The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq;.

GRAHAM Earl of MENTEITH.

THE immediate ancestor of this great branch of the most antient family of Montrose, was

Sir Patrick Graham, lord of Kincardine and Dundaff, the tenth generation of that illustri∣ous house, in a direct male-line. By Mathilda his first lady, he left issue a son, William lord Graham, who succeeded him, and carried on the line of the family of Montrose.

He married, 2dly, Eupheme, daughter of sir John Stewart of Railston, second son of Walter, eighth lord high steward of Scotland, and brother of king Robert II. by whom he had a numerous issue: 1. sir Patrick, proge∣nitor of this noble family. For the other children, vide title duke of Montrose.

I. Sir PATRICK, eldest son of the se••ond marriage of sir Patrick Graham, lord of Kin∣cardine, was first designed by the title of El∣lieston.

He married lady Eupheme Stewart, only daughter and sole heiress of David earl of Strathearn, eldest son of the second marriage of king Robert II. by queen Eupheme Ross, by whom he had a son,

Malise, his heir,—and two daugh∣ters.

1. Lady Eupheme, married, 1st, to Archi∣bald fifth earl of Douglas and duke of Tu∣renne; 2dly, to James first lord Hamilton.

2. Lady Elizabeth, married to Patrick Lion lord of Glammis, ancestor of the earl of Strathmore.

This sir Patrick,* 1.1 in right of his wife, ob∣tained the earldom, and assumed the title of earl of Strathearn.

He was killed by sir John Drummond, an∣no 1413, and succeeded by his eldest son,

II. MALISE, earl of Strathearn, who was appointed one of the hostages for king James's ransom,* 1.2 anno 1423, and is then designed Ma∣lisius Graham, comes de Strathearn.

After king James obtained his liberty, and was restored to the full possession of his kingdom, he begun to look narrowly into the rights, by which his subjects were in posses∣sion of the crown-lands, and found that the earldom of Strathearn had been given by king Robert II. to his son prince David,* 1.3 and the heirs-male of his body: that this earl being descended of his daughter, could have no right to that earldom; he therefore re-annex∣ed it to that crown, and in lieu thereof creat∣ed him earl of Menteith, and gave him that earldom, which was then in the crown by the forfeiture of duke Murdoch, the honours being limited to the heirs-male of his body, 6th September 1428.

This earl Malise remained long a hostage in England, and was not set at liberty till the earl of Douglas and lord Hamilton became sureties, that Alexander, his son and heir, should surrender himself prisoner in his stead.* 1.4 This happened anno 1453; and he is then designed Malisius Graham, comes de Menteith, &c.

He married lady Anne Vere, daughter of Henry earl of Oxford, of the kingdom of Eng∣land, by whom he had three sons.

1. Alexander.

2. Sir John Graham of Kilbride, ancestor of the Grahams of Gartmore,* 1.5 also of the Grahams of Nidderly and Esk, of whom vis∣count Preston, &c. are descended.

3. Walter, ancestor of the Grahams of Bal∣quhaple, &c.

This earl lived to a great age, and died an∣no 1492.

III. ALEXANDER, designed master of Men∣teith, eldest son and apparent heir of Malise earl of Menteith, died before his father, leav∣ing issue a son,

IV. ALEXANDER,* 1.6 who succeeded his grandfather, anno 1492, was served heir to him on 6th May 1493, and was second earl of Menteith of the Graham family.

He married Margaret, daughter of Walter Buchanan of that ilk,* 1.7 by whom he had two sons.

1. William, his heir.

2. Walter, ancestor of the Grahams of Gartur, whose heir-male is now male repre∣sentative of this noble family, as will be shown hereafter.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

V. WILLIAM, third earl of Menteith, who,* 1.8 in a charter of Walter Buchanan of that ilk, is designed his grandson, &c. anno 1519.

He married Margaret, daughter of— Moubray of Barnbougle, by whom he had three sons, and one daughter.

1. John, his heir.

2. Robert, designed of Gartmore, who di∣ed without male issue.

3. Gilbert, designed of Gartartan, who di∣ed without issue.

His daughter, lady Margaret, married to Archibald second earl of Argyle.

