The head or chief of this family appears to be the male representative and real chieftain of that brave and antient race of Highlanders, well known by the name of the Clan Chattan. They deduce their descent from a warlike people in Germany called the Chatti, who long resisted the Roman power; but being at last forced from their habitations by the Emperor Tiberius Caesar, they embarked for Britain, and, by stress of weather, were driven to the north of Scotland, where they landed at a place called, after themselves, Chatti's-ness or Point, which afterwards gave the name of Caithness to all that part of the country. This is said to have happened in the reign of king Corbred II., about the 76th year of the christian era.

            These foreigners greatly increased and multiplied, and soon overspread the north of Scotland. The inhabitants of the more southern parts were called South Chatti, and the country they possessed was called Suther-land, which name it retains to this day. The Chatti, or clan Chattan, continued several ages in both these countries (Caithness and Sutherland). Some of them joined the Picts and sonic the Scots. From these last, those of the names of Keith and Sutherland deduce their origin.

            After the decisive battle gained by king Kenneth II over the Picts, the inhabitants of Caithness were forced to leave their country, and by the mediation of friends, got liberty to settle in Lochaber, where some of their posterity (still called the clan Chattan) now subsist. That they were a race of brave and gallant people, sufficiently appears from all our Scots histories.

            There is a curious MS. account of this family, collected from the bards and senachies, who were faithful repeaters of the transactions of their chieftains and forefathers, which may be as much depended on as any other traditional history, as they were particularly careful and exact in their genealogies. This collection was put into order by the ingenious Sir Aeneas Macpherson, advocate in the reign of king Charles II., is looked upon as a most authentic account of this great clan, and is still preserved in the family. Though in this history their descent is deduced as far back as the reign of king Kenneth II., yet we shall here begin with

            I. GILLICATTAN MOR, head or chief of the clan Chattan, who, on account of his large stature, rare military genius, and other accomplishments, had the epithet Mor assigned him.¹ He lived in the reign of king Malcolm Canmore, and left a son,

            II. DIARMED or DORMUND, captain of the clan Chattan, who succeeded his father about the year 1090, and was father of ²

            III. GILLICATTAN, the second of that name, captain of the clan Chattan. He flourished and made a considerable figure in the reign of King David I., and left issue two sons. ³
                        1. Diarmed.
                        2. Muriach.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            IV. DIARMED, captain of the clan Chattan, who did not long survive his father; but dying without issue, anno 1153, was succeeded by his brother,

            IV. MURIACH or MURDOCH, who being born a younger brother, was bred to the church, and was parson of Kingousie, then a large and honourable benefice; but, upon the death of his elder brother without issue, be became head of his family and captain of the clan Chattan. ⁴ He thereupon obtained a dispensation from the Pope, anno 1173, and married a daughter of the thane of Cawdor, by whom he had five sons,
                        1. Gillicattan, his heir.
                        2. Ewan or Eugine Baan, of whom the present Duncan [of the Kiln] Macpherson, now of Clunie, Esq., is lineally descended, as will be shown hereafter.
                        3. Neill Cromb, so called from his stooping and round shoulders. He had a rare mechanical genius, applied himself to the business of a smith, and made and contrived several utensils of iron, of very curious workmanship, is said to have taken his sirname from his trade, and was progenitor of all of the name of Smith in Scotland.
                        4. Ferquhard Gilliriach, or the Swift, of whom the Macgillivrays of Drumnaglash in Inverness-shire, and those of Pennygoit in the isle of Mull, &c., &c., are descended.
                        5. David Dow, or the Black, from his swarthy complexion. Of him the old Davidsons of Invernahaven, &c., &c., are said to be descended.
Muriach died in the end of the reign of King William the Lion, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

            V. GILLICATTAN, third of that name, captain of the clan Chattan. ⁵ He lived in the reign of King Alexander II. (who succeeded to the crown of Scotland anno 1214) and left issue only one son, ⁶

            VI. DOUGAL PHAOL, or, according to Mr Nisbet, Dougal Daol, who succeeded him, and was captain of the clan Chattan. ⁷ He died in the reign of king Alexander Ill., leaving issue a daughter, Eva, his only child and sole heiress, who, anno 1291 or 1292, was married to Angus Macintosh of that ilk, head or chieftain of the clan Macintosh, who, with her, got a good part of the clan Chattan estate, as has been already fully shewn under the title Macintosh of that ilk.
             Dougal Phaol dying without sons, as above, in him ended the whole male line of Gillicattan the third, eldest son of Muriach, No. IV. of these memoirs. The representation, therefore, devolved upon his cousin and heir-male viz., Kenneth, son of his uncle Ewan, before mentioned, to whom we now return.

