"The Chiefs of Grant" (Edinburgh, 1883)
by Sir William Fraser

Editor's Forward and Explanatory Introduction
Sir William Fraser's enormous 3-volume work "The Chiefs of Grant" was the received wisdom anent the history of our clan for nearly 120 years. This cachet was enhanced by its inaccessibility: originally published in 1883, the print run was a mere 150 copies - so it has not been easy for any interested individual to access the text and, inter alia, it is no wonder that whenever they have come up at auction in recent times they have achieved a high price. Now, with this electronic version, the work is readily within anyone's reach.

Due credit must be given to Sir William for the assiduity with which he combed through extant records. The work is a vast treasure trove of hugely valuable information about the Clan and its history and no-one truly interested in this should be without a copy (hence in part the effort which has gone into producing this HTML version). I find myself referring to it on a regular and frequent basis.

But the work is also is an object lesson in the proposition that someone's ability to collate information is no indicator of ability to analyse it. Sir William is fundamentally wrong in his assumptions about the origins and early history of the family of the Chiefs, especially in the period before 1450 - and indeed (perhaps consequently) about the origin of some of the major cadet families. While this shortcoming occupies less than 100 pages out of a total of some 1800, nevertheless it suffuses the work. To set this straight, included on this site is my colleague Peter Grant's criticism of Fraser's analysis.

Notwithstanding the above, in this edition I have made no attempt to correct any of the minutiae - some of which are curious: for example Fraser seems not to appreciate the difference between "forensic" and "forinsec". Such a discussion may become appropriate at some stage and if so would be incorporated into a future edition.

Images of all pages of all volumes are available on archive.org:
Vol I: https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrant11fras/page/n5/mode/2up
Vol II: https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrantv200fras/page/n3/mode/2up
Vol III: https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrant31fras/page/n5/mode/2up

Contents of Volume I


In the case of any typos making no sense please consult the relevant page image at
https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrant11fras/page/n5/mode/2up

Vol I: GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

i
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCTION AND MEMOIRSv
INTRODUCTIONxvii
a. introductionxvii
b. The Barony of Stratherrick in Invernessxxiii
c. Inverallan in Strathspeyxxix
d. The Barony of Freuchiexxxv
e. The Barony and Lordship of Glencarniexlv
f. The Barony and District of Strathspeylix
g. The Barony of Abernethylxx
h. The Barony of Cromdalelxxiv
i. The Barony and Castle of Urquhartlxxix
j. The Regality of Grantlxxxv
k. Retrospect of the Grant Estates : Wadsets, Leases, Davochs, Forests, etcxcii

