!SOURCE: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon and Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS --
THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN, Section II, Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod
Society, 1968, pp. 104-105.
Was born in 1738, and studied for the ministry. Licensed by the
Presbytery of Gairloch (now Lochcarron) on 8th October 1766, he was
ordained, on 30th September 1767, at Duirinish, Skye. He met Dr.
Johnson and James Boswell at Dunvegan Castle in 1773, and the latter
has left on record that ''Mr. Bethune danced very well on Saturday night
and next morning preached very well; and there did not seem to be any
inconguity''. Mr. Bethune''s uncle, Norman of Waterstein, on 6th July 1775,
assigned him the tack of Waterstein to ''endure till the Whitsunday after
you shall cease to be minister of Duirinish''. [Letter of Assignation,
Muniment Room, Dunvegan Castle.] Mr. Bethune died, on 13th May 1814,
at Waterstein. [FASTI ECCLESSIAE SCOTICANAE, VII, p. 171.] He married,
on 11th April 1777, Janet (who died on 18th January 1821), daughter of
John MacKinnon, 2nd of the MacKinnons of Glas na Cille, Strathaird, Skye,
with issue. [The MacKinnon family of Glas na Cille in the Strathaird
district of the parish of Strath, Skye, was descended from Charles,
second son of Lauchlan Og MacKinnon, 13th Chief of the Clan MacKinnon.]
!SOURCE: Rev. Thomas Whyte, AN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL
ACOCUNT OF THE BETHUNES OF THE ISLAND OF SKYE, Edinburgh, 1778,
reprinted London, 1893, by Alfred A. Bethune-Baker, reprinted by
ScotsPress, p. 34.
[William] had a liberal education, and is now minister of Duirnish in
Sky. He lately married Janet, daughter of John M''Kinnon of Gloasankil.