Lords Crichton of Sanquhar (1487)

 

1st Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.b.1444, a.1487-1488, d.1494-1495

 

The Crichton family had minor holdings around Edinburgh, but had little to do with national affairs until the 15th Century, when William Crichton became High Chancellor of Scotland. Another branch of the family succeeded to lands in Sanquhar, then in north Dumfries-shire. Sir Robert Crichton of Sanquhar (b.b.1428, d.1478-1479) was Sheriff of Dumfries and Coroner of Nithsdale, and his son was raised to the peerage as 1st Lord Crichton of Sanquhar. He fought for King James III at the Battle of Lochmaben in 1484 against the 9th Earl of Douglas.

 

2nd Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.b.1476, a.1494-1495, d.1513

 

Grandson of the 1st Lord and Christian Erskine, and son of Robert Crichton of Kinnoull (b.b.1460, d.c.1483-1492) and Lady Marion Stuart (b.b.1460, d.?), daughter of John Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox. He was probably killed at Flodden.

 

3rd Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.b.1491, a.1513, d.1516-1520

 

Son of the 2nd Lord and Marion Maxwell (b.?, d.b.1527).

 

4th Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.1515-1520, a.1516-1520, d.1535-1536

 

Son of the 3rd Lord and Elizabeth Murray (b.b.1500, d.?).

 

5th Lord Crichton, William Crichton, b.b.1520, a.1535-1536, d.1550

 

Younger brother of the 4th Lord.

 

6th Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.b.1550, a.1550, d.1561

 

Son of the 5th Lord and Elizabeth Fleming (b.b.1526, d.?), daughter of Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming.

 

7th Lord Crichton, Edward Crichton, b.?, a.1561, d.1569

 

Younger brother of the 6th Lord.

 

8th Lord Crichton, Robert Crichton, b.c.1568, a.1569, d.1612

 

Son of the 7th Lord and Margaret Douglas (b.b.1551, d.?), daughter of Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig (after her husband’s death she re-married William Graham, 5th Earl of Menteith).

 

9th Lord Crichton, William Crichton, b.c.1578, a.1612, d.1642-1643

 

Grandson of the 5th Lord and son of William Crichton (b.b.1550, d.?) and Katherine Carmichael. He was created 1st Viscount of Air and 1st Lord Sanquhar in 1622, and in 1633 was created 1st Earl of Dumfries and 1st Lord Crichton of Sanquhar and Cumnock.

 

 

Earls of Dumfries (1633)

 

1st Earl of Dumfries, William Crichton, as above

 

2nd Earl of Dumfries, William Crichton, b.c.1598, a.1642-1643, d.1691

 

Son of the 1st Earl and Euphemia Seton (b.b.1582, d.?). In 1690, his only surviving son recently dead and his grandson just born, he obtained a decree that the title would fall to the grandson, and failing that, on his grandsons sisters and whomsoever children they produced.

 

3rd Earl of Dumfries, William Crichton, b.b.1690, a.1691, d.1694-1694

 

Grandson of the 2nd Earl and Penelope Swift, and son of Charles Crichton, Lord Crichton (b.?, d.1689-1690) and Sarah Dalrymple, daughter of Sir James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount Stair. He died very young and the title transferred to his older sister.

 

4th Earl (Countess) of Dumfries, Penelope Crichton, b.?, a.1693-1694, d.1741-1742

 

Older sister of the 3rd Earl.

 

5th Earl of Dumfries, William Dalrymple-Crichton, b.b.1716, a.1741-1742, d.1768

 

Son of the Countess of Dumfries and Colonel William Dalrymple (b.b.1688, d.1744), son of John Dalrymple, 1st Earl of Stair. In 1743, he fought in the Battle of Dettingen under his uncle, the 2nd Earl of Stair, and in 1760 he succeeded as 4th Earl of Stair. He was also made a Knight of the Thistle. He had one son who predeceased him. The earldom of Stair reverted to the Dalrymple family while the Dumfries title passed via the female line.

 

6th Earl of Dumfries, Patrick MacDowall-Crichton, b.1726, a.1768, d.1803

 

Grandson of the Countess of Dumfries, and son of Lady Elizabeth Crichton-Dalrymple (b.b.1710, d.?) and John McDouall. He was a Representative Peer from 1790 to 1803. His daughter, Lady Elizabeth Penelope MacDowall-Crichton (b.1772, d.1797) married the 1st Marquess of Bute’s oldest son, John Stuart, Viscount Mount Stuart, and the titles of the Earl of Dumfries were inherited by their son, John Crichton-Stuart, the 2nd Marquess of Bute.

 

 

For a continuation of this line, please transfer to the Bute page.

 

(Last updated: 13/09/2012)

 

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