Sheriff Hugh McCulloch - Rambling Recollections of my Schools and School Days

Article XIV written by Alexander Gunn was published in the Northern Ensign 30 June, 1881  - Part B

Sheriff Hugh McCulloch

“Samuel Matheson, as I have already stated composed a beautiful poem on the Sheriff, and also several others, all written in a religious strain. They were published in a pamphlet form, and used to be sung by the good people at their social and religious gatherings. Deep and poignant was the sorrow felt by all classes of the community at the death of the Sheriff, who was respected by all with whom he came in contact, and his memory is still cherished in the district.” 

Memorial to Sheriff Hugh McCulloch. 

This memorial was built in 1914. It is in Proncy Croy, near Dornoch. 

Source: http://www.historylinksarchive.org.uk/picture/number3107.asp

There is no doubt that the death of highly respected Sheriff McCulloch of Dornoch was regarded as particularly tragic. This eloquent inscription says it all. 

Source: http://www.historylinksarchive.org.uk/picture/number3096.asp

Rev Donald Sage in Memorabilia Domestica wrote:

The Sheriff’s body was among the last that was found. The particular spot where it lay “under the flood” was uncovered in a dream. A fellow-Christian and an acquaintance deeply affected by his death, dreamed of his departed friend. In the dream the Sheriff appeared, spoke of his sudden call to the other world, and told him where his earthly remains lay, adding that, whilst the fish of the seas were permitted to mangle at pleasure the bodies of his fellow-sufferers, they were restrained from putting a tooth upon his, which would be found entire. The dream was realised in every particular. The Sheriff’s wife and daughter long survived him, and they, together with the rest of the surviving relatives of the victims of the catastrophe, were ample sharers of a fund set on foot for their support, and called the “Meikle Ferry Fund.” Captain Robert Sutherland, Dr Bethune’s son-in-law was one of the leading members of this charitable association.

Memorabilia Domestica by Rev Donald Sage pg 247 

My Comments:

Note : In the preceding paragraph of Sage’s article he states that the ferry disaster happened at night but that is not correct as the newspaper reports in my previous blog show. People were on their way to attend the Tain market. 

Farmland, Proncycroy

I have not been able to locate the memorial with any certainty. The Ordnance Survey map that accompanies the geograph picture of 'Farmland Poncycroy' shows a memorial stone near to the front of the house on private land. I am guessing that is the memorial to Sheriff McCulloch.