Lords Bargeny (1639)
1st Lord Bargeny, John Hamilton, b.b.1617, a.1639, d.1658
A grandson of John Hamilton, 1st Marquess
of Hamilton, and the son of that man’s illegitimate
son Sir John Hamilton of Lettrick (b.b.1586, d.1638) and Jean Campbell,
daughter of Alexander Campbell, Bishop of Brechin. His father was legitimised
in 1600 and obtained significant estates in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. He
accompanied his cousin, James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, in his
ill-fated expedition into England in 1648 and was in prison for a year after
being captured. After his release he joined Charles II in the Netherlands. In
1651 he came back to Scotland to organise another force for an invasion of
England but was captured again, though this meant he was exempt from Cromwell’s
Act of Grace and Pardon.
2nd Lord Bargeny, John Hamilton, b.?, a.1658, d.1693
Son of the 1st Lord and Lady Jean Douglas
(b.?, d.1669), daughter of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas
(for whom see the earls of Angus). He was a Royalist
and anti-Puritan and fought at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge against the
Covenanters. He was then falsely accused of being in league with the
Covenanters and of conspiring to assassinate the Duke of Lauderdale. However he
was supported by the James, then Duke of York, the future King, and the charges
were dropped due to lack of evidence. At the Revolution, he threw his support
behind William of Orange and provided soldiers for the campaign in Ireland.
3rd Lord Bargeny, William Hamilton, b?, a.1693, d.1712
Son of the 2nd Lord and Lady Margaret
Cunningham, daughter of William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn.
He opposed the Act of Union.
4th Lord Bargeny, James Hamilton, b.1710, a.1712, d.1736
Son of the 3rd Lord and his second wife
Margaret Dundas (b.?, d.1717), daughter of Robert Dundas of Arniston. He never
married and the lordship became dormant.
(Last updated: 07/11/2010)