George Hamilton, 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane facts for kids

George Hamilton (died 1668) was an important person in Irish history. He became the 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane in 1655. This happened after his older brother sadly drowned. After a big change in England called the Restoration, George got his family's lands back. These lands around Strabane had been taken away by the Parliamentarians in 1650.

Early Life and Family

George was born around 1636 or 1637. He was likely born at Strabane Castle in Ireland. His father was Claud Hamilton. His mother was Jean Gordon.

George's father was the 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane. This family branch was part of the larger Abercorn family. The Barons of Strabane owned a lot of land. This land was mostly around Strabane and Baronscourt in County Tyrone.

George's mother was the fourth daughter of a Scottish nobleman. Her father was George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly. Both of George's parents were Catholic. They got married in 1632. George had three other brothers and sisters.

A Young Baron

In 1638, George was still a baby when his father died. His father was buried in a church near Strabane. George's older brother, James, became the 3rd Baron Hamilton of Strabane. James was very young at the time.

George's mother managed the family's lands. They continued to live in Strabane Castle.

Irish Wars and Challenges

When George was about four years old, in 1641, a big event happened. The Irish Rebellion began. A rebel leader named Phelim O'Neill attacked Strabane Castle. He burned it down.

George, his mother, and his siblings were taken prisoner. They were held at Kinard, Phelim O'Neill's home. After a few days, Phelim let them go. He sent them to George's uncle, Sir George Hamilton.

In 1649, when George was about 12, Strabane Castle was attacked again. This time, Robert Monro and his army attacked it. Phelim O'Neill, who had attacked it before, helped defend the castle. In November of that year, Phelim married George's mother. This made Phelim George's stepfather. George's half-brother, Gordon O'Neill, was born later.

In 1649, Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentarian army came to Ireland. In July 1650, George's brother and stepfather defended Charlemont Fort. They fought against the Parliamentarian army. The fort finally gave up in August. In July 1650, the Parliamentarians took away the family's lands. In 1652, Phelim O'Neill was captured. He was found guilty of treason and executed.

Becoming the 4th Baron

In June 1655, a sad event occurred. George's brother, James, drowned in the River Mourne. James was about 22 years old and had never married. Because of this, George became the 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane.

People usually called him Lord Strabane. This helped avoid confusion. There was another noble family called the Lords Hamilton in Scotland.

Marriage and Children

George married Elizabeth Fagan in or before 1659. Elizabeth was the daughter of Christopher Fagan. Her family was from County Dublin. Christopher Fagan had lost his lands during the wars. But he got them back in 1663. He was seen as an "innocent papist," meaning he hadn't done anything wrong against the new government.

Elizabeth became a very rich heiress. She was the only child left after her two brothers died.

George and Elizabeth had two sons:

• Claud (1659–1691), who became the 4th Earl of Abercorn after his father.
• Charles (died 1701), who became the 5th Earl of Abercorn.

They also had two daughters:

• Anne (died 1680), who married John Browne.
• Mary (born 1668 or 1669), who was born after her father died. She later married Garrett Dillon.

Getting the Lands Back

After the Restoration (1660) of the King in 1660, Lord Strabane worked to get his family's lands back. These lands had been taken away by the Parliamentarians in 1650.

Even though his brother James had fought with some rebel groups, he had fought against the Parliamentarians, not against the King. George was also very young during the worst parts of the 1641 rebellion. So, he was considered an "innocent papist." This meant he was innocent of any wrongdoing. On May 16, 1663, he got most of his family's lands back.

Death and Legacy

George Hamilton died on April 14, 1668. He passed away at Kenure House in Rush, Dublin. He was buried in a nearby church.

His oldest son, Claud, became the 5th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. Around 1680, Claud also became the 4th Earl of Abercorn.