Ormidale Memorial
Below we bring you, bit by bit, a memorial that Ormidale wrote in 1798 laying out his grievances against his brother (“the late Otter”) in an attempt to have his will overturned. We have done our best to decipher Ormidale’s scrawl but please feel free to offer corrections of any word you think we have misread. We are quite sure that there will be a few.
Excerpt 16
We’re not quite sure what the story is here. It seems that Ormidale’s tenant, Duncan McEllar, refused to vacate his farm when required, and it cost Ormidale a massive amount in legal fees to evict him. He seems to think that McEllar was being encouraged by Otter to do this. Why he thought this we have no idea.
And the thanks the Memorialist had [and Mr Williams was that he
Made his agent ane Cammeron whose sister was Married
to one Duncan McEllar a Tennant of the Memorialist
to Sitt in his Farm after regular warning that betwixt
Inveraray and Edinburgh it cost the Memorialist nigh
£30 Sterling before he could Evict McEllar and please the In
Coming Tennant As McEller sat with his stock of sheep
and Black Cattle till July following this was
The Memorialist thanks for which he never got from
Otter one penny but Abusive Language & Vide the the
Memorial wrote in 1795 as aforesaid
Excerpt 17
Militias, Fencibles & Volunteer Corps were raised for internal defence as a supplement to the Regular Army. For information about military records please see https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides/research-guides-a-z/military-records
12 About the year 1777 there was raised ane Regiment
Of Fencibles where the Memorialist Son was appointed to
Lieutenant the Memorialist did all in his power to raise men
And got a panel of five young lads he gave
Five guineas out of his pocket to each of them besides the Bounty
Or Levy money allowed he applyed to Otter for his assistance
To raise men in his estate where there was great numbers
Of young lads he called his Tennants to gather and raised by
Subscription two guineas out of each farm and sent it to
Glasgow to compleat his Quota of men for said Regiment
But not ane man for Otters Nephew from Otters Estate Vide Last Page
Excerpt 18
“Succen” is grain. Otter started taking all of the grain grown on the Estate of Otter to the new mill that he built to be ground there. It’s not entirely clear why this was a problem, unless it had previously been taken to a mill on Ormidale estate, which would have led to a drop in income for Ormidale.
Page 7th About the year 1781 Otter purchased Linsaig Ochill
=trees property a part of which the Memorialist purchased
(Alongst with Otter) it being a small Muir Land Farm Vide
the aforesaid mentioned Memoriall wrote in February 1795 and
Transmitted with this Memoriall
When Otter had purchased as above he Carried all the
Succen of the Estate of Otter to a New Miln he Built at
Linsaig where also the Memoriall attended as usuall
but no manner of consideration for this trouble And When
The Memorialist he contracted Debt in Inorrmous Extent
That from the aforesaid 29th day of September 1763 to the
26th May 1786 the Memorialist employed more
of his time about Otters business by far than he could do
about his own at home or elsewhere as said to his Ruin
by a cause of his Fathers request as said in Note 8th
Upon the 26th day of May 1786 After which day all
Communication ceased betwixt the Memorialist and
Otter as Otters behaviour was such it was most Boister
=ous and Unnaturall and the severall Occurences that
happened since till the month of February 1795
