William Forsyth (1721-1810)

He was a tailor and silk manufacturer in Huntly and was granted the Freedom of Glasgow in 1746. He was described as the owner of one of Huntly's three bleachfields in 1778 and with his sons (William and Alexander) manufactured, "good silk stockings, and other articles, from the coarse silk, which meets with ready sale. They make from the finest silk knee garters, mitts, and breeches-pieces". After the 75th Gordon Highlanders were raised in 1794, he was commissioned by the Duchess of Gordon to design a suitable tartan for the regiment - that now also doubles as the Forsyth tartan. In 1795, the Forsyths of Huntly supplied plaids for 1,010-privates and 22-drummers.

William married Jean, daughter of George Phynn, Lord of the Corse of Monelly. His wife was the sister of James Phyn, a business associate and brother-in-law of William Kerin Constable and a partner in Phyn, Ellice & Co., one of the leading mercantile firms in British North America. Mrs Forsyth's sister, Helen, was the stepmother of John Richardson who went into partnership with their son, John, and reorganised Phyn, Ellice & Co. to become Forsyth, Richardson & Co., which continued its success as one of the most important import-export firms in Montreal. The Forsyths had a daughter and ten sons who almost all went into business in Huntly, Canada, London and St. Petersburg. Their grandson, William Forsyth-Grant, inherited Ecclesgreig Castle, Kincardineshire.