Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry Vol 1.djvu/58

 38 BURKE'S COLOISriAL GENTRY. Queensland in 1867 ; m. 15th July, 1885, at Christ Church, Warrnambool, Victoria, Ruth, eldest daughter of Lieut. -Gen. James Farrell Pennycuick, R.A., C.B., of 22, Linden-road, Bedford, England, and of the Junior United Service Club, London ; formerly Laird of Soilzarie and Logic, co. Perth, Scotland, reputed head of the ancient family of Pennycuick, of that ilk, co. Edinburgh, by Jane Martha, his wife, eldest daughter of William Rutledge, Esq. of Farnham Park, Warrnambool, cos. Villiers and Heytesbury, Victoria, J. P., member of the Legislative Assembly, and one of the earliest and best known of the pioneers of the Colony of Victoria (see Rutledge of Webronggurt). ILt'neage. According to tradition the ancestors of the Aberdeenshire family of Gill came originally from Cumberland (where, at a very early period, they owned lands, amongst others the bai'ony of G-illsland) into Scotland. Certain it is that the surname is of great antiquity in both countries. In 1296, Patrick del Gryle is amongst the gentlemen of Peeblesshire who sign the Rag- man Koll (see " Chambers' Peeblesshire," p. 65). This prefix " del " was not uncommon at that period. The above Patrick Gill, as well as some others of the surname, appear in various of the Scotch counties as people of some position. It ha3 been the constant family tradition that tbis family is directly descended from a John Gill, wlio was Provost of Perth early in the 15th century. The various records of Perth show that the family had then been very floru-ishing, and besides owning the lands of Haltoun and Torsopy, in the county of Perth (John Gill, lord of Torsopy, appears as witness to a charter, signed at Edin- burgh, 11th February, 1366), held such positions of trust and distinction as proved them lo be worthy men. John Gill, of Haltoun, was burgess, baillie, and afterwards, 1403, provost of Perth. Another John Gill, burgess of Perth (prob- ably father of the former) is mentioned fre- quently in the town records from 1328 downwards. John Gill, burgess of Perth, and M.P. for that town, 1364, 1367, 1369 and 1373, together with the old family of the Mercers, of Aldie, takes a prominent part, at this pei-iod, in the management of public affairs, and in 1406 — 7 proceeds to Paris with Sir Walter Stewart of Ralston, and others, to renew the league between Scotland and France. He is mentioned as deceased be- tween 10th June, 1-118, and 27th July, 1420. In 1410, John Gill (probably a son of the last-mentioned John Gill) was one of the three first lecturers on philosophy and logic in St. Andrew's University, under bishop Henry Wardlaw, the pious founder of that seat of learning. The family, much reduced in cir- cumstances, appear in the records of Perth- shire as late as 1648. The Aberdeenshire branch are believed to iiave left Perthshire, and to have settled in Aberdeenshire, in the early half of the 16th century. Most probably they had done so to escape some of the constant feuds only too common at that period, but owing to the very defective state of the registers and re- cords generally (the Aberdeen and Banff wills were unfortunately nearly all destroyed by &re previous to 1721), the connection of this family with their more southern jjro- genitors cannot well be traced. Alexanbeb Gill, b. about 1550, who settled at Auchlyne, in the parish of Aberdour, in the Buchan district of Aberdeenshire, m. Barbara Findlay, and was dead before 18th March, 1618. Their son, RoBEBT Gill, of Auchlyne, appears as living there in 1618 and 1655, m. and had two sons, I. George, II. Patrick, of Ailhouseburne, co. Banff, m. and had a daughter, Issobell, bap- tised 2nd April, 1653. The elder son, George Gill, who removed to Warie- lip, in the adjoining parish of Boyndie, and county of Banff, where, according to a curious old raised-lettered tombstone, he "departed this lyf" 3rd April, 1689, m. M. C. (initials on tombstone ; Cumming may have been the maiden name of Mrs. Gill, as a family of this surname are interred in an adjoining grave). Many members of the Gill family were interred at Boyndie, although there are only two tombstones there. Issue, two sons, I. Alexander. II. Patrick or Peter, b. about 1680, re- sident for many years at Fingask, Fraserburgh ; m. 1st, Barbara Spence (b. 1682, d. 1757), and had a large family, who all d. young, with the exception of one daughter, Barbara, m. 1st, Capt. Alexander Catto ; and 2ndly, Alexander Walker, shipmaster, of Fraserburgh. Patrick Gill m. 2ndly, Barbara Sim, but by her had no issue. By his will, dated 16th March, 1763, he leaves the bulk of his property to his grandchild " Pat- rick Catto, and his heirs male or fe- male, procreat of his body ; failing, to