Mowat of Balquholly

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This branch originally styled themselves 'of Loscragy' which was the name of the barony. They later styled themselves after their castle Balquholly.

Patrick Mowat, of Loscragy. He got a charter of Loscragy and Culpedauchis from Robert the Bruce in 1309¹⁴ and is thus the first laird of Balquholly. He was forester of Fromarteine in 1308. Created forester of Killanell and Fromarteine (in Aberdeenshire) by Robert I.¹⁵ Most likely it was this Patrick, esquire of the king of Scotland. who was put in chains on Orkney by the bailie of the king of Norway in 1312. He had to pay his liberty for 40 merks sterling.¹

James de Monte Alto. One of the collectors in the sheriffdom of Aberdeen in 1360 of contributions for ransom of the king. He probably belonged to the Loscragy/Balquholly branch, but it is unknown if he also was laird of Loscragy.

III

William Mowat, of Loscragy. Died after 1419.² Robert, duke of Albany, confirmed around 1410 a wadset from William to his son John of the lands of Freswick and Auchingill in Caithness.¹³

Son:
1.	John, killed in Tain chapel in 1419.²

John Mowat, of Loscragy. Probably grandson of III. Mentioned in 1438.

Son:
1.	Alexander, see V.
2.	Mr William Mowat, canon of Aberdeen. Mentioned 17 April 1509 as uncle of John Mowat of Loscragy.⁷

Alexander Mowat, of Loscragy. He was a witness in 1460 and in 1487. He was still living 16 December 1494.

Son:
1.	John, see VI.
2.	Alexander Mowat. Married Isobel Leslie. He got a charter of the lands of Easter Dryne and Contaneloid in Ross 27 May 1507 from his brother John Mowat of Loscragy.¹⁹
Possible daughter:
3.	Marjorie Mowat. Mentioned 2 May 1505 as widow of Alexander Abercrombie.⁶

John Mowat, of Loscragy and Freswick¹⁸. He was a witness with his father in 1487. Mentioned 16 July 1508³ and 1 October 1510⁸. Still living 29 April 1511⁹, but died before 20 June 1516⁴, possibly at Flodden. He was probably married to a daughter of Sir Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo. She was married to the Laird of Balquholly late in the 1400s. This must be either John or his son Magnus. For chronological reasons it was most likely John.

Son:
1.	Magnus, see VII.
Possible son:
2.	Gilbert, ancestor of the Mowats of Brabstermire and Swinzie.

VII

Magnus Mowat, of Loscragy/Balquholly. Died in 1526 between 8 August and 1 December.⁵ According to an ancestor chart from 1674 he was married to Joanna Hay, daughter of Sir Alexander Hay of Delgaty.

Son:
1.	Patrick, see VIII.
2.	Margaret Mowat, had two illegitimate sons, Patrick and John, by William Sinclair of Mey. They were legitimised in 1607.

VIII

Patrick Mowat, of Balquholly. Born around 1511. Died 1564. He married Margaret Cheyne, daughter of Patrick Cheyne of Esslemont and Isobel Bad. She later married James Dempster of Auchterless around 1566/7.

Children:

Patrick, see IX.

James, ancestor of the Mowats in Redcloak.

Magnus, ancestor of the Mowats in Cowie and Ardo.

Beatrix Mowat, married (1) Alexander Mortimer of Auchinbady, and (2) Patrick Dalgarno.

Margaret Mowat, married John Craig of Craigfintray. She divorced him 18 November 1562.

Possible children:

George Mowat in Loscragy. Died before March 1608.

Children:
a.	Walter Mowat, possibly the Walter Mowat buried in St. Nicolas in Aberdeen 21 October 1606.
b.	Elspet Mowat (?), married Thomas Mitchell, merchant in Turriff.

Thomas Mowat in Balquholly.

Children:
a.	Thomas Mowat, merchant in Turriff.
b.	Elspet Mowat, married Robert Melvill.

Janet Mowat, married (i) Thomas Copland, portioner of Idoch,¹⁰ and (ii) John Roy Grant of Carron.

Patrick Mowat, of Balquholly. Heir of his father 30 March 1564 in Freswick and Howpistell in Caithness.¹⁶ Died before June 1603. He was still living 1 February 1598-99 when his son is styled ‘apparent of Balquholly’.¹¹ Married before 9 October 1559 Christine Ogilvy, daughter of Walter Ogilvy of Boyne.²⁰

Children by Christine Ogilvy:
1.	Magnus, see X.
2.	James of Smiddyseat, see XI.
3.	Christian Mowat. Married (contract 13 March 1591) James Gardin, son of Alexander Gardin of Blackford, and had issue.
4.	Isobel Mowat. Died 19 May 1601. Married William Bruce of Stanstill.
5.	Elizabeth Mowat. Married George Crawford of Annochie.
6.	Jean Mowat. Married Alexander Calder of Asloun.

