Bonskeid / Fincastle : Barbour / Stewart

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paulpesda
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Bonskeid / Fincastle : Barbour / Stewart

Post by paulpesda » Sat Jul 29, 2017 11:15 pm

I’m researching my family history (the McNaughton’s) who moved from Perthshire to North Wales. In our ancestry, many of the names of the later Welsh relations have included ‘Barbour’. My great grandfather’s were gamekeepers, and I think they may well have been either tenants or even gamekeepers on the Fincastle and / or Bonskeid Estates.

I have just finished working out the complex Stewart / Barbour ancestry and the connections to Fincastle and Bonskeid. I wonder if I could trouble you for some clarification that may help me in my quest to find out more about the McNaughton’s.? I’ve also found online copies of the Memoir of Mrs. Stewart Sandeman: Of Bonskeid and Springland.

My great great maternal grandmother was Jane McNaughton (née Dow) (1830-1885) who’d married David McNaughton (1834-1896). Jane Dow sadly died on the 4th March 1885 at Milton of Fincastle. She was in Wales in 1881 and moved back to Perthshire about 1882-1883. They had also spent some time at Milton of Fincastle around 1856, where their second son (John) was born. Previous to their move here, they were at Ardenochie near Bankfoot, where they married in 1854.

I think I’ve found (via the Valuation Rolls ) that in 1883, Fincastle was under the ownership of Rev. Robert (Robin) William Barbour (1854-1891). Previous to that, was it owned by his father George Freeland Barbour (1810-1887) , as I have a note that he purchased Bonskeid in 1857. Did this also include Fincastle Estate?

I can’t seem to work out what happened, but I know there was a row somewhere in the families, and that one of the Stewarts was in a financial mess, and had to sell the Fincastle Estate, and that the Barbour’s then purchased it.

I have worked out that both Estates came together via the marriage of John Stewart (1738-1767) the 9th Laird of Bonskeid, and Elizabeth Stewart (d.1765) of Fincastle., in 1755. I can see that their son, Dr. Alexander Stewart (1753-1834) became the 10th Laird of Bonskeid and both of Elizabeth Stewart’s brothers, became Lairds of Fincastle; Henry Stewart (b.1723) the 10th Laird and his brother Gilbert Stewart (b.1721) the 11th Laird. Gilbert’s son, Robert Stewart (1756-1822) became the 12th Laird of Fincastle. His son Gilbert Stewart (b.1793) becoming the 13th Laird after his father’s death in 1822. He then sold off the Estate. Do we know when, and is that when it came into the Barbour family? I’m just wondering who owned Fincastle around 1856, when my family were there, and is that how they came connected to the Barbour Estate?

I know this is a lot of information, but any clarification would be great,
Thanks so much

Currie
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Re: Bonskeid / Fincastle : Barbour / Stewart

Post by Currie » Sat Aug 12, 2017 3:45 pm

Hello Paulpesda,

You're not wrong about the Fincastle thing being confusing.

From 1827 Fincastle Estate was listed in the Caledonian Mercury as being for sale. Later listings were as a Judicial sale. Acreage measurements were 456 Scots arable land (575 Imperial) plus 2734 Scots (3448 Imperial) pasture etc.

The Caledonian Mercury, November 23, 1833 reported “The Estate of Fincastle in Athole, which has been on the market for several years past, was disposed of on Wednesday by judicial sale. We understand Mr Colquhoun of Camstraddan is the purchaser”

That was Robert Gilmour Colquhoun. When he died in 1870 he left the property to a cousin, Frederick Allan Scott, who changed his name to Colquhoun. http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info ... 97&tree=CC

The Courier and Argus (Dundee),January 10, 1914, reported that Fincastle Estate had been sold by Mr F. A. Scott Colquhoun. It was described as about 3000 acres and formerly belonged to the old Stewart family of Fincastle. It consisted of the South Eastern district of Blair Athol parish, extending from the foot of Loch Tummel to Bonskeid House, and from Blair Athol to Auldclune. On the left bank of Fincastle Burn, which flows along the narrow fertile strath, stands Fincastle House

The earliest reference I could find in the newspapers to the Barbour/Bonskeid combination was in April, 1858, in connection with a Free Church matter.”Mr Barbour of Bonskeid”.

There are a great many references to Fincastle and Bonskeid in the old newspapers. You may be able to get free access to those depending on your location.

All the best,
Alan

AndrewP
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Re: Bonskeid / Fincastle : Barbour / Stewart

Post by AndrewP » Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:19 pm

See two pages scanned from "Boundaries of Counties and Parishes of Scotland, as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889" by Hay Shennan, Advocate. These include some of the lands that you mention, and some information regarding the various houses, farms, estates and the like that were involved in transfers between parishes.

All the best,

AndrewP
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paulpesda
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Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:24 pm

Re: Bonskeid / Fincastle : Barbour / Stewart

Post by paulpesda » Sun Aug 13, 2017 8:12 pm

Thank you again. Great help.

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