Murdo Matheson (bef. 1539 - aft. 1602)

Born before 1539 in Lochalsh, Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died after 1602 after age 63 in Fernaig or Balmacara, Lochalsh, Scotland [uncertain]

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Biography

Murdoch Matheson, commonly called "Murchadh Buidhe," or Murdoch with the yellow hair.

Matheson Clan Chief between approximately 1550-1600

He had:

1. Roderick, his eldest son, who succeeded to Fernaig

2. Dugald an Oir of Balmacarra

3. A daughter, said to have married Eachainn Cam, son of Hector Roy Mackenzie, first of Gairloch

Some confusion over Murdo's paternity. Matheson ^[1] seems to believe that his father was Alisdair mac Ruaidhri rather than Dugald Roy. He explains the confusion arises over two men named Iain Dubh. Iain Dubh the elder had two sons, Iain Dubh the younger and Ruaidhri. Iain Dubh the younger is the father of Dugald Roy, while Ruaidhri is the grandfather of Murchadh Buidhe. Matheson's analysis is based largely on dates.

The details of Murchadh Buidhe's life, however seem to be consistent.

From History of the Mathesons:

Murdoch Matheson, commonly called " Murchadh Buidhe" or Murdoch with the yellow hair. He was so indignant at his father's treatment by Glengarry that he determined to be revenged upon him at whatever cost, and to enable him to punish him effectually he proposed to enter into an arrangement with Mackenzie of Kintail, and offered to cede to him the whole of Lochalsh in return for his aid in prosecuting his vengeance against Glengarry, retaining only to himself the reversion of Fernaig and Balmacarra. Kintail, according to one authority, " readily entered into terms so advantageous to himself, and which he, in due time, found means to convert to purposes far more favourable to himself than had been contemplated" by Matheson; while another informs us that he took possession of the lands in terms of the proposed arrangement, "but neglected to perform the other part of the agreement."

Murdoch left issue —

1. Roderick, who after his father's death succeeded to Fernaig.

2. Dugald, to whom his father bequeathed Balmacarra

Sources

1. ↑ Genealogies of the Mathesons, by William Matheson, is an article published in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness 47 (1971-72): 172-217

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p46226.htm#i462251
• History of the Matheson's by Alexander Mackenzie; page 20-24 (https://archive.org/details/historyofmatheso00mack/page/20)

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Colin Mcdonald for creating WikiTree profile Mathieson-134 through the import of COCO2013.GED on Jun 25, 2013.