William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk

WILLIAM, DUKE OF HAMILTON

Bastard Child

1. Janet Douglas

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

2 June 1685 x 3 August 1688: William, Duke of Hamilton, formerly Earl of Selkirk. Janet Douglas, natural daughter of William, Duke of Hamilton. Gavin Muirhead of Lauchope, son of Sir James Muirhead of Lauchope. [Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/VIII/119]

                   2

2 June 1699 x 5 July 1709: William, Duke of Hamilton, formerly Earl of Selkirk. Janet Douglas, natural daughter of William, Duke of Hamilton. Gavin Muirhead of Lauchope, son of Sir James Muirhead of Lauchope. [Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/XI/301]

Genealogy

1. The Scots Peerage VII: 516
2. The Scots Peerage IV: 381

Biographical Summary by Wikipedia

William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton, KG, PC (24 December 1634 – 18 April 1694), born Lord William Douglas, was the son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and his second wife Lady Mary Gordon. Both he and his wife, Anne Hamilton were 4th Great-Grandchildren of James IV through two of his illegitimate daughters.

Lord William Douglas was created Earl of Selkirk in 1646 at the age of 11. Lord Selkirk married Anne Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton on April 29, 1656. He was created Duke of Hamilton in 1660 on the petition of his wife, Anne Hamilton, suo jure Duchess of Hamilton (daughter of the 1st Duke), receiving also several of the other Hamilton peerages, but for his life only and on the assumption of the surname Douglas-Hamilton for himself and his descendants. The Hamilton estates had been declared forfeit by Oliver Cromwell after the activities of his wife's father and uncle in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, (James 1st Duke of Hamilton was executed in 1643, and William, 2nd Duke of Hamilton died at Worcester in 1651). Selkirk himself had been fined £1000. However the lands were restored by 1657 after much machinations with the Protectorate.

William supported Lauderdale in the early stages of his Scottish policy, in which he adopted a moderate attitude towards the Presbyterians, but the two were soon alienated, through the influence of the Countess of Dysart, according to Gilbert Burnet, who spent much time at Hamilton Palace in arranging the Hamilton papers. With other Scottish noblemen who resisted Lauderdale’s measures Hamilton was twice summoned to London to present his case at court, but without obtaining any result.

He supported the Royalist cause in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and was fined £,1000, under the terms of the English Commonwealth's Act of Pardon and Grace to the People of Scotland.

On 29 April 1656, he married Anne Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton. She was from a staunchly Royalist dynasty. Her estates had been declared forfeit by Oliver Cromwell after the activities of her father and uncle in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Her father, James, 1st Duke of Hamilton, was executed by the English in 1649 at the end of the Second English Civil War, [5] and her uncle, William, 2nd Duke of Hamilton, died following the Battle of Worcester in 1651.[4]

He was dismissed from the Privy Council in 1676, and on a subsequent visit to London, Charles II refused to receive him. On the accession of James II he received numerous honours, but he was one of the first to enter into communication with the Prince of Orange. He presided over the convention of Edinburgh, summoned at his request, which offered the Scottish crown to William and Mary in March 1689. His death took place at Holyrood on April 18, 1694. His wife survived until April 17, 1716.

his character

The character given of him by Bishop Burnet, who knew him well, is that 'he wanted all sorts of polishing; he was rough and sullen, but candid and sincere. His temper was boisterious, neither fit to submit nor to govern. He was mutinous when out of power and imperious in it.' " Gibbs goes on to quote " '... he seemed always to have a regard to justice and the good of his country; but a narrow and selfish temper brought such an habitual madness on him, that he was not capable of designing or undertaking great things'.
His nephew, William, Earl of Annandale, writes of him at the time of his death in a similar strain. 'If his temper, constancy, and good humour had been suitable to his aprts, his loss had been a great deal more sensible to the nation'. He was 'a cunning man for his own interest, but else his parts indifferent,' according to Lord Ailesbury, who also alleges that he put into his own pocket large sums paid to him by King Charles II to appease 'the great discontents of the Highlanders.1' "

Notes

From Wikipedia about the first Duke of Hamilton, born Lord William Douglas. His dukedom came via his marriage to Lady Anne Hamilton.

