SARCLET SINCLAIRS

03/08/1989 : Letter from Kath RANSOM nee KNOX to Peter DILLON:
"... I have also been giving a lot of thought to the very persistent childhood tales (via G.Auntie Annie and also from my own Grandmother) about the likelihood of G.Grandfather Peter Sinclair�s G.G.G.G,.?? Grandfather being the younger son of the Earl of Caithness. And that it was a very impoverished Earldom..."

The Times, London, England, Tuesday, Feb 18, 1890; pg. 5; Issue 32938; col E
"The Caithness Peerage. - The late earl of Caithness died in May, 1889, having willed his lands out of his family, the title only being left to his nearest male heir. last month the Sheriff of Chancery, Edinburgh, gave judgement o a petition by Mr. James Augustus Sinclair, of Aberdeen, serving himas nearest and lawful heir male in general of the late Earl. Mr James Sinclair's peition to the Crown claiming the peerage will therefore come before the House of Lords at an early date. In the meanwhile the peerage is claimed on behalf of the Sinclairs of Broynach by Mr Thomas Sinclair, M.A., who alleges that this is the senior line of the family, that since 1772 the peerage has been usurped by a cadet branch, and that evidence has only recently become available establishubg the legality of the marriage, in the year 1700, from which the Sinclairs of Broynach descend. Mr. Thomas Sinclair has just presented to the Committee of Privileges a petition on behalf of the Sinclairs of Broynach praying for such delay as may enable the rights of the case to be determined."

The following extracts are from Roland William St Clair's wonderful book, "The Saint Clairs of the Isles, being a history of the sea kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname Sinclair", published Auckland NZ, H. Brett, 1898. His book is recognised as one of the foremost authorities on all things SINCLAIR including descendants of the SINCLAIR families of Caithness. A copy is held at Victoria University Library in NZ, Beaglehole Room, Level 1, Rare Book, Fildes, 1751. The book has been filmed by the Latter Day Saints and may be ordered to view at any of their family History Centres by quoting the following reference when ordering - FHL British Film 908361, item 3.

p.215 re William, Earl of Caithness 1765-1779 (this section repeats notes in 'Caithness Family History', by John HENDERSON, pub. Edinburgh, D.Douglas 1884, xxxi, 341 pages):

"On the death of Earl Alexander a contest arose as to the succession, the dignity being claimed by James Sinclair in Reiss and William Sinclair of Rattar. David Sinclair of Broynach, only brother of the 46th Earl, John IV, by a second marriage - which was afterwards pronounced irregular by the highest legal authorities in Scotland - had two sons, David and Donald. The latter had a son dead ante 1767, and the elder son David had two sons, James in Reiss (the claimant) and John, living in 1767. Rattar claimed as heir-male of Sir John Sinclair of Greenland and Rattar. In conjoined claims to be served heir before the Macers, after proof by both parties, the jury, on 28th November, 1768, pronounced a verdict by a majority in favour of Rattar, which, after various proceedings before the Court of Session, was confirmed. In 1772 the Committee of Privileges adjudged him the title. In 1786 James Sinclair threatened to renew the claim, but dying in 1788 the matter was apparently ended, as no male descendant of Broynach was known then to be alive."

p.222-223 THE SINCLAIRS OF MURKLE (a footnote indicates that a source for this section is Henderson):

