New Account: Abernethy

Presbytery of Abernethy, Synod of Moray
Rapporteur: The Rev. Donald Martin, Minister.

[Biographical Notes for the Minister adapted from the Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae
DONALD MARTIN (1750-1838) born Bealloch, Kilmuir, Skye, son of Donald Martin, agent for Sir Alexander (father of first Lord Macdonald of the Isles), and a daughter of Macdonald of Sartle; educated at King's College, Aberdeen (MA 1773), and University. of Edinburgh; licensed by the Presbytery of Skye; ordained to Kilmuir in Trotternish 5th October 1785; translated to Inverness Chapel-of-Ease after 14th July 1808; presented (to Abernethy) by curator of Lewis Alexander Grant, Earl of Seafield, translated and admitted 15th August 1820.
He married, 7th February 1788, Ann (who died in 1803), daughter of Norman Macdonald of Scalpa and Barnisdale. [She was sister of General Sir John Macdonald, General Archibald Macdonald, General Sir Alexander Macdonald and Matthew Norman Macdonald Hume, W.S. (father of the Rt. Hon. Sir John H. A. M., Lord Kingsburgh, Lord Justice-Clerk) and Susanna MacAlister.] They had issue —

Diana, born 24th March 1789 (married Lieutenant John Maclean);
Susanna, born 9th February 1790 (married John Graham, Portree);
Donald Norman, captain of Artillery, born 17th March 1791, died at Woolwich in 1815 from
wounds at Waterloo;
Ann Isabella, born 12th November 1792 (married John Munro, solicitor, Fort-William);
Flora, born 1st December 1793, died 16th March 1795;
Norman, born 20th May 1795, died 10th January 1797;
Sir James Ranald, distinguished surgeon, H.E.I.C.S., and sanitary reformer, born 12th May 1796;
died in London, 27th November 1874;
Martin (twin), born 12th May 1796, died 18th April 1797;
Flora, born 20th May 1798 (married Captain Robert Stewart, Kirkton of Mortlach, and was mother
of Field-Marshal Sir Donald Martin Stewart, Bart.);
Norman Alexander, planter in Demerara, born 16th December 1799, died there:
Ann Macnicol, born 7th April 1801;
Norman Lachlan, born 17th October 1802, died 8th January 1803;
John Angus, born 3rd December 1803, died 3rd April 1801.

Other Publications: Old Statistical Account for Kilmuir (Skye).]

I: Topography and Natural History

Extent, Boundaries

[92] The parish of Kincardine has been united to this parish; and both lie on the south-east side of the river Nethy. The parish extends from the borders of Cromdale to Rothiemurchus. The river Spey, expanded apparently to its greatest magnitude, glides onward in a smooth unruffled course, from Rothiemurchus till it meets the district of Moray, near the middle of Abernethy, the lower end of which parish falls within the county of Inverness.

Topographical appearances, &c.

The mountains of Cairngorm (the blue mountains) rise to a conspicuous elevation on the southern boundary of the parish. They are seldom wholly free from snow. The forests cannot extend themselves to a great height on their sides. There are beautiful topaz stones of all colours found on these hills, capable of being polished for ornamenting rings and finishing seals.

There are several lakes in the parish. That of Glenmore in Kincardine is nearly circular, and about 2 miles in diameter. It occupies the middle of an aged forest of firs, which, when sold by the late Duke of Gordon, was considered to be of the largest and best timber in Scotland; and the progress of a new growth of timber in the forest is now so great that the result must one day be very profitable. The lake discharges into the Spey a stream which has a course of 6 miles. In this quarter, there is a lake in the hollow of a mountain, which neither takes in nor emits any stream; but the rocky banks rise around to a great height, and are clothed with the ever verdant pine. This lake is stored with abundance of fat trout.

The Nethy, from which the parish takes its name, is only a brook in dry weather; but is occasionally swelled to such a degree as to float down timber to the saw-mills or to the Spey.

II: Civil History.

Land-owners

[93] The Earl of Seafield is proprietor of the great estate of Grant. The chief persons of the Grant family have been baronets for several centuries; and have maintained very respectable characters. His Lordship's heir-apparent is Colonel the Honourable Francis William Grant of Grant, who has several sons.

Eminent Men

Connected with this parish was Francis Grant, Lord Cullen, an eminent lawyer and Judge in Scotland, and born about the year 1660. He distinguished himself at the Revolution by a treatise which he wrote to prove that James had abdicated the crown, at the time of agitating the question of the Union of England and Scotland. Ho was created a baronet by Queen Anne, and about a year after was appointed a Judge. He died in the sixty-sixth year of his age.

Patrick Grant was born in Edinburgh, in 1696, and in 1754 was made one of the Lords of Session, with the title of Lord Preston-grange. He also was connected with this parish. He wrote several tracts against the Rebellion of 1745, and was a distinguished lawyer. He died at Edinburgh in the sixty-fourth year of his age.

III: Population

IV: Industry

I am informed that there arc 7000 acres of the Grant estate, in Abernethy, under fir of natural growth. The arable ground in the parish bears but a small proportion to the uncultivated – a great part of the surface being covered with wood. There are some farms in the parish in a high degree of improvement – having substantial and commodious buildings, and fields properly cultivated by strong horses and implements of the best form.

An uninterrupted manufacture of timber has been carried on in the Abernethy district for more than sixty years. The York Building Company, in 1728, purchased the timber of the woods of Abernethy to a great amount. Extensive, indeed, was their beginning; every kind of implement was of the best form: sawmills, smelting furnaces for iron ore, manufacturing bricks, &c. &c. – all surprising novelties in the place – were commenced, and carried on for seven years. They imparted much useful [94] knowledge to the people, and taught them dexterity in many operations.

For a considerable length of time past, the improvement in agriculture in this parish has been great; and is likely to continue. This has been occasioned chiefly by the command of lime, which happily is found here in various places; and abundance of peats and decaying timber, for burning that valuable article, is found all over the parish. This mode of cultivating and improving the ground is found so beneficial, that there is not an individual of even the lower order of farmers (such as pay no more than £6 of rent annually) who has not a lime-kiln in use. This manure not only promotes the increase of corn, &c but greatly meliorates the pasture for cattle, and increases both the quantity and quality of hay.

The proprietor, most prudently and most beneficially to all ranks of farmers, gives a fixed sum for every acre of waste ground brought into a state of cultivation.

I cannot obtain any accurate account of the yearly amount and value of raw produce raised in the parish.

V: Parochial Economy

Ecclesiastical State

The church of Kincardine is very well built and finished, and is 7 miles distant from the manse. It affords sufficient room for 600 persons. The church in the district of Abernethy is very sufficiently built, well supplied with light, and commodiously fitted up with seats. There is a beautiful seat in the gallery, opposite to the pulpit, intended for the use of the family of the heritor. The church can accommodate 1000 persons. The parish was accommodated with a catechist, by the Committee for managing the Royal Bounty, since the year 1790. But the old man died two years ago, and the salary was withdrawn. It is well known that the abolition of that cheap office produces a deplorable ignorance of the doctrines of salvation.

Education

I can give a very favourable report of the parochial school, in which there are seldom fewer than 100 scholars. Mr McDonald (now upwards of thirty-one years in office) very successfully teaches Latin, English, arithmetic, book-keeping, English-grammar, writing and mathematics. There are many young men now conducting business prosperously who had been educated at this school and we have to ascribe their success to the instructions they here received. We have at Kincardine, a school, [95] supported by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. When I came to this parish I instituted several Sabbath evening schools, which have become an eminent blessing to the people; and I shall encourage them while I live.

September 1835.