Manuscripts relating to John Glas and the Cargill family, 1700-1813.

A bound collection containing original documents compiled by Featherstone Cargill with prefatory descriptions showing connections of merchants with Donald Cargill, covenanter, and giving biographical and genealogical information on people involved in the documents, mainly from the Cargill family, and mostly members of the Glasite church.

• ms1887, ms1888: Account for the years 1743-1748 of John Glas (founder Glasite Church) with George Mudie with bill of discharge dated Dundee, 12 August 1752. (2pp; 2pp.)
• ms1889: Bill for shipping and duties on a consignment shipped by the Anna Thecla of Amsterdam, Jon Kiniman master, and thence to Senegal by the Britannia , Joseph Philips master, together with a letter of John and William Paisley to John Baptiste Durand in London, dated 13 July 1762, concerning revisions to the original shipping arrangements of George Glas, son of John Glas, which were interrupted by the war. (2pp + address page)
• ms1890: Inventory of the writs of fourth part of the town and lands of Fongorth [Perthshire] pertaining to John Young the elder deceased and deposed with the consent of Janet Rea his spouse and John Young his son to John Steward of Grantully [Perthshire], his heirs and assigns. Witnessed at Dunkeld, 15 September 1700, by Thomas Rattray. (1p)
• ms1891: Roup roll of the furniture of the widow of William Thomson weaver at Greenfield [nr Dundee], rouped by John Thomson, weaver, of Dundee. 5 April 1790. (1p)
• ms1892: Autograph letter signed, James Morison, bookseller in Perth, to William Walker of Dunkeld [Perthshire]. Signed James Morison. Perth, 9 November 1782. (1p + address page) A marginal note records Emily Souter, wife of James Rea shoemaker, of Perth.
• ms1893: Autograph letter signed, James Morison to William Walker of Dunkeld [Perthshire] including details of an account together with notes on family matters. Signed James Morison. Perth, 24 June 1781. (1p + address page)
• ms1894: Receipt of James Morison to William Walker of Dunkeld, [Perthshire], 10 September 1788. (1p)
• ms1895: Autograph letter signed, James Morison to William Walker of Dundee WS, concerning Morison.'s intention to sell his printing office. Signed James Morison. Perth, 25 September 1811. (2pp + address page)
• ms1896-ms1899: Four single item receipts in favour of William Walker, 1813, 1813, 1793, 1811. (all 1p)
• ms1900: Autograph letter signed, William Coke, bookseller in Leith, to William Walker, writer in Dundee, acknowledging receipt of £20 for various printed items. Signed William Coke. Leith, 15 November 1780. (1p + address page)
• ms1901: Autograph letter signed, William Coke, bookseller in Leith, to William Walker, writer in Dundee, seeking advice on the recovery of a debt from a third party. Signed William Coke. Leith, 18 November 1783. (1p + address page)
• ms1902: Autograph letter signed, William Coke, bookseller in Leith, to William Walker, writer in Dundee, concerning the sale of various printed items. Signed William Coke. Leith, 6 August 1784. (1p + address page)
• ms1903: Autograph letter, signed Francis Morison, weaver in Dunkeld then in Woodhead of Haughend, to Thomas Grieg of Haughend [or Haugh of Fungorth, Perthshire] concerning payment of tack duty. Signed Francis Morrison. 21 March 1750, np. (1p)
• ms1904: Indenture between Thomas Grieg and Francis Morison, his son-in-law, wherein Grieg dispones to Morison a portion of the estate of Haughend subject to Morison relieving him of various obligations, listed, to members of the Grieg family. Witnessed by James Cargill senior and Walter Cargill, his son, both merchants in Dunkeld. Haughend, 25 September 1760. (4pp)
• ms1905: Testament and inventory of the goods and debts resting to Christian Young, heir to George Young and Elspeth Taylor his wife, given by Francis Morison executor. Dunkeld, 15 May 1764. (1p)
• ms1906-ms1910: Accounts relating to the funeral of Christian Young, 1763. ( Each 1p, 5pp in total)
• ms1911: Autograph letter signed, George Sandiman to James Cargill senior with a copy of a letter from [John] Glas to Mr [William] Cant, dated 5 March 1744, np. Perth, 21 September 1778. (3pp + address page)
• ms1912: Account of William Cargill to William Walker for joinery and plastering work, June 1782. (1p)
• ms1913: Autograph letter signed, William Coke, bookseller in Leith, to William Walker, writer in Dundee concerning the debts of Mr Coke. Signed William Coke. Leith, 23 September 1786. (1p + address page)
• ms1914: Autograph letter signed, Robert Cargill to William Walker, writer in Dundee, concerning financial matters. Signed Rob Cargill. Dunkeld, 15 August 1780. (1p + address page)
• ms1915: Receipted statement of account of William Walker with Messrs Cargill, McDuff & Co, merchants in Dunkeld. 2 October 1780. (1p)
• ms1916: Receipted statement of account of William Walker with Mr Robert Cargill for Messrs Cargill, McDuff & Co, merchants in Dunkeld. 17 May 1784. (1p)
• ms1917: Minute at sealing of the repositories of Patrick Robertson, writer, of Dunkeld. 3 February 1813. (2pp)
• ms1918: Autograph letter signed, William Jameson to William Walker concerning accounts relating to the Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh with the accounts appended. Signed William Jameson. Portobello, 10 September 1807. (3pp + address page)
• ms1919 Letter of William Jameson and James Cargill to William Walker, writer, concerning the account of Mr Don, Forfar. Portobello, 17 February 1809. (1p + address page)