Links

• William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton
• http://thepeerage.com/p10942.htm#i109417

Citations

1. [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 VI, page 265. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
2. [S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2 December 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."
3. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume IV, page 437.
4. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 616.
5. [S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 1744. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
6. [S18] Matthew H.C.G., editor, Dictionary of National Biography on CD-ROM (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1995). Hereinafter cited as Dictionary of National Biography.
7. [S8] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 1284. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
8. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume VI, page 266.
9. [S8] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, volume 1, page 1283.
10. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 618.

Biographical Summary by Darryl Lundy

William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk1

• M, #109417,
• b. 24 December 1634,
• d. 18 April 1694
• Last Edited=12 Apr 2011
• Consanguinity Index=0.6%

William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was born on 24 December 1634.[1] He was the son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and Lady Mary Gordon.[3],[1]

He married Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton and Lady Margaret Feilding, on 29 April 1656.[1]

He died on 18 April 1694 at age 59 at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, from paralysis.[1] He was buried at Hamilton, Scotland.[1]

He was given the name of William Douglas at birth.[1]

He was created 1st Lord Daer and Shortcleuch [Scotland] on 4 August 1646.[1] He was created 1st Earl of Selkirk [Scotland] on 4 August 1646.[1]

On 20 September 1660 his name was legally changed to William Douglas-Hamilton.[1] As a result of his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Lord Machansyre and Polmont on 20 September 1660.[1] As a result of his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Duke of Hamilton on 20 September 1660.[1] As a result of his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Marquess of Clydesdale on 20 September 1660.[1] As a result of his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Earl of Arran, Lanark and Selkirk on 20 September 1660.[1]

He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] on 13 February 1660/61.[1] In 1676 he was deprived of his Privy Counsellorship [Scotland].[1]

He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) on 25 September 1682.[1]

He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] in 1685.[1]

He held the office of a Commissioner of the Treasury [Scotland] between 1686 and 1689.[1] He held the office of an Extraordinary Lord of Session [Scotland] between 1686 and 1689.[1]

He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) on 14 October 1687.[1]

He abdicated as Earl of Selkirk and Lord Daer and Shortcleuch on 6 October 1688.[4]

He held the office of High Commissioner [Scotland] from 1689 to 1690.[1] He held the office of President of the Convention at Edinburgh on 14 March 1688/89, which declared the Scottish throne vacant.[1] He held the office of High Admiral [Scotland] between 1692 and 1694.[1] He held the office of High Commissioner [Scotland] from 1692 to 1693.[1] He held the office of an Extraordinary Lord of Session [Scotland] from 1693 to 1694.[1]

On his death, his life peerages granted in 1660 became extinct.[5]

He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of Nationary Biography.[6]

Children of William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk and Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton

• 1. Lady Mary Hamilton [1] b. 30 Apr 1657, d. Jul 1666
• 2. Lt.-Gen. James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton+[2] b. 11 Apr 1658, d. 15 Nov 1712
• 3. Hon. William Hamilton [3] b. bt 1659 - 1662, d. 1688
• 4. Lady Catherine Hamilton+[1] b. 24 Oct 1662, d. 11 Jan 1707
• 5. Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk [2] b. 3 Feb 1662/63, d. 13 Mar 1738/39
• 6. John Hamilton, 1st Earl of Ruglen+[4] b. c Jan 1664/65, d. 3 Dec 1744
• 7. Field Marshal George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney+[4] b. 9 Feb 1666, d. 29 Jan 1736/37
• 8. Lady Susanna Hamilton+[1] b. 1667, d. 7 Feb 1736/37
• 9. Lady Margaret Hamilton [1] b. Dec 1668, d. 6 Dec 1731
• 10. Hon. Basil Hamilton+[5] b. c Dec 1671, d. 27 Aug 1701
• 11. Captain Hon. Archibald Hamilton+[4] b. c Feb 1673, d. 5 Apr 1754

Citations

• 1. [S8] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 1284. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
• 2. [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 VI, page 266. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
• 3. [S8] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, volume 1, page 1283.
• 4. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 616.
• 5. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 618.