Finlay Farquharson (1487 - 1547)

Born 1487 in Invercauld, Scotland

Husband of Beatrix (Garden) Robertson — married about 1530 (to about 1547) in Aberdeenshire [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 10 Sep 1547 at about age 60 in Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, Scotland

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Biography

Finlay Farquharson is a member of Clan Farquharson.

Royal Standard Bearer at Pinkie. Finlay was a man of great stature hence the nickname Mhor.

Farquharsons trace their origin back to Farquhar, fourth son of Alexander Cier (Shaw) of Rothiemurcus, who possessed the Braes of Mar near the source of the river Dee in Aberdeenshire. His descendants were called Farquharsons, and his son, Donald, married Isobel Stewart, heiress of Invercauld. Donald’s son, Finla Mor, was the real progenitor of the clan. The Gaelic patronymic is Mac Fhionnlaigh Mor. He was royal standard bearer at the Battle of Pinkie, where he was killed in 1547. From his lifetime onwards the clan grew in stature, important branches being founded through the nine sons of his two marriages, in particular those of Craigniety, Monaltrie, Whitehouse, Finzean, Allanquoich, Inverey, Tullochcoy, Broughdearg, and Achriachan. In addition to those who bear the name Farquharson and the other variations which clearly denominate the descendants of Farquhar, there are other families which are acknowledged to be septs or dependents, having close affiliation by tradition, and they include the names Hardie, MacCardney, MacCuaigh, Grassick, Riach, Brebner and Coutts. The Broughdearg Manuscript written by Alexander Farquharson about 1730 is an excellent piece of early research into this family.

Finlay was born about 1487,son to Donald Farquharson and his wife Isabel Stewart.

Finlay Farquharson is mentioned as occupying Invercauld, Keloch, Cluny, and part of Inverey in the list of King's tenants in Aberdeenshire in 1539 ^[1] and previously, as a King's tenant and a principal man in Braemar, in 1527, 1532, and 1538.^[2]

Agreement of October 1527 between the Grants on the one part and 'Fyndlayus Farquharesone ' and a number of other tenants of the King in 'Stradee' on the other, 'pro se, suis prolibus, orphanis, consanguineis, amicis et adherentibus, etc.' transcribes as follows^[3] : "On the 8th of October 1527, in presence of the subscribing notary and other witnesses, appeared the honourable and worthy men and good women, John Grant of Freuchie, James Grant, his son and apparent hen, Robert Grant, John Grant More, and Patrick Grant in Ballindalloch, in their own name, and that of the whole community, and " lye Clan de Grantis," their kinsmen, friends, and adherents, on one part, and Finlay Farquharson and others, tenants of the lands of our sovereign lord the king, of Strathdee, within the diocese of Aberdeen, for themselves, their children, orphans, kinsmen, friends, adherents, and others whom it concerns or may concern in future, on the other part ; wholly deploring and taking ill the cutting off (truncacionem) and plundering of the men of Strathdee, and the carrying off of their cattle, grain, and other goods by the said Grants, their kinsmen, friends, and adherents ; and on the other hand the cutting off and plundering of the men of Strathspey and Strathclon, their cattle, grain, and goods by Finlay Farquharson, his confederates and accomplices, their kinsmen, friends, and adherents ; and desiring, so far as human weakness can, to redeem, satisfy, and amend these most disgraceful crimes towards God in the highest, the Three and One, our sovereign lord the king, and the injured party, and for the rest to live and end their days in concord and friendship, quietly and peacefully among themselves ; for these reasons the said parties for themselves, and in name as above, induced neither by force nor fear, uncompelled and unconstrained, but of their own mere and free wills, having regard to then utility and quiet, and after much long and matured consideration, have asserted, by their great oath separately sworn before me, the notary-public underwritten, the holy gospels of God being touched, and have affirmed that they have mutually laid aside towards each other all rancour and displeasure of mind for the said men killed, slain, maimed, and mutilated....."

In somewhat amusing contrast to the levy upon the king's rental, the summons refers to another foray of the Farquharsons, this time against a son of the church, one of their own name, who appears in various Grant documents as a notary attendant on the Laird. In December 1527, just two months after the first agreement narrated above, the Farquharsons seized from the lands of " Vry, beside Cowe in Mvrenes," (Urie beside Cowie in the Mearns) in the sheriffdom of Kincardine, goods belonging to Sir Alexander Farquharson, chaplain, servant to the deceased Laird, the inventory of which is curious as affording a glimpse of certain clerical properties. The spoil consisted of one black and one brown horse, valued at about £ 1 each ; a doublet of double worset, price 48s.; three " sarkis," price 6s. each; " tua suerdis," price 58s. each ; "tua paris of hois of blak and quhit claitht," at 14s. the pair; one pound of pepper, value 10s. ; four ounces of "cannell" [cinnamon], valued at 1 6s. ; half a pound of ginger, price 4s. ; two ounces of saffron, valued at 12s. 2 For the cows and the spices, of which they had thus taken forcible possession, the Farquharsons were, in the justice ayre of Aberdeen, adjudged to pay value, which, although the Earl of Huntly and James Crichton of Frendraught were cautioners, they delayed to do, and therefore the summons was raised by John Grant's executor.

Finlay Married twice. About 1515 his first marriage was to a Stuart and by her he had four sons:

• William mar. Beatrix Gordon but died young without issue
• James of Castleton of Braemar
• Alexander mar. Stewart of Tullymet's daughter
• John of Craignity in Glen Isla

Finlay's first wife died about 1530.

Finlay Mhor then he married secondly to Beatrix Garden daughter to Alexander Garden of Durlathers . She was sister to George Garden of Banchory.

Beatrix bore him five sons and four daughters: They married about 1530 and had issue:

• Beatrix mar. Kenneth McKenzie of Dalmore.
• Donald of Castleton of Braemar
• Elspet mar. Robertson of Killochivie
• Robert of Dalroddie
• George
• Lachlan of Broughdearg
• Janet mar. Malcolm Stewart of Boesbick
• Isabell mar. James Forbes of Leadmackay
• Finlay of Tolequhill

When the English Army invaded Scotland in the Years of the Rough Wooing in an attempt to marry Mary Queen of Scots to Edward the Prince of Wales, the Scots met them at Pinkie Cleugh near Edinburgh on 10 September 1547. Finlay Mhor was honoured to carry the Queen's Banner but the Scots were heavily defeated and Finlay was killed probably by a cannonball fire from an English ship in the Firth of Forth. he was buried in Inveresk Kirkyard in the "Langman's grave."

Sources

1. ↑ NRS Exch.Rolls, xvii. 656-7
2. ↑ Chiefs of Grant, iii. 68 see [1], 71, see [2] and 365 see [3]
3. ↑ Chiefs of Grant Pt.1 p92 see [4]

Footnotes

3 page images of information about Findlay Farquharson. (source: Google web)

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Beth Babcock for starting this profile.