STRACHAN, James Minister of Montrose, then Minister of Oyne parish, Reverend ²

   Other names for James were STRACHAN, James, Mr,¹ STRACHEN, James and STRAQUHAN, James Minister of Oyne, Wadsetter of Ardoyne & Newlands, Reverend Mr.^{1 4}

  General Notes:

(at Oyne in 1668)
"JAMES STRACHAN, son of Andrew S., min. of Kintore, and brother of preceding (ie John Strachan); educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen; M.A. (1654); ord. to Second Charge, Montrose, 1664; trans, and adm. before 27th Oct. 1668; died 14th Jan. 1698. Some of his curious texts have been recorded. On 12th Feb. 1688, immediately before the birth of Prince Charles, he preached from Psalm 118, v. 9, and following that event, from Eccles. xv. 17. He marr. Elizabeth, daugh. of John Cheyne, min. of Kinkell, and had issue William; Alexander, served heir 8th July 1715; Janet; Mary (marr. John McInnes, min. of Crathie); Jean; Elizabeth. [Aberdeenshire Poll-Book, i., 286; Aberdeen Sas., xv., 313; Davidson's Inverurie, 379.]"

(at Oyne in 1668 in vol 8 addenda & corrigenda)
"JAMES STRACHAN had licence to marry Elizabeth, daugh. of John Leith of Newlands. [Old Machar Reg., 17th Nov. 1683.]

from Fasti Ecclesiae

"James Strachan
1663-1668
app. 1663; dem. Feb 1668; later, min. of Oyne ABD"

from Parish Ministers of Montrose


A series of Extracts from Exercise of Alford:

"The Diocesiane Assemblie off Abd. was holden within the Colledge Kirk of Old Abd. by the Right Reverend father in God, Patrick, by the mercie of God, Lord Bishope of Abd. And begune upon the 18 day off October 1664.
(On the second day...)
Mr. James Strachaune and Mr. Alexr. Swane appoynted visitors for the Exercise book of Abd.
Item, Mr. John Seatoune and Mr. John Strachan, visitors for the Exercise book of Kincardynne.
Item, Mr. Andrew Strachan and Mr. George Meldrume visitors for the Exercise book of Alfoord......

Sessio 8. eodem die post merediem. (same day pm)
Ane committee is appoynted to convene at the King s Colledge, in Old Aberdeen, upon the third Tuesday of November, being the 21 of the same moneth, for such cffaires as shall then occurre, consisting of the persones following viz. : the eight moderators of the severall Exercises, with Mr. George Meldrum at Aberdeen, for the Exercise therof, Mr. Robert Reid for Kinkarden, Mr. James Gordoune for Alfurd, Mr. James Straquhan for Garioch, Mr. William Stevensone for Fordyce, Mr. William Gray for Turreff, Mr. Alexander Swane for Deer, and Mr. John Seaton for Ellon, at which tyme the estate of the Kirk of Mamvhiter is to be taken to consideration, and all moderators are to be continued except the said Mr. John Robertsone, and Mr. William Seton, conforme to the former act."

In 1666..
"for Garioch Mr. James Straquhan in vice of Mr. Alexander Rosse. "

In 1667
"Item, it is seriouslie recommended by the Lord Bishop and Synod, that all ministers who have not already collected in their severall parochin Churches within this dioces, for help and support of William Keith, sometyme in Garlogie, Agnes Chalmers, relict of Mr. Walter Hempseid, and George Keith, sometyme in Loarstone, and the Polonian Students, shall collect in their kirkcs for the forcnamed pcrsones, and to deliver what they collect, with ane nott therof, to the pcrsones particnlarlie after mentioned viz. :.............Mr. James Straquhan for Garioch.....

In obedience to the two Acts of Privy Counccll against papists and quakers, presented by my Lord Bishop, and publicklie read befor the Synod, it is ordered that everie Presbiterie within this diocess, shall meet on the sixteinth day of this instant, and take up ane exact account of all papists and quakers within their bounds, and that everie moderator bring ane account of them to the Lord Bishop, at the King s Colledge Old Aberdeen, upon the last Tuesday of the said moneth of Octob instant And to that effect, the Lord Bishop and Synod nominate and appoynts the persones after named to keep the said dyet the foresaid day, the Principal of King s Colledge, and all the ministers of the tonnes of New and Old Aberdeen for the Presbiterie of Aberdeen, Mr. Georg Burnet and Mr. Robert Reid for the Presbiterie of Kinkairden, Mr. Alexander Ross and Mr. James Straquhan for Garioch...

