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James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn (c. 1604 – c. 1670) was a Catholic Scottish nobleman. He, his wife, his mother, and most of his family were persecuted by the kirk as recusants. Implementing his father's will, he gave his Irish title of Baron Hamilton of Strabane to his younger brother Claud. His younger brothers inherited his father's Irish lands, while he received the Scottish ones, which he squandered away, being deep in debt in his later days.

Birth and origins

James was born about 1604, probably in Paisley, Scotland. He was the eldest son of James Hamilton and his wife Marion Boyd. His father was an undertaker in the plantation of Ulster and would be created 1st Earl of Abercorn by James VI and I in 1606. His paternal grandfather was Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord of Paisley.

James's mother was the eldest daughter of Thomas Boyd, 6th Lord Boyd of Kilmarnock in Scotland. The Boyds were an old Scottish family, which would in 1661 be granted the title of Earl of Kilmarnock. He had four brothers and four sisters, which are listed in his father's article.

His father had been a Protestant, but his mother, Marion Boyd, was a recusant, who brought him, like all his siblings, up as a Catholic. On 10 April 1606 his father was created Earl of Abercorn and Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcastell and Kilpatrick.

Baron Hamilton of Strabane

On 8 May 1617, when he was only about 12 years old, he was created 1st Baron Hamilton of Strabane, in the peerage of Ireland, with remainder to the heirs male of the body of his father. The purpose of the creation was to give the Abercorns, who were Scottish earls but big landowners in Ireland, a seat in the Irish House of Lords. The title Baron Hamilton of Strabane refers to the town of Strabane in County Tyrone, Ulster, where his father, the 1st Earl of Abercorn, had built a castle during the Plantation of Ulster.

Earl of Abercorn

In 1618 Lord Strabane, as he was now, succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Abercorn. His father had predeceased (d.v.p.) his grandfather, Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley, and had thus never become Lord Paisley.

In 1621 his grandfather, Lord Paisley, died. He succeeded therefore his grandfather as Lord Paisley and inherited the Scottish estates of the family, notably Abercorn and Paisley, as well as Kilpatrick on the northern bank of the Clyde. Since his father had entailed his Irish lands on his younger brothers, he resigned the title of Baron Hamilton of Strabane on 11 November 1633. Charles I, King of England and Scotland then regranted it to his brother Claud.

Grand tour

Sometime in early 1620, Lord Abercorn, as he was now, went to the continent on "his travels" as the Grand Tour was called in his time. He spent several years travelling the continent and visited Catholic countries, France and Italy, which encouraged him in his Catholicism. He returned to Paisley in April 1627.

Marriage and children

In 1627 he married Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Lennox. He was 22, she was about 34, more than ten years older. She had been married to Lord Esmé Stewart and had had 11 children from him. Her first husband had died in 1624, being the 3rd Duke of Lennox. In November 1632 she obtained a royal license permitting her to retain her precedence as a dowager duchess.

James and Katherine had three sons, but the first two predeceased their father:

1. James (c. 1635 – before 1670), held the courtesy title of Lord Paisley as heir apparent but predeceased his father without producing a male heir
2. William (died before 1670), became a colonel but predeceased his father unmarried in the German wars
3. George (c. 1636 – before 1683), succeeded his father as the 3rd Earl of Abercorn

Persecution by the Kirk

Abercorn's problems with the Church of Scotland (the Kirk) began with the process engaged by the Paisley Presbytery against his mother and some of her servants. In June 1626 she fled to James Law, the Archbishop of Glasgow for protection. The Bishop obtained a letter from the King, written by William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling that directed the church not to trouble her as long as she kept quiet. However, in April 1627 Abercorn returned from his travels on the continent and provoked the church by declaring himself openly a Catholic. On 20 January 1628 his mother, the Dowager Countess, was excommunicated by the Paisley Synod of the Church of Scotland. He escaped excommunication only by being absent at the royal court in London. His wife similarly was excommunicated on 3 February.

On 26 August 1632 his mother died in Edinburgh. On 21 August 1637 his wife died at Paisley and was buried "without ceremony" on 17 September. Like his mother she was a recusant. As Catholic, she was buried without religious ceremony. Her title as Baroness Clifton passed to James, her eldest son from her first marriage. At that time his father was deep in debt owing more than 400,000 merks (about £20,000 Sterling) to his creditors.

In 1649 Abercorn himself was excommunicated by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and ordered to leave Scotland.

Heir male of Hamilton

On 11 September 1651, the male line of the dukes of Hamilton failed when William Hamilton, the 2nd Duke died from wounds received at the Battle of Worcester fighting for Charles II against Cromwell. As the Duke had no sons, he was succeeded by his niece Anne Hamilton according to the succession rule of his title (see family tree). It was found however that Abercorn was the heir male, which was thought of no consequence at the time. This status of the Abercorns being heir male later led to a dispute between the houses of Abercorn and Hamilton over the title of Duke of Châtellerault, when this title, which had belonged to James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, was revived by Napoleon III of France in 1864 in favour of the Duke of Hamilton.

