James Hamilton of Torrance

JAMES HAMILTON OF TORRANCE

formerly James Hamilton of Scheills

James Hamilton of Torrance is the son of Robert Hamilton of Torrance and his wife Beatrix Hamilton. [Lieutenant-Colonel George Hamilton, The House of Hamilton (Edinburgh, 1933), see pages 850-58 for an account of the Hamiltons of Torrance] In the testament dative of his first wife Anna Cunynghame he is identified as James Hamiltoun brother german of Robert Hamiltoune of Torrence. [National Records of Scotland, Commissary Records of Hamilton and Campsie, Testament Dative of Anna Cunynghame, reference CC10/5.5]

The Lands of Hairmyers alias Phillipshill, Brayheid and Cors

The Reverend Mr. David Schairpe, rector and minister of Kilbride, and his wife Nicole Lindsay, sold the twenty-five shilling land of old extent of Hairmyers alias Phillipshill, together with the lands of Brayheid and Cors extending to a three pound six shilling eight penny land of old extent, both in the barony of Kilbride and sheriffdom of Lanark, to James Hamilton and his wife Anne Robertoun. In the deed of sale James Hamilton is identified as the brother german of Robert Hamilton of Torrance. For greater security James Hamilton obtained a charter of confirmation under the great seal of Scotland. It was issued at Edinburgh on 22 February 1634. [John Maitland Thomson, LL.D. (editor), Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum: Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, VOL. IX, A.D. 1634-51 (Scotland's National Archives Reprinted and Presented by the Scottish Record Society in Conjunction with Clark Constable, Edinburgh, 1984), charter number 46 on pp. 19-20]

Bailie for Robert Mure of Caldwell

James Hamilton of Torrance acted as bailie for Mure of Caldwell on 8 September 1649, at Kittochside in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, Scotland, where he gave sasine of a twenty-two shilling, two penny half penny land of old extent of Wester Kittochside to John Reid of Wester Kittochside [National Archives of Scotland, H.M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS40/5/ff.76v-77v]

Immediately thereafter, the Laird of Torrance acted himself as the principal witness to the infeftment of Marie Hamilton the new wife of John Reid of Wester Kittochside aforementioned. The notary public responsible for drawing up the instrument of sasine which followed from her infeftment left spaces in the deed for afterwards inserting the name of her father, the date upon which her marriage contract was signed, and the place of signing, but, unfortunately, this information must have been forgotten about, for the deed was never completed. [Ibidem, reference RS40/5/ff.77v-78r]

The Lands of Torrance

The lands of Torrance and the manor-place thereof were apprised from James Hamilton of Torrance on 25 April 1654, at the instance of Alexander Penniecuick of Newhall, in payment to him of 3461 merks with 173 merks of sheriff-fee. [John Horne Stevenson, M.A., Advocate, and William Kirk Dickson, M.A., Advocate (editors), The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland under the Commonwealth, A.D. 1652-1659 (Scotland's National Archives Reprinted and Presented by the Scottish Record Society in Conjunction with Clark Constable, Edinburgh, 1984), charter number 296 on page 138]

The Serjandrie and Crownarie of the Lordship and Regality of Kilbryd

On 14 February 1655 the office of serjandrie and crownarie within the lordship and regality of Kilbryd, together with the five pound lands of Torrance, with the tower, manor-place and mill lands thereof, and other lands within the barony of Kilbryd, were apprised from James Hamilton of Torrance and his son-in-law James Hamilton of Sheills, at the instance of Thomas Petttingrew of Shetlestoune, younger, in payment to him of £9196, 10 shillings Scots and £459, 16 shillinhs and 2 pence of sheriff-fee. On the same date the same lands were apprised at the instance of Archibald Byres, burgess of Hamilton, in payment to him of 1812 merks with £60, 18 shillings of sheriff-fee. [John Horne Stevenson, M.A., Advocate, and William Kirk Dickson, M.A., Advocate (editors), The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland under the Commonwealth, A.D. 1652-1659 (Scotland's National Archives Reprinted and Presented by the Scottish Record Society in Conjunction with Clark Constable, Edinburgh, 1984), charter number 388 on page 170]

The Lands of Heidhouse and Murray

On 9 February 1655 the lands of Heidhouse and Murray and part of the commontie of Kilbryde, which pertained to James Hamilton: "now of Torrens, and wherein he might succeed as heir to umquhile Robert Hamiltoune of Torrens, his father, or umquhile Robert Hamiltoune of Torrens, his brother", together with the lands of Torrance, Oversheills, Hairmyres, Corse, Braeheid, Caldersyd, Lyklyock and Holmeburne, were apprised from James Hamilton of Torrance and his son-in-law James Hamilton of Sheills, at the instance of John Syme in Holingbusse in payment of £2329, four shillings Scots due by James Hamilton of Sheills and £1719, fourteen shillings and eight pence due by James Hamilton of Torrance with £116, four shillings and two pence of sheriff-fee to Arthur Taiket. [John Horne Stevenson, M.A., Advocate, and William Kirk Dickson, M.A., Advocate (editors), The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland under the Commonwealth, A.D. 1652-1659 (Scotland's National Archives Reprinted and Presented by the Scottish Record Society in Conjunction with Clark Constable, Edinburgh, 1984), charter number 388 on page 170]

Death

James Hamilton of Torrance died before 27 July 1664, the date upon which his only surviving son Robert Hamilton. was entered appentice with David Wilkie, merchant in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Apprentices

First Marriage

James Hamilton of Torrance married Anna Cunynghame.. [Lieutenant-Colonel George Hamilton, The House of Hamilton (Edinburgh, 1933), see pages 850-58 for an account of the Hamiltons of Torrance]

Anna Cunynghame died in May 1627. In her testament dative she is identified as: "Anna Cunynghame spouse to James Hamiltoun brother german to Robert Hamiltoun of Torrence". Her husband gave up the inventory of his deceased wife's moveable estate in name and behalf of her two Children: "Robert and Anna Hamiltounes his lawfull bairnes procreat betwixt them" who were confirmed as their deceased mother's execurors dative by the Commissary of Glasgow on 20 May1628. [National Records of Scotland, Commissary Records of Hamilton and Campsie, Testament Dative of Anna Cunynghame, reference CC10/5/5]

Children of the First Marriage

1. Robert Hamilton, younger of Torrance
2. Anne Hamilton

Second Mariage

James Hamilton of Torrance married Anna Roberton. [Lieutenant-Colonel George Hamilton, The House of Hamilton (Edinburgh, 1933), see pages 850-58 for an account of the Hamiltons of Torrance]

Children of the Second Marriage

1. Robert Hamilton, younger of Torrance
2. daughter
3. daughter

Genealogy

1. John Anderson, Surgeon, Licenciate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh Historical and Genealogical Memoirs of the House of Hamilton; with Genealogical Memoirs of the Several Branches of the Family (John Anderson, Jun., Edinburgh, MDCCCXXV), pp. 386-88 for an account of the Hamiltons of Torrance
2. G. Harvey Johnston, FSA Scot., Heraldry of the Hamiltons with Notes on All the Males of the Family, Descriptions of the Arms, Plates and Pedigrees (W. & A. K. Johnston, Limited, Edinburgh and London, MCMIX), pp. 88-91 for an account of the Hamiltons of Torrance
3. Lieutenant-Colonel George Hamilton, A History of the House of Hamilton (J. Skinner & Company, Edinburgh 1933), 1167 pages.