George Sutherland, 11th of Forse

George Sutherland, 11th of Forse (son of James Sutherland, 10th of Forse)

George Sutherland of Forse made up a title to his grandfather, Alexander, as his father had been infeft on a disposition in his favour, to be holden of his father, Alexander Sutherland.[Pr. of Cl. by Earl of Caithness, 20th February 1660] He married Jean, eldest daughter of Robert Gray of Skibo, the cousin of his grandmother, Janet Gordon. The Grays of Skibo are said to be descended from Andrew, Lord Gray, who died in 1514, and whose great-grandson, George Gray of Skibo and Sordell (who died in 1629), married Janet, daughter of John More Gordon of Embo, and niece of Hugh Gordon of Ballone. Of this marriage there was a son, Robert Gray of Skibo, who was father of Jean Gray. Her provision, in security of which she was infeft in Forse, in 1660 and 1661, was 200 merks and 8 chalders of victual.

George Sutherland of Forse had four sons:--

• 1. George, his successor.
• 2. Robert, his immediate younger brother, who is mentioned as in Wester Nottingham and Achastle. He is afterwards styled of Achinarras, on his marriage, in 1696, to Esther Sutherland, daughter and co-heiress of Langwell, who, as widow of William Budge of Toftinghall, liferented these lands.
• 3. William, also styled of Wester Nottingham, and of Giese, which he purchased in 1691 from Lord Breadalbane. He appears to have been twice married - first, to Katharine Sinclair; and, secondly, about 1684, to Mary, daughter of Sir James Sinclair of Murkle, and widow of George Sinclair of Forss. After his second marriage, his wife being liferented in Forss, he was styled "of Forss".

By his first marriage he had two sons and a daughter, viz. William, fiar of Giese, Adam, and Jane or Janet, who, in 1695, married John Sinclair of Forss.
* 4. Captain Alexander Sutherland, who was styled of Burrigill, and who appears from 1687 to 1693.

• 5. ? Hugh. In 1728/30 there resided at Breckachy, on Dunbeath estate, a Hugh Sutherland, who appears to have been factor for Sinclair of Dunbeath, and who is mentioned in 1721 as "brother-german to the laird of Forse." It is improbably that he can have been the same Hugh who is mentioned in 1661, as brother of George of Forse, and it is concluded that he was a son of this George Sutherland, eleventh of Forse, and the brother of the succeeding George, the laird of Forse in 1721, who succeeded to the lands in 1706. Hugh Sutherland, in Breckachy, had a son, John. There is no further account of this branch of the family.

Sources: Henderson, J. (1884) Caithness Family History. Edinburgh: David Douglas.

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