CUMING, James in Presley and Dollesbrauchtie, later in Relugas ¹

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  General Notes:

"James, styled 'brother to William Cuming in Presley,' in contract of marriage with Dorathy Dunbar, 11th July 1607 - at which time he had a wadset of the fourth part of the town and lands of Tulliduvie in liferent. This James, styled, in 1643, 'of the Milntown of Tulliduvie,' assigned his wadset of Logie, Ardovie, &c, to John Cuming, second son of Robert Cuming of Alter."

from Bruces and Comyns ¹

  Research Notes:

TIMELINE FOR RELUGAS based on Family Records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

23 October 1543

"There is an instrument of sasine in favour of Alexander Cumyn of Alter, in Mekle and Little Bronquhillis, Craigton, Logyurwell, Presley et Drummyne - confirmed 12th March 1553, by charter, from George, Earl of Huntley and Moray, to Alexander, Prior of Pluscardine, from whom Thomas Cumyn of Alter has seizen in these lands, 11th April 1567, with all his other lands of Altyre, &c. It appears that he had held them in 1526 from James de Dunbar of Cumnock, Sheriff of Moray, who confirms them to Alexander Cumyn of Alter in 1532." (page 654)


8 May 1570

"Tullidowie (afterwards Relugas) became the property of Thomas Cumyn of Alter by a charter from Patrick Gordon of Tullidovie, dated 8th May 1570. (page 654)


19 January 1573

"There is a commission under the Great Seal to the Sheriffs of Elgin and Forres, 'to administer justice in all actions and cases for Thomas Cuming of Alter, against James Dunbar of Tarbert, &c, relative to the possession of the lands of Tullidovat." (page 654)


29 February 1600

"He (James Cumyn, Fiar and later Baron of Altyre) married, first, Margaret Gordon, daughter of Sir Thomas Gordon of Clunie, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Douglas of Glenbervie, afterwards Earl of Angus ; upon which marriage he had a charter from his father, 'hereditary possessor of Meikle and Little Broomquhillis, Craigtown, Logie, Ardauch, Drummyne, and Presley,' of those lands to 'James Cumyn and his spouse Margaret Gordon, in liferent, and to their eldest son heritably ; 'and at the same date and on the same terms there is another charter to them of the lands of Tilliduvie (Relugas)" (page 464)

"Tulliduvie is settled by charter of Thomas Cumming of Alter on his third but only surviving son, James Cumming, and on Margaret Gordon, daughter of Sir Thomas Gordon of Cluny, his spouse - on James heritably, and on his spouse in liferent ; at the same time, Thomas Cumyn settles upon James, his son, heritably - along with all his lands and baronies of Altyre and Dollar - Presley, Dollesbrauchtie, Logie Ardovie, &c, reserving the liferent of himself and his spouse Margaret Gordon." (page 654)


1602

"Charter by James Cuming, fiar of Alter, heritable possessor of Tulliduvie, by which (his first wife being dead) he enters into a contract of marriage with 'Margaret Fraser, sister to Symon Fraser, Lord Lovat,' and settles upon her the liferent of the said lands.' (page 654)


9 November 1604

"James Cuming (Fiar and later Baron of Altyre) alienates to James Cuming, brother-german to William Cuming of Presley, the fourth part of the town and lands of Tullieduvie, and redeems from them, by payment of 500 merks, the town and lands of Stronaveich, also of the sunny half of the town and lands of Dollesbrauchtie." (page 465)

"James Cumyn (Fiar and later Baron of Altyre) died in the early part of the reign of Charles I., leaving by his second marriage a son and heir 'Robert' and a daughter 'Jean,' married to John Hay, son and heir of David Hay of Lochloy, in 1627. Margaret, relict of James Cumyn, Baron of Altyre, was infeoffed in the lands of Relugas, which she had for a jointure. In 1604-7 a fourth part of those lands had been alienated by James Cuming of Alter in favour of James Cuming, brother of William Cuming of Presley, and Dorothy Dunbar, his wife, in liferent, but were restored in 1608, with mill and fishings." (page 464)

"Instrument of seizen in favour of James Cuming, brother-german of William Cuming of Presley, of the fourth part of the town and lands of Tulliduvie, proceeding on a charter of alienation by James Cuming, fiar of Altyre." (pages 654-655)


11 July 1607

"Charter by James Cuming, brother-german to William Cuming of Presley, in implement of a contract of marriage with Dorathea Dunbar, daughter of Nichol Dunbar of Boigis, of the fourth part of the town and lands of Tulliduvie in liferent." (page 655)


1608

"James Cuming, fiar of Altyre, and his wife, had a new infeftment in the lands of Tulliduvie on the resignation of his father Thomas." (page 655)


1609

"James (now Baron of Altyre) had seizen of all the lands and baronies of his late father, Thomas Cumyn of Altyre." (page 655)


3 June 1615

"Charter by James Cuming, Baron of Altyre, and Margaret Fraser, his wife, to James Cuming in Relugas, and Dorothy Dunbar, his wife, of the fourth part of Tulliduvie, called Relugas, and also of the fourth part of Dollesbrauchtie, in the regality of Spynie. Dated at Altyre, 3d June 1615." (page 655)


