Grampian Club > Memorials of the Strachans, baronets of Thornton, Kincardineshire, and of the family of Wise of Hillbank, formerly Wyse of Lunan, in the County of Forfar

Alemorials of the Families of Strachan and Wise.
The family of Wvse or Wise is of Saxon origin. Oliver
Wise, a powerful baron, held lands in the West of England
prior to the Conquest. The present representative of the
House in England is John Ayshford Wise, Esq. of Clay-
ton Hall, in the county of Stafford, and of Hillesdon,
county of Devon ; he formerly represented Stafford in
the House of Commons,
Subsequent to the Conquest, a branch of the House
proceeded northward, and effected a settlement in Scotland.
In 1301, a member of the family, commanded under Robert
the Bruce, the force by which the Lord of Lome was de-
feated at Brander-awe, and again fought under Bruce's
standard at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. In
strachan of Cliffden, Teignmouth, Devonshire, preferred a chiim to the representa-
tion of the House of Thornton, and passed through a form of service before thi
bailies of the Canongate. In his Claim or Brief, Mr Strachan sought to instruct
his descent from Roger Strachan of Glielino, brother of John Straclian of Thornton,
great-grandfatlier of the first baronet. Roger Strachan was set fortli as father of
Dr Robert Strachan, pliysician in Montrose, whose son John was minister of
Strachan. George, a son of tlie minister, was rejjresented as a merchant in Mon-
trose, and father of James Strachan, lieutenant R.N., father of the claimant. This
statement of pedigree, imsupported by evidence, and in entire variance with
chronological rec|uirements, being accepted by a friendly jury, and certified by
the Canongate bailies, formed the basis of a retour in Chancery, bearing date
Sth November 1841. Mr Strachan of Cliffden, styled Sir John Strachan, Bart.,
died 9th June 1844, leaving two sons. John, the elder, died 2Sth January 1854,
<<.p. James Graham, the younger son, died unmarried.
D