INNES, Walter at Mill of Ardtannies ¹

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  General Notes:

"The mill known as the Mill of Inverurie was the Mill of Ardtannies. The royal charter of the Garioch lands, given by James IV. to John Leslie of Wardes, in 1510, included Inverowry, with the Dava and the Mill of the same, all as they were held formerly by the Earls of Mar.

The first Ardtannies' miller whose name we have, was Walter Innes ; he, in 1604, was conjoint with John Leslie, the proprietor, in a contract of multures, which they entered into with the Magistrates of Inverurie, who took burden upon them for themselves, and the burgh heritors. The tombstone of this Walter Innes is still in the kirkyard of Inverurie, recording his death in 1616, as well as that of his wife, Mariorie Elphinstone, in 1622.

Walter Innes was a man of importance in the community. Living close by the Hall of Ardtannies, the residence of a succession of lairds who dwelt there either as proprietors, tenants, or wadsetters, he appears in the records of christenings associated with the families of Caskieben, Blakhall, Glack, &c. His wife had apparently been one of
the Glack Elphinstones. In her widowhood she married Norman Leslie, a brother of the unfortunate laird of Wardes, who lost Ardtannies.

Walter Innes was the father of a large family, some of whom were infants at the period of his death. His eldest son was a captain in the army ere that time. Besides these he had Walter, who died in 1622, Alexander and John, and three daughters Janet, Marjorie, and Margaret. He loft as tutors to them in their nonage William Buchan ; Henrie Petrie, burgess in Aberdeen ; James Elphinstone of Glack ; and Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverurie ; nominating also, as 'oversmen to his bairnis,' my Lord Elphinstone, and his eldest son, my Lord Kildrimmie, the guideman of Auchtercoull, and the Tutor of Cromarty. Lord Elphinstone was, at that time, proprietor of the neighbouring barony of Crichie, by a charter from Wardes, dated 161G, including the lands of Meikle Warthill."

"Ardtannies in Mr. James Mill's time, was the residence in succession of Leslie of Wardes the proprietor, of Walter Innes the wealthy miller of Inverurie, brother-in-law probably of the laird of Glack, of Gilbert Johnston, Caskieben's next younger brother, of William Coutts the young laird of Auchtercoull, newly wedded to a daughter of the baronet of Cluny, and of John Leslie of Badifurrow, Kincraigie's second son ; all of whom were in their turn wadsetters of Ardtannies. The Blakhalls of that Ilk, Coroners and Foresters of the Garioch were close by, and in near neighbourhood, James Elphinstone of Glack, father-in-law in 1630 apparently to both the middle aged minister of Inverurie and Monkegy, and to Alexander Leslie of Tullos then a young man, who forty years afterwards became fourteenth baron of Balquhain, and a Count of the Holy Eoman Empire which dignity his brother Walter, pushing his fortunes abroad, had attained in the service of Austria."

from Inverurie and the Earldom

from Inverurie and the Earldom ¹

Walter married Marjorie ELPHINSTONE, daughter of Alexander ELPHINSTONE and Unknown.¹ (Marjorie ELPHINSTONE was born about 1587 and died on 15 November 1622 ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

" The tombstone of this Walter Innes is still in the kirkyard of Inverurie, recording his death in 1616, as well as that of his wife, Mariorie Elphinstone, in 1622 ... His wife had apparently been one of the Glack Elphinstones."

from Inverurie and the Earldom ¹