General Notes

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Source: Vol 16 Ped 751
Fourth son of Shaw Dubh of Rothmurchus, Chief of Clan Fionnladh or
Finlay, a sept of the confederation of Clan Chattan. In 1236, he held
large tracts at Strathdie, Parish of Crothie, in the Braces of Mar atthe
head of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His large family of sons adopted
variants of the Clan names such as McFarchar, Farquharson, Mc Finlay,
etc. they settled on the borders of Perth and Angus.
FEARCHAR MCFINLAY:
Was Chief of a powerful Clan known as Clan Fionnladh, a sept of the great
confederation, ClanChattan, which held large possessions in Strathdie in
the Parish of Crothie,in the Braces of Mar, at the head of
Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the year 1236.
Fionnladh, from which the name Finley is derived, is a combination of hte
Gaelic word, Fionn, meaning Fergus and Ladh, meaning boy or child. From
this root have come the different spellings, such as, Finleg, Finlegh,
Finley, Finlay, Findley, and Findlay. All are pure Scotch, and identical
in origin.
Fearchar is said to have been a lineal descendant of the ancient Thames
of Ross and Moray, of whom the most famous was Macbeth. Malcolm II, was
King of Scotland from 1005 to 1034, A. D. His second wife was Aelifu, of
whom he had three daughters. The youngest of these, Donada, married
Finlegh, or Finley McRuaidhri, the Earl of Moray, Chief of Clan
Fionnladh, who ruled over a large portion of northern Scotland, including
the present Shire of Ross. Their son wasMacbida McFinlay, or Macbeth,
born circa 1005 A. D., who became King of Scotland from 1039 to 1056.
Macbeth married Gruach, a Daughter of Bodhe, and the widow of Gilcomgain.
The sucession is carried on by Macbeotha McFinlay, Thaneof Cromarty,
1060 to 1093, who married Bethoca, daughter of Andrew McBrad. Their son,
Rory, or Ruari McFinlay, was Thane of Cromarty in 1152. Their son, Fergus
McFinlay, was living in Cromarty in 1210. Their son, Eochiod, or
Euginius, sometimes Shaw McDubh, was murdered by Walter, Seneschal of
Scotland, in 1223 A. D. His son, Fearchar, Chief of Clan Fionnladh, was
living in 1236 in Aberdeenshire, and married a daughter of Patrick
MacDonachadh. Genealogists have traced this family connection through the
various kings of Scotland and Ireland, to the House of Heremon, but for
the purpose of this sketch, a start will be made with Fearchar, and, if
space will permit, the earlier recordswill be inserted later.
Fearchar's descendants settled on the borders of the Shires of Perth and
Angus. It appears that his large family of sons adopted the followiing
names: McFarchar, or Farquharson, McFinlay, Finlay, and Finlayson