John Glas (1695-1773) founded the Glasite church after being deposed from his charge in Tealing for deviating from the doctrines of the Church of Scotland. His views on the lack of a scriptural basis for both the Scottish nation and the national church were expressed in The Testimony of the King of Martyrs concerning his Kingdom. His followers built the first Glasite church in Dundee; the movement spread mainly amongst weaving communities. Glas wanted to create a community of saints, with an independent church of self-governing congregations following faithfully the model of the New Testament, with strict discipline, in a renewed spiritual atmosphere based on intellectual Calvinism. The leadership of the church passed to his son-in-law, Robert Sandeman, and followers were known as Sandemanians.

William Walker was a writer in Dunkeld, then Dundee. He was a member of the Glasite church, son of John Walker and Elizabeth Blair, who was daughter of James Blair, glover in Dundee. The items in this collection came from his office.

James Cargill (1703/4-1779), glover and merchant in Dundee and Dunkeld, was an initial follower of John Glas, becoming one of his first elders when the first Glasite church was founded in Dundee in 1730. Five years later he moved to Dunkeld to become elder of the new Glasite church there. He went on a missionary tour to New England with Glas’s son-in-law Robert Sandeman in 1764. His son Walter Cargill (1729-1783) became a merchant in Dunkeld, going into business with his brother in law Daniel McDuff in the firm Cargill and McDuff dealing in drapery, and later formed a separate firm of linen manufacturers, with other partners called Cargill, McDuff and Company. Another son William (c.1742-c.1788) was a wright in Dunkeld. As his second wife he married Katherine Coke, daughter of William Coke, bookseller in Leith.

Walter’s son Robert (1752-1833) was a merchant and manufacturer in Dunkeld, being part of Cargill, McDuff and Co, and later became a banker. He was also Baron Bailie of Dunkeld.

Single item

By appointment with the Keeper of Manuscripts. Access to records containing confidential information may be restricted.

Presented to the Library by Dr Featherstone Cargill, 1930.

Call numbers used to be ms1887-ms1919

Individual Manuscripts and Small Collections database available as part of Manuscripts Database.

Binding: quarter calf and boards. Spine embossed with library stamp and Cargill Papers. Paper: 26.6x38cm.

All the documents (min: 18.7x8cm; max: 31.5x78cm approx) have been conserved, laminated and mounted in this volume together with the various notes concerning them.

Description compiled by Maia Sheridan, Archives Hub project archivist, based on material from the Manuscripts Database

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Keeper of Manuscripts. Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents.

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