Robert Gordon writes: "This year of God, 1620,
the eldest son of Sir John Sinclair of Greenland
perished in the water of Risgill, as he was riding
that river in a great speat and storm of weather.
He was a young gentleman of good expectation."
This event must have occurred earlier than 1620,
for in 1618 his immediate younger brother, Alex-
ander, obtained a precept as his heir.
2. Alexander, who in 1618 obtained from his uncle,
Earl George, a precept of clare as heir to
William. He died without issue.
3. John, who obtained in 1623 a precept of clare as
heir to Alexander. He also died without issue,
and was succeeded by-
4. James of Reaster, who obtained a precept on 16th
December 1634, and was afterwards of Rattar.
5. Francis, who died without issue.
There is mention of a son, Thomas, as alive about
1630, but there is no trace of any of his descendants.
1. Elizabeth, Sir John's only daughter, married John
Cunningham of Geise and Brownhill. In Novem-
ber 1630, her brother, James, borrowed from Sir
John Sinclair of Geanies and Dunbeath £3000 "for
payment of his sister Elizabeth's tocher to John
Cunningham of Geise, her spouse." In Douglas's
accounts of the Cunninghams there is much con-
fusion and error as to this lady and her marriage.
Sir John had a natural son, George, mentioned in a
sasine in favour of his brother, Alexander, in 1619, but
of him we have no further account.
II. James Sinclair of Reaster and of Rattar,1
married Janet, daughter of William Bruce of Stanstill,
and had two sons, and, so far as has been ascertained, three
daughters-
1. William, his successor.
2. John, who died without issue.
In an assignation dated 14th December 1636, by
James Sinclair, to his eldest son, William, whom failing,
to his second son, John, he assigns a reversion of Rattar,
in consideration of certain payments by "Janet Murray,
Ladie of Stanstil, my mother-in-law."
1. Janet, eldest daughter, who married Walter Bruce
of Ham.2
2. Margaret, who married in 1655 John Smith, son
of William Smith, Minister of Dunnet from
1614 to 1652.
3. Elizabeth or Elspeth, who married about 1652,
William Bruce of Stanstill.3
2 Contract of Marriage, 20th Decem-
ber 1642.
3 In June 1864, it was stated in a
notice in "Notes and Queries" that
William Smyth, minister of Dunottar,
afterwards of Bower and Watten, mar-
ried a daughter of James Sinclair of
Rattar, and had a son, George; but no
evidence has been found of any such
III. William Sinclair, Third of Rattar, acquired
the lands of Freswick in 1661, from Mowat of Buquhollie
and his son, Magnus.1 He married, first, in 1642, when
in apparency only, Elizabeth, daughter of John Sinclair,
first of Ulbster; and, second, in 1647,2 Jean, daughter of
John Cunningham of Geise and Brownhill, and relict of
Alexander Sinclair of Latheron. John Cunningham, it
has been seen, had for his second wife Elizabeth, aunt
of William Sinclair of Rattar; but it is thought that his
daughter, Jean, was not Rattar's cousin-german, but was
the daughter of John Cunningham by his first marriage.
Jean Cunningham was long famous in the locality under
the name of "Jeanag of Rattar."
By his first marriage William Sinclair had John, his
successor in Rattar.3
By his second wife he had three sons and two
daughters.4
1. James of Freswick, said to have died in France,
having been taken prisoner when on his way
to Edinburgh to be married. In Chambers's
"Domestic Annals" (vol. iii. p. 25, anno 1690) it
is stated that having made his case known to
the Scottish Privy Council, he was released in
exchange for Mr. David Fairfoul, a priest detained
in prison at Inverness.