He died anno 1537, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. JOHN, fourth earl of Menteith, who was taken prisoner at Solway-moss,* 1.9 and was afterwards ransomed for three hundred merks sterling, anno 1543.

He married Marian, daughter of George lord Seton, ancestor of the earl of Winton, by whom he had a son,

William, his heir,—and two daugh∣ters.

1. Lady Mary, married to John Buchanan of that ilk.

2. Lady Christian, married to sir William Livingston of Kilsyth.

He was slain in a scuffle by the tutor of Ap∣pin, in October 1547,* 1.10 and succeeded by his son,

VII. WILLIAM, fifth earl of Menteith, who married Margaret,* 1.11 daughter of sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig, ancestor of the duke of Queensberry, widow of Edward lord Crich∣ton of Sanquhar, by whom he had two sons.

1. John, his heir.

2. George Graham of Rednock, whose grand-child and heir of line, Marian Graham, married to John Graham,* 1.12 father of Alexan∣der Graham of Duchry, who got these lands with her.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

VIII. JOHN,* 1.13 sixth earl of Menteith, who was served heir to his father, 29th October 1587.

He married Mary, daughter of sir Colin Campbell of Glenurchy, by whom he had two sons, and one daughter.

1. William, his heir.

2. Sir James Graham, who married lady Margaret Erskine, daughter of James and Mary earl and countess of Buchan, but died without male-issue.

His daughter, lady Christian, married to sir John Blackadder of Tulliallan.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

IX. WILLIAM, seventh earl of Menteith, a man of good parts, and in great favour with king Charles I.* 1.14 who appointed him one of his privy council, justice-general of Scotland, and president of the council.

He got charters under the great seal, Wil∣lielmo comiti de Menteith,* 1.15 domino Graham de Kinpont, &c. of many lands and baronies, in∣ter 1627 et 1630.

He revived the old claim of the family to the earldom of Strathearn, and got himself served and retoured heir to David earl of Strathearn,* 1.16 and Eupheme countess of Strath∣earn, his daughter, his ancestors, through a long train of descent, as above deduced; the service is dated 25th May 1630.

The king ratified his title to the earldom of Strathearn by a new patent,* 1.17 in July 1631, so that he was then designed earl of Strathearn and Menteith; but his majesty being after∣wards made sensible that he had been impos∣ed upon, and that this earl had really no right to that earldom, for the reasons before∣mentioned, he raised a reduction of his right, and at last he was deprived of his titles both of Strathearn and Menteith; but his majesty was pleased soon thereafter to create him earl of Airth,* 1.18 with the precedency of the title of Menteith, which his predecessor obtained from king James I. anno 1428, as before∣mentioned: after this he got a new investi∣ture of the whole earldom of Menteith, con∣firmed by a charter under the great seal,

"to himself in liferent,* 1.19 and John lord Kin∣pont his son and heir, and the heirs-male procreate betwixt him and lady Mary Keith his spouse, quibus deficientibus, haere∣dibus masculis dicti Johannis; domini de Kin∣pont, quibuscunque, &c."

dated 11th Janu∣ary 1644.

He married Agnes,* 1.20 daughter of Patrick se∣venth lord Gray, by whom he had three sons, and three daughters.

1. John, lord Kinpont.

2. Sir Charles.

3. Sir James.—These two last died with∣out issue.

1st daughter, lady Mary, married to sir John Campbell of Glenurchy.

2. Lady Margaret, married, 1st, to Alex∣ander lord Gairlies; 2dly, to Ludovick earl of Crawfurd.

3. Lady Anne, married to sir Mungo Mur∣ray of Blebo.

X. JOHN lord Kinpont, first son and ap∣parent heir of William seventh earl of Men∣teith, got charters under the great seal,* 1.21 Jo∣hanni domino Graham de Kinpont, of the lands and barony of Kilbride, and others, inter 1640 et 1643.

By the foresaid lady Mary Keith, daughter of William sixth earl marishal, he had a son,

William, afterwards earl of Menteith and Airth,—and two daughters.

1. Mary, married to sir John Allardice of that ilk.

2. Elizabeth, who was married to sir Wil∣liam Graham of Gartmore, Bart.

This John lord Kinpont was a great loy∣alist,

and adhered always to the interest of king Charles I.* 1.22 but was unfortunately slain in the marquis of Montrose's camp, by a gentle∣man of the name of Stewart, anno 1644, his father being then alive.

