Viscounts Oxfuird (1651)

1^st Viscount Oxfuird, James Makgill, b.?, a.1651, d.1663

A great-grandson of Sir James Makgill (b.?, d.1553), Provost of Edinburgh and an early supporter of the Reformation, and his wife Helen Wardlaw, grandson of David Makgill (b.?, d.1595-1596) and Elizabeth Forester and son of David Makgill (b.?, d.1607) and Mary Sinclair. His predecessors were all Lords of Session and he became Sheriff of Edinburgh in 1626 and 1^st Baronet Makgill in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia in 1627. He was an MP for Edinburgh County in 1630 and was Commissioner of the Exchequer in 1644. In 1651 he was created 1^st Viscount Oxfuird and 1^st Lord Makgill of Cousland.

2^nd Viscount Oxfuird, Robert Makgill, b.1651, a.1663, d.1705

Son of the 1^st Viscount and Christian Livingston (b.?, d.1664), daughter of Sir William Livingston of Kilsyth. He was placed under house arrest for being a Jacobite. His only son died before him and his titles became dormant, although his daughter Christian Makgill (b.1677, d.1707) assumed the responsibilities and passed them to her son Robert Maitland (b.?, d.1755), who took part in the 1733 election of representative peers.

3^rd Viscount Oxfuird, David Makgill, b.?, a.1705, d.1717

The remainder of the title, to heirs male whatsoever, allowed descendants of ancestors of the first holder and grantee to make claim. In 1977 the House of Lords ruled that the family of James Makgill (b.?, d.1579), great-uncle of the 1^st Viscount and also a Privy Counsellor and Provost of Edinburgh, was the senior remaining male line. He married Janet Adamsoun. Most of his family went into the Ministry and had no male heirs. His son James Makgill (b.?, d.1602) married Jean Wemyss. Their son James Makgill (b.1576, d.1661) married Katherine Clephane (b.?, d.1662) and had a large family. Their son David Makgill married Elizabeth Ruthven (b.?, d.1669), sister of Thomas Ruthven, 1^st Lord Ruthven of Freeland (for whom see the latter earls of Gowrie). Their son James Makgill (b.?, d.1c.1699) married Janet Crichton, daughter of James Crichton, 1^st Viscount Frendraught. Their son David Makgill (b.?, d.1717) became de jure 3^rd Viscount.

4^th Viscount Oxfuird, James Makgill, b.?, a.1717, d.1747

Son of the 3^rd Viscount and Janet Craig.

5^th Viscount Oxfuird, John Makgill, b.1676, a.1747, d.1762

With no direct male heir, descent passed to another son of James Makgill (b.1576, d.1661) and Katherine Clephane, the Reverend John Makgill (b.?, d.1673). He married Helen Forbes. Their son Arthur Makgill (b.1652, d.1725) married Janet Ramsay and their son became de jure 5^th Viscount.

6^th Viscount Oxfuird, Arthur Makgill, b.1709, a.1762, d.1777

Son of the 5^th Viscount and Agnes Lindsay. He served as a Captain in the Scottish Regiment of the Dutch Army. He died unmarried.

7^th Viscount Oxfuird, George Makgill, b.1723, a.1777, d.1797

Younger brother of the 6^th Viscount. He was a Jabobite and fought at the Battles of Preston and Culloden, where he was wounded by escaped. He was briefly attainted but later pardoned.

8^th Viscount Oxfuird, John Makgill, b.1790, a.1797, d.1817

Son of the 7^th Viscount and Agnes Law (b.?, d.1799).

9^th Viscount Oxfuird, George Makgill, b.1812, a.1817, d.1878

Son of the 8^th Viscount and Eliza Dalgleish (b.?, d.1860).

10^th Viscount Oxfuird, John Makgill, b.1836, a.1878, d.1906

Son of the 9^th Viscount and Harriet Strettell (b.?, d.1890). He gained the rank of Captain in the Royal Engineers.

11^th Viscount Oxfuird, George Makgill, b.1868, a.1906, d.1926

Son of the 10^th Viscount and Margaret Isabella Haldane (b.?, d.1920).

12^th Viscount Oxfuird, John Donald Alexander Arthur Makgill, b.1899, a.1926, d.1986

Son of the 11^th Viscount and Frances Elizabeth Grant (b.?, d.1947). Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he fought in the First and Second World Wars and reached the rank of Major in the Coldstream Guards. In 1977 he obtained the House of Lords ruling that recognised him as 12^th Viscount with suitable backdating of the title to his predecessors de jure.

13^th Viscount Oxfuird, George Hubbard Makgill, b.1934, a.1986, d.2003

Grandson of the 11^th Viscount and son of Squadron Leader Richard James Robert Haldane Makgill (b.1907, d.1948) and Elizabeth Lyman Hubbard. Raised in New Zealand, he served with the RAF before succeeding to the titles. He was briefly Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords in 1990.

14^th Viscount Oxfuird, Ian Arthur Alexander Makgill, b.1969, a.2003

Son of the 13^th Viscount and Alison Campbell Jensen. His is also 13^th Lord Makgill of Cousland and 13^th Baronet Makgill. He is recently married.

The courtesy title for the heir is Master of Oxfuird.

(Last updated: 30/12/2009)