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Amelia Volume 2 chapter 26

Robert MacGregor or Murray of Glencarnock

[page 350]
ROBERT of Glencarnock, younger, to James Duke of Atholl. [1]  

"Glencarnock Feb. 14th 1741.-" My Lord In obedience to your Grace's orders to me to stop any of yr Gr/'s people of this Lo. that were summoned to the Stewart Court of Strathearn from compearing, I prevented yr Gr/'s vassal Donald Mclaren of Easter Innernenty and Lachlan McLachlan a tennant of my own and a decreet has gone out against them, and both charged thereon which charge was sent to Mr Stewart yr Gr/'s doer to raise suspension on. If your Grace intends to dispute the Stewartrie of Strathearn's authority to pass decreets against yr Gr/'s people you write Mr Stewart press¬ing about it, for the family of Perth will dispute every particular to mantain their jurisdiction, which if they succeed, will ruin yr Gr/'s Regality in this country, for I am told that they are determined to pursue the whole people of the Lo. even upon penal statutes. What else occures with respect to yr Gr/'s Interest I shall take due care to represent.

"I've writ repeated letters to yr Gr/ in behalf of Evan Murray my Broyr, to which I had no answer yet, I hope yr Gr/ will please order the desired answer, begging yr Gr/ will pardon this tedious letter, I am with all submission and esteem My Lord yr Gr/'s most obedient and most faithful humble servt. Ro Murray."

This refers to a dispute as to the respective jurisdictions, and it is probable that as the Earl of Perth was a strong Jacobite and the Duke a Hanoverian, it was specially important to exercise thcir respective rights, in anticipation of future troubles.

The notice of Robert Murray or MacGregor, eldest son of John og of Glencarnock, is now given from the article in the Baronage by his nephew Sir John MacGregor Murray.
[page 351]
XXI. "Robert of Glencarnock. [2]   the twenty first generation in direct male line of the honourable House of MacGregor," succeeded his Father in 1744, "assumed the name of Murray at the request of His Grace the late Duke of Atholl," James, and Duke, "of whom he held his estate and by whom he was greatly esteemed. He was a man of education, of great honour and probity, but invariably attached to the interest of the Stewart family. He engaged in their cause in 1745, had the command of a Regiment of his own Clan, and mortgaged his whole fortune to forward it, which soon after his death was the means of carrying off the estate.

"When the Duke of Cumberland went north, being informed that the MacGregors were in Badenoch, Mr William Gordon, Minister of Alva, himself of the name, was by the Duke's order sent to treat with this Clan to lay down their arms and return home, with power from his highness to assure them if they complied they should be restored to their name and otherways favoured and countenanced by the Government; or if they would join his royal highness, that their commanders should have the same rank, and their promotion be esteemed the peculiar care of his royal highness.

To which embassy, after holding a Council of War, Glencarnock returned for answer, "That he and his Clan thought themselves highly obliged to his royal highness for the honour he had done them, but, that having embarked in this affair, they could not now desert it, whatever they might suffer, should it misgive. That on the one hand, though his highness might love the treason, he must needs hate the traitors; and on the other, they would justly incur the odium of their own party; that therefore they chose rather to risk their lives and fortunes and die with the characters of honest men, than live in infamy, and hand down disgrace to their posterity." [3]  

Omitting parts of the Memoir narrated from other sources, the "Baronage" is again quoted, though abridged.

"Glencarnock married first, Christian, daughter of John Campbell alias MacGregor of Roro by whom he had one daughter, Christian married to Captain John Graham of the 42nd Regt brother of Thomas Graham of Duchray. She had a son afterwards Lt General Graham Stirling of Duchray and Auchyle, who married the only daughter of Colonel Moncreif, R.E. leaving issue; and also a daughter, Miss Graham, who married Capt. Robert MacGregor, Bengal Army, [4]   Persian Interpreter to Lord Lake, who fell gallantly in the Battle of Futpur Gunge, leaving issue Lt Robert & John MacGregor of the Bengal Establishment.

"Glencarnock married 2nd, 1732, Robina daughter of Major Donald Cameron, son of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, the said Major Donald having left two [page 352] daughters, Robina the eldest, and Isabel who married Sir Archibald Sinclair. Glencarnock by his 2d wife had several children, all of whom died young except John, of whom later.

“Glencarnock married, 3rdly Barbara Mary Drummond, [5]   daughter and sole heiress of William Drummond of Hawthornden."

The date of his marriage must have been 1751 as appears from a Bond of Annuity. Glencarnock died in Edinburgh, October 1758, and was succeeded as Chief of the Clan by his next brother Duncan.
Abstract of Contract of Marriage betwixt Robert Murray of Glencarnock and Mistress Robinah Cameron, 1732, [6]  
"At Carrandel the 21st June 1732 years. It is appointed, matrimoniallie contracted, finally ended and agreed Betwixt Robert Murray of Glencarnock Heritable Proprietor of the Lands and others underwritten on the one part, and Mistress Robinah Cameron Lawful Daughter to the Deceast Major Donald Cameron, son to Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, with the special Advice and Consent of Donald Cameron of Lochiel his Cousine German, &c"

The properties are thus enumerated
[page 353]
"The Six Merk Lands of Invercarnock, and Miln thereof; the seven merk land of Inverloch Larigmore, the half of Immeriach, the haill four merk lands of Craigruie, all lying in the Parish and Lordship of Balquhidder Regality of Athole and Shirifdom of Perth.

