Telford Family of Ellinbank
Wemyss Family of Fife
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On the cliffs at East Wemyss on the southern Fife coast there are the ruins of McDuff Castle and nearby is Wemyss Castle which continues to be the principal seat of the chief of the clan, currently Michael Wemyss of Wemyss.
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The Wemyss family inherited McDuff castle built by the McDuff Thanes of Fife in the 11th century and which is now a ruin; It is still owned by the Wemyss family. Sir Michael Wemyss entertained King Edward 1st of England there in 1304 but later threw his hand in with Robert the Bruce which caused the English King to order the castle’s destruction in a fit of rage.
Wemyss castle was built around 1420 and it was at the newly enlarged Wemyss Castle in 1565 that Sir John Wemyss of that ilk played host to Mary Queen of Scots and where she first met her future husband, Henry, Lord Darnley.
The name Wemyss was first taken by Michael of Wemyss in about 1150; it relates to the area on the south coast of Fife which originally took its name from the presence of a series of caves along the seafront – wemyss being a derivation of the gaelic word uaimh meaning cave. ( these caves are now best known for the pictish artwork in the caves).
Michael Wemyss of Wemyss was from a branch of clan McDuff who were the holders of the title of Earl of Fife.
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The photos below show: Wemyss Castle from the front and from the beach, and the ruins of McDuff Castle (right).
Elizabeth Wemyss came to Australia in 1835 with her family and is the great grandmother of Charlotte Elizabeth Gordon (Lottie) Docker who married John Dempster Telford.
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Elizabeth Wemyss was the daughter of David Wemyss of Wester Lathallan, Fife and his spouse Agnes Collier.
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David Wemyss was a fifth cousin to James, 5th Earl of Wemyss.
Sir John Wemyss, chief of the clan Wemyss, (1513 – 1593) was a direct descendant of Michael Wemyss of Wemyss and progenitor of the 2 principal branches
(1) from first son Sir John, baronet of Wemyss, the Earldom of Wemyss was created in 1633 and
(2) from the second son, James created baronet of Bogie and vice admiral of Scotland by James VI in 1591.
It would appear that it is from this Bogie line that Elizabeth Wemyss is descended.
From here the genealogy of the Wemyss family is fairly well documented but there are significant gaps.
By 1603 Scotland and England had stopped their ongoing wars and King James VI of Scotland succeeded to the English throne on the death of Queen Elizabeth I and became James the first of England. It was not until 1707 that the crowns were actually united and the Scottish parliament dissolved. Even then Scotland retained its own legal system which as we shall see was relevant to our ancestor’s inheritance.
Sir James Wemyss of Bogie’s grandson James Wemyss took a lease on “Mains of Bogie” and became a farmer. This farming tradition was carried on through Elizabeth Wemyss’s grandfather James and father David. One of James Wemyss’s (farmer of Bogie) great grandsons was Rev James Wemyss of Burntisland who inherited the title of baronet of Bogie.
Bogie is an area to the north-west of Kirkcaldy and about 10 Km west of Wemyss castle.
The first fully traceable Wemyss ancestor is James Wemyss, “tenant in Bogie” at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Tod in 1730, registered at Kilconquar parish which includes Bogie. She was the daughter of James Tod, tenant in Gilston. At the time of this marriage James Wemyss and his father-in-law to be, James Tod, signed a contract of marriage but neglected to get the bride to sign it. So when James Wemyss died in about 1768 a dispute arose over who was entitled to inherit his property leading to a series of petitions and legal determinations which are all on record and give some interesting insights into Scottish property law.
During the period of his marriage James progressed from Tenant in Bogie to Tacksman of Cassingray (primary leaseholder) and to freehold owner of property at Wester Lathallan. The dispute related to the widow’s rights and those of the younger children versus the eldest son (David) in relation to property acquired during the marriage. The dispute eventually went to the court of Lords of Council and Session who found the contract to be binding and confirmed that the Wester Lathallan property belonged to David Wemyss and the Cassingray tack to the 9 younger children with some provision for the widow from the remainder of the estate.
