Records of the clan and name of Fergusson, Ferguson and Fergus. Supplement

10 CLAN FERGUSSON
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE FERGUSSONS IN ATHOLL
[By the Rev. Adam Ferguson of Balmacruchie, Minister of
Moulin]
From the Pitfour Papers
' Baron Fergusson commonly so called is the root and stem
of the Atholl Fergussons.
' I have not seen the writs or charters of the family. I
neglected to ask a sight of them when I might have obtained
it, and for 20 years past they have been in Mr. Butter of
Pitlochrie's keeping, the late Baron Fergusson having been
married to his sister.
' The uniform tradition is that the earliest property they
had in Athole was the Tenpound land of Derculich in
Stratay ; and the late Balledmund told me he had seen a
charter to them of these lands from one of the King
Robert's ; but they may have been possessors before they
were proprietors.
' They afterwards acquired Dumfalandie (the only property
that now remains with them) the Tenpound land of Dal-
shian, Ballyoukan and Bellichandy all lying upon the river
Tummel and within three miles of the kirks of Mouline and
Logierait.
' The most remarkable proprietor of this family, and who
is very memorable in tradition, was one Adam, to whom
Tradition uniformly gives the additional name or designa-
tion of Mackinvaiss : he is uniformly said to have been the
one that acquired the above said lands upon the river
Tummel.
' The family acquired too the superiority of a third part of
Strathardle, whether in the said Adam's time or after, I have
not heard positively affirmed ; and tis probable that this was
what gave the title of Baron. 1 Tradition affirms that the
proprietor made a present of it to the then Earle of Atholl at
a Festival to which he had been invited upon occasion of
1 This seems to have given the title of Baron to the Downy family at
first a cadet branch. Derculich itself seems to have been a Barony, its
titles included complete right to the loch of Derculich, and the superiority
seems to have been reserved when the lands were sold. Ferguson of Der-
culich alias Baron Fergusson is referred to in 1572.