"The lady's Tocher was 'Two Thousand Five hundred Merks Scots Money." The Contract is signed by 'Ro. Murray, Robina Cameron and Donald Cameron before these witnesses ,William Drummoud Younger of Bohaldie, John Cameron, Donald Cameron of Cluns, and Mr Skeldoch, Minister of the Gospel in the Parish of Kilmaniveg."

A parchment " Instrument of Sasine, 4th May 1734," when a further Disposition of Annuity was given to "Robina Cameron, Spouse to Robert Murray of Glencarnock." In addition to the lands mentioned before, the following are named
"The Six merk Land of Innercarnock Milne and Miln Lands thereof, the Seven Merk Land of Inner Loch Larig More, the three and a half Merk Land of Inner Loch Larig Beg, the three and half Merk Land of Easter Drumlich, the two and a half Merk Land of Wester Drumlich, the half of Wester Innernentie commonly called Blarevich." "Gregor Murray in Innerlochlarig more " is the attorney. The Parchment is docketted
"Life Rent Sasine in favours of
Lady Glencarnock, Younger."

Shewing that the Widow of John late Glencarnock, was still living.

Copy of Original Warrant for raising the whole Lands of Balquhidder for the King's service, addressed to Alexander Steuart of Glenbucky and Robert Murray of Glencarnock dated Camp at Blair, Sept 2, 1745.

"This to empower and authorise you Alexr Steuart of Glenbucky and Robert Murray of Glencairnaig to be aiding and assisting to one another in raising for his Majesty's service my vassals of Balquhidder and Tennants there upon my property Which I desire & require you may, with all expedition & Dispatch to Join the Army under his royall Highness Command Friday next at Perth or wherever the royall Standard may be for the time and this you are to perform with all diligence & care as you shall be answerable to (Signed) "Atholl"
"Camp at Blair Septr 1745"'

This paper bears a docquet in Sir John's handwriting with a note "Glencarnock & Glenbuckie had taken the other side of the question before the date of the Warrant." But this note is evidently written under the erroneous impression that the Duke of Atholl who signed the Warrant was Duke James instead of Duke William.

The Marquis of Tullibardine, Duke James's eldest brother, had landed in Scotland with the Prince in July 1745, and had taken up the hereditary title of Duke of Atholl, of which an Attainder had deprived him. To dis¬tinguish him from his brother, the de facto Duke, he is known in the Atholl family as "Duke William." He occupied Blair Castle in Sept. 1745, and on the same date sent similar warrants to other vassals. This warrant was for the service of King James VIII., with directions to join the army under "His Royal Highness" Prince Edward's command, and Glencarnock and Glenbucky heartily responded.
[page 354]
GLENGYLE

VII. Gregor McGregor of Glengyle who acted a principal part in the History of the Clan in the 18th century was born in 1689, and had a feu charter of that estate, dated 25th May 1703, whilst he was still a minor [7]   under the guardianship of his uncle Rob Roy he was care¬fully educated, and was a man of intelligence and honour. In 1714, by the advice of his uncle he signed the Bond electing Balhaldies as Chief of the Macgregors and afterwards adhered to that action. In the Rising of 1715 he did good and faithful service to the Stewart cause; in the preceding pages, letters and orders from the Earl of Mar show that Glengyle was even at the age of twenty-six a commanding officer who merited confidence. Notwithstanding the conduct of Ghlun Dhu (as he was called) at this time he does not appear to have been forfeited afterwards, but it is said that the House of Glengyle was burnt by Hanoverian soldiers quartered at Finlarig. From 1720 to December 1744, "James Graham" headed a watch for defending the cattle of parts of Perthshire and Stirlingshire, and in the latter part of that time his eldest son was associated with him.


[1] Atholl and TuIlibardine Chronicles.

[2] The right gaelic spelling of this property in Balquhidder, at the head of Loch Voil is Glencarnaig, but the Baronage and other legal papers spell the name as above.-Ed

[3] Where does this fiction originate? – When Cumberland arrived in Scotland, the MacGregor regiment were in Sutherland – and led by Colonel Gregor of Glengyle! - PJL

[4] Brother of Major-General James and grandson of Rob Roy.

[5] This lady married 2ndly in 1760, Dr William Abernethy, a Bishop of the Episcopalian Church, who took his wife's name of Drummond, he was the youngest son of Alexander Abernethy of Corsbie, Banffshire. They had one daughter who died 11th Feb 1777, aged 13. Mrs Barbara Mary Drummond died 11th Feb. 1789 and disposed her estate burdened with her husband's liferent to Mary Ogilvie her Cousin, and daughter of Mr Ogilvie, Physician in Forfar. This lady married Captain Forbes, R. N., nephew of Dr Abernethy, who also took the name of Drummond and had two daughters, Mary and Margaret.

[6] Edinchip Papers