Ninian Dunbar
of Grangehill, Scotland
late 1500 to late 1600

Born: late 1500 and died late 1600.
Son of: Mark Dunbar and Isabella Dunbar (nee Falconer).
Brother of: not known.
Ninian married: Marion Dunbar (nee Ogilvy) and then Christian Dunbar (nee Dunbar).
Ninian and Marion had issue:
1. Sir Robert Dunbar.
2. David Dunbar (1630ish to 1691) who married Margery Seaton.
Ninian and Christian had issue:
1. William Dunbar.
2. John Dunbar.1

Ninian Dunbar: An Overview

We know about Ninian from the book "Records of the Heath Family", by George Heath 1907.  The entry is as follows:

Ninian Dunbar of Grangehill, who, upon his father's resignation, got a charter of the lands and barony of Grangehill (from the Earl of Dunfermline the superior) as son and apparent heir of his father Mark, dated 20 October 1616.
He also, upon his father's resignation, obtained anther charter under the great seal "Niniano Dunbar de Grangehill et suae sponsae piscationia aquae de Findhorn, &c.," dated 9th August, 1642.
This Ninian, in conjunction with his father, Mark Dunbar of Durris (whom heir and representative Ninian was) , made sale in the year 1607 to Sir John Campbell of Calder, of the Durris properties, in the country of Inverness, in order to pay off a purchase of certain church lands in the parishes of Dyke and Moy, and in the county of Murray, bought from one of the Lords of erection, viz., Alexander Seaton, Lord Tyvie and Urquhart, and thereafter Earl of Dunfermline.  These lands were the barony of Farnen, comprehending Grangehill, Grange Green, Boggs, Longley, Welehead and Muirton, after which they purchased the lands of Kinlessack, and certain salmon fishings on the Findhorn, and these were called the Grangehill properties, after which aquisitions we hear no more of the Durris family, whose line was carried forward in the family of Grangehill.
He married first (Marion) Ogilvy, daughter of Lord Banff, by whom he had two sons.
1. Sir Robert, Kt., his heir for whose desendents see Dunbar Pedigree.
2. Mr David Dunbar of Kirkhill, who married Marjory, daughter of Sir William Seaton of Pitmedden, and had issue.
He married secondly Christian, daughter of ____ Dunbar of Bannagefield, by whom he had two sons.
1. William, of Kintesack and Kincorthie, afterwards Sir William Dunbar of Durn, knighted by King Charles II.
2. John, designed of Wellhead, of whom there is no male succession.

 

I have also been sent the following information from Ms J H Forbes-Hood.

Like you I am descended from the Dunbars - many of them; and as you asked for any extra information on the families on your site I decided to email you with the names of the children of Ninian Dunbar of Grangehill, that I know. 

 

Firstly his second wife was named on the parish register of Dyke (where the last child ELEN on the PR (Ellen or Helen) was baptised (date below) her mother is down as FINDUELL that is for FINDUELLA DUNBAR she is the daughter of Mr JOHN DUNBAR of Mefts (Meftis) a minister, and his wife who appears to have been MARION SUTHERLAND.

 

Now the children of NINIAN DUNBAR were as follows: 

With his first wife MARION OGILVIE:

 

Sir ROBERT  d 1659

DAVID   d 14 February 1691

 

Then with his second wife FINDUELLA DUNBAR

 

FLORENCE  b c1629/30  (possibly an anglified form of Finduella) *

JOHN  b c 1631

AGNES  b c 1633   (my ancestress who married PATRICK DUNBAR of Easterbin.)

ALEXANDER  b 16 Jun 1635

JAMES  b 5 Jul 1636

NINIAN  b 1 Sep 1639

WILLIAM  b 1640  date unknown (first baronet on Durn)

HELEN (ELEN)  b 24 Jan 1641

 

* My ancestors Patrick and Agnes named my ancestress their first daughter Florence also and as it does not appear in the family earlier I am pretty certain it is

for Finduella.

 

Anyway I hope the above has been useful to you and want to take this chance to wish you well with your site and your family research. 

 

Regards

 

"Gene"  (Ms J H Forbes-Hood)

If you have any information to add to what is listed please contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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