Magnus Mowat, of Balquholly. Died March 1634. Married (contract 3 Nov 1592) Elizabeth (Isobel) Cheyne, daughter of William Cheyne of Arnage and Margaret Irvine. She died after July 1642.

Children by Elizabeth Cheyne:

Elizabeth Mowat. Died before 1634. Married (John?) Forbes of Asloun.

Christian Mowat. Buried at Latheron. Tomb built by John John Dirom, master mason, after 26 September 1642. She married before 1627 Sir John Sinclair of Geanies and Dunbeath and had issue.

Natural child:

Thomas Mowat. Married his cousin Marjorie Gardin, daughter of James Gardin of Blackford and Christian Mowat.

Children by Marjorie Gardin:
a.	Elspet Mowat. Married Alexander Coghill in Bowermadden.
b.	(Unknown) Mowat. Married Findlay Groat of Skirscary. She is possibly the same as 1.

James Mowat, of Smiddyseat, of Ardin (in 1611), of Balquholly (after 1634). Died between August 1642 and March 1643. Married Lucy Gordon, daughter of William Gordon of Gight and Isobel Ouchterlony.

Children by Lucy Gordon:
1.	Patrick, see XII.
2.	Isobel Mowat. Died unmarried, possibly abroad.
3.	Christian Mowat. Married William Lindsay.

XII

Patrick Mowat, styled himself ‘apparent of Balquholly’ in 1644 (even if it seems his father was already dead). Killed at the battle of Alford in July 1645. Married Helen Copland, daughter of Captain Alexander Copland of Idoch, mercenary in Poland.

Children by Helen Copland:

Magnus, see XIII.

George, of Hamnavoe, see XVI.

James Mowat. Probably died in1686 or 1687. Married Elizabeth Mowat, daughter Alexander Mowat in Redcloak and Sibilla Mowat.

Children by Elizabeth Mowat:

James Mowat. He went to Maryland.

Christian Mowat. In Stonehaven in 1702. Married William Mowat, maltman in Aberdeen. His ancestry is unknown, but he had a brother, James Mowat, in Ruthrieston. He was admitted burgess of Aberdeen 2 September 1722. Involved in the 1715 rising.

Children by William Mowat:
1)	Elizabeth Mowat. Baptised 4 March 1705.
2)	John Mowat. Baptised 8 July 1706.
3)	Margaret Mowat. Baptised 23 December 1708.
4)	William Mowat of Colpnay. Provost of Aberdeen 1754-55. Baptised 10 April 1712. He married Jane Osborn. She died 17 March 1786. William died at Newbridge a few months later.

Barbara Mowat. Married Malcolm Groat, portioner of Duncansby.

Elizabeth Mowat. Married (contract 18 August 1663) John Kennedy younger of Kermucks and had issue. She died before 1678.

XIII

Magnus Mowat, of Freswick, of Balquholly (after July 1661). Heir to his grandfather 7 May 1653.¹⁷ Born about 1631. He was murdered in November 1669 and was buried in Norway. He married 1651 Jean Sinclair, daughter of deceased Alexander Sinclair of Latheron and Jean Cunninghame.

Children by Jean Sinclair:
1.	Patrick Mowat. Baptised 30 November 1654. Died.
2.	William, see XIV.
3.	Jean Mowat. Baptised 10 January 1658.
4.	Elizabeth Mowat.
5.	Helen Mowat. Married 6 January 1691 Robert Molysone, merchant in Aberdeen, and had issue.

XIV

William Mowat, of Balquholly. Baptised 18 October 1656. Died November 1688. Married 10 November 1685 Katherine Lauder, daughter of Robert Lauder, town clerk depute of Dundee, and Euphan Bathgate.

Children by Katherine Lauder:
1.	daughter, died as an infant.
2.	William, see XV.

William Mowat, of Balquholly. Baptised 8 January 1687. Died after March 1705.

XVI

George Mowat, of Hamnavoe, of Balquholly. Died before October 1710 in Married (contract 10 November 1662) Margaret Mowat, daughter of Mr James Mowat of Ollaberry (see Mowats of Garth) and Margaret Sinclair.

Children by Margaret Mowat:

Patrick, see XVII.