            V. EWAN or EUGINE, called Baan, from his fair complexion, was second son of the said Muriach the parson.8 He lived in the reign of king Alexander II., and, as sirnames about that time were become hereditary, he was called Macparson, or the son of the parson, and from hence the sirname of the family, which his posterity have enjoyed ever since, and his clan hath been promiscuously designed Macpherson, Macurichs [Macmhurichs], and clan Chattan. This Eugine left issue three sons.
                        1. Kenneth, his heir.
                        2. John, progenitor of the Macphersons of Pitmean, &c.
                        3. Gillies, ancestor of the Macphersons of Inneressie, &c.
The cadets and descendants of these two brothers will be mentioned under their proper titles. Eugine was succeeded by his eldest son,

                        VI. KENNETH MACPHERSON, who, upon the death of his cousin Dougal Phaol without issue-male, became undoubted male representative of the family, and captain of the clan Chattan. But, as the family of Macintosh, by marrying the heir of line, got possession of their Lochaber estate, the inhabitants thereof behoved to follow the chief of the Macintoshes as their superior and master, who was thereupon designed captain of that part of the clan Chattan, of which he had the command. ⁹
            The rest of the clan who followed this Kenneth as their true chieftain and heir-male, retired to Badenoch, where they settled, and where, for their special services to their king and country, they soon got large possessions, as will he shown hereafter, and have been always designed Clan Macpherson and captains of the clan Chattan.
            We must here observe, that there have been frequent contentions between the Macphersons and Macintoshes about the chieftainship of the clan Chattan, and many bonds of manrent and friendship have been entered into by both parties at different periods with their most potent neighbours, with which we shall not trouble our readers, but submit to their own judgment, whether the heir-male or heir of line ought to have the preference.
            We shall only further observe, that some of the noble warlike exploits performed by the clan Chattan in general, have been claimed by both Macphersons and Macintoshes as being done by themselves, some whereof we shall have occasion to mention afterwards. We now return to our genealogy.
             Kenneth Macpherson of Clunie, heir-male and captain of the clan Chattan, in the reign of king Alexander III. married Isabel, daughter of Ferquhard Macintosh of that ilk, by whom he had two sons.¹⁰
                        1. Duncan, his heir.
                        2. Bean or Benjamin, of whom the Macphersons of Brin and several others are descended; and captain Alexander Macpherson, late secretary to Admiral Boscawen, appears to be the heir-male and representative of the family of Brin, &c.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            VII. DUNCAN MACPHERSON of Clunie, who, with his posterity of Clunie, have always been designed captains of the clan Chattan. He lived in the reign of king Robert Bruce; and being a man of a noble spirit, a steady loyalist, and particularly known to king Robert, obtained a commission from that great prince (as head of his clan) to reduce the Cumings, and others his rebel subjects in Badenoch, to his obedience, which he performed so effectually, that he got a grant of several of these lands to himself, which were long enjoyed by his posterity ; and hid also for his special services against the Cumings, a hand and dagger added to his armorial bearing &c. He was succeeded by his son, ¹¹

            VIII. DONALD PHAOL MACPHERSON of Clunie, who adhered always firmly to the interest of king David Bruce against the enemies of his country, and was father of another, ¹²