The larger Lathallan estate had been owned by the Spens family for some centuries but in 1788 it was sold for financial reasons – it seems likely that Wester Lathallan was part of the same estate and sold off somewhat earlier to James Wemyss in about 1766. According to the legal documents the improvements to the Wester Lathallan property were made after James Wemyss’s death in 1768.
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The Wester Lathallan property ( photos here taken in 2012) now has a number of solid stone farm buildings and an equally solid stone house but in a different style. It seems likely the farm buildings date from shortly after David Wemyss took ownership in 1768 with the house being built somewhat later after his marriage in about 1775 and before the family moved from Cassingray to live there in 1779. David was in his mid thirties and still unmarried when his father died.
The current owner / occupier of the neighbouring Gilston House, Edward Baxter, was unable to throw any light on the dating but he says that at one stage Wester Lathallan was absorbed into the Gilston estate ( after Wemyss had left) and subsequently the house with a reduced area of land resold i.e. the present property is smaller than that owned by David Wemyss.
The area around Wester Lathallan is good farming country. The next door Gilston Estate currently grows wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape as well as running cattle and sheep.
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David Wemyss married sometime before his first child, Elizabeth, was born in 1776 and baptised at Carnbee on May 12 of that year. HIs spouse was Agnes Collier but we have no information on her background or age. He was in his mid 30s. David and Agnes had 5 children - Elizabeth, David, David, Nancy and Robina while living at Cassingray and/or Wester Lathallan. Agnes died between 1782 and 1786 but there is no apparent record of her burial.
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Shortly after that David Wemyss remarried to Catherine Tod but there is no available record of the marriage. However there are records of the birth of 4 children, the first, Catherine in 1787 while still living at Wester Lathallan, and the remaining 3, Margaret, James and Robert, at St Andrews. It seems likely Catharine Tod was born 1760 to Robert Tod and Margaret Finlay at Largo.
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David Wemyss died at St Andrews on January 17, 1810 aged 67 and is buried in the grounds of the ruined cathedral. He left assets of 3,400 pounds. HIs freehold property was left to his eldest surviving son Robert with a life interest to his widow and the movable assets ( non-real estate) divided equally between his 7 children. In addition he left 50 pounds to “Isobel Wemyss my daughter spouse to David Robertson”; there is no record of a birth or marriage of this Isobel - why is she treated differently in the will ?
This photo of St Andrews shows the remains of St Andrews Cathedral and burial ground in the foreground
from sacred-destinations.com/scotland/st-andrews-cathedral :
Once the largest and most important church in Scotland, St Andrew's Cathedral (1160-1318) now lies in picturesque ruins overlooking the North Sea in St Andrews.
The Christian faith is said to have arrived in St Andrews in the 6th century with a Celtic monastic community founded by St. Kenneth. At this time, the site was known as Mucross ("Headland of the Wild Boar") and then as Kilrymont ("Cell of the King’s Mount").
In the 8th century, the king of the Picts founded a church dedicated to St. Andrew on this windswept coastal site. Andrew, a fisherman and brother of St. Peter, was adopted as the patron saint of the Picts and later of Scotland; the saltire (X-shaped) cross that adorns the modern Scottish flag is his symbol. After relics of St. Andrew were brought to the church in the 8th century, streams of pilgrims came to visit and the city became known as St Andrews. Around 908, the bishop of the Scots transferred his seat from Dunkeld to St Andrews, giving even more importance to the town.
In August 1805 David Wemyss was one of the signatories on a Certificate of Appreciation given to Donald McArthur on behalf of the citizens of St Andrews. (see copy below)
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This was at a time when the Napoleonic Wars were in full swing after a pause in 1802 following the signing of the Treaty of Amiens and which ended in May 1803. The Royal St Andrews Volunteers was one of many local militia groups formed to protect against a possible invasion by Napoleon's forces. In 1805 Donald McArthur was completing a period as their adjutant and as such would have had the job of liaising with the civil authorities.
David Wemyss and the extended Wemyss clan -
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David Wemyss was born in 1742 to parents James Wemyss and Elizabeth Tod who married at Abbotshall, Fife in 1730. His siblings, born between 1733 and 1751 were Margaret, Alison, Ann, Isabel, Catherine, James and Andrew.
