HISTORY OF THE CLAN MOFFAT
From 900 A.D. to the present day
HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS
MOFFAT, PAST AND PRESENT
WITH SKETCHES OF THE MOFFAT DISTRICT, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE
"The object of this little history is to work up into one narrative the various incidents and references respecting Moffat now scattered about in a number of publications"
By John Brown, editor of "Moffat Times" Published 1876
FAIRFOUL'S GUIDE TO MOFFAT
MOFFAT DISTRICT AND THE YARROW LOCHS
With charts and other illustrations
Second Edition published 1879
"The present edition is merely a reprint of the previous one, with such additions and alterations that have been rendered necessary to bring the matter down to the present date"
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF MOFFAT OF THAT ILK
BY ROBERT MAXWELL MOFFAT M.D.
"Also passing notices of Moffat in France, Germany and Holland"
With the genealogies of various branches in Scotland, Ireland, and England, as existing at the present day
Published 1908
HISTORY OF MOFFAT
With frequent notices of Moffatdale and Annandale
By W. Robertson Turnbull 1871
"We commend this crude sketch of Moffat, as it was and is, to the lenient consideration of the parties interested in the subject, bidding it, in the words of Southey 'farewell'.
C.1094
William fitzRalph, of the retinue of the Earl of Chester, supports Duncan in his bid to become King of Scotland. William marries Viking heiress Gunhilda (also known as Colabella), and is awarded a large estate in Annandale. He adopts the surname in Latin of "de Monte Alto" (of the Great Hill"), which morphs into "Moffat" (also Mowat and Montealt) in English. The Monte Alto itself could well be the Great Hill near Corehead in upper Annandale, which overlooks and dominates the valley.
1268
Nicholas de Moffat was Bishop of Glasgow
1296
Robert and Thomas de Moffat paid homage to Edward 1st in "Ragmans Roll"
1297
Moffats helped William Wallace construct his 'big ditch deep enough to hide a man on horseback and paved with stones on the edge' between the Rivers Tweed and Yarrow
1300
Robert the Bruce, Lord of Annandale, granted four land charters in the Barony of Westkirk to the Moffats. One of these was Adam Moffat of Knock
1314
Adam Moffat and his brother fought at the Battle of Bannockburn alongside many other members of Clan Moffat: One fifth of the army was reputed to from our Clan
1336
Edward III, King of England, granted safe conduct to William de Moffete as ambassador of David the Bruce, son of Robert the Bruce
1337
Walter de Moffat, Archdeacon of Midlothian appointed ambassador to France
1342
Sir John Douglas, Lord Annandale, granted the feu of Granton and Reddings to Moffat
1347
Walter de Moffat was appointed Kings Messenger to England, France and the Marches
1569
'Ane of the Moffats of Powbudy to ly as pledge for the rest aye that gang on Sunday next at Dumfries under pane of two thowsand marks'
1570
Quhick Day: 'of the Moffetis of Bludewuse in Dumfries on Sunday next, under pane of two thousand marks, David Moffat of Hewykis interit pledge for himself, William Sym, Christie and his brother, their bairnes, tenents and servandis and also for the hail gang of Powbudy to be interghasit with Ane of the twa brother of the said David and James Moffat of Powbudy'
1570
Thomas Muffet publishes his discoveries on spiders, much to the consternation of his daughter, Patience (Little Miss Muffet)
1578
18th October: 'William Moffat, sone fo James Moffat of Powbudy to lye as pledge for guid order and quietness of the Borders' - Stirling Castle
1582
28th June: Johne Moffat and Robert Moffat fined £500 and bound over not to 'hold intercourse with declarit trators'
1583
8th May: David Moffat of Sybellsyde, Math Moffat of Woodend (called Daveschaw) charged and found guilty of fire raising, slaying and hocking of hors and oxin' - Holyrood
1583
27th August: Gilbert Hay of Monkstown complained that 'William Moffat of Arriestanes, Robert Moffat and his son their James Moffat of Meikleimside, James Moffat of Meikleholme, James Moffat of Carigholme, John Moffat and his sone William Moffat, James Moffet of the town of Moffet, Thomas Moffet, Gilbert Moffet his breather, James Moffat called "Scald James" and David Moffat of Altown came on 1st April to the town and lands of Nether Mynyeane owned by Gilbert Hay, and chaisit the haill holt & scheip and drownyng the maist part of thame in the waters of the Tweide, and took away guid and hail insichts'. The Court denounced them as rebels
