History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

electricscotland.com
from electricscotland.com More from this publisher
29.06.2013 Views

1 64. THE SECOND MARQUIS was revived by Queen Anne. He was also Lord Privy Seal in 1702, and Lord President of the Privy Council till 1706. His manners are said to have been courteous and pleasing. He was elected a Scottish Representative Peer in 1707, and in 171 1 was Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland. In 17 14 he was appointed Keeper of the Great Seal, and a Privy Councillor; and during the Rising in 1715 was made Lord-Lieutenant of the counties of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Peebles. His wife (the bride of fourteen in 1682) died in 1716, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The eldest daughter, Henrietta, had long been married to John Hope, who was created, by the ex-Secretary's influence, Earl of Hopetoun in 1703. Two younger sons, William and John, died unmarried in 1721, shortly after their father. The old Marquis astonished and disgusted his children in 17 18, by going through a Fleet marriage with Charlotta Van Lore, the only child of a Dutch merchant in Westminster, John Vanden Bempde, by his wife, Temperance, daughter of John Packer. Vanden Bempde owned property in Hammersmith and Chiswick, and the estate of Hackness Hall in Yorkshire. He settled £300 a year on his daughter, and the reversion of his estates to her heirs, saying that he was not going to be behind anyone else in the matter, but with the provision that the inheritor of his property should take his own family name. When the Marquis died at Bath, April 21, 1721, Vanden Bempde" allowed another .£300 a year for the maintenance and education of his infant grandson, George, and for the son, John, who was born six months after the Marquis's death. The ex-Secretary was among those who attended the Marquis's funeral. Sir William Johnstone of Westerhall was there on behalf of the Marchioness when the Will was read. The Earl of Orkney, Sir R. Montgomery, Colonel Graham, Jerviswood, and Lord Hope also came, but in the interest of the Marquis's elder children. James, Lord Johnstone, the second Marquis, lived at Newbie Castle when not abroad, and was Provost of Annan in 1715. After his succession he was little seen in Scotland, and died in Naples in 1730. His stepmother had to sustain a lawsuit with Lord and Lady Hopetoun for her son, George, about the possession of the Annandale estates. In consideration of Miss Fairholm's fortune, these estates had been settled on her and on her future children after her marriage with the first Marquis ; and on the death of James they were claimed as well as the title by his sister, the last survivor of that marriage, on the ground that the title went with the estates. The House of Lords in 1733 decided that the Fairholm provision was illegal on both points, the land having been settled in 1661 on the heirs male of the first Earl, and only to go to the female on the demise of all those heirs. So young George succeeded to his father's estates as well as to his title, and Lady Hopetoun inherited her mother's estate at Craigiehall. Some of the lands held by Galabank paid a trifling duty to the Marquis. On April 27, 1700, Lord Carstairs wrote from Whitehall to Lord Annandale : " I was told your lordship wished to have Major Jhonston a Knt Baronet. I have procured his patent, and shall send it down either with this or Tuesday's

JOHNSTONE OF WESTERHALL 165 packet." Westerhall was gazetted a Baronet of Nova Scotia, including a grant ofland on which it was obligatory to make a settlement. His connection with Annandale became closer when his brother, Major John Johnstone, interested himself on behalf of the widowed Marchioness in the lawsuit, and before it ended in her favour he married her, so that he became guardian to the young Marquis and Lord John. A letter from the Major to Sir James, dated from London, May 13, 1735, alludes to his stepsons as well as to his own child, Richard, born Sept. 21, 1732:— "Sir,— I had the honour to receive your most obliging letter ... In spite of all the discouragements my lady has met with she is determined to return to Scotland this year . . . and has not only given up Purser's Cross, but put Pell Mell in the papers and hung a ticket on the door. You have not been deceived of Lord John, he is returned to the right road, and we have all reason to believe he will persevere in it. Sir Orlando Bridgeman's son came t'other day from abroad, and saw the Marquis at Lausanne, he says he is not only the prittyest youth he ever saw but the most regular and applys the most to his books. Dick is really a very pritty child, and the best natured creature I ever saw. I heartily and sincerely thank you for your kind wishes to him and much more thank you for your advice regarding him. If I were to love him as much as I incline, and as he really deserves I should soon come to like few things else ; but blessings and comfort are so seldom permanent that I shall never make my happiness depend upon anything without myself. [He speaks of taking possession at Scarsborough, i.e., Hackness Hall.] Mrs Betty continues your admirer and faithful servant. Mr Michell has threatened me but done nothing, so that the time is now so short before the adjudication must take place for ,£6000, we take it for granted he will attempt nothing. . . . The chanceler is not to be trifled with, and Michell is already so roasted about the trust estate of Vulture Hopkins that his reputation at the bar is of the lowest. I went one morning to my lord Isla's levee but he has rather forgot me or which is worse imagines I have done somethings at which he thinks he ought to be offended. I have not returned. The Duke of Argyle very seldom sees company, but is much better than he has been. I wish with all my soul the offence may have gone no higher than memini but appearances are against us. Our enimys leave no stone unturned. Ld Finlater has been lately at Mr Murrays [Lord Mansfield] to retain him refused. . Hope against Annandale which you may easily . . We are yet in a storm, and how or when imagine was we shall get into safe harbour, the omniscient God only knows. Sir James Stuart of Goodtress is just come in I must therefore finish with all possible respect and esteem Sir your most affectionate brother and devoted humble servt. "J. Johnstone. "Offer my humble respects to Lady Johnstone and blessings to the bairns. If you think brother Walter must go into the army say so and I'll find an

