. MARGARET.
3. JEAN.

VIII HENRY SINCLAIR, LAST OF SWINING, left Shetland and settled at Musselburgh, of which burgh he was Town Clerk. He died 14th April 1753, having married Susan, daughter of James Drummond of Mugdrum, and had issue -

1. A daughter married Alexander Orme, Clerk of Session.
2. A daughter married John Maclaurin.