Mc kChuim Tomson

[Mary]

Scottish Surnames & Families, Donald Whyte, Barnes & Noble Inc., 1996

Mc KChuim Tomson, Baron of Pharnua, was associated with the Bisset family in Lovat early in the 13th century.

[Stirling Thompson]

Some confirmation on your great find Mary...

From History of the Frasers of Lovat. by Alexander Mackenzie (1896)

One Gilchrist Me Killweralicke was appointed Constable of the fort of Lovat, and he is said to have surrounded it with a ditch, and built the front tower. His descendants, Gilchrists or Graemes, as they are called, continued in Lovat till the year n70, when John Bisset, a man of eminence at the Court of William the Lion, married the King's own daughter, and settled there under Royal authority. His second son, John, succeeded him, and married Jean Haliburton, daughter of the laird of Culbrynnie, anno 1206." Haliburton was one of a set of small proprietors who held of and were known as the Bisset's Barons, the chiefs of whom were Tomson, Baron of Pharnua ; Corbet, Baron of Drumchardinny ; MacGillandrish, Baron of Moniack; Christie, Baron of Foyness ; Haliburton, Baron of Culburnie; and Fenton, Baron of Eskadale.

[Stirling Thompson]

And another source confirmation...

From Genealogical collections concerning families in Scotland, made by Walter Macfarlane, 1750-1751 > Volume 2 at the NLS Digital Archive.

THE Gilchrists or Grahams continued in Lovat during the
Reign of King Alexander 1, King David, King Malcolm the
Maiden till Anno 1170. One John Bisset a great Courtier
with King William the Lyon matched Agnes the King's own
Daughter, and was settled in Lovat with Commission from
the King, a Man of great Courage and Activity. His 2d
Son John succeeded him in the 20th Year of his Age, and
married One Jean Haliburton Daughter to the Baron of
Culbrynie Anno 1206.

THE Barrons here vulgarly termed the Bisset Baronet.
M'k Chium Tomson Baron of Pharnua.

Gilbert Corbat Baron of Drumcardony.

Eugenius Mckleod vic killeandris Baron of Moniack.
Christy Baron of Foynas.

Allanus Haleburton Baron of Cubirnie Constable of Douny
Castle, which afterwards was called by the French Monks
Beaufort.

Thomas Fenton Baron of Eskidall Kinnariis Straithglass, &c.

[Stirling Thompson]

A bit about the area of Pharnua taken from "A topographical dictionary of Scotland, and of the islands in the British seas"  by Nicholas Carlisle (1813).

KIRK-HILL, in the Shire of Inverness : formerly a Vicarage, consisting of
the two ancient Parishes of Wardlaw and Pharnua ; the Stipend of which, in
1811, was 5 chaldtrs of victual, half bailey, half oat-meal, and £50. Sterling in
money, with 50 merks Scotdi for Communion elements : the glebe is 7 Scotch
acres : the manse was built in 1775 : Patron, The Honourable Archibald Fraser,
of Lovat: The Church, wliich was re-built about the year 1791, is dedicated to
The Virgin Mary. It is in the Presbytery of Inverness, and Synod of Moray.
The Resident Population of this Parish, in 1801, was 1582, and, in 1811, was
1477. It is 1 m. E. S. E. from Beauly. This Parish is about 8 miles in length,
and from one to three miles in breadth, stretching along Loch Beauly ; and
forming- a plain of four miles in extent, from which the surface gradually rises to
the hilly district; in the vallies, the soil is a lich clay loam, exceedingly fertile ;
higher up, it becomes more thin and gravelly, but which, in good seasons, is
tolerably productive. The climate is mild, and temperate. The Chalybeate
Spring at Achnagairn, which was formerly much frequented, is now quite
neglected. The river Beauly runs along the North- West boundary of the
Parish, for about two or three miles, and is navigable at hi^h water, by vessels of
about 50 tons burden, so far as the Village of Beauly : it produces abundance
of excellent salmon, and several kinds of trout. The Salary of the Parochial
Schoolmaster is 300 merks Scotch, besides School -fees. The Society for propa-
gating Christian Knowledge have also established a School here, with a Salary
of £12. The language chiefly spoken here is Gaelic. The great disadvantage
under which this Parish labours, is the scarcity of fuel. Here are the remains of
two Druidical temples, much defaced : and on the moor, between Achnagairn
and the Ferry of Beauly, through which the Public road leads to the Northern
Counties, are many small tumuli, which are said to point out the place of a des-
perate engagement between two rival Clans. A little above this Ferry, a bridge
of considerable magnitude is erected, which will be of infinite service to the
Northern Counties.

[Mary]

WOO HOO!! 

No doubt about it, Stu..........you get the GOLD MEDAL for researching! 

Thank goodness you can find all this....there have to be clues in all this research that will help us!