            IX. DONALD MACPHERSON of Clunie, who succeeded him, and was called Donald Moir. In the beginning of the reign of king Robert II. there happened a bloody conflict between the Macphersons and the clan Cameron at Invernahaven in Badenoch, where the greatest part of the clan Cameron were killed on the spot, those who survived were taken prisoners, but Donald generously gave them all their liberty. ¹³
            In this Donald's time, the dissensions betwixt the clan Chattan and the clan Kay run so very high, that they took up the attention of the whole court. The king and the duke of Albany sent the earls of Crawford and Murray (then two of the greatest men in the kingdom) to try to make up their differences, and, if possible, to bring about a reconciliation, but all to no purpose. It was at last proposed, that each clan should choose thirty of their own number to fight in the North Inch of Perth, with their broad-swords only, and thereby put an end to all their disputes. The combat was joyfully agreed to by both parties. They met accordingly on the day appointed. The king and an incredible number of the nobility and gentry were spectators. Prompted by old malice and inveterate hatred, they fought with inexpressible resolution and fury. Twenty-nine of the clan Kay were killed dead on the spot; the one who remained was unhurt, but made his escape by swimming over the river Tay; and, 'tis said, was put to death by his own clan when he came home, for not choosing to die in the bed of honour with his companions, rather than save his life by flying, &c.
            Of the clan Chattan nineteen were killed dead in the field, and the other eleven so much wounded, that none of them were able to pursue their single antagonist who fled, this happened on the Monday before the feast of St Michael, anno 1396; and the victory was adjudged in favour of the clan Chattan. ¹⁴
            We must here observe, that the family of Clunie, with good reason, contends that the thirty combatants of the clan Chattan were all Macphcrsons ; because (say they) their antagonists, the clan Kay, were followers of the Cumings of Badenoch, and envied the Macphersons the possession of their lands, which was the cause of their constant feuds.
            The Macintoshes also alledge, that these thirty were of their part of the clan Chattan, and all Macintoshes. Vide title Macintosh, &c.
            Donald Moir married a daughter of ____ __ Macintosh of Mammore in Lochaber, by whom he had two sons.¹⁵
                        1. Donald Oig, his heir.
                        2. Gillicattan-Beg [sic; should be Gillicallum-beg] or Little Malcolm, of whom the Macphersons of Essich, Breakachie, &c., &c., are descended. For which vide their proper titles. He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            X. DONALD-OIG MACPHERSON of Clunie, who, in the reign of king James I. married a daughter of ____ Gordon of Buckie, by whom he had two sons. ¹⁶
                        1. Ewan or Eugine, his heir.
                        2. Paul, of whom the Macphersons of Dallifour, &c., &c., are descended: Ensign John Macpherson of Colonel Fraser's regiment of Highlanders, is of Dallifour.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            XI. EUGINE MACPHERSON of Clunie, who died in the end of the reign of king James III., leaving issue a son, ¹⁷

            XII. DORMUND, who succeeded him, was captain of the clan Chattan, and got a charter under the great seal from king James IV., Dormundo Macpherson, terrarum de Strantheaune, Garnamuck, &c., &c., dated 6th of February 1509. He died in the reign of king James V. and was succeeded by his son,

            XIII. EWAN MACPHERSON of Clunie, a man of singular merit, and a firm friend of the unfortunate queen Mary. He married a daughter of _______ Macintosh of Strone, by whom he had two sons. ¹⁸
                        1. Andrew.
                        2. John.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            XIV. ANDREW MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c., who dying soon after his father without issue, was succeeded by his brother, ¹⁹

            XIV. JOHN of Clunie, captain of the clan Chattan, who got a charter under the great seal from king James VI. Johanni Macpherson villarum et terrarum de Tullich, Elrich, &c., in vicecomilatu de Inverness, dated anno 1594. In October that same year, he was with the earl of Huntly at the battle of Glenlivet, where the king's troops were defeated under the command of the earl of Argyle; but he suffered nothing on that account, for Huntly and all his adherents were soon thereafter received into the king's favour. ²⁰ He married a daughter of _____ Gordon of Auchanassie, and died about the year 1600, leaving issue a son, ²¹

            XV. JOHN MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c., who succeeded him, and got a charter under the great seal, Johanni Macpherson filio Johannis, &c., terrarum de Tullich, Elrick, &c., in Inverness-shire, dated anno 1613. He was succeeded by his son, ²²

            XVI. EWAN of Clunie, who got a charter under the great seal, Eugenio Macpherson terrarum et villarum de Tullich, Elricle, &c., &c., dated anno 1623. He married a daughter of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, by whom he had three sons and one daughter. ²³
                        1. Donald, his heir.
                        2. Andrew, who succeeded his brother.
                        3. John of Nuid, who carried on the line of this family, of whom afterwards.
                        His daughter, ______, was married to John Macpherson of Inneressie, Esq.; and had issue. Ewan died about the year 1640, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

            XVII. DONALD MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c., who got a charter under the great seal, Donaldo Macpherson, &c, of the lands of Middle-Moir, Middle-beg, &c., dated anno 1643. ²⁴ He was a steady friend of king Charles I., and suffered much on account of his sincere attachment to the interest of the royal family, but dying without issue, was succeeded by his brother, ²⁵

            XVII. ANDREW MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c., who married a daughter of Gordon of Erradoul, by whom he had a son, ²⁶ Ewan or Eugene, his heir. This Andrew was also a great loyalist both to king Charles I. and II. He succeeded to the estate of Brin as heir of entail, anno 1666, and dying soon thereafter, was succeeded by his only son, ^{27             XVIII. EUGENE MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c,, who in the reign of king CharlesII. married a daughter of Donald Macpherson of Nuid, a cousin of his own, by whom he had two sons. 28
                        1. Andrew.
                        2. Duncan.
Andrew, the eldest son, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,}

            XIX DUNCAN MACPHERSON of Clunie, &c., second son of the said Eugene, who was captain of the clan Chattan, and married, 1st, a daughter of _______ Rose, provost of Inverness, by whom he had a son, who died in infancy, and a daughter. Anne Macpherson, married to sir Duncan Campbell, knight, uncle to John Campbell of Calder, Esq., to whom she had a numerous issue.

