Helen Grant of Freuchie

VII. Donald, who was born in 1543. He married, first, Helen, daughter of John Grant IV. of Freuchy, and had by her —

Angus, who, in 1584, received a Precept of legitimation from the Crown. Doubt has been thrown on the legality of the union between Donald and Helen Grant. The Precept of legitimation in favour of Angus, presumably the son of Helen Grant, raised the question in recent years of the legality of the union between the parties. The contract entered into, in 1571, by Angus Macdonald of Glengarry and John Grant of Freuchy was, to all intents and purposes, a marriage contract, and there is no evidence in the Grant Charter Chest, where one would expect to find it, if such a thing happened, to warrant the assumption that Donald MacAngus repudiated Helen Grant. On the contrary, the relations between the respective families continued most friendly. The inference to be drawn from the Precept of legitimation is conclusive as regards the legitimacy of Angus from the feudal standpoint. He could not succeed to lands held of the Crown as the issue of a handfast marriage, and there appears to have been no other form of marriage between the parties, but this was held to be sufficient, according to the Gaelic Code, without any additional ceremony at the altar. The probability is that Helen Grant died soon after the birth of her child.

Angus married Margaret, daughter of Lachlan XVI. of Mackintosh, without issue. In the marriage contract, which is dated April 24th, 1590, Angus is designated as eldest son and heir of his father, and the marriage was to take place on his attaining his 15th year. He was killed by the Mackenzies, on the West Coast of Ross-shire, in 1603.