Dr. William Macfarlane, 20th Baron of Arrochar, 17th Chief
Abt 1701 - 1791 (90 years)
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Name Dr. William Macfarlane, 20th Baron of Arrochar, 17th Chief [1, 2, 3, 4] Birth Abt 1701 Gender Male Possessions 1784 Sold Arrochar estates to pay his creditors. Death 1791 Person ID I31630 MacFarlane Last Modified 11 Jun 2024
Father John Macfarlane fiar of Arrochar, b. Abt 1664 d. 1705 (Age 41 years) Mother Helen Daughter of Robert 2nd Viscount of Arbuthnot Family ID F2212 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Christian Dewar, of Vogrie, b. Abt 1712 Marriage 11 Dec 1729 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland 
[3, 4] Children 1. Walter Macfarlane, b. 28 Sep 1731, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]2. Thomas Macfarlane, b. 5 Mar 1739, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]3. William Macfarlane, b. 17 Aug 1740, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]4. John Macfarlane, b. 1741 d. 1782 (Age 41 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 5. Rachel Macfarlane, b. 7 Jan 1751, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]6. Robert Macfarlane [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 7. Janet Macfarlane [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 8. Helen Macfarlane [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F1084 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 29 May 2024
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Notes - 17th Chief (1767-1791): Dr. William, son of John, brother of Walter, succeeded his brother as chief in 1767. William was a physician, and practiced in Edinburgh, so it is assumed that the clan was left pretty much to its own resources. The district, however, remained almost exclusively Macfarlane, for as late as 1804 the ledger of the Tarbet store carries scarcely any other name. William married Christian, daughter of James Dewar of Vogrie. They had five sons and three daughters who survived childhood: John, Walter, Robert, Thomas, William, Janet, Helen, and Rachel. During Dr. William's years as chief, the Revolutionary War broke out between Britain and the American colonies. Macfarlane was heavily taxed and fell deeply in debt. Having been reared in luxury, he lived a more princely lifestyle than the revenues of his estate could afford. He sold an estate in Jamaica (presumably the legacy from his brother Alexander) for £8,000, but could not satisfy his creditors, and on 7th July 1784, the Arrochar estates, which for 600 years had been in the possession of the Macfarlanes, were sold to strangers. The estate was purchased in 1784 by Ferguson of Wraith for £28,000, and then sold in 1821 to Sir James Colquhoun of Luss for £78,000. Dr. William died in 1791. His eldest son John died in 1782, so the arms and title of Arrochar were inherited by his grandson.
Source:
The Earls of Lennox and The MacFarlane Chiefs
By Chuck Poland, Terrance Gach MacFarlane, and Andrew Macfarlane
© November 2012
www.clanmacfarlane.org
- 17th Chief (1767-1791): Dr. William, son of John, brother of Walter, succeeded his brother as chief in 1767. William was a physician, and practiced in Edinburgh, so it is assumed that the clan was left pretty much to its own resources. The district, however, remained almost exclusively Macfarlane, for as late as 1804 the ledger of the Tarbet store carries scarcely any other name. William married Christian, daughter of James Dewar of Vogrie. They had five sons and three daughters who survived childhood: John, Walter, Robert, Thomas, William, Janet, Helen, and Rachel. During Dr. William's years as chief, the Revolutionary War broke out between Britain and the American colonies. Macfarlane was heavily taxed and fell deeply in debt. Having been reared in luxury, he lived a more princely lifestyle than the revenues of his estate could afford. He sold an estate in Jamaica (presumably the legacy from his brother Alexander) for £8,000, but could not satisfy his creditors, and on 7th July 1784, the Arrochar estates, which for 600 years had been in the possession of the Macfarlanes, were sold to strangers. The estate was purchased in 1784 by Ferguson of Wraith for £28,000, and then sold in 1821 to Sir James Colquhoun of Luss for £78,000. Dr. William died in 1791. His eldest son John died in 1782, so the arms and title of Arrochar were inherited by his grandson.
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Sources - [S2698] Ancestry.com, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.;).
- [S2771] Ancestry.com, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.;).
- [S2776] Ancestry.com, Scotland, Extracted Parish Records, 1571-1997, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc;), Extracted Church of England Parish Records; Title: Various publications of parish and probate records.
- [S2777] Ancestry.com, Scotland, Red Books of Scotland, 1600-1939, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc;).
- [S2698] Ancestry.com, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.;).