1583
25th November: Act of Forfeiture made against David Moffat of Sibbiehelfied and Mathew Moffat of Woodend and others for High Treason
1587
Moneypenny's Chronicle said there were 65 Lairds and Gentlemen living in Dumfrieshire and the stewartry of Kirkudbright and these included the Laird of Knock and the Gudemen of Granton and Beidesbek: three Moffats
1587
July: Scottish Parliament declared the Moffets to by 'an unruly clan of the Western Marches'
1590
10th June: 'Laird of Knock to find caution for the good behaviour of the Moffatts' - Holyrood
1593
William Moffat elected one of the Bailies of St. Andrew's - confirmed by the King
1594
Scottish Parliament states: 'Measures to be taken to suppress the lawless Moffats and other Border Clans'
1609
King James VI's Commission, looking into the lawlessness of the Borders, dispersed the main culprits: the Moffats, and sold their lands to the Johnstones. After the Dispersement, only a few members of the family survived in Scotland and from these descended the principal families of Sundaywell, Lochurr and Stroqhan (about 15 miles NW of Dumfries) and the two at Edenhall and Harpertoun near Kelso in Roxburghshire
1628
Granton and Reddings (near Moffat) sold to the Johnstones to relieve overwhelming debts
1648
Robert Moffat (1619-1672) serves as a mercenary soldier for the King of Sweden. He marries Elisabeth Rutensköld and they have 12 children together. Robert had an adulterous affair with another woman, who poisoned her husband. She was executed, but Robert escaped when a plea for mercy to Queen Hedvig Eleonara by his wife was successful. Robert died whilst returning to Sweden by ship with a Birth Brief, that would have permitted his entry to the House of Nobles
1658
James and David Moffat moved from Granton to Crofthead
1685
The Covenant was an extreme form of Presbyterianism, in which individual person had a direct relationship to God. This was anathema to Charles II, who was Head of the Church of Scotland. Covenanters would hold meetings in open spaces, which were forbidden by the Authorities. John Graham, Marquis of Claverhouse, was appointed by the King to suppress Covenantism. Hartfell was a sheltered habitation of Covenanters in Moffatdale. William Moffat was a Preacher at such a Conventicle. At one such meeting, unarmed worshippers observed the approach of armed mounted dragoons, and could not escape. However, a miracle occurred. A mist descended, visibility reduced to zero, and the Covenanters were able to disperse unobserved
1696
Hedvig Beata Moffat (1688-1721) elopes to Norway with a married man Johan Hare, and has a child. He escapes with an admonishment, and a fine of 80 silver dalers. She is fined 40 silver dalers, and at the next Church Service must sit in the "Shaming Stool" to be chastised for her shameful behaviour by the Priest in front of the Congregation. She later married Pär Unger, and on his death re-married to Mårten Sterling, and had children by both
1743
Claude Moët discovers new style of champagne. His descendant, Jean-Remy Moët teamed together with Pierre-Gabriel Chandon in 1832
1744
Garwald in Eskdalemuir leased by Moffats
1759
The last of the Moffats in Gardenholm (near Moffat) died
1777
John Moffat (b Dumfries, d 1777 Norfolk) drives cattle on drove roads from Dumfriesshire to fatten up and over-winter in Norfolk, as a staging post on their way to Smithfield Market in London. People in Norfolk however, pronounce the name as "Muffet", and the drovers who settled there, became Muffet for generations
1780
William Moffat (1737-1822), commands the ship Phoenix. He also commissions ships for the Honourable East India Company. Such was his wealth that , on his death, it took eight years to settle his affairs
1794
John Moffat, tenant of Garwald Farm in Eskdalemuir lost 410 sheep in the Great Storm of 25 January 1794. Sheep lost in the valley as a whole numbered nearly 3,500
1798
The Prince Regent meets no fewer than three Miss Moffats at a ball in London (Mary Elizabeth, b 1770, Margaret, b 1776 and Elizabeth Jemima, b 1782) together with their brother William Moffat (1774-1850), also a Naval Commander in the service of the East India Company
1805
Christina Margareta Moffat (1749-1812) submits a claim for a Swedish pension, enclosing a copy of the Birth Brief of Robert Moffat as supporting evidence
1817
Thomas Moffat (1789-1871), crofter and fisherman, Shetland Islands, marries Agnes Sinclair. Son of Arthur Moffat (b 1760), has family of 11 children, the eldest of whom is Arthur Moffat (1818-1885), all of whom are engaged in crofting and fishing
