Andrew Moir of Overhill and Oldmill

Biographical Summary

Andrew Moir or More, sometime Laird of Overhill, the direct progenitor of the Moir-Byres family. B, in or about 1621. Was a wealthy Burgess of Aberdeen (admitted 11th Sept. 1688 — see copy of Diploma, p. 45), and resided for many years at Oldhill, in the parish of Foveran, in that county, where he died, at the age of 73, the 14th Dec. 1694, and was interred in the parish churchyard.

He was twice married, although I have been unable to ascertain the name of his first wife, and for an account of some of her children see pp. 6-9. His descendants preserve the following tradition, viz., "That previous to his second marriage he divided his property with the children of his first wife, in order that he might not do them injustice, by bequeathing too large a portion of his property at a future period to children that might be born of the proposed marriage." By his will (Aberdeen and Banff wills were all nearly burned before 1721), made 1670-80, he left his wife and four children of the second marriage 30,000 merks Scots — a large sum in those days." Andrew Moir, who for a few years after 1681 appears in the Foveran Register of Baptisms, designed "of Overhill " — this had probably been the farm of that name, now on the property of Blairythan, in the parish of Foveran — married in 1670-72, for his second wife, Agnes Montgomerie (b. 1650, died March 1730).

Andrew Moir of Overhill and Oldmill, and Agnes Moutgomeric, had issue (Foveran Register of Baptisms) five sons and three daughters:

• Andrew
• Gilbert
• George
• Samuel
• James
• Margaret
• Marjory
• Isobel

SOURCE: Gill of Savock, Andrew John Mitchell. The families of Moir and Byres. Edinburgh : Scott & Ferguson, 1885. page 11-15