Hunter of Bonnytoun and Doonholm
Bonnytoun (Ayrshire).
The first mention of Bonnytoun, which is in the parish of Ochiltree, appears to have been in the sixteenth century, when the property was in the possession of Josias Stewart, brother to Andrew, fourth Lord Ochiltree. He was also styled Josias Stewart of Blairquhan in a testamentary document in 1621 (Paterson's History of Ayrshire). About the middle of the eighteenth century the property was acquired by John Hunter, W.S., the second son of Andrew Hunter, of Abbotshill, and remained in the family till, about the year 1860, when it was sold, together with the other family possessions. Doonholm (Ayrshire) The mansion house of Doonholm, to which an addition was built in 1818, is delightfully situated on a gentle eminence within a few yards of the Doon, four miles from Ayr. It is surrounded by thriving plantations, and the garden and shrubbery walks skirt the margin of the river. The domain ,stretched along the banks of the Doon, and included the classic scenery connected with Burns' monument. The lands of Doonholm, in the barony of Alloway, belonged to the town of Ayr previous to 1754, and were called Old Berriesden and Warlockholm. They were purchased by James Neill, of Ayr, who, in 1755, disposed of them to David Mitchell, of Ayr, and the latter in the same year sold them to William Fergusson of London, a relative of the Fergussons of Castlehill, Ayrshire. This gentleman had spent the greater part of his life as a medical practitioner in London, where he realized a considerable fortune. He was subsequently Provost of Ayr for a number of years. Upon the lands, which he greatly improved, he built the older portion of the present house, and gave the property the name of Doonholm. Between 1756 and -1766 he added to it the lands of Fauldhead, Whisknowe, South High Corton, High Broomberry-Yards, High Carcline, and South High Muir of Corton. On his death in 1776 Mr. William Fergusson left Doonholm, as well as these other properties, to his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, who afterwards, in 178o, married Malcolm Fleming of Barochan. From this gentleman Doonholm was purchased in 1783 by Mr. John Fergusson, merchant in Calcutta, and a nephew of Mr. William Fergusson, of Doonholm. He made a handsome fortune, and was a great benefactor to the poor in Ayr. At his death in 1790 he left his estate to trustees, with directions to offer the lands of Doonholm to the daughters of his uncle, Mr. William Fergusson, according to seniority. They were then acquired by Mrs. Fleming of Barochan, the eldest daughter, who sold them in 1796 to John Hunter, W.S., the husband of her sister, Mrs. Hunter of Bonnytoun, who added the lands of Alloway Croft, Hollybush, and Greenfield (now called Cambusdoon). All these properties were disposed of by the family in the middle of the nineteenth century. Doonholm itself was purchased by the late Lord Blackburn, one of Her Majesty's judges, shortly after whose decease in 1896 the property was again sold.-Paterson's 'History of Ayrshire.' Armorial Bearings.
Armorial Bearings Matriculated by William Francis Hunter and Andrew Alexander Hunter at the Lyon office, Edinburgh, January 18, 1889.
Arms: Argent, on a chevron azure between three hunting horns vert, garnished and stringed gules, a crescent of the first. Crest: A stag's head cabossed or., Motto: Vigilantia robur voluptas. Hunter of Bonnytoun and Doonholm Lineage 1. John Hunter, of Bonnytoun and Doonholm, was the second son of Andrew Hunter, the eighth Laird of Abbotshill. He was born in 1746, and became a Writer to the Signet in 1769. He married, December 2i, 1773, Jane, daughter and coheiress of William Fergusson, Esq., of Bonnytoun and Doonholm, by which union he acquired both properties. Bonnytoun had previously been purchased from Malcolm, Fleming, Esq., of Barochan Tower, Renfrewshire, whose wife was a sister of Mrs. John Hunter. He, Mr. Hunter, also acquired the property of Hollybush, in the parish of Dalrymple, in 1797. By his wife, who was born 1752, and died July 4, 1838, he had the following issue:
