'Spence2'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Spence of Cullivoe, Spence of Greenfield, Spence of Hammer, Spence of Houlland, Spence of Midbrake

                               
William Spence or Spens probably father of ...
1. Henry Spence of Houlland, Shetland
  m. Katherine Greig
  A. William Spence of Houlland (a 06.1583)
i. Henry Spence of Houlland (a 11.1618)
  m. Elizabeth Strang (dau of James Strang of Voesgarth)
  a. William Spence
  m. Christian Edmondston (d 04.1650)
  (1)+ issue - Osea, John, Sunevo, Christian
  b. James Spence
  m. (1641) Marion Nicolson (dau of David Nicolson of Turfhouse by Magdalen Waltersdaughter)
  c. David Spence in Gardie, later of Houlland (a 06.1669)
  m. Barbara Neven (dau of Ninian Neven of Windhouse)
  (1) Ninian Spence of Houlland (a 05.1679)
  m1. Margaret Neven (dau of Gilbert Neven of Windhouse)
(A) James Spence of Murseter, later of Houlland (a 04.1727)
  m. Margaret Smith (dau of William Smith)
  (i) David Spence of Houlland (bpt 21.04.1717, d 1782)
  m. Louisa Nicolson (dau of Laurence Nicolson of Houll)
  (a) James Spence of Houlland (a 1761, d before 24.05.1812)
  m. Katherine Spence (dau of William Spence of Hammer, cousin) @1@ below
  ((1)) James Spence of Houlland
  m. Barbara Ross (dau of James Ross)
  ((A)) James Spence of Houlland (a 12.1846, 2nd son)
  ((B)) Katherine Spence
  m. Andrew Watson
  ((C))+ other issue - David, Barbara
  ((2)) Grizel Spence
  m. (24.05.1812)
  ((3)) Ursilla Spence (d before 24.05.1812?)
  m. James Harrison
  ((4)) Margaret Spence (d before 24.05.1812?)
m. Thomas Russell
  ((5))+ other issue - Gilbert, David, William Thomas (bpt 27.04.1766), Anne (d before 24.05.1812?)
  (b) Katherine Spence
  m. William Ogilvy
  (c) Margaret Spence
  m. James Baith
  (d)+ other isuse - John, Barbara, Mary
  (ii) Katherine Spence
  m. John Henderson of Midgarth
  (iii) Ursula Spence
  m. John Spence
  (iv) Jean Spence (b 20.06.1734)
  m. John Robertson
(v)+ other issue - Robert, Gilbert, James
  (B) John Spence of Gardie
  'The County Families of the Zetland Islands' by Francis Grant, 1893 ('Spence of Windhouse, p286+) starts with the following Ninian, identifying him as son of John Spence of Gardie, and reports his family as follows.
  (i) Ninian Spence of Vatser
  m. Barbara Scott (dau of Hosea Scott of Reafirth)
  (a) John Spence of Cullivoe
m. Ursula Spence (dau of William Spence of Hammer, cousin) @2@ below
  ((1)) Basil Spence of Cullivoe
  m. (30.10.1796) Anne Neven (dau of Robert Alexander Neven of Windhouse, cousin)
  ((A)) John William Spence (bpt 15.10.1797, d infant),
  ((B)) Basil Spence of Reafirth (bpt 02.02.1800, d 04.01.1877, surgeon) had issue
  m. (16.07.1840) Anne Christina Winifred Leisk (dau/heir of Thomas Leisk of Uyea)
  ((C)) Robert Neven Spence of Windhouse (b 22.11.1802) had issue
  m. (13.03.1834) Jane Hoseason (dau of Robert Hoseason of Udhouse)
  ((D)) Janet Spence (b 14.06.1601, d 05.06.1867)
  m. (1832) William Sievwright of Lerwick (b 06.10.1792, d 26.06.1870)
  ((2))+ other issue - John (bpt 03.02.1765, d young), William (bpt 05.05.1767, d young), James (bpt 21.05.1769, d young), Thomas James (bpt 06.10.1776, d young), Barbara (d unm)
(b) Janet Spence
  m. Robert Alexander Neven of Windhouse
  (c)+ other issue - James (bpt 03.02.1738), Helen (bpt 21.11.1730)
  (C) Margaret Spence
  m. Robert Scollay
  (D) Doraty Spence
  m. Hosea Brown
  m2. Marabel Williamsdaughter, heiress of Hammer (dau of William Thomasson, grandson of Manss Norss)
  (E) Gilbert Spence of Hammer presumed father of ...
  (i) William Spence of Hammer
  (a) ?? Spence
  (b) Gilbert Spence of Greenfield (d 1809)
  'The County Families of the Zetland Islands' by Francis Grant, 1893 ('Spence of Greenfield', p284) starts with Gilbert, identifying him as "second son of William Spence, second of Hammer" and reports his family as follows.
m. Janet Hay (b c1749, d 30.10.1834, dau of Thomas Hay)
  ((1)) William Spence of Greenfield (b 03.09.1782, d 19.07.1849, RN) had issue
  m. (13.04.1815) Jane Fea (d 1865, dau of Thomas Fea of Clivocast)
  ((2)) Martha Spence (b 12.03.1785)
  m. David Nocolson
  ((3)) Joan Spence
  (c) Katherine Spence
  m. James Spence of Houlland (a 1761) @1@ above
  (c) Ursula Spence
  m. John Spence of Cullivoe @2@ above
  (F) Barbara Spence
  m. James Sinclair
  (G) Katherine Spence
  (2)+ other issue (a 06.1669) - Gilbert (d unm), John, Elspeth, Janet
  d. Agnes Spence
  m. James Spence of Midbreck @3@ just below
  B. James Spence of Midbrake (d 03.1607)
m. Katherine Greig same name as her mother-in-law?
  i. George Spence of Midbrake
  m. Marion Gregoriousdaughter of Sandvoe
  a. James Spence of Midbrake (a 09.1636)
  m. Agnes Spence (dau of Henry Spence of Houlland) @3@ just above
  (1) George Spence, last of Midbrake
  m. (1679) Janet Spence
  (A) James Spence (to Holland?)
  (B) Barbara Spence, heiress of Midbrake
  m. James Dunbar of Weathersta
  (C) Elizabeth Spence
  m. George Spence
  (2) Marable Spence
  b. John Spence of Failie, North Yell (d before 1674)
  m. Uphroa Niclay
  (1) George Spence of Failie
  c.+ other issue - Andrew, George
  ii. James Spence (d before 1602)
  iii. David Spence of Bracow
  m. Katheriine Nisbet (dau of Peter Nisbet of Kirkabister)
  a.+ issue - Katherine, Grizel, Ingagirth, Janet, Ages
  iv. Marion Spence (d 06.1632)
  m. Arthur Fraser in Setter

Main source(s): 'The County Families of the Zetland Islands' by Francis Grant, 1893 ('Spence of Houlland' (p270+) & 'Spence of Midbrake' (p274+)) with input as reported above
Back to top of page