            He married, 2dly, a daughter of _______ Gordon of by whom he had another son, who also died unmarried. Duncan died in an advanced age in the year 1721 or 22, without surviving male issue, and in him ended the whole male line of Donald and Andrew, the two eldest sons of Ewan Macpherson of Clunie, No. XVI. of this genealogy; the representation therefore devolved upon Lauchlan of Nuid, the next heir-male, being lineally descended of John, the third son before mentioned, to whom we now return.

            XVII JOHN MACPHERSON of Nuid, third son of Ewan Macpherson of Clunie by a daughter of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, in the reign of king Charles I. married a daughter of ______ Farquharson of Monaltrie, by whom he had four sons and two daughters.
                        1. Donald, his heir.
                        2. William, who married twice, and of him there are a great many descendants, particularly the celebrated Mr James Macpherson who translated Ossian's poems, &c., and is now secretary to the province of West Florida, &c. Of this William are also descended several officers of the name of Macpherson both in the sea and land service, too numerous to be here inserted,
                        3. Andrew, ancestor of the Macphersons of Crathy-Croy, and many others.
                        4. Murdoch, of whom there are no male descendants.                         1st daughter, Janet, married, 1st, to _____ Fraser of Fouirs in Stratherrick ; 2dly, to Angus Macpherson of Dalraddie; 3dly, to ______ Grant; 4thly, to Angus Macpherson of Inneressie; 5thly, to _____ Macqueen, and had issue to them all.
                        2. Bessie, married to Donald Macpherson of Phoness, to whom she had five sons and one daughter.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,

            XVIII. DONALD MACPHERSON of Nuid, who in the reign of king Charles II. married, 1st, a daughter of Hugh Rose of Kilravock, by whom be had three sons and seven daughters.
                        1. William, his heir.
                        2. James, who married and had two sons, Andrew and Peter, who both married, and had several sons and daughters,
                        3. John, of whom Donald Macpherson of Cullenlian, and Lauchlan Macpherson of Rawliah, &c., &c., are descended.
                        1st daughter, _____, married to _____ Grant of Laggan.
                        2. _____ married to ____ Macgregor of ________
                        3. _____ married to ____ Macintosh.
                        4. _____ married to Robert Macintosh.
                        5. _____ married to Ewan Macpherson of Clunie.
                        6. _____ married to John, son of Malcolm Macpherson of Phoness.
                        7. _____ married to Robert Innes of Midkeith.
            Donald of Nuid married, 2dly, a daughter of _____ Gordon of Knockspeck, by whom he had no issue. He was succeeded by his eldest son.

            XIX. WILLIAM MACPHERSON of Nuid, who in the reign of King James VII. married Isabel, daughter of Lauchlan Macintosh, Esq., by whom he had four sons and six daughters.²⁹
                        1. Lauchlan, his heir, afterwards of Clunie, &c.
                        2. James, who died unmarried.
                        3. Andrew, of whom James Macpherson of Crath-Croy, &c., are descended.
                        4. William, bred a writer in Edinburgh, and an agent before the court of session, who married Jean, daughter of James Adamson, merchant in Edinburgh, whose surviving sons are all mentioned below. ³⁰
                        1st daughter, Isabel, married to Angus Macpherson of Killiehuntly.
                        2. Margaret, married to - Macintosh of Linvulg.
                        3. Jean, married to Ewan Macpherson of Pittourie.
                        4. _____ married to ______ Macdonald of Keyltierie.
                        5. _____ married to ______ Macintosh of Pharr.
                        6. Mary, married to Donald, son of Malcolm Macpherson of Brakachie.

            William of Nuid died in the end of the reign of queen Anne, and was succeeded by his eldest son.