Martina Ariola (born September 4, 1831), and died in Buenos Ayres, February 17, 1868, leaving- i Maria Martina Delmira Antonia del Carmen Hunter Arriola, born in September 2, 1856, married September 4, 1875 with Juan Cano Diaz Velez, who was born in August 21, 1855, and died June 22, 1905. His father was Juan Cano Castro and his mother was Carmen Diaz Velez Guerrero. Here begins the CANO HUNTER branch ii Martin Clemencia Mariana Octavia del Carmen Hunter Arriola, born November 20, 1857, died May 15, 1909,married December 11, 1873 Lauro Cabral y Perez de Prado, who was born August 15, 1833 and died January 31, 1893. His father was Bernardino Cabral Cascallares and his mother was Estela Perez de Prado. Here begins the ABRAL HUNTER branch iii Juan Enrique Hunter Arriola (Jack) born August 10, 1860, died June 4, 1925. He married Susana Cano, who died April 13, 1938. Here begins the HUNTER CANO branch iv Evan Gahbad (Eduardo) Hunter Arriola, born September 1, 1867, died April 25, 1923, he married in 1892 Julia Soler, born April 25, 1874, and whose father was Gregorio Soler Casalla and her mother was Edelmira Soler Casalla Here begins the HUNTER SOLER Branch (2) Alexander Maclean, born in Edinburgh, November 25, 1821, married, on September 5, 1850, Eliza Anna (born April 28, 1830, died January 6, 1902), daughter of Robert Bostock, Esq., and died at sea, on his way to the Cape of Good Hope, November 16, 1892, leaving- i. Evan Arthur, born April 8, 1854, married Alice Mary Doherty, and has Alexander (born March 4, 1894)- ii. Frank, -of Edinburgh, Writer to the Signet, born July 26, 1858, married March 31, 1886, Elizabeth Agnes, daughter of the Rev. John Mein Austin, of St. Mungo, Dumfriesshire, and has- (i.) Evan Austin, born September 28, 1887 (ii.) Ronald Maclean, born October 16, 1888 (iii.) Wilfrid Tennant, born October 5,. 1892. iii. Harry Ernest, born May 4, 186i, killed in the Matabele War, South Africa, March, 1895 iv. Maria Margaret, born September 29, 1856, married, November 12, 1877, to Charles Rome,Esq., who died July, 1887, and has issue. v. Flora, born September 9, 1863, married, July 30, 1889, to William Dykes, Esq., Writer to the Signet, of Edinburgh, and has issue. (3) James Arthur Carr, born in Edinburgh, January 30, 1823, married, on October 3, 1850, his cousin, Louisa Harriet, (born June 7, 1829, died July, 1890), daughter of the Rev. Alfred Utterson. He died December -19, 1889, leaving issue-. i. Arthur Mordaunt, born April 3, 1862. ii. Evan James, born February 11, 1864, married Maud Salt, and has- (i.) James Arthur Carr, born 1896. (ii.) Lorna, born 1901. iii. Claud Archibald John, born September I3, 1866. iv. Alfred, born October 29, 1867, died 1873- v vi. Nigel Charles, born August 11, 1873. vii. Mary Emily Susanna, born December 15, 1853. viii. Maria Frances, born 1854, died 1857- ix. Elinor Catherine Margaret, born December 16, 1858, married Charles Cummins, Esq., and has issue. (4) Evan Allan, 6orn at Redford, near Edinburgh, June 19, 1825, Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh Married, June 15, 1871, Ernestine Eglantine, daughter of John Stuart Hay Newton, Esq., of Newton Hall. She was born June 8, 1840, and died December 16, 1874 Mr. Hunter died in Edinburgh, April 16, 1890, without issue. (5) Andre* Francis, born at Redford, April 17, 1827, died at Mount Gambier, Australia, September 24, 1854 (6) William Fergusson, born at Doonholm, Ayrshire, September 27, 1828. (7) (8) Jane Elizabeth, born at Inveresk, October 6, 1831, died at Hollybush, Ayrshire, November, 1833. (9) Maria Eleanora, born at Redford, June10, 1833 8. Francis, Lieut.-Colonel, 1st Madras Light Cavalry, born May 1, 1792, married, at Ellieston, March 18, 1823, Elizabeth Christina, daughter of Thomas Tulloh, Esq., of Ellieston, Roxburghshire. She was born July 3, 1796, and died at Stretton Parsonage, Staffordshire, on February 5, 1885, and was buried at Brompton Cemetery, London. Colonel Hunter entered the Honourable East India Company's service as a cavalry cadet in 1808, and his commissions bear date as follows: Cornet 7th Madras Light Cavalry, September 7, 1811 ; transferred to 1st Madras Light Cavalry, November 9, 1812; Lieutenant, September 1, 1818; Brevet Captain, April 24, 1824 ; Captain, February 26, 1829 ; Major, December 31, 1837; Lieut.-Colonel (retired), April 29, 1840. His appointments were : Acting- Quartermaster of 1st Madras Light Cavalry, 1815; Assistant Adjutant-General Nagpore Sub. Force, 1825-1827, Assistant Commissary-General, 1827-1835, and Sup. Div. Mysore, 1835-1837. His war services include the Battle of Kirkee, against the Mahrattas, on November 5, 18l7, for which he was awarded the Indian Medal, with clasp inscribed ' Kirkee.' He also distinguished himself in the suppression of the Kanara Insurrection in 1837, for which he received the thanks of the Governor- General of India. Colonel Hunter died at Cheltenham on September 14, 1865, and was buried, on September 21, in' Shurdington Churchyard, near Cheltenham. 