2. Robert.
3. David, who succeeded to Freswick on the death of
Robert.1
1. Janet, eldest daughter, who married John Sinclair
of Ulbster, son of Patrick Sinclair.2
2. Anne, who married, first, Robert Sinclair of Durran,
and, second, John Campbell of Castlehill, Com-
missary and Sheriff-clerk of Caithness.3
IV. John Sinclair, Fourth of Rattar, married
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Mey, and
had two sons and four daughters:-
1. John, his successor.
2. William who, on the death in 1712 of his uncle,
David of Freswick, succeeded to that estate.
1. Barbara, eldest daughter, who married John
Sinclair of Forss. By their descendant, William
Sinclair Thomson Sinclair, Esq., the estates of
Freswick are now possessed under an entail
executed in 1775 by John Sinclair, then of
Freswick.
2. Frances, who married James Sinclair of Latheron.
3. Margaret, who married, first, Alexander Sinclair of
Brabster, and, second, Alexander Gibson, Minister
of Canisbay. Vide Brabster and Gibson.
4. Katharine, who married George Manson of Bridgend.
V. John Sinclair, Fifth of Rattar, married Janet,
daughter of Patrick Sinclair of Southdun, and died in
1733.1 He had two sons:-
1. John, who died unmarried in minority.
2. William, who succeeded his father.
William was a minor at his father's death, and the
estate was taken charge of by his uncle, William of Fres-
wick. His mother also claimed the management, and,
pending the dispute, "lodged in the garret while Fres-
wick occupied the other parts of the house of Rattar."
The widow afterwards married one Dun, a stay-maker
in Edinburgh.
VI. William Sinclair, Sixth of Rattar, married
Barbara, daughter of John Sinclair of Scotscalder, and
died in 1779.2 In 1772 his claim to the dignity of Earl
of Caithness was sustained by the Committee of Privi-
leges. He had five sons and two daughters:-
1. John, his successor.
2. William, an officer in the army, who died in
America unmarried.
3. James. 4. Alexander. 5. David.
These died young and unmarried.
1. The eldest daughter, Lady Isabella, died un-
married.
2. Lady Janet, married to James Trail of Rattar, and
had issue.- Vide Trails.
VII. John Sinclair, Seventh and Last of Rattar,
succeeded his father in 1779, and was the eleventh Earl
of Caithness.
In 1772 he entered the army as an Ensign in the 17th
Foot, and became Major in the 76th Foot in 1777.1 He
served for some years in America, and was wounded at
the siege of Charlestown. In 1783 he attained the rank
of Lieutenant-Colonel. He died unmarried in 1789, and
was at the time of his death the last male representative
of the family of Greenland and Rattar.
liferent, and himself and his brothers in succession in fee.
He died before 1696 without issue.
The arms of the family,1 as recorded by James Sinclair
in the Lyon Register, are:- Quarterly first azure, a ship
at anchor, with Oars in Saltier, within a double tressure
counter-flowered or; second or, a lion rampant gules;
third as the second; and the fourth azure, a ship under
sail or, and, over all, dividing the quarters, a cross en-
grailed sable, all within a bordure chequé or and gules;
Crest, a cross pattee, within a circle of stars argent.
Motto, Via crucis via lucis.
III. Robert Sinclair of Freswick succeeded his
brother James, and, dying unmarried, was succeeded by
his brother David.
IV. David Sinclair of Freswick was twice married,
first, to Barbara, daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Mey,2
and secondly to Sophia, daughter of Sir William Stewart
of Burray.3 He had no issue by either marriage. In
April 1712 he executed an entail or destination of the
estate in favour of his nephew, William, second son of his
half-brother, John Sinclair of Rattar, the destination
being, failing his own heirs male or female, "in favour
of William Sinclair, second son of John Sinclair of Rattar,
and the heirs-male of his body, whom failing, to John
Sinclair of Durran, my sister's son, and the heirs-male of
his body; whom failing, to return to the heirs-male of the
family of Rattar, my father's family." In 1712 and 1713,
his sisters, Janet and Anne, were served heirs to him, and
some legal proceedings touching the succession took place,
but were ultimately abandoned. Mrs. Janet Sinclair,
then relict of John Sinclair of Ulbster, executed in 1712
a deed from which the following is an extract:- "Out
of the respect I have to the family of Ratter, being my
father's family, and for supporting not only thereof, but
also of my brother's family of Freswick, and his memory,
condescended and agreed with the said William Sinclair
that I should ratify the foresaid disposition and right,
and denude myself of all title and right I have to the
said estate."
