Thomas Whyt (1708 - >1760)

 

His life up to his marriage in 1745 is a complete mystery – there are few local records from this period.  We can surmise that he was either a very “late starter” or was involved in “other things” from age 16 to 37 when he lived during the period of the Jacobite risings (1715 & 1745) and their anti-Episcopalian aftermath.  

 

In July 1745, at 37 years of age, he married Isabel Muir in Forfar - when she was 26.  They had five sons between 1747 and 1758.  His elder brother John had five daughters before Thomas was even married!

 

In later life he did achieve similar things to his father and grandfather.  Thomas finally played a leading role, like his father and brother, in the Forfar Incorporation of Cordiners (Shoemakers Guild) in his fifties – as Treasurer (1750-51) and Deacon for two years (1754-1755). He was a Forfar Burgess and Burgh Treasurer (see his son Patrick’s birth record 1758).   There are no Town Council records for the period – so we cannot know what other roles he might have played.  He may have died in his late 50’s

 

His wife:

Isabel (Isobell) Muir (b1718)

She was born/baptized in Oathlaw, Angus (a farming parish, just north of Forfar).  Her father was Robert Muir, possibly married Jean Mathie in Montrose 1715.  No other family records found.

 

Their children: 

Robert (1747), John (1749), William (1751), Thomas (1754), Patrick (1758).  There may have been a daughter (Margaret) born in 1760

 

His siblings:

- Euphanie (b1696) married Robert Whyte (possibly from Brechin) in Forfar, 1724

- Isobel (b1696) married William Ogilvy in 1724 (Forfar)

- John (c1700-1756) was probably the oldest son. However he had 5 daughters and no sons – which is why his brother Thomas is at the top of this page and not John.  Like his father, John played a leading role in the Forfar Incorporation of Cordiners (Shoemakers Guild) – as Treasurer (1734-35) and Deacon for eight years (1736-1743).  In 1729 he married Margaret Binny (b1708, daughter of David Binny & Margaret Nicolson, married Forfar 1701 (the Forfar Binny family again – see above!). He died at the age of 56 in 1756.

            - Helen Whyte (b1730) married John Webster in Forfar, 1750

            - Eupheme Whyte (b1735) married William Ogilvy in Forfar, 1760

            - Jean Whyte (b1737) married John Simpson in Forfar, 1757

            - Janet Whyte (b1739)  & Margaret (b1741)