Menzies of Culdares

MENZIES

of CULDARES

 

The funeral escutcheons of Colonel James Menzies, 1st of Culdares, state him to have been a son of John Menzies, who was grandson of the eldest son of Alexander Menzies of Weem by his second wife, Margaret Kerr.[1] This is incorrect in part as the second wife of Alexander Menzies of Weem was Katherine McGhie, although the occurrence of the name Margaret Kerr is significant as she was the wife of Mr. James Menzies who was Minister, firstly, of Mertoun by 1585, then of Dull in 1605 and Weem by 1622. To add weight to the testimony of the escutcheons, Alexander Menzies of Weem, (d. 1563), had sons named James by each of his two marriages and his son of that name by his second wife, Katherine MacGhie, was firstly elected by the parishioners on 2 July 1553, and then installed as Clerk of the parish Church of Dull on 29 October 1553, in place of the late John Menzies of Tiggernach.[2] Those relationships are then further proved when Mr. James Menzies, husband to Margaret Kerr, is styled uncle to Alexander Menzies of Weem in a contract of 6 December 1594,[3] thereby proving him to have been identical to second son of that name of Alexander Menzies of Weem. He was father of,

  1. James Menzies, who is styled lawful son and apparent heir to his father in the above cited contract of 6 December 1594.
  2. John Menzies, (see below).

John Menzies, in Tullochoul, who was father of :

  1. James Menzies, 1st of Culdares, (see below).
  2. John Menzies, in Tomintugail, is named as brother of Colonel James Menzies of Culdares in several documents. He was father of,

2a} Duncan Menzies, who served as a Major in the army and m. his cousin, Agnes, daughter of James Menzies, 1st of Culdares, (she was widow of Patrick Stewart of Arntully and Cardney, whom she had m. by c/m 12 February 1681, and who had d. in June of 1685).

  1. Margaret Menzies, m. at Kenmore, on 30 September 1647, to John Campbell, 1st of Duneaves,[4] and had issue.
  2. Jean Menzies, m. firstly, to Mr. Gilbert Menzies, Minister of Fortingall, and had issue ; and secondly, to Archibald MacNab of Mullion, (c/m at Comrie, on 28 August 1674[5]).

Colonel James Menzies, 1st of Culdares, served for many years as a soldier on the continent and upon his return to Scotland he acquired the lands of Culdares from John Campbell, eldest son and heir of Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy, and for which he had a confirmation under the Great Seal dated 24 June 1650.[6]

He m. firstly, by 24 June 1650, to Susanna, daughter of Archibald Campbell, fiar of Glenlyon, by whom he had issue; and secondly, to Marie Sandilands to whom he granted a Bond of Provision on 16 May 1691,[7] and was alive on 31 May 1697, when he granted a disposition of his entire estate to his great-grandson and heir, James Menzies, but d. soon afterwards. He was father of :

  1. Archibald Menzies, 2nd of Culdares, (see below).
  2. Marjory Menzies, bap. at Perth, on 24 July 1649 and m. in March of 1669, to William Stewart, 2nd of Fungorth and Balleid, (he survived her and m. secondly, at Edinburgh, 10 August 1685, to Catherine, daughter of Sir Gilbert Ramsay, 1st Baronet of Bamff,[8] who was then widow of James Campbell of Keithock), and had issue.
  3. Susanna Menzies, m. Robert Campbell, 2nd of Glenfalloch, (c/m 7 & 22 June 1674. He was b. on 19 March 1647), and had issue.
  4. Agnes Menzies, m. firstly, Patrick Stewart, 10th of Arntully and Cardney, (c/m at Comrie, on 12 February 1681.[9] He d. in June of 1685), and had issue; and secondly, to Major Duncan Menzies.

Archibald Menzies, fiar of Culdares, to whom his father made a resignation of the lands of Culdares which was confirmed under the Great Seal on 25 July 1651, to himself and heirs male of his body, which failing, to the heirs-male of his father.[10] He m. Catherine, daughter of James Livingstone, son of Sir Henry Livingstone, (c/m 10 April 1674[11]), and d. vita patrishaving had issue;

  1. Archibald Menzies, 2nd of Culdares, (see below).
  2. Sophia Menzies, m. Alexander Menzies, son and heir of William Menzies, 1st of Bolfracks, (c/m 30 July 1687[12]), and had issue.

Archibald Menzies, 2nd of Culdares, succeeded his grandfather in his estate and served as a Captain in the army. He m. his cousin, Susanna, daughter of William Stewart, 2nd of Fungorth, and d. by 22 December 1716. He was father of,

  1. James Menzies, 3rd of Culdares, (see below).
  2. Robert Menzies, was apprenticed to Archibald Home, Merchant in Edinburgh, on 21 January 1713.[13]
  3. William Menzies, was apprenticed to George Cunningham, Chirurgeon in Edinburgh, on 13 March 1718[14] and settled in Jamaica. He was father of,

3a} Jean Menzies, m. at Meggernie on 11 March 1764, Alexander Fraser of Mormount, son of Alexander Fraser of Strichen,[15] and had issue.