'He had issue- (1) Jane, born at Arcot, East Indies, June 9, 1826, died in London, December 21, 1880, and buried in Brompton Cemetery. (2) Eleariora Elizabeth, born at Nagpur, East Indies, June 26, 1827, died in London, January 29, 1879, and buried in Brompton Cemetery. (3) Anna Maria Margaret Helen, born at Bangalore, East Indies, May 28, 1829, married at Taunton, September 30, 1857, to the Rev. John Warren Napier (afterwards Napier- Clavering, of Axwell Park, county Durham and has issue. She died at Axwell Park, February 1900, and was buried at Stretton, Staffordshire. 9. Elizabeth, born 1774, married at Doonholm, April 4, 1818, to John Carr, Esq., of St. Anne's, York; died without issue, March 22, .1864, and was buried in Ayr Old Churchvard. 10. Eleonora Garvine, born 1782, died, unmarried, January 26, 1856, and was buried in Ayr Old Churchyard. Mr. John Hunter, W.S., died April 23, 1823, and was buried in Ayr Old Churchyard, being succeeded by his eldest son- II. Andrew Hunter , of Bonnytoun and Doonholm, born at Edinburgh, August 7, 1776 In a document in his handwriting he states that in 1791 he went to sea, much against the inclination of his friends, and sailed from Greenock in the Countess of Haddingion for the West Indies and America, and after an absence of seventeen months returned to Greenock. In September, 1793, he joined the Royal William at Spithead as midshipman, and in October he was drafted to the Resistance (forty-four guns, Captain Pakenham), and sailed in November for the Cape and East Indies, accompanied by the Orpheus (frigate, Captain Newcombe), and Centurion (fifty guns, Captain Osborne), and while cruising off the Mauritius captured a French fiftygun ship and several small vessels. In June, 1794, while cruising in the Straits of Malacca, they seized a French twenty-gun ship, and Mr. Hunter was sent as one of the officers in charge. After arriving at Calcutta, he was recommended to the house of Messrs. Fairlie, Gilmore', and Co., which step I repented all my life, as I was fond of the navy; but it was at the request of my father, whose advice formerly I had totally neglected, and was determined now to follow it. Mr. Hunter, however, does not appear to have remained long in the business, as in December, 1794, he again went to sea on board the Dolphin (Captain Hunter) as third officer, and sailed for the Malabar Coast, returning to Calcutta in May, 1795, when he left the ship, which, after starting on her next voyage, was never again heard of. He continued at sea, making voyages to the Straits Settlements, China, Ceylon, Burma, and other places; but in May, 18O3, his ship was captured by a French privateer, and he was landed at Analaboo, a Malay settlement, where he lived for six weeks, and in July was taken off by an American vessel, and went to Muckee, where he heard of a Captain.Petbury having been stabbed by the natives at Soosu, and his ship in their possession. Mr. Hunter then set off in an open boat to retake the ship, but was unfortunately blown off the shore and picked up by an American vessel, which succeeded in retaking the ship, and brought her to Sappanooly. During Mr. Hunter's next voyage, in July, 18o6, his vessel was captured by the French frigate La Similliante (forty guns, Captain Motard), and in September he was landed at the Isle of Bourbon, and in November taken to the Isle of France (now called Mauritius). On May 7, 1807, he sailed from the Isle of France in command of the Danish ship Catharina (formerly an English Indiaman) for Tranquebar, where he arrived on May 29, and gave up the command. After remaining in India for four months, he sailed for England, where he arrived in March, 1808. In July, 1808, he joined the Ayrshire Regiment as a Captain at Gosport, and marched to Horsham, in Sussex, in October following. After some time spent in Scotland, he again joined the regiment in February, 1809, at Silver Hill Barracks, Sussex. In August he was in Scotland, and rejoined the regiment in October at Musselburgh, finally resigning in January, 1810. Mr. Hunter was a Deputy-Lieutenant for the county of Ayr, and was gazetted Captain of the 2nd (or Cunningham and Cumnock) Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry on June 28, 1821. The following is an inscription on a silver snuff-box given to him: “Presented to Captain Hunter by the Cumnock Troop of Yeomanry Cavalr as a mark of esteem, February 8, 1828.” Mr. Hunter, in 1830, added Greenfield (now called Cambusdoon), which was purchased from Lord Alloway, to the Doonholm property. He married, on April 21, 18I4, Helen, eldest daughter of John Campbell, Esq., of Ormidale, Argyllshire, by whom, who was born December 13, 1788, died in London, February 24, 1876, and buried at Brompton Cemetery, he had-