February-March 1625

Charter by James Cuming, Baron of Altyre, to Robert Cumyn, his eldest son, and to his heirs-male, betwixt him and Isobel Innes, his future spouse, of the lands of Tulliduvie, reserving the liferent to himself and his spouse, Margaret Fraser. James Cuming of Altyre dying that year, leaves by his last will and testament, his wife, Margaret Fraser, his sole executrix: Symon, Lord Lovat; Hew, Maister thereof; Robert Innes of Balveny, witnesses, 16th March 1625." (page 655)


30 July 1628

"Robert, only son and heir of James Cuming of Altyre and Margaret Fraser of Lovat, got a charter under the Great Seal, dated 'the penult day of July 1628 - Roberto Cuming de Altyr terrarum baroniae de Altyr Dollas," &c, lying in the shires of Elgin, Forres, and Nairn." (pages 465-466)


1630

"Robert, his son, has seizen in 1630, probably on his mother's death, who liferented Tulliduvie." (page 655)


1655

"Robert Cuming married 'Isabel' daughter of Sir Robert Innes of Balveny, and died circa 1655, leaving two sons, Robert, his heir, and John, to whom he gave the lands of Logie, Ardoch, &c, and who became progenitor of the Cumings of Logie. He had also a daughter 'Jean,' who married James Cuming of Presley, and had from her father, Relugas as her portion, from whom descended the Cumings of Relugas, ending in Miss Cuming, who married Sir Thomas Dick Lauder." (pages 465-466)


circa 1660

"Her (Margaret Fraser's) fortune had been 37,000 merks, but the expenditure exceeding the income during the lifetime of her husband and his father, many lands were wadset to cadets of the family, but none heritably disponed until circa 1660, when 'Jean Cuming,' granddaughter of Margaret Fraser (daughter of Robert Cuming of Alter by his second wife Jean Gordon, Lady of Glengarach) marrying James Cumming in the miln-town of Relugas, had charters of Tulliduvie either as her dowry or by purchase." (page 655)

1672

"In 1672 Jean Cumming had married, secondly, Duncan Grant of Cure, who signs as 'spous to Jean Cuming, liferentrix of Tulliduvie." (page 655)

from Family Records of the Bruces and the Cumyns ¹

James married Dorathea DUNBAR, daughter of Nichol DUNBAR of Boigis and Jean BRODIE, 11 July 1607(contract).¹ (Dorathea DUNBAR was born about 1587.)

  Marriage Notes:

"(James Cuming, brother of William Cuming in Presley)

Married Dorathea Dunbar, daughter of Nichol Dunbar of Boigis by Jean Brodie, daughter of David Brodie of that ilk, by whom he had: - I. John, his heir, and 2. Robert, in Dollesbrauchtie.... "

from Bruces and Cumyns

Note:
The dates are not consistent with Jean Brodie being the daughter of David Brodie who married about 1584. If indeed she was of the family of Brodie of that Ilk, and the mother of Dorothea, she is more likely to have been David's sister. ¹

James next married Jean McKENZIE 'of Pluscardine'. (Jean McKENZIE 'of Pluscardine' was born about 1590.)

  Marriage Notes:

"(James Cuming, brother of William Cuming in Presley)

(married) 2dly, Jean, daughter of M'Kenzie of Pluscardine, by whom he had a daughter, who died unmarried."

from Bruces and Cumyns ¹

James next married Jean HAY, daughter of Mr Alexander HAY of Kinnudie(Kinwoodie) and Elizabeth MUNRO. (Jean HAY was born about 1595.)

  Marriage Notes:

"(James Cuming, brother of William Cuming in Presley)

(married) 3dly, Jean Hay, daughter of Mr James Hay of Kinnudie, brother of John Hay of Lochloy and Park, by whom he had: - 3. William of Craigmiln, born circa 1630, who married Katharine, daughter of John Brodie of Windyhills, and left numerous descendants, some of whom settled in Holland, France, and Demerara, and made fortunes; 4. George, an officer in the service of Gustavus Adolphus."

from Bruces and Cumyns

Note:

This author names the father of Jean Hay as James, brother of John Hay and Lochloy and Park.

The latter's father had a brother, Alexander, named probably after Alexander Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty, his maternal grandfather, so it is appropriate that a brother of John Hay of Lochloy and Park was also named Alexander.

Bruces and Cumyns does name a brother of the younger John Hay of Lochloy and Park and his wife Janet Sutherland as Alexander Hay of Kinnudie; the author names him several times:

1] on page 619 and
2] twice on page 620.

Apart from John and Alexander, the only other son mentioned is George. Yet, on page 657, quoted above, the same author names a brother called James, not Alexander or George, as Jean Hay's father. That "James Hay of Kinnudie" is listed in the Index on page 685.

So the conclusion must be that either:

a] there was another son of John Hay and Janet Sutherland, not mentioned earlier in the book,
or
b] "Mr James Hay of Kinnudie" is a typographical error for "Mr Alexander Hay of Kinnudie", since no-one else is designated in that way in the text. ¹