James Mowat, of Stennes, of Hugoland. Married Elizabeth Mackenzie.

Children by Elizabeth Mackenzie:

George Mowat, of Stennes. Commander of a merchant ship. He lived in England in 1786.

Children:
1)	George Mowat. Captain.
2)	James Mowat. Bengal Engineers.

William Mowat. Commander of the ship named “Charming Jane of London”. Married 19 December 1742 Agnes Spence, daughter of Thomas Spense of Dalvennan, writer in Edinburgh, and Margaret Roehead. He was in South Carolina in 1752.

Children:
1)	James Mowat. He went to live with his grandmother in Scotland after his mother’s death.
2)	Alexander Mowat.

Patrick Mowat. Commanded one of the ships sailing around the world with Commodore Byron. He had five sons.

George Mowat. Died young after 1696.

Hector Mowat, of Hurdaback, Ollagairth and Averagairth. Died before 1711. No issue.

Margaret Mowat. Died before July 1705.

Helen Mowat. Married Mr James Dunbar of Weatherstay.

XVII

Patrick Mowat, of Hamnavoe, of Balquholly. Died in July 1716. He married (i) Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Andrew Bruce of Muness, and (ii) his cousin Barbara Cheyne, daughter of George Cheyne of Esslemont and Barbara Mowat.

Children by Marjorie Bruce:
1.	Margaret Mowat. Married around 1711, in Shetland, John Scott, merchant in Dundee.
2.	Ursula Mowat.
Children by Barbara Cheyne:
3.	Patrick Mowat. Died young.
4.	James Mowat. Died between November 1709 and October 1710.
5.	John Mowat, see XVIII.
6.	Robert Mowat. Died in March 1722 in Edinburgh.
7.	Elizabeth Mowat. Baptised 19 March 1714.
8.	Katherine Mowat. Baptised 11 June 1715.

XVIII

John Mowat, of Balquholly. Born 1704. Died 1736. He resigned the lands of Balquholly in 1727. He married around 1723 Agnes Keith, daughter and heiress of James Keith of Keithfield and Agnes Gordon. She died 11 July 1783.

Children by Agnes Keith:

James Mowat. Born 1727. Died 1744.

John Mowat-Keith. Born 1729. Died 1788. Married 7 September 1761 Margaret Chalmers, daughter of William Chalmers, merchant and provost of Aberdeen.

Children by Margaret Chalmers:
a.	John Mowat-Keith. Baptised 18 August 1762.
b.	George Mowat-Keith. Baptised 29 February 1764.
c.	Helen Mowat-Keith. Baptised 11 July 1765.
d.	Agnes Mowat-Keith. Baptised 5 April 1767.
e.	Margaret Mowat-Keith. Baptised 6 July 1768.
f.	Veramina Mowat-Keith. Baptised 22 December 1769.
g.	Isabella Mowat-Keith. Baptised 20 September 1771.
h.	Cecilia Mowat-Keith. Baptised 1 July 1774.
i.	Katherine Mowat-Keith. Baptised 27 July 1777.

Barbara Mowat. Died before 1765. Married William Anderon and had is

Agnes or Anna Mowat. Married John Wilson, hecklemaker in Aberdeen.

William Mowat.

Alexander Mowat. He died 1762 in Jamaica. Third lawful son.¹²

Mary Mowat.

Francis Mowat. Born around 1734/35. Apprentice to James Chalmers, printer in Aberdeen.

References:

Unless otherwise specified all facts for Patrick, no. VIII, and his descendants are to be found in LL ("A Lairdship Lost" by Diane Baptie, Tuckwell Press 2000) pages 134-142 together with much additional information.

1	RN vol. III (1301-19) no. 787.
2	RSS vol. I (1488-1529), no. 929.
3	RMS vol. II (1424-1513), no. 3250.
4	RSS vol. I (1488-1529), no. 2781.
5	RSS vol. I (1488-1529), no. 3469 and 3561.
6	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 15.
7	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 34.
8	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 59.
9	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 62.
10	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 228.
11	SCA vol. I (before 1600), p. 386.
12	SRS vol. 3, p. 198.
13	RMS vol. I, no. 929, and IRC p. 166.
14	RMS vol. I, p. 511, and IRC p. 2.
15	RMS vol. I, p. 538, and IRC p. 17.
16	RSH vol. I, Caithness no. 2.
17	RSH vol. II, Generales no. 3790.
18	RMS vol II, no. 3250.
19	RMS vol II, no. 3250.
20	RMS vol III, no. 1379.