Genetic genealogy

["John S. Quarterman" <jsq@matrix.net>]

Niven's Word document attachment set off the attachment alerts
that I added after the virus incident of a couple months ago.

More about that in another message.  Here I've appended a text
version of his document.

John S. Quarterman <jsq@mids.org>

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Date: Wed, 03 May 2000 11:55:43 +0100
To: sinclair@matrix.net
From: Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>
Subject: Genetic genealogy

Some of you may remember my response to Johnnye when she raised the question
of genetic genealogy which, inter alia, read:

                 "The Sinclairs knew the answer until they allowed
                   love to enter into the marriage equation.  At one
                   time, they would go back to 'root stock' at every
                   third generation thereby keeping the bloodline.


                 "Our subsequent fall from grace and from power tells
                   its own story".

The attached information concerning the interlocking marriages of the 
Sinclairs in
Caithness adds weight to my belief that there was a deliberate policy of 
"mating"
within a defined group of families who all came from the same basic stock.  As
will be seen, this was still in practice in the late 1600s

Niven Sinclair

   THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SINCLAIR PROPRIETORS AND WADSETTERS
   * * IN CAITHNESS AS IN 1668

   George IV (6th Sinclair Earl of Caithness but 44th since the beginning
   of the Earldom). He
   * * married Mary, the daughter of the Marquis of Argyll
   who, on his death
   * * married her kinsman, Campbell of Glenorchy.He died
   in Thurso Castle

   Sir William Sinclair of Mey and Canisby married Margaret, daughter of
   the Earl of Seaforth

   John Sinclair of Stangergill which was granted to him by his father,
   Sinclair of Mey.

   John Sinclair of Murkle succeeded to the Earldom of Caithness in
   1698.These Sinclairs
   * * also held lands in Orkney as his grandfather, James
   Sinclair, had married
   * * Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of Robert Stuart, the
   Earl of Strathearn and
   * * Orkney who was a natural son of King James V.
   * * John, himself, married Jean, daughter of William
   Sinclair of Dunbeath.

   Francis Sinclair of Stirkoke was a natural son ofGeorge III the 5th
   Sinclair Earl of Caithness.
   * * He married Anne Sinclair, eldest daughter of Patrick
   Sinclair of Ulbster.

   Patrick Sinclair of Ulbster married Elizabeth McKay

   Sir George Sinclair of Bilbster and Clyth married Jean, the daughter
   of William Sinclair of Dunbeath.

   John Sinclair of Brabster married Elizabeth Sinclair of Ulbster

   James Sinclair of Lybster married Katherine Sinclair of Ulbster

   John Sinclair of Brims and Ulbster married Janet, daughter of William
   Sinclair of Rattar.

   George Sinclair of Forss married(1) Jean, daughter of David Sinclair
   of Dun
   * * * (2) Mary, daughter of James Sinclair of
   Murkle

   John Sinclair, 2nd of Barrock acquired many Estates.He married (1)
   Anne, daughter of Robert Sinclair
   * * of Durran (2) Janet, daughter of Sir James Dunbar of
   Hempriggs.(His mother had
   * * also been a Dunbar) so, in effect, he maried his
   first cousin).

   Sir William Sinclair of Latheron, Dunbeath and Geanies married his
   cousin, Elizabeth, daughter of
   * * Sir James Sinclair of Mey

   Robert Sinclair, 1st of Durran was the third son of Sir James Sinclair
   of Mey.Robert married Anne,
   * * the youngest daughter of William Sinclair of Rattar.

   David Sinclair of Freswick married Barbara, daughter of Sir William
   Sinclair of Mey.

   William Sinclair, 3rd of Rattar married Elizabeth, daughter of John
   Sinclair, 1st of Ulbster.

   John Sinclair, 1st of Lybster, married Beatrix Sinclair of the Thura
   Branch of the family. *

   Lt Col Francis Sinclair of Assery married Anna, daughter of Francis
   Sinclair of Stirkoke.
   George sinclair of Assery married Isaabel Sinclair of Ulbster.

   David Sinclair of Broynach married a daughter (unnamed) ofWilliam
   Sinclair of Dun.

   George Sinclair of Olrig married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander
   Sinclair of Latheron.

   David Sinclair, 2nd of Southdun, married Jean, daughter ofJohn
   Sinclair of Ulbster.

   Francis Sinclair of Brabsterdorran, 2nd son of William Sinclair of
   Southdun married an Elizabeth
   * * Sinclair (of uncertain family)

   Alexander Sinclair of Auchingale married Beatrice, daughter of George
   Sinclair of Lybster.

   Alexander Sinclair of Stemster

   David Sinclair, 3rd of Dun, married Elizabeth Sinclair, daughter of
   John Sinclair of Ulbster
   * * (this lady also seems to have married William
   Sinclair of Latheron).

   Notes:

   The Earldom of Caithness is of great antiquity.A Dungaldus is named as
   being Earl of
   Caithness in 875 A.D. by Torfeus, Royal Danish Historian, in his
   "History of Orkney"

   The Sinclairs didn't come into the possession of the Earldom until
   1455 but, by that time,
   they were well entrenched in the County which they were intent on
   keeping 'within the
   family'as the above list of interlocking marriages clearly
   illustrates.

   The maintenance of the 'bloodline' was still of paramount importance
   right into the 17th
   Century

   * * ----------------------------.


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