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Children of David Wemyss and Agnes Collier:
Elizabeth b. 1776 at Cassingray, baptised at Carnbee on May 12th. She married Donald McArthur ( army officer) in 1806 and migrated to Australia in 1835.
David Charteris b. Jan 1778, baptised at Carnbee - died in infancy.
David Charteris b. Feb.1779, born at Wester Lathallan, baptised at Kilconquhar. He joined the “Honourable East India Company” Army as a Bombay Cadet in 1799, made lieutenant in May 1800; in the Scots Magazine of 1807 his death was reported, “ Sept 15th, At Bombay - Captain D. C. Wemyss of the 1st battalion, 3rd regiment Native Infantry, eldest son of David Wemyss Esq. St Andrews, Fifeshire”. It was just the next year, 1808, that his nephew David Charteris McArthur was born, thus carrying on the Charteris name.
Nancy b. about 1780/1 married Alexander Sutherland in 1807.
Robina b. June 1782 at Wester Lathallan, baptised at Kilconquhar. Robina married Hugh Gallie of the 18th Regiment of Foot in March 1811 at Ottery St Mary, Devon.
At Portland, Victoria, there is a gravestone that is inscribed:
Sacred to the memory of ROBIN SKENE WEMYSS relict of the late HUGH GALLIE OF Rossshire and third daughter of DAVID WEMYSS of Lathalland Fifeshire Scotland who departed this life at the residence of her son-in-law EDWARD HENTY of Burswood Portland on the 18th of February 1865
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For more on Robin Wemyss Gallie and Elizabeth Wemyss McArthur in Australia, click here:
Children of David Wemyss and Catharine Tod:
Catharine b. Oct 1787 baptised at Newburn (near Wester Lathallan)
Margaret, b. approx. 1790
Robert b. ? - no records have been found relating to Robert apart from the reference in his father's will.
James, b. approx. 1798
Jane, b. 1799
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James joined the church and was minister at Milnathorpe in the parish of Orwell, Kinross-shire. He performed the marriage ceremony of Elizabeth Wemyss and Donald McArthur at Edinburgh in 1835. He married Charlotte Turenne and had a son David in 1832. At the 1841 census he was 42 and living in the manse at Milnathorpe with son David 8 and sister Margaret 43.
The gravestone of David Wemyss at St Andrews reads:
David Wemyss esq. Of West Lathalland 17.1 1810 (age) 67
w Cath Todd 6.2.1836 75 da Jane 4.1800 10m da Margt 12.8.1848 57 da Cath 14.9.1848 61
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The genealogy of the 2 branches of the family is shown on the chart above. Our immediate ancestors are shown at the bottom right and the primo branch, the Earls of Wemyss are shown at the left. It will be seen that Elizabeth ( born 1776) is 6th cousin to Francis Charteris, 7th Earl of Wemyss and to David, Lord Elcho, 6th Earl. According to a letter written by Lottie Docker/Telford to her brother Gordon, Elizabeth Wemyss, who came to Australia in 1835, claimed to be “a cousin” of the Earl of Wemyss.
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A summary of the genealogy of the Earls of Wemyss is as follows:
Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss ( c. 1557 – 1621) , son of Sir David Wemyss of Wemyss and Cecilia Ruthven, married Mary Stuart. His son Sir John became Lord Wemyss of Elcho in 1628 and advanced to the title of Earl of Wemyss, Lord Elcho and Methil by Charles I in 1633. He married Jane Gray.
His son David born 1610 , became 2nd Earl of Wemyss. His only surviving child Margaret born 1659 married Sir James Wemyss of Caskieberry and became the 3rd Countess of Wemyss ( the female equivalent of an earl). Their son David born 1678 married Lady Ann Douglas and became 4th Earl of Wemyss.
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The first son of the 4th Earl died young and the title passed to his second son James – 5th Earl of Wemyss, born 1699. He married Janet Charteris, daughter of Colonel Francis Charteris.
The first son of James and Janet was David, Lord Elcho – he fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745 being colonel of the first troop of horse guards for the rebel army which were defeated at Culloden, and as a consequence lost the right to retain the title of 6th Earl of Wemyss which therefore passed to the second son of James and Janet, Francis Charteris Wemyss who was born 1723 and became the 7th Earl of Wemyss.