Sale of Paisley

On 22 June 1652 Abercorn sold Paisley to the Earl of Angus for £13,333 6s 8d Scots (about £1100 Sterling). Angus sold it a year later for £160,000 to Lord Cochrane, who would later become the 1st Earl of DunDonald. The 8th Earl of Abercorn would eventually buy Paisley back in 1764.

Death, succession, and timeline

Lord Abercorn died about 1670 and was succeeded by his son George as the 3rd Earl of Abercorn. George, however, died unmarried in Padua. The earldom passed to the descendants of Claud Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane.

Notes and references

Notes

1. This family tree is partly derived from the Abercorn pedigree pictured in Cokayne. Also see the lists of siblings and children in the text.
2. ^ His birth date is derived from Cokayne's statement "he , though only about 13 years of age, was, on 8 May 1617 ...", which allows to calculate his approximate year of birth as 1604.
3. The date is constrained by his return from his travels in April 1627 and his wife's excommunication on 3 February 1628.
4. Cokayne (1910) places the marriage "about 1632".
5. The merk was worth 13s 4d or 2/3 of a £ Scots. As there were 12 £ Scots to the £ Sterling, the merk was worth about 1 English Shilling.
6. During the reign of James I, the £ Sterling was 12 £ Scots.

Citations

1. Cokayne 1910, p. 4. "Tabular pedigree of the Earls of Abercorn"
2. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 7. "In the lifetime of his father and grandfather, he, though only about 13 years of age, was, on 8 May 1617 ... cr. Lord Hamilton, Baron of Strabane, co. Tyrone ], with rem. to the heirs male of the body of his father."
3. Millar 1890, p. 177, left column, line 22"Abercorn married Marion, eldest daughter of Thomas, fifth Lord Boyd ..."
4. ^ Masson 1889, p. lxxx. "Undertakers for 3000 acres each: ... James Hamilton, Earl of Abercorn (in County Tyrone) ...
5. Burke 1869, p. 2, right column. "He m. Marion eldest dau. of Thomas, 5th Lord Boyd, and dying vita patris, 16 March 1617, left issue ..."
6. Paul 1908, p. 167. "6. Marion, married to James (Hamilton), first Earl of Abercorn, who died at Monkton 23 March 1618"
7. Paul 1908, p. 173. "On the 7 August 1661 he was, by King Charles ii., created Earl of Kilmarnoc"
8. Millar 1890, p. 177, left column, line 23"... by whom he had five sons and four daughters."
9. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 2, line 11. "On 10 July 1606, he was cr. Earl of Abercorn, Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcastell, and Kilpatrick ] to him and his heirs male whatsoever."
10. Paul 1904, p. 46. "At Strabane he built a very strong and fair castle ..."
11. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 1. "He d. v.p. at Monkton 23 Mar. and was bur. 29 Ap. 1618 in the Abbey Church, Paisley, aged 43."
12. ^ Holmes 2004, p. 778, right column. "Lord Claud lived in retirement for over twenty years, dying in 1621, and was buried in Paisley Abbey"
13. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 13. "On 11 Nov. 1633 he resigned his Irish Peerage in favour of his yr. br. , Claud Hamilton, on whom the Irish estates were settled."
14. ^ Metcalfe 1909, p. 236. "... but in April 1627, her son the Earl had returned and had openly declared himself a Catholic ..."
15. ^ Metcalfe 1909, p. 236, line 16. "... but in April 1627, her son the Earl had returned and had openly declared himself a Catholic ..."
16. ^ Metcalfe 1909, p. 236, line 33. "On February 3 the Countess was excommunicated."
17. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 20. "He m. about 1632, Catherine, Dowager Duchess of Lennox da. and h. of Gervase (Clifton) Lord Clifton of Leighton Bromswold, by Catherine dau. and h. of Sir Henry Darcy of Leighton afsd."
18. Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 23. "...  ho by Royal Lic., 28 Nov 1632, was entitled, nonwith standing her marriage, to retain her title, rank and precedency as Duchess of Lennox ]"
19. Paul 1904, p. 49, line 21. "James ... who died before his father ... had only a daughter."
20. Paul 1904, p. 49, line 30. "William ... died before his father, being killed in the wars in Germany, without issue."
21. ^ Paul 1904, p. 49, line 34. "George, third Earl of Abercorn, succeeded his father but died unmarried in Padua ... whereby the male line failed in the eldest branch, so that we return to Claud, Lord Strabane ..."
22. Stirling 1885, p. 70. "A Letter from Sir William Alexander to the Archbishop of Glasgow by his Majesteis Directions . Most reverend father in God, and my verie good Lord – Thogh the earle of Abercorne in the tyme of his travells abroad, being a young man, hath beene seduced to the Romish religion, yet his Majestie hath conceaved so good ane opinion of his disposition ytherwyse, that he thinks he may be reclaymed be fair meanes; and therfor is is his Majestie's pleasur, so long as he by his cariage giveth no publict scandell, that yow suffer none to trouble him ..."
23. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 3. "His widow, a prominent Rom. Cath., who was excommunicated in the kirk of paisley on 20 Jan. 1628 ..."
24. Metcalfe 1909, p. 236, line 28. "In November, 1627, they were reported to the synod and on January 20, 1628, sentence of excommunication was pronounced against the Dowager Countess, and would have been against the Earl but he 'had taken a journey to the Court for his necessary and lawful business.'"
25. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 4. " d. in the Canongate, Edinburgh, 26 Aug., and was bur. 13 Sep. 1632 with her husband."
26. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 25. " d. in Scotland and was bur. 'without ceremony' 17 Sep 1637, aged about 45."
27. Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 26a. "He was then living, but 'more than 400,000 merks in debt'."
28. Meikle 2015, p. xi. "The Scots merk was worth 13s 4d."
29. ^ Meikle 2015, p. 60. "... after the union of the crowns in 1603 ... the Scots pound was set at a fixed rate of twelve to every English pound sterling."
30. ^ Metcalfe 1909, p. 250, line 7. "At length, in 1649, the General Assembly, which, as we have seen, had long since taken the case out of the hands of the Presbytery, pronounced the sentence of excommunication and banishment against him."
31. ^ Paul 1904, p. 49, line 6. "On the death of William, 2nd Duke of Hamilton, of his wounds on the battle of Worcester, 11 September 1651, his Lordship became male representative of the family of Hamilton, but the estates and titles of that house evolved on Anne, Duchess of Hamilton."
32. Picamilh 1874, p. 234. "Maintien et confirmation du titre de duc de Châtellerault en faveur du duc d'Hamilton (D. 20 avril 1864, s. XI, b. 1234, t. XXIV, p260)"
33. ^ Metcalfe 1909, p. 310, line 6. "On June 22, 1652, the Earl of Abercorn signed a disposition, by which, for the sum of £13,333 6s 8p. Scots, he sold to the Earl of Angus 'the Lordship and barony of Paisley, comprehending ..."
34. Paul 1904, p. 65, line 27. "William, Earl of Dundonald, had bought it in 1653 for £160,000 Scots from Archibald, Earl of Angus ..."
35. Metcalfe 1909, p. 310, line 13. "The following year, August 3, 1653, the Earl of Angus parted with his purchase to William, Lord Cochrane of DunDonald ..."
36. Paul 1904, p. 65, line 24. "In 1764 he acquired the paternal inheritance of his ancestors, the lordship of Paisley, in the county of Renfrew ..."
37. ^ Cokayne 1910, p. 3, line 26b. "He died about 1670."
38. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 16. "Charles I. ... acc. 27 Mar. 1625 ..."
39. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 17. "Charles I. ... exec. 30 Jan. 1649 ..."
40. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 39. "Charles II. ... acc. 29 May 1660 ..."

