Anna Leslie, Duchess of Rothes

LADY ANNA LINDSAY Duchess of Rothes

Lady Anna Lindsay is the daughter of John Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, and Lady Margaret Hamilton. The Scots Peerage III: 37 She was born before 1 September 1631, the date upon which her baptism was registered at St. Andrews and St. Leonards in Fife, Scotland. [National Records of Scotland, St Andrews and St Leonards Baptism, reference OPR.453/1]

Marriage

Lady Anna Lindsay married John, Earl of Rothes, afterwards Duke of Rothes. The marriage contract was signed at Holyrood on 1 January and 4 February 1648. The Scots Peerage III: 37 The Duke died on 27 July 1681 and Duchess Anna buried him: "with such magnificence that a sumptuary law was passed to prevent a recurrence of such excess in the future". Lives of the Lindsays II: pp. 140-42

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

30 May [No Year] Dated at Strothers. Margaret Hamilton, wife of John, 17th earl of Crawford, to Anne, lady Findlater, her niece. The duchess [of Rothes, writer's daughter,] is safely brought to bed of a daughter; writer's daughter [Helen, wife of Sir Robert Sinclair of] Stevenston of a boy, and writer's daughter [in law, wife of Patrick Lindsay of] Kilbirnie, of a daughter. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Ogilvy family, Earls of Seafield (Seafield Papers), reference GD248/567/89

                   2

c. 1678: Anna, duchess of Rothes to [her cousin Anne, duchess of Hamilton], urging her not to give way to grief but to seek consolation in religion. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Douglas Hamilton Family, Dukes of Hamilton and Brandon, reference GD406/1/8579

                   3

1680-1713: Extract bond by William Johnstoun, merchant in Edinburgh, and Patrick Hepburne, apothecary there, to Margaret Melven, servant to the Duchess of Rothes, dated 6 June 1680 and registered Burgh Court Books of Edinburgh, 14 February 1683, and 3 documents following thereon. Persons later concerned are: The said William, 1683. The said Margaret [Melvill], now servant to the Countess of Weems. 1683-1684. The said Patrick, 1684-1713. Mr Robert Hepburne, WS, 1713. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/865

                   4

28 September 1681: [Anna, duchess of Rothes], Leslie, to her cousin Anne, duchess of Hamilton, offering her condolences on the death of her correspondent's son, Lord William. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/8669

                   5

20 December 1681: [Anna, duchess of Rothes], Leslie, to her cousin Anne, duchess of Hamilton, emphasising the need to walk in God's ways during these troubled times. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/8668

                   6

5 September 1682: [Anna, duchess of Rothes], Leslie, to her cousin Anne, duchess of Hamilton, asking for news of Lady Katherine Hamilton's marriage arrangements, referring to Hatton's fall from power, and regretting the present condition of the country, where "hes who are not at a fridom to goe to the Church is fined in soumes so fare above ther abilatie to pay that they have deserted ther houses and the dragouners are lade on them till the[y] absolatly destroy all they have". National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/8670

                   7

30 October 1682: Anna, duchess of Rothes, Tiningham, to her cousin Anne, duchess of Hamilton, urging her to seek the solace of religion during her husband's absence [in England] National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/8671

Genealogy

1. The Scots Peerage III: 37
2. Lives of the Lindsays II: pp. 140-42
3. Darryl Lundy's Peerage