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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Alexander Mowat: Birth: 24 SEP 1773 in Stromness, Orkney, Scotland. Death: 8 SEP 1855


Notes
a. Note:   venture and of loyalty and of romance that appeals to one a more than usual degree.
  The Mowats are originally from Flint-Shire in Wales to Hatton near Turriff in Aberdeenshire in the reign of David the First of Scotland, 1124-1153. Their abode was probably on a mountain there, or possibly it was so in Wales, as the family motto De Monte Alto (whence later the name Mowat) signifies from a high hill, and in those times before the use of surnames families were known from their habitations or from some characteristic. From Aberdeenshire our branch of the family migrated to Canisby in Caithness-shire in the reign of Robert the Bruce 1306. William Mowat took up his abode in a castle built long before by a Danish pirate named Sweyn, and it is noted "had authority to bear arms." In 1316 the name of William Mowat appears in a list cf Scottish Chieftains who sent a missive to the Pope formally maintaining the civil and religious independence of Scotland. Succeeding generations of the family held Bucholli some three centuries, Magnus Mowat being the last occupant of Bucholli Castle.
  The Mowats stood staunch to Charles I against his rebellious subjects in 1645 and joined Montrose when the Royal Standard was raised in Caithness. It is probable that this loyalty cost the family their estates. Magnus Mowat who died about 1634 at Bucholli Castle married Isabella Cheyne, By direct title from the Crown he owned nearly all the Parish of Canisby (from the German Konisby).
  The name Mowat first occurs as a surname in 1252 and was born by a Justiciary. A baronetcy was conferred in 1664 but soon became extinct, the last to bear it sas Sir Alexander Mowat of Ingleston near Edinburgh. The crest is an Oak tree growing out of rock.
  The Mowats for long had the power to appoint the minister to Canisby Church but the patronage now belongs to the Sinclairs.
  Extract from a letter written Sir Oliver Mowat in 1883 by Revd. Mr. Falconer, Minister of the Church of Scotland at Dunnet, Caithness, and apparently a distant connection.
  "I have no doubt whatever that your family have been connected with Dunnet Parish for over two hundred years. Your grandfather of the same name as yourself migrated from Dunnet to a small farm in Canisby where he remained for a number of years, but returned to Dunnet long before his death and lived and died in a house only a few yards from my manse. In evidence of his connection with Dunnet, I may say he had a pew in the Parish Church which he let to another man when he was removing to Canisby, and immediate on his return to Dunnet, he claimed the seat again. In fact alone in regard to which there is no doubt, is sufficient to prove his long connection with Dunnet Church, seats in those times where heirlooms in families.
  The stone under which your grandparents lie in Dunnet Churchyard bears the date 1693 and by its side there is another stone bearing the name "David Mowat an honest man" and the date 1711. The Dunnet connection of your family cannot be disputed.
  The Caithness Mowats are a branch of the Mowats of Bucholly near Turniff, Aberdeenshire. I have old family papers in my possession proving this, which I received from the Laird of Hatton.
  The family sided with the Stuarts, and share their misfortunes, in 1715. I may tell you that I know of a fact that Queen Victoria is ever ready to make amends where it is possible to her to do so for the losses families sustained in this way.
  Dunnet was one of the three Caithness parishes to first received a Protestant minister in hear 1567. There was once a cross beside the house where your grandparents lived and died."
  Extract from a letter written to Sir Oliver Mowat in 1883 by Henry Paton, M.A., Searcher of Records, Edinburgh, Scotland.
  "For the dates of birth and deaths of the ancestry of the Mowat Family I have made a careful search of the existing registers of the Parishes of Dunnet and Canisby, Caithness. The Dunnet register gives no baptisms earlier than 1751, no marriages earlier than 1796 and only some deaths that occured between 1751 and 1756. In that register I found nothing satisfactory. The Canisby register gives births and deaths both from 1707 but there is a hiatus in both from 1721 to 1747 provokingly covering the period that might have been expected to give some links, but our registers are often thus defective, having been neglected. We are thus obliged to rest content with what is left.
  There is no record of marriage of Oliver Mowat to Janet Bower but in the record of baptisms the following children are entered; Though from irregular intervals there appear to be several omissions: Margaret born May 25th, 1761 Isobel born Sept. 20th, 1776 John born Sept. 8th, 1778 Helen born Oct. 26th, 1780 Donald born Oct. 23rd, 1783 John born May 12th, 1791 Oliver born Aug. 21st, 1794

Note:   The Mowats are among the older Scottish families and like most families whose history extends over several centuries, ours has had its periods of prosperity and achievement and its reverses. But through the whole story there runs a flavour of ad


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