  1. John Menzies, was apprenticed to William Ure, Goldsmith in Edinburgh, on 9 January 1719.[16]
  2. Susan Menzies, m. at Edinburgh, on 21 December 1716, to Duncan Campbell of Edramuckie,[17] (c/m 22 December 1716.[18]He was widow of Isobel, daughter of Archibald MacNab of Mullion, whom he had m. in 1701), and had issue.
  3. Anna Menzies, m. Archibald MacDuff of Ballieloan, (c/m 20 October 1732[19]).
  4. Marjory Menzies, m. Walter Stewart of Urquhillbeg, (c/m 1 June 1736[20]), and had issue.
  5. Elgin Menzies, m. Duncan MacNaughton, in Meggernie, and d. on 28 February 1781. They had issue.

James Menzies, 3rd of Culdares, to whom his great-grandfather, Colonel James Menzies, granted a disposition for his entire on 31 May 1697 and to whom he was served heir in the lands of Culdares on 4 August 1719.[21] He m. Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. John Murray of Bowhill, Senator of the College of Justice, (c/m 6 & 18 December 1727[22]), d. at an advanced age at Inveresk, on 10 December 1775[23] and was father of :

  1. Archibald Menzies, who dsp vita patris before September of 1766 when his brother Archibald Menzies was served heir to him.[24]
  2. Archibald Menzies, 5th of Culdares, (see below).
  3. Jean Menzies, who, with her sisters Magdalen, Elizabeth and Eleanor Hamilton, were executors and next-of-kin to their sister Elizabeth in 1784 and in which they are styled daughters of the deceased James Menzies of Culdares. She d. unmarried, at Edinburgh, on 20 February 1799.[25]
  4. Mary Menzies, m. at Meggernie, on 17 September 1771, to James Reid of Eastertyre of Gorgie,[26] (c/m 17 September 1771[27]), and d. at Edinburgh, on 11 May 1805,[28] having had issue.
  5. Elizabeth Menzies, bap. at Perth, on 1 November 1727 and d. unmarried, at Bowling Green, near Edinburgh, on 30 December 1780.[29]
  6. Eleanor Hamilton Menzies, m. at Edinburgh, on 18 October 1772, to Alexander Menzies of Chesthill,[30] (he d. at Edinburgh, on 9 June 1804[31]), and surviving him, she d. at Foss, on 20 February 1817.[32] They had issue.

Archibald Menzies, 5th of Culdares, was appointed a Commissioner of Customs and was served heir to his brother, Archibald, in the lands of Culdares on 1 September 1766, then as heir general to his father on 5 July 1776.[33]

He m. at Edinburgh, on 16 October 1776, to Frances, daughter of John Rutherford, North Carolina,[34] and d. at Inveresk, on 23 October 1777,[35] He was father of :

Elizabeth MacKenzie Menzies, 6th of Culdares, is styled only child of the late Archibald Menzies of Culdares, one of the Commissioners for Customs, in an action she raised against her uncle-in-law, Alexander Menzies, one of the Principal Clerks of Session in 1783. She m. at London, on 3 March 1795, to John Claudius Beresford, son of John Beresford, and grandson of Sir Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone,[36] and had issue.

 

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[1] Lyon Court Birthbrieves.

[2] GD50/186/10/5, 6 & 7.

[3] RD1/48/238.

[4] OPR – Kenmore.

[5] RD4/50/525-529.

[6] RMS 1634-1651. No. 2196.

[7] RS52/11/f.313.

[8] OPR – Edinburgh.

[9] RS52/8/f.161r.

[10] RMS 1634-1651. No. 2202.

[11] RS52/6/f.167. See also: RD4/64/351.

[12] RD4/69/707.

[13] SRS. Register of Edinburgh Apprentices.

[14] SRS. Register of Edinburgh Apprentices.

[15] Scots Magazine. 1st March 1764, edition. She is styled “only child of William Menzies, Efq; late of Jamaica, deceased, brother of Mr. Menzies of Culdares.”

[16] SRS. Register of Edinburgh Apprentices.

[17] OPR – Edinburgh.

[18] GD112/2/67/2/11.

[19] RS52/20/2/f.598.

[20] Blair Castle Archives Box 9. Parcel VIII. No. 30

[21] Services of Heirs.

[22] RS52/20/1/f.223r.

[23] Scots Magazine. 1st December 1775, edition.

[24] Services of Heirs.

[25] Aberdeen Journal. 4th March 1799, edition.

[26] Scots Magazine, 1st September 1771 edition.

[27] Original in the possession of the author.

[28] Scots Magazine. 1st May 1805, edition.

[29] Scots Magazine, 1st December 1780.

[30] OPR – Edinburgh.

[31] Scots Magazine. 1st August 1804, edition.

[32] Scots Magazine, 1st March 1817 edition.

[33] Services of Heirs.

[34] OPR – Edinburgh.

[35] Scots Magazine, 1st October 1777 edition. John Stewart of Cardney was served heir of tailzie and provision to him in the lands of Culdares on 11 November 1788.[35]

[36] OPR – London.