James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn facts for kids

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn (born around 1604 – died about 1670) was a Scottish nobleman. He was a Catholic at a time when the official church in Scotland, called the Kirk, was Protestant. Because of their Catholic faith, James, his wife, his mother, and most of his family faced difficulties from the Kirk.

James followed his father's wishes and gave his Irish title, Baron Hamilton of Strabane, to his younger brother, Claud. His younger brothers received his father's lands in Ireland. James received the family's lands in Scotland. However, he spent a lot of money and was in debt later in his life.

James's Family and Early Life

James was born around 1604, likely in Paisley, Scotland. He was the oldest son of James Hamilton and his wife, Marion Boyd. His father helped with the Plantation of Ulster, a plan to settle people from Scotland and England in Ireland. In 1606, his father was given the title of 1st Earl of Abercorn by King James I. James's grandfather was Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord of Paisley.

James's mother, Marion Boyd, came from an old Scottish family. Her family would later receive the title of Earl of Kilmarnock in 1661. James had four brothers and four sisters. You can find their names in his father's article.

While James's father was a Protestant, his mother, Marion Boyd, was a Catholic. She raised James and all his brothers and sisters as Catholics. In 1606, James's father became the Earl of Abercorn and Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcastell, and Kilpatrick.

Baron Hamilton of Strabane Title

In 1617, when James was about 12 years old, he received the title of 1st Baron Hamilton of Strabane. This was an Irish title. It was created so that the Abercorn family, who were Scottish earls but owned a lot of land in Ireland, could have a seat in the Irish House of Lords. The title refers to the town of Strabane in County Tyrone, Ireland. James's father had built a castle there during the Plantation of Ulster.

Becoming the Earl of Abercorn

In 1618, James became the 2nd Earl of Abercorn after his father passed away. His father had died before his own father, Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley, so he never became Lord Paisley himself.

In 1621, James's grandfather, Lord Paisley, died. James then inherited his grandfather's title of Lord Paisley and the family's Scottish lands. These lands included Abercorn and Paisley, as well as Kilpatrick near the Clyde. Because his father had arranged for his younger brothers to inherit the Irish lands, James gave up his title of Baron Hamilton of Strabane in 1633. King Charles I then gave this title to James's brother, Claud.

His Grand Tour

Around 1620, James, who was now Lord Abercorn, went on a trip to other countries. This kind of trip was called a "Grand Tour" back then. He spent several years traveling in Catholic countries like France and Italy. These travels made him even stronger in his Catholic faith. He returned home to Paisley in April 1627.

Marriage and Children

In 1627, James married Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Lennox. James was 22, and Katherine was about 34, so she was more than ten years older than him. Katherine had been married before to Lord Esmé Stewart and had 11 children with him. Her first husband had died in 1624. In 1632, she received special permission from the King to keep her high social rank as a dowager duchess.

James and Katherine had three sons. Sadly, the first two sons died before their father:

1. James (born about 1635 – died before 1670). He was known as Lord Paisley but died before his father without having any sons.
2. William (died before 1670). He became a colonel but died unmarried in wars in Germany before his father.
3. George (born about 1636 – died before 1683). He became the 3rd Earl of Abercorn after his father.

Challenges with the Church

James and his family faced problems with the Church of Scotland (the Kirk) because they were Catholic. These issues started when the local church group in Paisley began to question his mother and her servants. In 1626, his mother sought help from the Archbishop of Glasgow. The Archbishop got a letter from the King, saying the church should not bother her if she stayed quiet.

However, when James returned from his travels in 1627, he openly declared himself Catholic. This upset the church. In January 1628, his mother was officially removed from the church (excommunicated) by the Paisley Church of Scotland. James avoided being excommunicated himself because he was away at the King's court in London. His wife was also excommunicated in February of that year.

In August 1632, his mother died in Edinburgh. In August 1637, his wife died in Paisley. She was buried "without ceremony" because she was Catholic. Her title, Baroness Clifton, went to her oldest son from her first marriage. Around this time, James was in a lot of debt, owing a large sum of money.

In 1649, James himself was excommunicated by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was ordered to leave Scotland.

Sale of Paisley Lands

In 1652, James sold the lands of Paisley to the Earl of Angus for a large sum of Scottish money. The Earl of Angus then sold it a year later to Lord Cochrane. Much later, in 1764, the 8th Earl of Abercorn bought Paisley back for the family.

Death and Succession

Lord Abercorn died around 1670. His son George became the 3rd Earl of Abercorn. However, George died unmarried in Italy. The earldom then passed to the children of Claud Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane, James's younger brother.