I.  James SINCLAIR, First of Murkle, was the second son of John, Master of Caithness, and
grandson of George II., 42nd Earl.  He held in feu certain bishopric lands in Orkney, and is
frequently enumerated as a Suitor of Court.  He married Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of Robert,
Earl of Strathearn and Orkney, a natural son of King James V., and had -
   1.   Sir James, his successor,
   2.   Francis, officer in the German wars; married 19th July, 1621, Janet, daughter of
	Alex. Sutherland of Forse, and had -
		James, died s.p.
   1.	Agnes, married John Mackay of Dirlot and Strathy.
Murkle had also a natural son -
II.  Sir James SINCLAIR, Knight, Second of Murkle, appears to have been twice married.  In
January, 1633, a disposition was granted by him, with consent of Dame Margaret Dundas, his
spouse, of part of the lands of Ormlie; and in October, 1634, there is a contract of marriage
between him and Jean, daughter of William Stewart of Burray, Orkney, who is therein designated
of �Manur.�  By Jean Stewart he had two sons and five daughters -
   1.	Jean, named as eldest in maternal disposition 18th May, 1692.
   2.	Mary, married, 1st, George Sinclair of Forss; 2nd, Wm. Sutherland of Geise.
   3.	Anne, "Mistress of Stemster," married Alex. Sinclair of Stemster, son of Alex.
	Sinclair of Latheron.
   4.	Barbara, "Mistress of Geise," married James Cunningham of Geise and Reaster.
   5.	Katherine, married Walter Innes of Skaill.
   1.	John, successor to Murkle.
   2.	David of Broynach, who died between 1713-1716.  By his first marriage, with a
	daughter of William Sinclair of Dun, he had -
	   1.	James, dies s.p., about 1754.
	   2.	Elizabeth, married James Whyte in Meikle Clyth, afterwards in
		Thurso, and had -
		   1.	Henrietta, m. Wm. Miller, and had a son James and a daughter 
			Isabella.
		   2.	Jean, married Donald Oagg, and had two sons,
			James and Donald, and two daughters, Janet and Anne. 
			On the death of Dorothea, Lady Fife, heiress of Alexander II,
			47th Earl ofCaithness, Jas. and Isabella Miller, and Donald 
			and Anne Oagg, claimed and obtained a share of her executry 
			as great-grandchildren of Broynach, her granduncle.
	By a second marriage (performed by an unauthorised person, and declared to be
	invalid), with one Janet Ewen, Broynach had -
		   1.	David, married Margaret More or Mackay, by whom he had -
			   1.	James in Reiss, Capt. H.E.I.C.S., Claimant of
				the Earldom of Caithness, died s.p. 1788.
			   2.	John, living 1767; died before 1788.
		   2.	Donald, married and had a son and five daughters, 
			all dead in 1767 except -
				Anne, married Alex. Millis, merchant in Banff.
III.	John SINCLAIR, Third of Murkle succeeded to the Earldom of Caithness in 1698.

p.223-227 THE SARCLET SINCLAIRS ( a footnote indicates that a source for this section is "Caithness Events," by Thomas Sinclair, M.A., Edin.)

I. The account of this family begins with David SINCLAIR of Broynach, only brother of John Sinclair, first of the Murkle branch to become Earl of Caithness, and 46th in successional sequence. By his first marriage with a daughter of William Sinclair of Dun, Broynach had a son James who died s.p. circiter 1754, and a daughter Elizabeth whose grandchildren (voce article on Sinclairs of Murkle) on the death of Broynach�s grandniece Dorothea, Lady Fife, claimed and obtained a share of her executry. Broynach�s first wife died in 1697 when he secured the services as housekeeper of Janet, daughter of Donald Ewing, Laird of Bernice, in Argyll, from whom the wealthy baronetical family of Ardencaple Castle derive their descent. An intimacy arose between Broynach and his housekeeper resulting in the birth of a son in 1699, and the kirk-session of Olrig at once engaged about the necessary discipline, which both Broynach and she refused to undergo. They were therefore summoned to appear before the presbytery at Thurso on the 11th November, 1699. For the next few years both were frequently cited by the ecclesiastics (in some of which citations she is styled "his wife") and Broynach found himself and his wife-elect in a most unenviable position. Sincerely attached to Miss Ewing and desirous of marrying her, he had to contend with a county conspiracy to frustrate him in attaining his object. One or two illustrations will suffice to show his love and determination to do her honour. Not being in wedlock at the time of their first-born, she was sentenced by so-called Christian ministers to be drummed through the streets of Thurso bearing a paper crown, inscribed with the assigned reason, and an official was appopinted to finish her punishment by so many lashes on her uncovered shoulders. A mob led by two ministers began carrying out the sentence, but when the point was reached when the scourging had to take place, Broynach could no longer repress himself, and with primed pistol and drawn sword attacked the procession, the "men of God" being first to flee. Wrapping a plaid around her uncovered back he conveyed her to their home. He had previously "treated" the official, in the hope of her having only to undergo a nominal infliction of the lash. Entreating the Rev. William Innes of Thurso and others to marry them, but without success, this ill-plighted pair started for Orkney to try to get the ceremony performed there, but they had only arrived at Skarfsferry to cross the Petland Firth, when they were seized and brought back by a detachment Earl John had sent for that purpose. Eventually Broynach ran the extreme risk of getting married by an "outed" episcopal clergyman. The witnesses and married pair were liable to fine and imprisonment, while the disestablished performer subjected himself to banishment to the American plantations, and death if he returned. The marriage was performed by the Rev. Arthur Anderson, who had been episcopal minister at Kilmany, Fife, in Cairnsburn House, near Barrogil, early in June, 1700, as he humanely said "to put them out of the necessity of sinning." There are numerous references on record with regard to this event which involves the Caithness succession. The marriage does not appear to be in dispute but on account of being performed by an unauthorised person has been treated as invalid, an attitude which the present author is unable to understand in the face of the Scottish law which recognises a public declaration on the part of the man to be sufficient, and surely apart from the many minor notices in support of the true relationship between Broynach and Miss Ewing, no clearer or more public declaration could be wanted than evidence of a marriage ceremony whether by an unauthorised celebrant or otherwise. John Sinclair, VIth of Forss, was married in the April preceeding by the same clergyman to Elizabeth (or Barbara) daughter of John Sinclair of Rattar, but without affecting in any way the succession of his son of that marriage, John VIIIth of Forss. Broynach died in 1714, when his second wife and family were provided for, in a way, by her stepson James into his house, on a small freehold sowing not more than 2� bolls, which had been given him by one of the Murkle earls. Mrs Janet Sinclair lived till between 1730 and 1738 and had burial under the seat of the Hon. Francis Sinclair in the aisle of James Sinclair of Durran. There was issue of this second marriage -

