William (Fraser) Fraser Ist of Struy (abt. 1537 - abt. 1607)

Born about 1537 in Lovat, Inverness, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Janet Grant — married 19 Jan 1560 (to before 15 Feb 1564) in Inverness-shire, Scotland

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Darrell Parker [send private message]

Biography

THE FRASERS OF STRUY.

I. ANDREW FRASER, afterwards called William, second son of Hugh, fifth Lord Lovat, killed at Blar-nan-Leine in 1544, by his second wife, Janet, daughter of Walter Ross of Balnagown, was the first of the Frasers of Struy. He was Tutor for his nephew Hugh, seventh Lord Lovat. For particulars of his services in this responsible position see pages 104 to 107. His tutory expired in 1567, when his Lordship granted him an honourable discharge of all his accounts. He claimed the Tutorship again against Thomas of Knockie, his Lordship's uncle, when his grand-nephew Simon, eighth Lord, succeeded in January, 1576-77. Knockie, however, succeeded to the office. For particulars of this dispute and its settlement see pages 121 to 123. He was one of those in whose favour Simon, the eighth Lord, inhibited himself in 1587 against disposing of any part of his estates until he became of age. He is on record as late as 1591.

On the 21st of September, 1570, he secured a wadset from Mackintosh of Mackintosh of the lands of Eskadale, and they continued on that footing until on the l0th of March, 1618, Mackintosh resigned the wadset to William's grandson, Thomas Fraser, III. of Struy, and Elizabeth Dunbar, his wife.

On the I9th of January, 1560, and again in November, 1561, William entered into a contract of marriage with Elizabeth or Elspet, daughter of John Grant, X. of Freuchie, but it is not known whether the marriage was celebrated or not. If so, he must have divorced her soon after, for on the 15th of February, 1564, another marriage contract is entered into between her and John Leslie, Younger of Balquhain. She, in 1576, divorces Leslie, and enters into a third contract of marriage, on the 21st of January, 1580 this time with William Cumming of Inverallochy. The contract with William Fraser of Struy is a peculiar one, for oddly enough it anticipates a divorce and makes certain provision for it. It, as well as the contract with John Leslie, is printed in The Chiefs of Grant, vol. iii., pp. 380-382, and reference to her proceedings for divorce from the latter will be found at pp. 391-393 of the same volume. By Elizabeth Grant, or another, William had issue:

1. Hugh, his heir and successor.

2. Thomas, first of the Frasers of Eskadale, whom see.

3. Elizabeth, who, in 1594, married James Fraser, I. of Phopachy, with issue, from whom sprung the Frasers of Torbreck, Inchberry, and others, whom see.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, [Hugh Fraser].

^[1]

• William Fraser, 1st of Struy was born circa 1537. He was the son of Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord Lovat and Janet Ross.

• He married Janet Grant, daughter of John Grant, 4th of Freuchie and Lady Margaret Stewart, in 1561. He lived at Struy, Scotland.

Children of William Fraser, 1st of Struy and Janet Grant

• Hugh Fraser d. 1616
• Thomas Fraser, 2nd of Struy, 1st of Eskadale+3 d. 1620

William was born about 1537. He passed away about 1607.

Coat of Arms: FRASER OF STRUIE Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure three fraises Argent 2nd & 3rd Argent three antique crowns Gules all within a bordure Or. Sir James Balfour Paul’s Scottish Ordinary. 1796 Burke’s General Armory 1884; Descended from a third son of Hugh, 5th Lord Lovat.

^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ HISTORY F R A S E R S OF LOVAT WITH GENEALOGIES OF THE PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE NAME; TO WHICH IS ADDED THOSE OF DUNBALLOCH AND PHOFACHY. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, M.J.I., PARK HOUSE, INVERNESS, March, 1896. p. 638-9
2. ↑ https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-fraser/fraser-coat-of-arms/

See Also:

• http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-03/fraser03.html
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p50037.htm#i500362
• BP2003 volume 2, page 2412. BP2003.
• http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I13860&tree=CC
• https://digital.nls.uk/genealogical-collections-concerning-families/archive/74539082#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=101&xywh=-1505%2C-1%2C5508%2C4083