JOHNSTONE OF WESTERHALL 165<br />

packet." Westerhall was gazetted a Baronet <strong>of</strong> Nova Scotia, including a<br />

grant <strong>of</strong>land on which it was obligatory to make a settlement. His connection<br />

<strong>with</strong> Annandale became closer when his bro<strong>the</strong>r, Major John Johnstone, interested<br />

himself on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> widowed Marchioness in <strong>the</strong> lawsuit, and before it<br />

ended in her favour he married her, so that he became guardian to <strong>the</strong><br />

young Marquis and Lord John.<br />

A letter from <strong>the</strong> Major to Sir James, dated from London, May 13, 1735,<br />

alludes to his stepsons as well as to his own child, Richard, born Sept. 21,<br />

1732:—<br />

"Sir,— I had <strong>the</strong> honour to receive your most obliging letter ... In<br />

spite <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> discouragements my lady has met <strong>with</strong> she is determined<br />

to return to <strong>Scotland</strong> this year . . . and has not only given up Purser's<br />

Cross, but put Pell Mell in <strong>the</strong> papers and hung a ticket on <strong>the</strong> door. You<br />

have not been deceived <strong>of</strong> Lord John, he is returned to <strong>the</strong> right road, and<br />

we have all reason to believe he will persevere in it. Sir Orlando Bridgeman's<br />

son came t'o<strong>the</strong>r day from abroad, and saw <strong>the</strong> Marquis at Lausanne, he says<br />

he is not only <strong>the</strong> prittyest youth he ever saw but <strong>the</strong> most regular and<br />

applys <strong>the</strong> most to his books. Dick is really a very pritty child, and <strong>the</strong><br />

best natured creature I ever saw. I heartily and sincerely thank you for<br />

your kind wishes to him and much more thank you for your advice regarding<br />

him. If I were to love him as much as I incline, and as he really deserves<br />

I should soon come to like few things else ; but blessings and comfort are<br />

so seldom permanent that I shall never make my happiness depend upon<br />

anything <strong>with</strong>out myself. [He speaks <strong>of</strong> taking possession at Scarsborough,<br />

i.e., Hackness Hall.] Mrs Betty continues your admirer and faithful servant.<br />

Mr Michell has threatened me but done nothing, so that <strong>the</strong> time is now<br />

so short before <strong>the</strong> adjudication must take place for ,£6000, we take it for<br />

granted he will attempt nothing. . . . The chanceler is not to be trifled<br />

<strong>with</strong>, and Michell is already so roasted about <strong>the</strong> trust estate <strong>of</strong> Vulture Hopkins<br />

that his reputation at <strong>the</strong> bar is <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lowest. I went one morning to my lord<br />

Isla's levee but he has ra<strong>the</strong>r forgot me or which is worse imagines I have done<br />

somethings at which he thinks he ought to be <strong>of</strong>fended. I have not returned.<br />

The Duke <strong>of</strong> Argyle very seldom sees company, but is much better than<br />

he has been. I wish <strong>with</strong> all my soul <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fence may have gone no higher<br />

than memini but appearances are against us. Our enimys leave no stone<br />

unturned. Ld Finlater has been lately at Mr Murrays [Lord Mansfield] to<br />

retain him<br />

refused. .<br />

Hope against Annandale which you may easily<br />

. . We are yet in a storm, and how or when<br />

imagine was<br />

we shall get<br />

into safe harbour, <strong>the</strong> omniscient God only knows. Sir James Stuart <strong>of</strong><br />

Goodtress is just come in I must <strong>the</strong>refore finish <strong>with</strong> all possible respect<br />

and esteem Sir your most affectionate bro<strong>the</strong>r and devoted humble servt.<br />

"J. Johnstone.<br />

"Offer my humble respects to Lady Johnstone and blessings to <strong>the</strong> bairns.<br />

If you think bro<strong>the</strong>r Walter must go into <strong>the</strong> army say so and I'll find an

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!