The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Hic^hland Monthly.
man, eldest son and heir of Robert Chapman, sells Bught
to Mathew Paterson, burgess of Inverness (son of Alex-
ander Paterson), and to his wife Jane. Mathew Paterson
was living in 1734, being succeeded by his son, Lieutenant
Robert Paterson, who sold Bught to William Fraser, Town
Clerk (before referred to), son of Provost Alexander
Fraser. William Fraser was infeft on a Charter from the
Burgh in February, 1744.
Clerk Fraser set up a Bleachfield on the river banks,
which was carried on for several years, but it was not a
great success. He employed an experienced Bleacher
named William Henderson from the south. Henderson's
extraordinary but involuntary adventures after sailing from
Leith bound for Inverness in April, 1757, until his arrival
in Inverness months afterwards, are worthy of being
recorded. He married, 30th March, 1767, Isobel, fourth
daughter of the Clerk, who died 31st July, 1769, and their
surviving daughter. Christian Henderson, a lady of great
beauty, married Sir Hector Mackenzie of Gairloch.
William Fraser's Trustees sold Bught to Duncan Grant,
Commissary of Inverness, who began his legal career as
" servitor" to Evan Baillie of Abriachan. Mr Grant married
Jean, daughter of Hugh Baillie of Dochfour, and niece of
Abriachan—no beauty, but a clever member of a rising
family. Her sisters were—Mrs Fraser of Belladrum Mrs
;
Chisholm, wife of Provost William Chisholm of Buntait ;
Mrs Duff, younger of Muirtown. The accumulations of
the two brothers Alexander, and Evan Baillie, together with
that of Evan's sons, Peter and James, made up the present
great estates of the Dochfour family.
As a marriage present, tradition has it, Mrs Grant's
brother, Evan Baillie, who had purchased Kinmylies, gave
his brother-in-law, the south-west part thereof lying 'twixt
the old road to Dunaincroy on the one side, and very near
the present road to Urquhart on the other, thus including
Torvean Hill, Loch-na-Sannish, &c., more than doubling
the area of the original Estate, with a feu of £2 2s, but no
consideration otherwise.