The Bishop therupon, with advice of the Synod, ordained that two brethren from everie one of the Presbiteries viz. for Aberdeen Mr. James Gordone, and Mr. Robert Raynold; for Kincardine Mr. Robert Reid, and Mr. John Keith ; for Garioch Mr. Alexander Ross, and Mr. James Straquhan; for Fordice Mr. William Thomsone and Mr. Alexander Seatone at Banff; for Deir Mr. Alexander Gardin and Mr. Gilbert Clark; for Turiff Mr. Andrew Skeen, and Mr. William Meldrum; for Ellon Mr. John Straquhan and Mr. George Melville at Udny, shall meet with him at the Kirk of Alfoord, upon Tuesday the 12 day of May next to come, by ten o clock in the fornoone, for cognosceing upon the said process, and judging the grounds of the said Alexander his appeall, and that summonses be issued forth for charging the said Alexander to appear befor the Bishop and fornamed brethren, the said day, to hear and see the said process and grounds of his appeall cognosced and judged, as lykwise appoynted the moderator and remnant brethren of the Presbiterie of Alfoord to be present the said day and place, for the caus above written. (disciplinary proceedings re Alexander Innes of Sinnahard 1668)
Mr James Straquhan was absent from a meeting on the same matter on 12 May 1668 at the Kirk of Alford.

In 1669:
"There being some flagrant reports of scandalous cariages of Mr. William Jaffray, minister at Favie (Fyvie), and Mr. Andrew Abercrombie, minister at Strathdone, the Bishop declared, in face of the Synod, that he was resolved, betwixt and October nixt, to visit both these Churches, and therfor ordered the brethren after named, out of the severall Presbytries, within this diocess viz. for Aberdeen, Mr. Reynold, and Mr. James Gordone at Banchrie; for Kincardine, Mr. Robert Reid, and Mr. John Keith; for Alfoord, Mr. Georg Mclvill, and Mr. Adam Barclay, and Mr. Robert Irving; for Garioch, Mr. James Straquhan, Mr. William Garioch, and Mr. Alexander Rosse; for Fordice, Mr. William Steinsone, and Mr. William Burnet; for Turreff, Mr. Andrew Skeen, and Mr. William Meldfum, and Mr. Robert Innes; for Deir,
Mr. Alexander Gordon, and Mr. James Muir; for Ellon, Mr. John Straquhan, and Mr. Georg Andersone, to meet with him in this place, upon the second Tuesday of June nixt, being the eight day therof, to prepare maters and lay down a way how these visitationes shall be most convenientlie gone about."

In 1671 Mr James Straquhan at Oyne was a member of the investigative team that looked into the accusations made against Mr. John Irving, minister at Cabrach. Mr Straquhan continued to act with others in the position of assessor as this matter developed through 1672 till Irving's suspension in 1673.

In 1673 Mr James Strachan at Oyne with others, at the Bishop's instigation, was engaged in visitations of the Kirks of Ellon and Kinethmont .

"At Kinethmont June 9, 1674.
After sermon by Mr. Robert Cheyne, present incumbent, minister at Kinethmont, and that upon Revelation 3, and latter part of the first verse, the brethren of the Exercise did meet, together with Mr. James Strachan, minister at Oyne, and Mr. Robert Burnet, minister at Raine, assessors appoynted by the Bishop and Synod, and having taken his sermon to consideration did approve him in what he spoke, but unanimouslie concluded that he stood in need of a helper...."

In 1675:
"It is recommended to the brethren that have not helped James Forbes, in the parochine of Enverurie, conforme to his former recommendatione, that they doe it now, and send their contributiones to Mr. James Strachane, parson of Oyne, for the use of the said James."

In the following year:
"It is ordered that Mr. William Thomson at Auchindore, Mr. Thomas Gardin at Clatt, Mr. Adam Barclay at Keig, Mr. James Strachan at Oyne, or anie three of them, with the moderator of the Presbytrie of Alfoord, meet at the Kirk of Cabrach, for accomodating the minister there of a gleeb, either by consent, or by law, at whatsoever clay they can condescend upon, and to adjourne their meeting to whatsoever other dyet as they shall think fitt."

In April 1677, the Bishop appointed 'Mr James Strachane at Oyne' with others to consider further allegations, made this time by George Gordon of Haddo, against Reverend John Irving at Cabrach.
"And it is appoynted that the said Mr. James Strachan, minister at Oyne, be moderator at the said meeting, if he be present, and if absent, with power to the remanent brethren above named to choose their moderator..."

In 1681, in relation to a visitation to the Kirk of Glenbucket, he was styled "Mr. James Strachane, moderator of the Presbytrie of Gareoch".

Extracts above from Exercise of Alford

"Monymusk, Aug. 18.(1678) The said day Master John Burnet, late minister of Culross, was receaved Minister of Monymusk by Mr. James Strachan, moderator of the Presbyterie of Gareoch."

"(referring to the 1696 Poll List)
At Oyne, James Leask, Reader at the Kirk of Oyne, was schoolmaster. The minister, Mr. James Strachan, is not mentioned.

from Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch ^{2 4 5 6}

James married Elizabeth CHEYNE, daughter of Reverend Mr John CHEYNE Minister of Kinkell parish and Jean IRVINE. (Elizabeth CHEYNE was born before 1650.)

James next married Elizabeth LEITH, daughter of Jon LEITH of Newlands and Anna IRWING.¹ (Elizabeth LEITH was born about 1647.)

  Marriage Notes:

"JAMES STRACHAN had licence to marry Elizabeth, daugh. of John Leith of Newlands. [Old Machar Reg., 17th Nov. 1683.]"

from Fasti Ecclesiae
¹