	1.	A son, born in 1699, died in infancy.
	2.	David, born in February, 1701, of whom hereafter.
	3.	Donald.
	1.	Margaret, born about 1703.
	2.	Janet 

II. David SINCLAIR, second son of Broynach by his second marriage, was baptised in Claredon Hall about 1705. Many incidents are preserved in connection with his life. The Rev. Wm. Innes, on application of the water when christening him, at the age of four, was met with startling reproof, "May the devil take you for wetting me." In early life he went to sea, but soon returned to Murkle. He next took up kelp-burning in Strathnaver, where he met with serious illness, receiving monetary help from Mackay of Clashinach ; afterwards he worked as a day labourer with Charles Oliphant, a servant of Ulbster ; and he was also man-servant to the Rev. James Gilchrist, who was minister of Thurso from 1738 to 1751. He enlisted with John Milne in Thurso "for behoof of a recruiting officer in the Dutch service." When he returned from the Netherlands, he and his wife and their eldest son James went to what was then called the Moray side, being the southern shore of the firth of that name. There they stayed for three years, returning to Thurso, he being in a very bad state of health. He married, contract dated 21st October, 1744, Margaret More, i.e., Mackay, and died about 1760, his funeral expenses being paid by the Hon. Francis Sinclair of Westfield, who had from time to time assisted him, and by others of the Caithness House. His remains lie in Thurso churchyard. David Sinclair, son of Broynach, had issue -

	1.	James in Reiss.
	2.	John, living 1767, dead before 1788.

III. James SINCLAIR in Reiss, son of the foregoing, married Catherine Rosie, contract at Reiss 17th December, 1763. She was born at Brims in 1747, and her father having found treasure in a field at Oust, backed the young pair in fighting their rights before the court of session and parliament. At the meeting of the peers of Scotland at Holyrood House to elect a representative peer for the House of Lords, he answered to the title of Earl of Caithness on the calling of the roll, and claimed his vote and place at the election, but was objected to till he proved his right. At an election of two representative peers 1st October, 1767, Lord Borthwick produced his proxy signed "James, Earl of Caithness." but it was not permitted. At another election in Holyrood House on 21st December, 1768, he personally answered to the title, and on the Lord Clerk Register objecting officially, gave in a protest signed "Caithness." He attended courts, commissions for evidence, the court of session, and at last the House of Lords, till his defeat in 1772 by Wm Sinclair of Rattar on the one and cardinal point of not being able to prove Broynach�s marriage to Miss Ewing. He sailed for Calcutta on the "Anson" in February, 1772, a cadet of the East India Company ; distinguished himself in affairs under Warren Hastings, and returned in June, 1786, with the title of Captain and a handsome fortune. He then discovered in Caithness the ecclesiastical proofs of his grandparents� marriage, and immediately entered upon a process of reduction against the second Rattar Earl. Capt. Sinclair�s printed case is dated 25th July, 1787, and the reply of the earl in possession 28th same. On the eve of winning the contest, which should never have been entered on, he died on 11th January, 1788, in Whitcombe Street, Pall Mall, London, at the age of 41. His wills in Somerset House, dated 1785 and 1787, make reference to his maternal aunt Janet More, and the grandchildren of his paternal aunt, Mrs Whyte.

