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THE SINCLAIRS OF BRABSTERDORRAN

The estate of Brabsterdorran is in the parish of Bower.

In the seventeenth century this property seems to have been held in four different portions; one by John Henderson, another by Henry Dundas, and two by families of Mansons. In 1798 the whole was united in the family of the Sinclairs of Southdun.

I. FRANCIS SINCLAIR, son of William in Dun, and grandson of Patrick

  • George, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Gibson, Dean of Bower, and had an only child, Jean, who married her cousin, David Sinclair, in Whitegar, son of David Sinclair of Whitegar, the grandson of David Sinclair of Southdun. They had a son, Alexander, who was portioner of Brabsterdorran, as in right of his mother. He sold his interest, in 1780, to Miss Katharine Sinclair of Southdun. Jean Sinclair's grandfather, Francis, had a wadset for 2000 merks on Brabsterdorran, to which she as his heir had right, and about 1738 and subsequent years there was litigation in regard to the claims of Francis Sinclair's heir to the lands, it being contended that James Sinclair of Lyth had purchased the reversion of the wadset for Francis, and that the latter having died in the interim, and his grandchild being young, James had kept the reversion to himself, and had thus acquired the heritable right to Brabsterdorran II. PATRICK SINCLAIR, a portioner of Brabsterdorran, married, in 1703, Barbara, second daughter of William Cumming, Minister of Halkirk, and his wife, Katharine, daughter of John Murray of Pennyland. Patrick is said to have had two sons: -
    1. William, nicknamed "La Mode". He had been a midshipman in the navy, and was thereafter in the Customs at Thurso. He married Rachel, daughter of Mr. Cumming of Craigmiln, in Morayshire, and among other children had Katharine, who married Alexander Cumming, tacksman of Rattar
    2. James, who was tide-waiter in the Customs at Thurso
    In 1670 Henry Dundas, then one of the portioners of Brabsterdorran, granted a wadset to John Sinclair in Brabsterdorran and Margaret, his wife, and William, their eldest son. In 1693 Margaret Sinclair, then relict of John, assigned the wadset to her son, Alexander. Whether these Sinclairs were connected with the Brabsterdorran, or Dun and Southdun families, has not been ascertained.

    The subsequent information as to this branch was supplied by Francis J. Grant, "Carrick Pursuivant"

    III ALEXANDER SINCLAIR OF BRABSTERDORRAN, portioner thereof in right of his mother, was born at Rattar House, retoured heir to his great-grandfather, Francis Sinclair, 2nd April 1772. He married in 1768 Margaret, daughter of John Christie, bleacher at Ormiston. She died at Edinburgh 6th April 1837, aged 87. He sold his interest in Brabsterdorran in 1780 to Miss Sinclair of Southdun, and dying shortly thereafter was buried in the Kirk of Bower. He had six children -

    1. WILLIAM, born in 1771, died in West Indies, unmarried.
    2. DAVID, born 1772, married Ann Dilworth, who died 13th November 1818, aged 42. He died 1st April 1840, and had issue -
      1. DAVID.
      2. WILLIAM.
      3. ALEXANDER.
      4. JAMES.
      5. MARGARET.
      6. GEORGINA.
      7. MARY, born 1774, married, 1799, William Griffith, who died 30th June 1820, aged 56, She died 24th December 1856 aged 84, and had issue
      8. CATHERINE, born 1777, married, 1810, George Thomson, solicitor.
      9. JOHN, aftermentioned.
      10. DOUBLEDAY, born 1780, married, 1803, Thomas Tait, and had issue
    IV JOHN SINCLAIR, born 4th February 1777, was killed in a railway collision near Edinburgh 7th December 1854. He married in 1799 Elisabeth, daughter of James Grant of Corrimony, advocate. She died 12th December 1840, aged 70, and had issue -
    1. MARY ANNE, died young.
    2. ALEXANDER, died young.
    3. MARGARET, born 1805, died 18th January 1832.
    4. JOHN, born 1807, died 23rd May 1847.
    5. JANE, married 23rd May 1840, Dr. John Park, Royal Navy, and died 15th August 1870, and had issue
    6. LUCY ANN, born 2nd December 1841, died 19th August 1860.
    7. MAITLAND, born 12th May 1844; married at Brisbane, Margaret Maclean Kennedy.
    8. ANNE, died 28th April 1862, unmarried.
    9. VEITCH, M.D., born 28th October 18l0; died at London 22nd May 1892; married rst June 1842, Harriet, daughter of Thomas Tweedie of Quarter, Peeblesshire, and had issue
      1. THOMAS VEITCH, died 16th November 1846.
      2. ALEXANDER, died young.
      3. HARRIET ELISABETH

      4. ALEXANDER JAMES, M.D., born September, 1848; died 23rd February 1889; married 7th June 1881, Louisa, daughter of George Stewart, and had issue.
      5. HENRY TWEEDIE
      6. JAMES L.R.C.P.S.; married 22nd February 1887, Mary Louisa, daughter of J.J. Macswiney, London, and has issue a daughter.
      7. ARTHUR VEITCH
      8. AUGUSTINE, M.D., born 12th July 1856; married Matilda Donaldson, and has issue.
      9. ADELAIDE JANE, born 27th December 1858; died 14th February 1859.
      10. MARY, died young.
      11. ELIZA, died young.
      12. WILLIAM, died 16th March 1868; married, 1838, Jane, daughter of David R. Andrews, Dundee, and had issue -
        1. WILLIAM, married 16th March 1868, Sophia, daughter of Robert Paton, W.S.
        2. And several others who died young.
      13. LUCY, born 29th September, 1820; died 31st May 1879; married 1st October 1839, Anthony Clapham, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and had issue -
        1. LUCY, born 11th July 1840; married 10th July 1861, her mother's cousin, John Grant, Marchmont Herald, and had issue -
          1. CALVERT JOHN
          2. LUCY ANTONIA
          3. EDITH MARGARET.
          4. FRANCIS JAMES GRANT, W.S., "Carrick Pursuivaut," author of Shetland County Families, "Grants of Corrimony"

        2. REGINALD, born 20th February 1848, died 3rd January 1889; and had issue 5 children.
        3. MARY JANE.
        4. MARIA ANNE.
        5. ANTHONY CALVERT, born 18th December 1856.
      14. JAMES, born 1822; died at Cape of Good Hope, June 1874.

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