V. William Sinclair of Freswick, second son of
John Sinclair of Rattar, and grandson of William Sinclair
of Rattar by his first marriage, added to the family estates
by the purchase of the wadsets of Dunnet and Greenland,
held by Murray of Clairden, and of the reversion of these
estates held by Sir James Sinclair of Dunbeath, and in
1751 he purchased Dunbeath from Sir William Sinclair
of Keiss and James Sinclair of Latheron for £3000 ster-
ling, and the lands of Warse and others in Canisbay from
the Groat family. The House of Freswick was built by
him about middle of last century. In 1778 James
Sinclair, son of James Sinclair of Latheron, who sold
Dunbeath, attempted to set aside the sale, but after
many years' litigation the action of reduction raised
against Freswick's son and successor failed.
William Sinclair of Freswick was a gentleman of
ability and of considerable local note, while his personal
appearance is stated to have been dignified and imposing.
As leader of one of the two political parties into which
the county was in his time divided (Sir William Dunbar
of Hempriggs leading the other), he was an influential
county gentleman. If vindictive and somewhat unscrupu-
lous towards his enemies and opponents, as they alleged,
he was a warm, and, on many occasions, a generous and
considerate friend. He was eager in the promotion of
his own interests, and his acquisition of a considerable
estate from moderate beginnings, and the political and
family animosities prevalent in the times in which he
lived, account, to some extent, for the rather unfavour-
able traditionary character he bears.
He married Katharine, daughter of George Sutherland
of Forse, and he died in 1769.1 He had a son and two
daughters:-
1. John, his successor.
1. Elizabeth, eldest daughter, married, when some-
what advanced in life, George Bean, a Writer
in Inverness.
2. Jean, married Alexander Sinclair of Barrock, and was
grandmother of Sir John Sinclair, late of Barrock.
VI. John Sinclair of Freswick, Advocate, was
Sheriff of the county, and was twice married. His first
wife was Margaret, daughter of Sir John Dalrymple of
Cousland, and a lady to whom he appears to have been
much attached, although for some reason, now unknown,
his father was much opposed to the marriage. By
her he had a son and a daughter:-
1. William, who was a Lieutenant in the 78th
Regiment, in 1778. He predeceased his father
without issue, and appears to have given him
much trouble and distress from his extravagant
habits.
1. Kitty, who also died before her father, in her
fifteenth year.
By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of James
Moray of Abercairney, who survived him, he had no issue.
In the contested county election, in 1754, John
Sinclair was invited by the Brodie party to stand as a
candidate, but he declined, and supported General Scott,
who was returned.
He died and was buried at Bath, in 1784, and was
the last surviving collateral heir-male of the Rattar
branch of the Caithness family, so that on the death
of John, Earl of Caithness, in 1789, the succession to
the earldom devolved on Sir James Sinclair of Mey,
in default of heirs-male of the Greenland and Rattar
family.