XI. WILLIAM, his only son, succeeded his grandfather, and was earl of Airth and Menteith, but having no children, he made a conveyance of his whole estate,* 1.23 in favours of James, marquis, afterwards duke of Montrose; and dying without issue on 12th September 1694, the estate, according to the above desti∣nation, went to the said marquis accordingly; but the representation of that noble fami∣ly devolved upon James Graham of Gar∣tur, his heir-male, lineally descended of Wal∣ter, second son of the second earl, to whom we now return.

V. WALTER GRAHAM, second son of A∣lexander, second earl of Menteith, and bro∣ther of William the third earl, got a charter of the lands of Gartur,* 1.24 from the abbot of Inchmaho, anno 1553; but as none of this fa∣mily have hitherto claimed the peerage, we shall only briefly mention their descent; the vouchers whereof are all in the possession of the family of Gartur.

He married Margaret, daughter of— Schaw of Knock-hill, by whom he had a son,

VI. GEORGE GRAHAM of Gartur, who succeeded him, and married a daughter of the laird of Kippenross, by whom he had a son and successor,

VII. JASPER GRAHAM of Gartur, who married Agnes, daughter of—Graham of Gartmore, by whom he had a son and heir,

VIII. JOHN GRAHAM of Gartur, who married Isabel Drummond, a daughter of Colquhalie, by whom he had a son,

IX. WALTER GRAHAM of Gartur, his successor, who married Marian, daughter of sir James Graham and lady Margaret Er∣skiue, daughter of James earl of Buchan, by whom he had a son,

X. JAMES GRAHAM of Gartur, who suc∣ceeded him, and married Anne, daughter of James Graham of Orchill, by whom he had three sons and one daughter.

1. James, his heir.

2. John, who died without issue.

3. William Graham, now of Gartur, of whom afterwards.

His daughter Marian, married to—.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

XI. JAMES GRAHAM of Gartur, who, upon the death of William the last earl of Menteith without issue, anno 1694, was undoubted heir male of that noble family, as before mentioned. This James sold his lands of Gartur to his youngest brother William, who now possesses them.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Philip Wilkinson of the kingdom of Ireland, by whom he had two sons,

1. David Graham.

2. John, an officer in the army.

XII. DAVID GRAHAM, the eldest son is now a merchant in England.

And failing male issue of these two bro∣thers, their uncle William Graham now of Gartur, is male representative of this noble family.

He married Christian, only daughter of John Somerville of Glenhove, Esq; a cadet of lord Somerville's family, by whom he hath three sons and one daughter.

1. Walter.

2. John.

3. James.

His daughter, Janet.

The above four children are all now alive.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hist. of the Stewarts, and Crawfurd'•• peerage.
• * 1.2

  Rymer, tom. X. p. 309.
• * 1.3

  Charta penes ducem de Montrose, & M. S. hist. of the family, of Menteith, by Crawfurd, pe∣nes Gartur.
• * 1.4

  Rymer, tom. XI. p. 307, & 339.
• * 1.5

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.6

  Chart. penes ducem de Montrose.
• * 1.7

  Ibidem.
• * 1.8

  Ibidem.
• * 1.9

  Rymer, tom. XIV. p. 796.
• * 1.10

  M. S. hist. of the family by Crawfurd.
• * 1.11

  Chart. in pub. archiv. ad an∣num 1571.
• * 1.12

  Ibidem.
• * 1.13

  Ibid. et chart. penes ducem de Montrose.
• * 1.14

  Crawfurd's peer••ge.
• * 1.15

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.16

  Retour in pub regist.
• * 1.17

  Ibidem.
• * 1.18

  Crawfurd's peerage, and M. S. hist of the family.
• * 1.19

  Chart. in pub. archivis. and Crawfurd's M. S. hist. &c.
• * 1.20

  Charta penes dom. Gray.
• * 1.21

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.22

  Crawfurd's peerage, and M. S. hist. of the family.
• * 1.23

  Ibidem.
• * 1.24

  Chart. penes magistrum Graham de Gartur.