1817
Craick in Borthwick Water leased by Moffats
1819
Robert Moffat (1795-1883) initiates his missionary work in Africa. He married Mary Smith of Dukinfield, Lancashire, in Cape Town in 1819. They had 10 children, many of whom are famous names in South Africa. Known colloquially as "Moshete". He founded the mission at Kuruman, north-west Cape Colony in 1825. Translated the New Testament into the Sechwana language in 1839
1836
John Moffat (1812-1842) opens ships chandlery business in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
1826
John Moffett elected Mayor of Kendal, Westmorland
1839
Birth of Thomas Moffat (1839-1896), shepherd in Glenelg, western Ross & Cromarty. The Highland Clearances had destroyed a way of life for Crofters, but gave opportunities for experienced shepherds, of which Scottish Borderers were not slow to take advantage. Thomas' father, also Thomas Moffat (1809-1873), moved there from Dumfriesshire in 1836
1841
A considerable number of Moffat families worked as tin miners in Cornwall. For example, John Moffatt, b 1791, in St Mewan, Cornwall, and his eldest son , also John, 14 years old and already a tin miner. When the mining industry in Cornwall petered out, most Moffats emigrated abroad, to the US or Australia, where the mining industry continued to thrive
1842
Janet Moffat, aged 12, gave evidence to the Royal Commission on the situation of Children working in the mines. Janet is a coal putter in New Craighall Colliery, Inveresk, working underground from 6 in the morning until 6 at night. Alternate weeks she worked in the night shift, descending at night, returning at 5 or 6 in the morning. The place of work was very wet, and covered her shoe tops. Janet can read, knows her Scripture, and can sign her name, albeit indifferently
1843
Phillippe Muffet (1781-1844), his wife Anne, and their 9 children, participate in the first French colonisation of Algeria
1844
John Moffatt (1805-1844) Served 12 years as Gamekeeper to the Marquess of Normanby during which time he was esteemed and beloved by all his neighbours. He was murdered in Mulgrave woods, Northumberland, on the night of the 29th January 1844, whilst in the faithful discharge of his duty
1845
David Livingstone (1813-1873) marries Mary Moffat (1821-1862) at the Kuruman Mission of Robert Moffat. Mary dies 1862 of malaria in Mozambique, whilst accompanying her husband in an expedition into central Africa
1851
Albany Featherstonehaugh Moffatt (1821-1859), Lead miner in Alston, Cumberland, as were many other Moffatts at this period. When the mining effort petered out, most moved to Newcastle in the ship-building industry
1853
John Moffat (1819-1894) opens his photographic business in Nicholson Square, Edinburgh, moving 4 years later to premises in Princes Street. Such was his skill, expertise and fame that he photographed the rich and famous, not least royalty, until his death in 1894
1856
Robert Moffat (17985-1860) of Barnamaghery, County Down, accidentally kills his newly married son, William Moffat (1819-1856). Many of the family afterwards emigrate to New Zealand
1857
William Moffett (1840-1893), having completed military training at Sandhurst, is posted to Grahamstown, South Africa. He had a diverse family, yet died intestate. Legal bickering between the heirs led to the entire fortune being swallowed up in legal fees
1860
John Shanks Moffat (1825-1886) becomes Governor General of St Lucia
1864
Surgeon-Major Andrew Moffitt (1838-1882) serves with General Charles "Chinese" Gordon (later of Khartoum) at the siege of Peking, in the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion on behalf of the Emperor of China. Andrew Moffitt later married the general's sister, Helen Gordon, in 1868
1868
Henry Moffatt (1846-1937) starts his Butchers shop in Kingsholm, Gloucester, partly supplying his meat from his own farms, and adding his own slaughterhouse. President of the Gloucester Master Butchers Association, 1928
1906
End of the 600 years of tenancy of Midknock by Moffats
1911
William Moffat (son of Francis Moffat) bought Hawkshaw in Tweedsmuir
1920
Francis Moffat bought Craigbeck and Garrowgill
1935
William Moffat bought Fingland
1937
Francis Moffat died
1948
William Moffat died
1950
Garwald lease given up
1983
Francis Moffat confirmed as Clan Chief by Lord Lyon, King of Arms
1992
Francis Moffat died. Daughter assumed position as Clan Chief: Madam Jean Moffat of that Ilk