Features: Scottish Clan Early Genealogy - Clan Chisholm

Motto: Feros ferio (I am fierce with the fierce)
Historic Seat: Erchless Castle
District: Ross-shire
Associated Tartans:

Early Chisholm Genealogy and History:
(Excerpt from "The Scottish Clans and Their Tartans", James Grant, 1906)

The chieftain of this tribe is not of original Celtic descent, though, curious to say, the whole tribe are the descendants of a pure Gaelic race, and their stronghold was Erchless Castle in Strathglass, amid superb mountain scenery. It stands a little below the confluence of the Glass and the Farrar, "and still belongs," says Miss Sinclair, "to the descendants of that old chief, who said there were but three persons in the world entitled to be called 'The' – The King, The Pope, and The Chisholm. The place is beauty personified. The castle is a venerable whitewashed old tower, so entirely surrounded by a wreath of hills that the glen seems scooped out on purpose to hold the house and park."

In the time of David II, Robert Chisholm, knight, witnessed a crown charter at Perth in the thirty-ninth year of the King's reign, 1369; and there is a charter, by Robert II to the Earl of Buchan of Lochletter, Inchbrennys, etc., Inverness-shire, by the resignation of Robert Cheshelm (sic); and under the Regency of the Duke of Albany there was an indenture between Margaret of Eccles and Thomas of Chisholm, her son and heir, dividing between them certain lands of which they were heirs-portioners, in Forfarshire, Perthshire, Inverness, and Aberdeenshire. It is dated at Kinrossie, 25th April 1403 (Robertson's "Index").

The name occurs very seldom in Scottish history.

Three of the clan were in succession Bishops of Dunblane. In 1486, Bishop James Chisholm, chaplain to James III, resigned the See in favour of his brother William in 1527, a most irreverend prelate, who wasted the revenues of it on his natural children, particularly Sir James Chisholm of Cromlix. His nephew, William Chisholm, became Bishop of Dunblane in 1564, after being co-adjutor in 1561. He was much employed in political affairs at foreign courts, and ultimately withdrew to France, where he was made Bishop of Vaison (Beatson's "Index").

In 1579, John Chisholm was Comptroller of the Artillery, and John Acheson became caution for him, that "he would behave himself as a good and loyal subject, under pain of £1000 (Reg. of Council).

James Chisholm of Cromlix (son of the Bishop) was Master of the Household to James VI, though in 1429, Colin, Earl of Argyll, was appointed Master heritably, a dignity reserved at the Union.

In 1581, Walter Chisholm of that Ilk is referred to in the "violations of the assurances of peace between the Scotts and Elliots" (Ibid).

In the "Roll of the Landislordis and Baillies," under date 1587, printed in the "Transactions of the Iona Club," the name of Chisholm of Comer appears. A note to the "Geography of the Clans" therein states that "Alexander Chisholm of Strathglass was alive in 1578," and that "John Chisholm of Comer is mentioned, anno 1613."

In 1598 the name of William, the ex-Bishop of Dunblane, appears in history again, when he must have been in extreme old age.

"It would seem that in 1608 James, Lord Balmerino, the Scottish Secretary of State was challenged in England," says Balfour, "concerning some letter written by him in 1598, by the King's orders, to Pope Clement VIII, to obtain a cardinal's hat for Chisholm, a Scotts man, then Bishop of Weasone, in France, brother to the Laird of Crouneriggas, in Perthshire, in which letter he styles the Pope "Beatissime Pater," and other such phrases, which almost wronged the King's honour" ("Annales").

In the Report on the Clans, furnished to Government by Duncan Forbes, he enters the surname thus: "Chisholms – Their chief is Chisholm of Strathglass, in Gaelic called 'Chisallich.' His lands are held of the Crown, and he can bring out 200 men."

In 1777, Alexander Chisholm of Chisholm entailed his estates in Inverness and Ross-shire: and to this day the picturesque old fortalice of Erchless is still in existence.

Alexander Chisholm's great-grandson, Roderick, died in 1887, the last "Chisholm."

(End excerpt)

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