George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness

GEORGE SINCLAIR, EARL OF CAITHNESS

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

9 July 1563: Contract of Marriage between George Earl of Caithness for himself and on behalf of Elisabeth Sinclair, his daughter, on the one part and Alexander Sutherland of Duffus for himself and on behalf of Alexander Sutherland, his son and apparent heir, on the other part. National Records of Scotland, Transcripts and photocopies of Miscellaneous Charters and Papers, reference RH1/2/399

                   2

9 July 1563: Marriage contract between George, Earl of Caithness, for himself and Elizabeth, his daughter, and Alexander Suthirland (Sutherland) of Duffois for himself and for Alexander, his son, dated at Duffois on 9 July 1563 and registered in the books of council and session on 5 November 1563. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Sinclair family of Mey, Caithness, reference GD96/142

                   3

4 April 1570: Contract between the said earl [George, Earl of Caithness] and the said Alexander Suthirland, dated at Edinburgh on 24 March 1570 and registered on 4 April 1570. At the instance of the said earl and his daughter the contracts are transferred that they may have action against William Suthirland, son of the said Alexander Suthirland, elder, and brother of the said Alexander Suthirland, younger. [Severely damaged]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Sinclair family of Mey, Caithness, reference GD96/142

George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness

From the" History of the Sinclair Family in Europe and America" by Leonard Allison Morrison, 1896.

He was the 4th Earl of Caithness. He was the ancestor of several important branches of Sinclairs and St. Clairs of the present day. He was the probable ancestor of John Sinkler, an immigrant to Exeter, New Hampshire, as early as 1656, and the Sinclairs and St. Clairs, his descendants in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and other states of the US. He was the ancestor of the John Sutherland Sinclair, a resident of Lakota, ND. and now, in 1894, the 17th Earl of Caithness. He was the ancestor of Gen. Arthur St. Clair of Revolutionary fame. He was the ancestor of Thomas Sinclair, a writer of repute and author of the "History of the Sinclairs of England."

George Sinclair was a cruel and vindictive man, although he filled various high offices of trust, and led an eventful life. He was in 1566, by grant from Queen Mary, Justiciar of Caithness, and was on of the peers who sat on the trial of Bothwell. He married Elizabeth, daughter of the earl of Montrose. The inhuman earl died at Edinburgh, Sept. 9, 1582.

GEORGE, FOURTH EARL, was Justiciar of Caithness by grant, in 1566, from Queen Mary; and he was one of the peers who sat on the trial of Bothwell.

He married Lady Elizabeth Graham, daughter of William, Earl of Montrose, and had: -
John, Master of Caithness,
William, who was first Laird of Mey, and ancestor of Ulbster, George, second laird of Mey, Chancellor of Caithness, Barbara, who married Alexander, Earl of Sutherland, and was divorced by him in 1573, Elizabeth, married first to Alexander Sutherland of Duffus, and thereafter to Hutcheon McKay of Farr, ancestor of the Lords Reay, Another daughter, married to Alexander Innes, of Innes. Douglas mentions Janet St. Clair, a daughter of this Earl, as third wife of Robert Munro of Foulis, said by him to have died without issue. In 1582 Janet Sinclair, Lady Foulis, had a Tack of the Parsonage of Spittal, which belonged to the Caithness family. http://www.fionamsinclair.co.uk/genealogy/Caithness/Earls.htm#Fourth

George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness

M, #13068, b. before 14 July 1527, d. 9 September 1582

Last Edited=30 Nov 2012

Consanguinity Index=0.0%

    George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness was born before 14 July 1527.1 He was the son of John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness and Elizabeth Sutherland.2 

He married Lady Elizabeth Graham, daughter of William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose and Lady Janet Keith.1

He died on 9 September 1582 at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.3 He was buried at Rosslyn, Scotland.3 His will was probated on 2 April 1583 at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.3

He succeeded to the title of 4th Earl of Caithness [S., 1455] on 18 May 1529.1 He resigned his Earldom, and received a regrant with remainder to his son and hier, John and the latter’s male heirs and assigns, failing whom to the (re)grantee himself and his heirs male whatsoever.1 He held the office of Justiciar of Caithness in 1566.1 In 1567 he was a member of the jury trial of James, Earl of Bothwell, for murdering Earl of Darnley.1
Child of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness

• 1.unknown Sinclair+2

Children of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness and Lady Elizabeth Graham

• 1.Barbara Sinclair d. c 1573
• 2.William Sinclair+2
• 3.Lady Agnes Sinclair+2
• 4.George Sinclair of Mey+2 d. 1616
• 5.David Sinclair1
• 6.Elizabeth Sinclair+2
• 7.unknown daughter Sinclair1
• 8.John Sinclair, Master of Caithness+2 b. c 1543, d. Sep 1575

Citations

• 1.[S37] Volume 1, page 644. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37]
• 2.[S37] See. [S37]
• 3.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 479. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

http://www.thepeerage.com/p1307.htm#i13068

GEDCOM Note

George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness was born before 14 July 1527.1 He was the son of John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness and Elizabeth Sutherland.2 He married Lady Elizabeth Graham, daughter of William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose and Lady Janet Keith.1 He died on 9 September 1582 at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.3 He was buried at Rosslyn, Scotland.3 His will was probated on 2 April 1583 at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.3 He succeeded to the title of 4th Earl of Caithness [S., 1455] on 18 May 1529.1 He resigned his Earldom, and received a regrant with remainder to his son and hier, John and the latter’s male heirs and assigns, failing whom to the (re)grantee himself and his heirs male whatsoever.1 He held the office of Justiciar of Caithness in 1566.1 In 1567 he was a member of the jury trial of James, Earl of Bothwell, for murdering Earl of Darnley.1 Child of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness 1.unknown Sinclair+2 Children of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness and Lady Elizabeth Graham 1.Barbara Sinclair d. c 1573 2.William Sinclair+2 3.Lady Agnes Sinclair+2 4.George Sinclair of Mey+2 d. 1616 5.David Sinclair1 6.Elizabeth Sinclair+2 7.unknown daughter Sinclair1 8.John Sinclair, Master of Caithness+2 b. c 1543, d. Sep 1575 Data from Geni.com Citations 1.[S37] Volume 1, page 644. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37] 2.[S37] See. [S37] 3.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 479. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

GEDCOM Note