            XX. LAUCHLAN MACPHERSON of Nuid, who upon the death of his cousin, Duncan of Clunie, without issue- male, succeeded to the chieftainship, &c., &c., anno 1722, and was ever afterwards designed by the title of Clunie, as head of the family, and chief of the clan. He married Jean, daughter of the brave Sir Ewan Cameron of Lochyell, chief of the Clan Cameron, by whom he had seven sons and three daughters.
                        1. Ewan, his heir.
                        2. John, major to the 78th regiment of foot, commanded by Simon Fraser, Esq,, eldest son of Simon, late lord Lovat, tutor and guardian to his nephew, Duncan of Clunic, during his minority.
                        3. James, was a lieutenant in the army, but died unmarried.
                        4. Alan, died in Jamaica, also unmarried.
                        5. Lauchlan, a lieutenant in the army, is married, and hath two sons.
                        6. Andrew, a lieutenant in the queen's royal regiment of Highlanders, commanded by general Graham of Gorthy, is married, and hath issue.
                        7. Donald, died in the East Indies, unmarried.
                        1st daughter, Isabel, married to William Macintosh of Aberarder.
                        2. Christian, married to Donald Macpherson of Brakachie.
                        3. Unah, married to Lewis Macpherson of Dalraddie.
            They all had issue. Lauchlan of Clunie died anno 17----, and was succeeded by his eldest son

            XXI. EWAN [of the '45] MACPHERSON Of Clunie, captain of the clan Chattan, who married Janet, daughter of Simon, eleventh lord Fraser of Lovat, by whom he had a son,
                        Duncan, his heir and a daughter,
                        Margaret.

            He died anno 176-, and was succeeded by his only son,

            XXII. DUNCAN [of the Kiln] MACPHERSON, now of Clunie, descended from Gillicattan Moir (the first of these memoirs) in a direct male line, as above deduced, and undoubted captain of the clan Chattan. He is now a captain on half-pay in the queen's royal regiment of Highlanders, commanded by general David Graham of Gorthy, Esq.
            ARMs.-- Parted per fess, or and azure, a lymphad or galley with her sails furl'd up, her oars in action, of the first. In the dexter chief point a hand coup'd, grasping a dagger, point upwards, gules (for killing Cuming), and, in the sinister chief point, a cross crosslet fitched of the last.
            Crest; a cat sejant proper.
            Motto; Touch not a cat but a glove.
            Supporters; two Highlandmen with steel helmets on their heads, thighs bare, their shirt tied between them, and round targets on their arms.
            CHIEF SEAT.---- At Clunie in Badenoch, Inverness-shire.

____________
¹ Sir Aeneas Macpherson's history of the family, penes M. Macpherson de Clunie.]
² Ibidem.
³ Ibidem.
⁴ Ibidem.
⁵ lbidem, and Nisbet, vol. i. p. 424
⁶ Hist. of the family, and Nisbet p.424
⁷ lbidem, and history of the family of Macintosh.
⁸ Sir Aeneas Macpherson's history.
⁹ History of the family, and Nisbet.
¹⁰ Ibidem, and history of the Clan Macintosh.
¹¹ Writs of the family, and in pub. archiv. and Nisbet, p. 424
¹² History of tile family.
¹³ Ibidem.
¹⁴ Fordoun, v. ii. p.420; Abercrombie, vol. ii. p. 201, &c.
¹⁵ History of the family.
¹⁶lbidem.
¹⁷ bidem.
¹⁸ Chart, in pub. arcbiv.
¹⁹History of the family, pews Clunie.
²⁰Chart. in pub, archiv.
²¹ Writs of the family.
²² Chart. in pub. archiv.
²³ lbidem.
²⁴ lbidem.
²⁵ Minutes of parliament in pub. archiv.
²⁶Writs of the family.
²⁷ lbidem.
²⁸lbidem.
²⁹ There appears to be some coffusion as regards the consecutive numbering from XVII onwards, but the genealogy, including the numbering, is reproduced exactly as given in 'Douglas's Baronage.' - A. M.
³⁰[ A remarkable family]
             I James, bred a hosier.
             II. Angus, merchant-taylor in Edinburgh, who hath a son, David, a merchant in Kingston in Jamaica.
             III. David, bred a scholar, and now master of a grammar school in Edinburgh.
             IV. John, who having been bred to the sea, was commander of the Britannia privateer of Philadelphia during the late war, when, by his conduct and bravery, be did honour to himself and his country. He took many French privateers, and Dutch smugglers with French property, besides other valuable prizes, and had from the merchants of Antigua, a present of a sword richly ornamented, as an acknowledgment of their sense of his signal services, in protecting their trade, distressing their enemies, &c. He assisted at the reduction of Martinico, where, at the admiral's desire, he run his ship into shallow water, and dislodged the French from a battery that obstructed the landing, for which he had many tokens of the admiral's regard. He lost his right arm in a desperate engagement with a French frigate, where both vessels were totally disabled. He has made a handsome fortune, and is now settled near Philadelphia.
             V. Robert, was bred a writer and accomptant, and is now assistant-secretary to the honourable trustees for fisheries, manufactures and improvements in Scotland. He is inventor of some new machine of great use in the dressing of flax and hemp, &c.
             VI. Norman, a watchmaker in Edinburgh.