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In 1732 the 7th earl changed his name to Francis Charteris. He married Lady Catherine Gordon daughter of Alexander, 2nd Duke of Gordon, and he died at the age of 84 in 1808. It may have been this association that was the source of the name Gordon given to Donald Gordon McArthur and subsequent generations of Dockers and Telfords.
The Wemyss estates including Wemyss Castle however went to Francis’s younger brother James Wemyss who became the Clan chief and whose descendant Michael of Wemyss still holds that position and the castle.
The 8th Earl Francis Charteris, was born 1772 to Francis Wemyss Charteris , Lord Elcho and Susan Tracy-Keck and was the grandson of the 7th Earl. He married Margaret Campbell.
Their son Francis Wemyss-Charteris born 1796 became 9th Earl of Wemyss.
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The Charteris name is significant because David Wemyss chose to give the Charteris name to his first born son, David Charteris Wemyss (Elizabeth’s brother) and Elizabeth continued the tradition by naming her second son David Charteris McArthur and then David McArthur named his property in Heidelberg (Melbourne) “Charterisville”.
It seems likely that despite the apparent distance of the genetic connection, David Wemyss and family were known to the Earls of Wemyss who were likewise based in Fife and that David and family were keen to acknowledge this connection by the use of the Charteris name. ( more on the Charteris name below)
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The portraits below are of (left) James, 5th Earl of Wemyss, his father-in-law Colonel Francis Charteris ( by William Hogarth) and at right, his son David, Lord Elcho.
One of the executors of David Wemyss's will was Rev James Wemyss of Burntisland who was a third cousin to Elizabeth Wemyss but around the same age as her father David. He was the minister at Burntisland church (pictured at left) from 1779 to 1822 where he is buried.
He was married to Christian Charters, daughter of Samuel Charters and aunt to Mary Somerville who grew up in Burntisland and was one of the first females to be recognised as a scientist. Somerville House school in Brisbane which Fiona Telford attended for a year was named after her.
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The Burntisland church dates from 1592 and was the venue of the 1601 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland at which King James VI (of Scotland) was present and a motion was passed that a new translation of the bible was needed - this was subsequently put into action under the direction of King James when he became James I of England in 1603.
As noted above the 7th Earl of Wemyss changed his name to Charteris in recognition of his inheritance from his grandfather Colonel Francis Wemyss of the bulk of the Charteris estate and the right to use the Charteris arms. It is supposed that it was the connection to the 7th Earl that prompted David Wemyss to give the Charteris name to his first son David. The estate included the property named “Amisfield” near Haddington in East Lothian which Colonel Charteris acquired and named after the original Amisfield property near Dumfries which had belonged to the Charteris family for some centuries. There is no evidence that Samuel Charters of Burntisland was related to the Charteris family.
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Colonel Francis Chareris was a notorious gambler, ruthless money lender and sexual predator who was in his later years convicted, but later pardoned, of raping one of his housemaids at his house in London.
During his lifetime Colonel Charteris accumulated a considerable fortune including about 90,000 pounds sterling in cash, in monies owed to him and other moveable assets. Of this the very substantial sum of 10,000 pounds sterling in cash and liquid assets was initially claimed by Francis’s younger brother James (third son of James and Janet) with the support of his father but which Francis subsequently challenged in court and won i.e. he got it all while his mother, Colonel Francis’s daughter Janet (wife of the earl) apparently got nothing – she lived the latter part of her life destitute apart from support from a benefactor in London, Alexander Murray to whom she bequeathed whatever assets she then had. Her will, filed in the English system includes a paragraph – “I have during many years received many obligations from the Honourable Alexander Murray of Hanover Square (London) who protected me and assisted me when I was in great difficulties and distress in a foreign country ( presumably England !) … I esteem myself as bound in gratitude to make him all the return in my power…”.
Even less likely is it that the illegitimate daughter Frances would have seen any of this fortune.
It may be of some comfort to know that the Colonel’s wife Helen Swinton used some of his fortune for charitable purposes, her obituary in 1733 stating “ … very much lamented on account of her exemplary Charity to the Poor, and other excellent qualities”.
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