MEMOIRS OF THE CHIEFS OF GRANT

1-498
[vii]
I. SIR LAURENCE LE GRANT, Sheriff of Inverness. 1258-1266.1
II JOHN LE GRANT, first of Inverallan, in Strathspey. 1296-c. 1325.15
III-1. PATRICK LE GRANT, Lord of Stratherrick and Inverallan. 1345-1362.26
[viii]
III-2. SIR JOHN LE GRANT, Knight, Castellan of Darnaway. ELIZABETH his Wife. 1333-c. 1370.36
IV ROBERT GRANT, the Ambassador. 1380-1394.48
V MATILDA of Glencarnie, and JOHN GRANT ROY, her reputed husband. c. 1410-c. 1434.53
VI Sir DUNCAN GRANT, Knight, first called of Freuchie. MURIEL MACKINTOSH (of Mackintosh), his Wife. 1434-1485.62
[ix]
VII. JOHN GRANT, Younger of Freuchie. 1475-1482.69
VIII JOHN GRANT, second of Freuchie. MARGARET OGILVIE (of Deskford), his Wife. 1485-1528.71
IX JAMES GRANT, third of Freuchie. ELIZABETH FORBES, his first Wife. CHRISTINA BARCLAY, his second Wife. 1528-1553.96
[x]
X JOHN GRANT, fourth of Freuchie. LADY MARGARET STEWART, his first Wife. LADY JANET LESLIE, his second Wife. 1553-1585.125
XI DUNCAN GRANT of Abernethy, Younger of Freuchie. MARGARET MACKINTOSH (of Mackintosh), his Wife. 1566-1582.155
XII JOHN GRANT, fifth of Freuchie. LADY LILIAS MURRAY (of Tullibardine), his Wife. 1585-1622.159
[xi]
XIII Sir JOHN GRANT, sixth of Freuchie, Knight. LADY MARY OGILVIE (of Deskford), his Wife. 1622-1637.197
[xii]
XIV JAMES GRANT, seventh or Freuchie. LADY MARY STEWART (MURRAY), his Wife. 1637-1663.240
XV LUDOVICK GRANT, eighth of Freuchie and of Grant. JANET BRODIE, his first Wife. JEAN HOUSTOUN, his second Wife. 1663-1716.291
[xiii]
XVI-1 BRIGADIER-GENERAL ALEXANDER GRANT OF GRANT. ELIZABETH STEWART (of Murray), his first Wife. ANNE SMITH, his second Wife. 1716-1719.331
[xiv]
XVI-2 SIR JAMES GRANT OF GRANT, Baronet. ANNE COLQUHOUN (Heiress of Luss), his Wife. 1719-1747.371
XVII SIR LUDOVICK GRANT OF GRANT, Baronet. MARION DALRYMPLE (of North Berwick), his first Wife. LADY MARGARET OGILVIE (of Findlater), his second Wife. 1747-1773.393
[xv]
XVIII SIR JAMES GRANT OF GRANT, Baronet, commonly called "The Good Sir James." JANE DUFF (of Hatton), his Wife. 1773-1811.442
XIX-1 SIR LEWIS ALEXANDER GRANT OF GRANT, Baronet, afterwards fifth Earl of Seafield, Viscount of Reidhaven, and Lord Ogilvie of Deskford and Cullen. 1811-1840.467
XIX-2 SIR FRANCIS WILLIAM GRANT OF GRANT, Baronet, sixth Earl of Seafield, Viscount of Reidiiaven, Lord Ogilvie of Deskford and Cullen. MARY ANNE DUNN, his first Wife. LOUISA EMMA MAUNSELL, his second Wife. 1840-1853.473
[xvi]
XX-1 FRANCIS WILLIAM GRANT, M.P., Master of Grant. 1814-1840.484
XX-2 SIR JOHN CHARLES GRANT OGILVIE, Baronet, seventh Earl of Seafield, Viscount of Reidhaven, etc., first Baron Strathspey of Strathspey, K.T. The Honourable CAROLINE STUART, his Countess. 1853-1881.487
XXI SIR IAN CHARLES GRANT OGILVIE, Baronet, eighth Earl of Seafield, ETC., SECOND BARON STRATHSPEY OF STRATHSPEY. BORN 1851. SUCCEEDED 1881495

PEDIGREES OF THE GRANT FAMILY AND CADET BRANCHES

[ii] ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME ONE

I.-PORTRAITS.

James Grant, seventh of Freuchiebetween pp. 240 and 241
Lady Mary Stewart, his wife240 and 241
Ludovick Grant of Freuchie and Grant290 and 291
Janet Brodie, his first wife290 and 291
Major George Grant of Culbin328 and 329
Colonel Lewis Grant328 and329
Brigadier-General Alexander Grant of Grant330 and 331
Anne Smith, his second wife330 and 331
Sir James Grant of Grant, Baronet370 and 371
Anne Colquhoun of Luss, his wife370 and371
Sir Ludovick Grant of Grant, Baronet392 and 393
Lady Margaret Ogilvie, his second wife392 and 393
Sir James Grant of Grant, Baronet442 and 443
Jane Duff of Hatton, his wife442 and 443
Sir Francis William Grant of Grant, Baronet,'sixth Earl of Seafield472 and 473
Mary Ann Dunn, his first wife472 and 473
Sir John Charles Grant Ogilvie, Baronet, seventh Earl of Seafield486 and 487
Hon. Caroline Stuart, his Countess486 and 487
Sir Ian Charles Grant Ogilvie, Baronet, eighth Earl of Seafield494 and 495

II.- CASTLES, etc.