In reference to the settlement of the Freswick estates,
he wrote, in 1782, to his second cousin, Dr. William Sinclair of Lochend, afterwards of Freswick: "I look on my grandfather (John Sinclair of Rattar) as the head of my family; from his descendants I never will give away what my father left me, but of these I will choose him I think the most worthy. A cousin or a nephew are equal with me in the scale. Whoever merits most will be pre- ferable." Accordingly, on 30th May 1775, he executed a strict entail of the estates, in the destination of which he preferred the descendants of his paternal aunt, Barbara, daughter of John Sinclair of Rattar, and two of the younger sons of William, tenth Earl of Caithness, great- grandsons of John of Rattar, to the children of his sister, Mrs. Sinclair of Barrock, his nephew, William, the second son of Barrock, being the last named substitute of entail. The estates were settled (1st), on the heirs-male and female of his own body; (2d), on Robert Sinclair, eldest grandson of his aunt, Barbara, and her husband, John Sinclair of Forss; (3d), on Dr. William Sinclair, another grandson of Barbara Sinclair and John Sinclair of Forss; (4th and 5th), on his cousins, William and James, younger sons of William Sinclair of Rattar, tenth Earl of Caithness; and (lastly), on his nephew, William Sinclair, Writer to the Signet, the second son of Alexander Sin- clair of Barrock, by his sister, Jean. This settlement of the estates was the cause of great dissatisfaction to his sisters, who, in a process of reduction in 1789 for setting it aside, complained of the entail as "disinheriting them
and preferring a person who, although a relation of the
family, was not even the nearest heir-male."
John Sinclair is described as a man of quick parts,
but proud and extravagant, and inattentive to his affairs.
VII. Robert Sinclair of Freswick, eldest son of
James Sinclair of Holburnhead, and afterwards of Forss,
succeeded in 1784, and died at Dunbeath Castle, without
issue, in November 1794.1 He married Esther Bland, said
to have been an actress, and to have been the sister, or
near relative, of the celebrated Mrs. Jordan.
VIII. William Sinclair of Lochend, which estate
he acquired by purchase, in 1778, for £2015, was grand-
son of John Sinclair of Forss, and Barbara Sinclair, and
succeeded his cousin-german, Robert Sinclair of Freswick,
in 1794. He was a Doctor of Medicine, and practised
for many years in Thurso, and the county generally, before
succeeding to the estates. He acquired Thura by pur-
chase in 1801. He was twice married; and died on 15th
March 1838, aged 90.
By his first wife, Isabella, daughter of Alexander
Calder, last laird of Lynegar, who died in 1812, he had-
1. John, who died unmarried in 1832 in the twenty-
second year of his age.
1. Barbara Madelina Gordon, the late Mrs. Thomson
Sinclair of Freswick, twin sister of John.
2. Isabella, who married Mr. Thomas Cochrane Hume
of Halifax, North America,1 and had a son,
William Sinclair flume, who died 9th October
1859, in early life, and two daughters; of whom
one died young, and the other, Isabella Barbara,
married Captain John Hobhouse Inglis Alexander
of Southbar, R.N., and has issue.
In 1816 William Sinclair married, secondly, his cousin,
Jane, daughter of John Sinclair of Barrock, by whom he
had a son and three daughters:-
1. William James John Alexander, his successor.
1. Williamina, who died young.
2. Janet Sinclair Traill, who died in June 1870, at
Torquay, unmarried.
3. Jane, who married Major-General Augustus Halifax
Ferryman, and died in 1851, leaving one child,
Augustus Hamilton Ferryman, now of Lochend
and Thura.
IX. William James John Alexander Sinclair
of Fireswick succeeded his father in 1838, while yet in
minority. He served for a short time in the Army, and
died unmarried at Nottingham House, on 20th February
1855, in the thirty-second year of his age, and was suc-
ceeded by his half-sister, Barbara. He possessed good
natural abilities, and but for his delicate health would,
had his life been prolonged, have taken a lead in the
county. In 1847 he issued an address to the Electors
of Caithness, offering to represent the county in Parlia-
ment on Conservative principles, but he did not go
to the poll.
X. Mrs. Barbara Madelina Gordon Thomson
Sinclair of Freswick married William Thomson, Esq.,
Deputy Commissary-General of the Forces, and had an
only child, William Sinclair Thomson Sinclair.
XI. William Sinclair Thomson Sinclair, now of
Freswick, was born 8th April 1844, married on 18th June
1872 Isabella, eldest daughter of James Henderson, Esq.
of Bilbster, and in 1876 succeeded to the family estates
on the death of his mother.