(1) Andrew Alexander, born at Gwalior, East Indies, August 7, 1855, baptized at Christ's Church, Gwalior, October 8, ,1855, educated at Cheltenham College, of which he became Bursar in 1889. (2) John Francis Parsons, born at Gwalior, December 11, 1856, baptized at Gwalior, December 28, 1856, died at Sultanpore, East Indies, August 25, 1859. (3) William Nuttall, born at Benares, East Indies, April 3, 1859, baptized at St. Mary's Church, Benares, June 12, 1859, died at Bareilly, East Indies, April 16, 1861. (4) Charles Robert, born at Benares, July 10, 1860, baptized at St. Mary's Church, Benares, August 28, 1860, died at Sultanpore, March 1, 1861. (5) A daughter, born at Almorah, East Indies, July 31, 1862, who died the following day. (6) A daughter, born at Allahabad, East Indies, October 1, 1865, who died the same day 5. Helen, born January 27, 1816, died in London, July 6, 1888, buried at Brompton Cemetery, London. Mr. Andrew Hunter died at Helensburgh, N.B., on December 30, 1856, and was buried in Ayr Old Churchyard, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son- III Lieut.-Colonel William Francis Hunter, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, by whom the properties of Bonnytoun and Doonholm were sold. He was born at Hollybush, near Ayr, on June 20, 1820, and entered the Honourable East India Company's service by direct commission. His commissions bear date as follows: Cornet, Bombay Cavalry, April 16, 1837; appointed to 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, April 22, 1838; Lieutenant, December 12, 1840; Captain, May 8, 1849; Major, February 6, 1861 Lieut.-Colonel (retired), December 31, 1861. War Services He was present at the capture of Bushire on December 10, 1856, during the war with Persia; appointed Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Stalker, commanding the First Expeditionary Force to Persia, January, 1857, and was recommended for step in rank by Sir James Outram (despatch, June 17, 1857). Colonel Hunter was married at St. Thomas's, Edinburgh, on November 24, 1859,,to Eliza, eldest daughter of William Frederick Burnley, Esq., of Edinburgh, by her (who married for her second husband, at St. Mary's, Bryanston Square, London, on November 2, 1865, John Garnett Rathborne, Esq., J.P., of Dunsinea, co. Dublin, she died May 12, 1867, and was buried at Castleknock Churchyard, co. Dublin), he had- i. William Francis, born at Neemuch, East Indies, November 6, 1860. Educated at Harrow School. Married, on March 7, 1888, to Mary Anna Emily, second daughter of Alexander Kirkpatrick, Esq., of Coolmine House, Clonsilla, co. Dublin (who was born October 26, 1858, and baptized at Clonsilla Church in December, 1858). He died at Doonholm, Clonsilla, May 23, 1903, and was buried in Clonsilla Churchyard on May 26. He left issue (1) William Francis Ernest, born at Doonholm, Clonsilla, on May 20, 1892 baptized at Clonsilla Church on June 19,1892. (2) Donald Alexander Reginald, born at Doonholm, Clonsilla, July 18, 1894; baptized at Clonsilla Church, August 19, 1894 (3) Gordon Walter Leslie, born at Doonholm,Clonsilla,August8, 899 ; baptized at Clonsilla Church, September 12, 1899. (4) Frances Mysie Dorris Rosina, born at Coolmine House on May 9, 1889; baptized at St. Ann's Church, Dublin, in June, 1889. (5) Emily Beatrice Cecil, born at Doonholm, Clonsilla, on October 20, 1890; baptized at Clonsilla Church in November , 1890. 2. Ernest Honner, born at Nusseerabad, East Indies, November 13, 1861. Educated at King's College, London. Is a merchant at Trinidad, West Indies. Married at Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain, Trinidad, on February 20, 1884, to Louisa Ida, only daughter of Fritz Zurcher, Esq., of Trinidad, and had issue- (1) Helen Elise Burnley, born May 7, 1885, baptized at Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain, June 20, 1885, and died at Port of Spain on February 6, 1888; buried at Laperouse, Trinidad. (2) Ida Violet Sophia Zurcher, born at Port of Spain, October 10, 887, and baptized at Trinity Cathedral on November 24, 1887 3. Rosina, died in infancy. Colonel W. F. Hunter died at Bombay on February 25, 1862. This information is reproduced from A History of Peeblesshire by J. W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton, published in three volumes between 1925-7 by Jackson, Wylie and Co. of Glasgow. The original book includes many refences to the sources of the information, pedigrees and plates. Information on this site is subject to copyright but may be reproduced for personal use. It may not be sold under any circumstances. Information published by Andrew and Pauline Tweedie Summerhill, Prixford, Barnstaple, EX31 4DW, UK |