Castle Grantbetween pp. xl and xli
Two Targets and old Sword of Sir John Grant, date 1562xlii and xliii
Old Carved Frame found at Shillochan in Duthil, in 1874lvi and lvii
Muckrach Castle, Strathspeylxvi and lxvii
Castle Urquhart, Glen Urquhartlxxxii and lxxxiii
Grant Tartan, Red and Green, Two plateslxxxvi and lxxxvii
Old Gun of Sir John Grant, dated 143458 and 59
Armorial Stone of John Grant of Freuchie, Lady Margaret Stewart his wife, and their son, Duncan Grant, from Grant burial-place at Duthil Church152 and 153
Old Gun of Ludovick Grant of Grant, date 1667316 and 317
Castle Grant, another view320 and 321
Fir Tree, Forest of Abemethy488 and 489
Fir Tree, Forest of Duthil488 and 489
Armorial Bearings of Sir Lewis Alexander, Earl of Seafield, 1824498 and 499

III.-LETTERS, etc.

Warrant by Archbishop Spottiswood to Sir John Grant of Freuchie, 9th March 1635232 and 233
Letter by James Grant of Freuchie to the Earl of Findlater, 5th June 1639246 and 247
Letter by Prince Charles Edward to Sir James Grant of Grant, 2 2d August 1745386 and 387
Letter by Henry Mackenzie to Sir James Grant of Grant, introducing the Poet Burns, 24th August 1787452 and 453

IV - SIGNATURES. Woodcuts of-

John Grant, fourth of Freuchie154
John Grant, fifth of Freuchie196
Lady Lilias Murray, his wife196
Sir John Grant, sixth of Freuchie239
Mary Ogilvie, his wife239
James Grant, seventh of Freuchie290
Lady Mary Stewart, his wife290
Ludovick Grant of Freuchie330
Janet Brodie, his first wife330
Brigadier-General Alexander Grant of Grant370
Elizabeth Stewart, his first wife370
Anne Smith, his second wife370
Sir James Grant of Grant392
Do. as 'Craigelachie' 392
Anne Colquhoun, his wife392
Sir Ludovick Grant of Grant441
Marion Dalrymple, his first wife441
Lady Margaret Ogilvie, his second wife441
Sir James Grant of Grant461
Jane Duff, his wife461
Sir Lewis Alexander Grant of Grant472
Sir Francis William Grant, sixth Earl of Seafield483
Sir John Charles Grant Ogilvie, seventh Earl of Seafield493
Hon. Caroline Stuart, his Countess493
Sir Ian Charles Grant Ogilvie, present Earl of Seafield, as Baron Strathspey498

Contents of Volume II


To read/access any individual letter note the page number and access the page image at
https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrantv200fras/page/n3/mode/2up


Vol II: GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

 iiii

ABSTRACT OF THE GRANT CORRESPONDENCE

v
ROYAL LETTERS, 1534-17151
STATE AND OFFICIAL LETTERS, 1569-174611
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS, 1573-180536
LETTERS FROM SIMON FRASER, LORD LOVAT, 1714-1746282
LETTERS FROM HENRY MACKENZIE, 1787-1791413-416
ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE (MISCELLANEOUS), 1720-18174I7
THREE LETTERS TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM GRANT OF BALLINDALLOCH AND MRS. GRANT, 1726-1732531
LETTERS FROM ABBE PETER GRANT, GRANT OF BLAIRFINDY, AND THE VICOMTE DE VAUX, TO SIR JAMES GRANT OF GRANT, 1761-1794533
SELECTIONS FROM CORRESPONDENCE AS TO FENCIBLE AND VOLUNTEER COMPANIES, 1794-1795560


Contents of Volume III


To read/access any individual charter note the page number and access the page image at
https://archive.org/details/chiefsofgrant31fras/page/n5/mode/2up


Vol III: ABSTRACT OF CHARTERS OF THE GRANTS OF GRANT

i-xl
ABSTRACT OF ADDITIONAL CHARTERSxli-liv
LIST OF CHARTERS PRINTED IN ABRIDGED FORMliv-lx
CHARTERS AND MISCELLANEOUS WRITS OF THE GRANTS OF GRANT1-256
ADDITIONAL CHARTERS257-362
ABSTRACT OF GRANT CHARTERS NOT PRINTED363-496
INDEX OF PERSONS497-570
INDEX OF PLACES571-597


 

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