Family of Gordon in Griamachary, in the parish of Kildonan

The Griamachary Gordons. 5-
Adam Gordon, Griamachary
The family begins, so far as we can trace it,
with Adam Gordon, tacksman. It is an unfor-
tunate thing that so far it has been impossible to
find an origin for him in any of the old lines of
the Gordons in Sutherland, though it has been
suggested (by the Rev. Dr Joass of Dunrobin)
that they may have come from the Gordons of
Carroll. Whether this be so or no, it is interest-
ing to remember that Lewis Dunbar Brodie
Gordon, the pon of the last laird of Carroll, was a
fellow pupil at the High Schoo', Edinburgh, with
Adam Gordon of Griamachary's grandson, the
eminent judge, Lord Gordon of Drumearn, Sir
Theodore Martin being also a c'ass fellow. It is
more likely that a descent might be established
from the Embo Gordons, as Lord Gordon looked
to their arms when he took a coat for himself.
One theory states that the Griamachary family
had been planted in Kildonan as one of a chain of
" block houses," as it were, to keep the Mackays
in check. The actual building is now a complete
ruin.
Very little is known about Adam Gordon. Born
in 1750 he has been described (Donald Sage's
" Memorabilia Domestica " p. 208) as a " shrewd,
worldly wiseman." Life in Ki donan, b'eak, bare,
almost impossible as the place was, tended to
make all those who survived shrewd. You have
on y to read Sage to understand the tremendous
struggle for existence that the people had. Adam
was luckier than most of his neighbours for he
occupied the intermediary position of " tacks-
man," and he was not disturbed by the Sutherland
clearings Sage says that " Adam Gordon during
my residence at Achness got a life rent of his
farm. He and his wife lived in the exercise of
the most unbounded hospitality, and at the same
time economised so as to realise a good deal of
money "
He is buried in the old churchyard of Kildonan,
where a stone commemorates him thus : —
To the memory of Adam Gordon, late tacksman
of Griamachary, who departed this life
on the 5th February, 1831, much and justly
regretted by his family and all his friends
and acquaintances, aged 81 years. Also his