While looking for the author of The Robertons – A Noted
Lanarkshire Family which appears in three previous posts (originally printed in
the Hamilton Advertiser on August 7th, 1943), a librarian at the
South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Center also found another piece on
Roberton history, again from the Hamilton Advertiser, but published in July
1874. Entitled Earnock and its Early Proprietors, it is another lengthy
writing that I will present in a number of postings.
Earnock and its
Early Proprietors (continued)
(from the Hamilton
Advertiser, July 1874)
The Robertouns (cont.)
16. Major John Robertoun of Earnock married Elizabeth,
eldest daughter of James Hamilton of Dalziel (by Margaret, his wife, daughter
of Sir Archibald Hamilton of Rosehall), by whom he had a son James, and three
daughters – Anna, Marion and Violet.
Anna married Captain
James Gilchrist, R.N., of Annsfield, whose mother was Grizel, only daughter
heiress of Patrick Hamilton of Neilsland.
They had issue – two daughters, co-heiresses – Grizel, married to Mr.
Boyes of Wellhall; and Anna, married 17th Oct., 1774, to Archibald,
ninth Earl of Dundonald, and was mother of six sons, the eldest of whom was
Thomas, tenth Earl – the celebrated Lord Dundonald, who was born at Eddlewood
house, 14th December, 1775.
Another son was the Honourable William Erskine Cochrane, major in the 15th
Dragoons, who served with distinction under Sir John Moore in Spain. After retiring from the army, he lived for
some time in Eddlewood House, and farmed Annsfield, which he inherited, but
latterly sold it along with Earnockmuir to Mr. Dixon.
Marion, second daughter of Major John Robertoun, was married
12th January, 1759, to James Hamilton, of Aitkenhead, Cathcart,
Renfrewshire, and had issue, two sons – James, heir and successor, and John ,
who went to India as a merchant. They also had four daughters – Elizabeth,
Marion, Mary and Anne, the latter of whom married, in 1803, David Marshall of
Neilsland. This venerable and much-respected
lady died at Neilsland House on the 17th of February, 1865, in the
ninety-sixth year of her age.
The estate of Earnock was sold by the Robertouns towards the
end of the last century to a Mr. Semple, who resold it, about 1810, to A.
Millar, Esq., who died without issue, and was succeeded by his sister, Mrs.
Williams, who sold it to John Watson, Esq. Of Neilsland, reserving, however, a
life-rent of the mansion-house.
