Charles MacVicar

Nephew and heir of Torquil MacVicar (q.v.), from whom he inherited the Highlands estate in Tobago in 1788. Charles MacVicar appears to have lost control of the estate by the time of compensation.

1. Military career: Ensign in Captain Cardner's Independent Company of Foot 1794, same date promoted from Ensign in Independent Company to Lieutenant in 79th Regiment; replaced as Lieutenant in the 79th, having been promoted to the 116th in 1795, and made Captain in the 42nd Regiment later that year; exchanged his position as Captain in the 42nd to half-pay Captain in the 69th in 1797; made a full-pay Captain in the 69th in 1803. Presumably at a later date moved back to half-pay, the description given in his will (undated, confirmed in 1833).

2. Charles MacVicar of Killellan attended a meeting of the Committee of Members of the Highland Society in Campbelltown in 1812.

3. Married Martha Kilby, eldest daughter of William Campbell of Fairfield and his wife Sarah nee Cunninghame, in 1797.

4. Died at Killellan of apoplexy, 20/07/1832, age 70. Will of Charles MacVicar or McVicar, Captain on half-pay of His Majesty's 69th Regiment of Foot, of Campbelton Argyllshire proved 12/08/1836. In the will, Charles MacVicar 'having already executed a deed of disposition of my lands of Killelllan in favour of Messrs John Campbell Sen. & Co. of Glasgow to make up for the loss they must sustain by the depreciation of my Tobago property', left his personal estate and the rents due to him at Martinmas (after payment of his debt to Miss White and the Renfrewshire Bank) to Miss Elizabeth Campbell and her sisters Lilly and Mary Campbell in equal parts.

5. The advised that Miss Mary White, Campbeltown, applied to be confirmed executrix-creditor fo the deceased Charles MacVicar, Esquire, of Killellan, 18/09/1832.

1. London Gazette 13635 pp. 265 and 266 (25/03/1794); London Gazette 13812 p. 929 (08/09/1795); London Gazette 14072 p. 1175 (09/12/1797; London Gazette 15591 p. 681 (07/06/1803).

2. Henry Mackenzie, Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland Society of Scotland (1816), 'Report on the best managed farms in Kintyre', p. 542.

3. James Peterson, History of the County of Ayr (1852) vol. 2 p. 388; John Burke, History of the Commoners (1835) vol. 2 p. 362; Caledonian Mercury 19/06/1797.

4. Johnstone's Monthly Register of Public Events (August 1832) p. 4 gives his death at Campbelltown, 20/07/1832, and his age as 70 years; note his date of death and age is given incorrectly in Inverness Courier 08/08/1832 p. 3; PROB 11/1865/443.

5. Edinburgh Gazette 4104 p. 274 (21/09/1832).

We are grateful to Todd Farmerie for supplying all the references in this entry.