Sources

• Burke, Bernard (1869). A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (31st ed.). London: Harrison. OCLC 1045624502.
• Cokayne, George Edward (1910). Gibbs, Vicary (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. I (2nd ed.). London: St Catherine Press. OCLC 228661424. – Ab-Adam to Basing (for Abercorn)
• Fryde, Edmund Boleslaw; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, No. 2 (3rd ed.). London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-86193-106-8. – (for timeline)
• Holmes, Peter (2004). "Hamilton, Claud, first Lord Paisley (1546?–1621)". In Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 24. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 776–778. ISBN 0-19-861374-1.
• Masson, David, ed. (1889). Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. Vol. IX. Edinburgh: H. M. General Register House. – 1610 to 1613
• Meikle, Maureen M. (2015). The Scottish People 1490–1625. Morrisville, N. C.: Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-291-51800-9. – (Preview)
• Metcalfe, William Musham (1909). A History of Paisley. Paisley: Alexander Gardner. OCLC 1046586600.
• Millar, Alexander Hastie (1890). "Hamilton, James, first Earl of Abercorn (d.1617)". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. XXIV. New York: MacMillan and Co. pp. 176–177. OCLC 8544105.
• Paul, Sir James Balfour (1904). The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Vol. I. Edinburgh: David Douglas. OCLC 505064285. – Abercorn to Balmerino (for Abercorn)
• Paul, Sir James Balfour (1908). The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Vol. V. Edinburgh: David Douglas. OCLC 505064285. – Innermeath to Mar (for Boyd of Kilmallock)
• Paul, Sir James Balfour (1910). The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Vol. VII. Edinburgh: David Douglas. OCLC 505064285. – Panmure to Sinclair (for Sempill)
• Picamilh, Charles de (1874). Table décennale du bulletin des lois, partie principale, depuis le 1er janvier 1864 jusqu'au 31 décembre 1873 (in French). Paris: Imprimerie Nationale.
• Stirling, The Earl of, ed. (1885). The Earl of Stirling's Register of Royal Letters Relative to the Affairs of Scotland and Nova Scotia from 1615 to 1635. Vol. I. Edinburgh: Burness & Company. OCLC 727022552.

• 1600s births
• 1670s deaths
• 17th-century Scottish nobility
• Earls of Abercorn
• House of Hamilton
• Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1621
• Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1630
• People excommunicated by Presbyterian churches
• Peers of Ireland created by James I