IV. Donald SINCLAIR, the third son of Janet Ewing and Broynach, is stated to be identical with Donald Sinclair, captain of a vessel trading from Sarclet near Wick to Avoch in the Black Isle, Ross-shire, on both sides of the Moray Firth, and with other places, Banff in particular. On 25th October, 1736, this Donald Sinclair contracted with Catherine, daughter of John Sinclair in Thrumster, the marriage taking place on the 30th November following. They had issue -

	1.  Christina, born 27th March, 1737.
	2.  Janet.
	3.  Catherine.
	4.  Daniel Anne (daughter), companion to Lady Dorothy Sinclair, Countess of
            Fife, and legatee of Earl Alexander and of Lord Murkle ; married Alex.
            Millis, merchant in Banff.
	5.  James, bapt. 14th May, 1744.
	6.  Francis.
	7.  John.
	8.  Robert, merchant in Wick.
	9.  Henry.
	10. Elizabeth, schoolmistress.
	11. Donald.

A gaelic stanza having reference to him was composed by Wm. Bain Nimmo more than 75 years ago. It runs thus:-

     "Seumas Sinclair am Mordun,       "James Sinclair in Moredun,
        Ogh coir Dho�ill a Mhairich,	  The worthy grandson of Donald of the Sea,
      Is ierogh Fhir Bhroidhnich,        And the great grandson of the laird of Broynach,
        Roimh so an Gall thaobh."         Who was before now in Caithness."

This having been contributed by his grandson, the Rev. John Sinclair of Kinloch-Rannoch manse, Perth. His grandfather, James in Moredun Farm, was a farmer and distiller, and son of Wm. Sinclair in the neighbourhood of Avoch, apparently a son of Capt. Donald Sinclair, who died in Sarclet in 1768.

V. James SINCLAIR, eldest son of the preceeding, traded in salt, following similar routes to his father, and is identifiable with James Sinclair, chamberlain at Thrumster House. He contracted marriage on 27th April, 1764, with Anne Robertson, by whom he had-

		1.	Alexander, baptized 17th January, 1768.
		1.	Margaret.
		2.	Catherine.

His wife died in 1770, and he married secondly Elizabeth Sinclair in Clyth, on 9th February, 1771, by whom he had -

		2.	Francis, born 1772, lieutenant in R.N., died s.p.
		3.	David, born 1777, married Catherine Mackay, and died s.p.
		4.	John, baptized 1780, died 1857, married 1806 Barbara Cormack.  
                        Issue thirteen sons and daughters, of whom -
			   Alexander, born 1810.
			   David, born 1812 ; resident at Geelong, Victoria, 1891 ; 
                           married Catherine Sinclair of the Freswick family, and had 
                           with other issue -
				Peter Sinclair of Christchurch, N.Z. (1891), who has sons.
			   George Dunbar Sinclair of Reay, born 1814, died 1891 ;  
			   married 1840 Helen Swanson, and had with other issue -
				John Sinclair.
				Thomas Sinclair, M.A., Edin., born 1843, author of 
                                "The Sinclairs of England," "Caithness Events," etc. 
                                 -Residence, Belgrave Lodge, Torquay.
			   James, born 1815.  Resident at Geelong, 1891.
		3.	Christina.

VI. Alexander SINCLAIR, eldest son of the preceding, and his eldest son James, were farmers of Torranrevach in Clyth. By Latheron parish register he was married on 2nd January, 1789, to Elizabeth Sutherland. He had with other issue-

VII. James SINCLAIR, born in 1790, drowned at the shore of the Clyth in August, 1845. He is registered as married on 7th December, 1832, to Catherine Sutherland. Their eldest son

VIII. James Sutherland Laing SINCLAIR, was born 27th May, 1838 ; and died 3rd March, 1893. He married in 1863, Margaret Grant, a niece of Lieut. Hugh Grant, 79th regiment. His eldest son is

IX. James SINCLAIR, born 14th October, 1866.

p.544 Notes & Queries:
re p.225: For �Daniel Anne� read only �Anne�. It is stated that the eldest son of Donald Sinclair (IV, article Sarclet) was William Sinclair whom Alexander II, 47th Earl of Caithness made tacksman of Isauld barony with its many subtenants. In 1760, while purchasing corn in Reay market, an affray arose in which he killed a Mackay in open fight, after which event he retired with his wife and two children to Muirends near Avoch, in Ross-shire. His son James in Muirends was succeeded by his eldest son John in Muirends, whose son the Rev. John Sinclair, B.D., author, &.c. is a minister in the Established Church at Kinloch-Rannoch, Perth. He is married to a sister of Hugh Ballingall, Lord Provost of Dundee, and by her has two sons, age 11 and 8.