The family of Burnett of Leys, with collateral - Electric Scotland

BURNETTS OF KEMNAY : IV. ALEXANDER. 127
to the Leys Estates arose between Sir Thomas Burnett and the only son
of George Burnett of Kemnay, as heir of line through his mother, the
question turning on whether Sir Alexander had effectually altered the
investiture from personal to heirs general. The protracted litigation
which ensued has been fully dealt with in the history of the main line of
the family.
George Burnett left issue (i) Alexander, his successor; (2) Helen,
1734-1810; (3) Anne, 1736-1782; (4) Jane, 1739-1764; (5) Elizabeth,
!73 8 -
J (6) Mary, 1747-1802. These five daughters were reputed
beauties in their day, and were sent on horseback from Kemnay to
Edinburgh every year to a school there, with a man servant to take care
of them ! Jane was the only one married (to Alexander Dunbar of
Boath),
and is buried at Auldearn.
IV.
ALEXANDER BURNETT OF KEMNAY was born 3rd July, 1735, and
succeeded his father in 1780. He had received part of his early
education at Leyden, and, in 1756, when Mr. Mitchell of Thainston
(afterwards Sir Andrew) was appointed Ambassador to the Prussian
Courts, he went abroad with him as Secretary. He attended Frederick
the Great, by whom he was held in high regard, during the campaigns
of the Seven Years' War, conducted the correspondence during Mitchell's
absence in 1765, and after Mitchell's death remained for a year at
Berlin as Charge d'Affaires. There is a beautiful full-length portrait
of him at Kemnay, by Angelica Kaufmann. He married, in 1781,
Christian (who died I4th February, 1842), daughter of John Leslie,
Professor of Greek in Aberdeen University, by Christian, daughter and
heiress of Hugh Fraser of Powis, Co. Aberdeen. Besides his successor,
John, born in 1786, Mr. Burnett had a son George, who died in infancy,
and four daughters
I. HELEN, born ipth December, 1784, married, April, 1805, Dr. James
Bannerman, Professor of Medicine in the University of Aberdeen,
second son of Sir Alexander Bannerman of Elsick, and died
s.p. April, 1864.
II. ELIZABETH, born pth December, 1788 ; died, unmarried, 1 8th July,
1806.