Re: Father of William Sinclair

[rhuseth <rhuseth@ibm.net>]

Donald and other interested in William Sinkler/Sinclair,

At 08:37 PM 7/29/1999 -0400, Donald Sinclair (Indianapolis) wrote:
>William Sinclair's father was John, of Berridale, Sinclair. John was born 
>abt. 1640. He married Jean Seaforth, b abt. 1640. Issue as follows;
>1. George Sinclair, Earl Caithness. George Sinclair was promised in marriage 
>to Mary Argyle (gasp, a Campbell) but George died as a child in 1676 @ Thurso.
>2. John Sinclair b. abt 1670.
>3. Your immigrant William Sinclair  b. abt. 1680 d. 1762.

I just returned from vacation this afternoon (Sunday, Aug. 1) and saw this
line of messages regarding the ancestors of William Sinkler/Sinclair who
married Phebe Glave/Gleave in Chester county, PA, in 1708/09.  Several
years ago, the late Pete Cummings also told me that William's parents were
John Sinclair, Master of Berridale and Jean Seaforth.  I hate to be the
bearer of bad news, but, unfortunately, I do not believe this to be the
case.  Perhaps I am wrong.  I hope so!

In 1997, when I visited the Dunbeath Heritage Centre in Caithness (just a
few miles north of Berriedale), a couple of researchers there who had
extensively studied the Sinclairs of Caithness, showed me the book
"Caithness Family History" by John Henderson.  On page 8 of the chapter
entitled "The St. Clairs or Sinclairs of Caithness,"  Henderson states:
"John, Master of Berriedale, who married Jean, daughter of the Earl of
Seaforth, and died in 1639.   John had three sons,--George, afterwards
sixth Earl; and John and William, who died before him."  The book "The
Scots Peerage," edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, states that John
Sinclair,  Master of Berriedale, "...died of a fever at Edinburgh in
September 1639..."  From another source (I do not remember at the moment),
Jean Seaforth Sinclair died 31 March 1648.

Thus, according to these sources, John died about 41 years before, and Jean
32 years before, William Sinkler's  birth circa 1680.  Furthermore, John's
son William apparently died before his father (i.e., before 1639) and could
not be the William Sinkler of Pennsylvania in the early 1700s.   

When I informed Pete Cummings of this information, he told me: "The linkage
between William Sinclair and his possible father, John Sinclair, Master of
Berriedale, is assumed; there is no documentation."

Perhaps, if he is reading this note, Niven Sinclair can provide the birth
and death dates for John Sinclair, Master of Berriedale, and his wife Jean
Mackenzie, the daughter of Colin Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth, and for
John's father and grandfather.



Richard Huseth
Austin, Texas

See my Scotland, Alaska Hwy, and Alaska photography
at http://rhuseth.home.texas.net
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