# General > Genealogy >  James Horne of Langwell

## camsmith

Hi 

I am wondering if any one has seen a will for James Horne of Langwell W.S. who died  I believe in October 1831. I have tried Scotland People but to no avail.  He was a writer to the signet, so I presume he would have one.

Any assistance would be most appreciated.

Kind Regards,


Campbell

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## Durran

Hi Campbell,

I have had a similar problem. My 4xgreat grandfather James Fairweather died, aged 70, 1st April 1847 in King Street, Dundee. He was a green cloth manufacturer and I, too, was certain I would find a will for him, but no such luck. These disappointments are presumably needed to balance the breaks we occasionally get while pursuing this fascinating hobby.

John

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## Sage

Apologies if this is obvious...

but have you tried all the versions that the name could be under?
Horn, Horne, Home?

Also look in England, his Will may have been lodged there if the bulk of his estate was in England

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## Christina Baldwin

Hello,


While this extract doesnt help a lot it may give you some further avenues for searching. This quote came from Comraich published in the John O Groat Journal 27 May 1977. Unfortunately the author does not give his sources. I am interested in Rumsdale so if you happen to find any of Hornes (either James or Donald) rental records etc I would very much like to know. Thanks.


"The estate of Langwell passed at John Horne’s death to his nephew Donald Horne.  This Donald Horne had been actively engaged “improving” the lands of Rumsdale (Caithness) and in 1822 he removed the six tenants therefrom.  The idea of acquiring Rumsdale was to provide summer grazing for the Langwell flocks, the stock being driven from Rumsdale to the Autumn sales at Lairg and sometimes further south.
On Donald Horne assuming proprietorship of Langwell on the death of his uncle in 1830, the new broom was not long in making his presence known, one of his first  “improvements” was the turning out of two villages on the estate, each village comprising 12 families, each family paying in rent from £7 to £10 annually."

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## camsmith

Thank you for all the replies.  I have tried the variations of the name , but not in England.  Will give it ago.  I don't have anything on Rumsdale, but will post if I come across anything.

Thanks

Campbell

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## spittalhill

There is a will of Donald Horne, died 1870, on Scotland's People, if that helps.

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## camsmith

I have now downloaded a copy of Donald Hornes will, interestingly one of his sons William is buried just down the road from me in Auckland.

Still looking any leads on James Hornes will.

Campbell

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## Christina Baldwin

I just found an interesting reference to the Hornes at this URL - fascinating reading. It certainly suggests that Donald was left the estate of his uncle - I presume the person refered to as Count Horne was James Horne. I presume you will be aware of the 'legends' re the blacksmith ancestor - even referred to in Domestica Memorabilia. I can expand on that a bit if you dont have those stories. But how true they are I could not vouch for. 

http://www.jamesirvinerobertson.co.uk/JRJL424344.pdf

1842 Journal or Book of Memoranda & Jottings kept by James Robertson Sheriff Substitute Commenced at Stornoway 21 July 1841 continued at Tobermory 27 March 1842 and at Kirkwall on 14 March 1846 Vol: II. Kirkwall 31 January 1847

"The grandfather of Donald Horne WS was a blacksmith, without any connexions among the
gentry, but a clever fellow who made money, bought a piece of land called Scouthal, gave
his family a good education, and was latterly received in Society. One son, if I remember
right, entered the Army and died s.p. Another was Count Horne who made a considerable
fortune as a WS and died a batchelor. He left the bulk of his means to his nephew Donald.
I remember the Count, an old man with a large red nose (which the Collector says he
derived from his father) crawling about the streets of Edinburgh and turning round as a
young and pretty girl passed and gaping after her with a goatish stare. This propensity also
he derived from the old blacksmith, and among them they transmitted it to Donald whose
pranks are notorious, and were at one time likely to prove dangerous to himself. Donald's
father had the same failing. He lived always in the Country, married a respectable lady of
the name of Williamson, and enjoyed an indifferent reputation. He in fact was about the
worst man of the Clan.
Donald's eldest brother William is a barrister, Sheriff of Haddington, and has no family.
Macleay says that he lately heard that his (W Horne's) debts amount to £120,000, and that
he is placed under Trust. I would have been less surprised to hear the same story of Donald.
They have a younger brother John in the Honourable East India Company Service.
The Caithness family have an Estate of about £2500 per annum."

Regards Christina

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## camsmith

Hi Christina,

Many thanks, what a colourful description, had a chuckle reading it. I have read a little on the folklore how the Hornes initially got their wealth on http://users.tpg.com.au/havik/genealogy/MMFFP.html. alternatively google William Campbell and Elizabeth Horne.   If you have another story or the original source of the folklore mentioned in the mentioned website I would be most interested to find out.

Regards,

Campbell

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## Christina Baldwin

Hi Campbell,
I found the James Robertson jottings interesting as they were written in the 1840s when Donald Horne was alive so the legends must have still has some validity or presumably they would have been publicly debunked. 
I have a scanned copy of an article published in the John O Groat Journal in 1977 that recounts the folklore. The article is too long to post here but if you send me a PM with your email I can send a copy of that article to you. 
Regards Christina
New Zealand

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## camsmith

Hi Christina,
Have sent you a PM

Regards,

Campbell

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## Christina Baldwin

Hello Campbell,

I sent a reply to your PM to the email address you gave but it was returned saying it was undeliverable. I have resent it via this forum so let me know it you dont get it. Christina

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## camsmith

I have read an article on the Caithness.org website titled Country Houses in Caithness.  In the article about Stirkoke House, he mentions the Hornes ownership and that they were descended from the Sinclairs.  The article is written by Donald Sinclair.

Does anyone have information on the connection between the Hornes and Sinclairs ?

Thank you and Merry Christmas

Campbell

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## Minnymoss

> I have read an article on the Caithness.org website titled Country Houses in Caithness.  In the article about Stirkoke House, he mentions the Hornes ownership and that they were descended from the Sinclairs.  The article is written by Donald Sinclair.
> 
> Does anyone have information on the connection between the Hornes and Sinclairs ?
> 
> Thank you and Merry Christmas
> 
> Campbell


His will was miscatalogued as Throne and wrongly dated, you can now find it in Scotland's People.

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## Minnymoss

Not true it was cleared by James in 1822. I have a copy of the removal if you are interested. What is you connection with Rumsdale. These are they Hugh Campbell, John Campbell, Donald Campbell, tenants there, William Gunn senior, another William Gunn senior and Neil Gunn tenants in Coustell, and Alexander Gunn tenant in Torbadtroffin,

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## camsmith

Thanks for your message.   I found the copy of the will for James Horne,  If you were responsible for correcting the listing thanks very much.   I would be interested to get a copy of the removal in Rumsdale.   My connection is that my ancestor was James Horne sister,  Elizabeth Horne, who married William Stewart, tacksman of dounreay.

Season Greetings.

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