John Bellenden, 2nd Lord Bellenden facts for kids
John Bellenden, who became the 2nd Lord Bellenden, was an important Scottish nobleman. He lived a long time ago, in the 1600s and early 1700s. He was part of a big and influential family in Scotland.
Early Life
John Bellenden was born John Ker. He was the fourth son of William Ker, 2nd Earl of Roxburghe, whose original name was William Drummond. His mother was Jane Ker. John had several older brothers, including Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe. His younger sister, Lady Jean Ker, married Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres, who was a strong supporter of King James II.
John's parents were actually first cousins! His mother, Jane, was the daughter of Harry Ker. Harry's mother, Jean Drummond, was also his father's younger sister. This shows how closely related noble families often were back then.
John lived in a house called Golfer's Land, which was located on the Canongate street in Edinburgh. This house was not far from the main law courts in the city. John died in this house and was buried nearby at Holyrood Abbey. After Scotland and England joined together in 1707, Golfer's Land became less important and eventually fell into disrepair.
Becoming Lord Bellenden
John became the 2nd Lord Bellenden of Broughton after his distant cousin, William Bellenden, 1st Lord Bellenden, passed away in 1671. William had no sons to inherit his title. When John took over the title, he also took on the surname Bellenden. This was a common practice in noble families when inheriting a title from a different branch of the family.
Family and Children
On April 10, 1683, John Bellenden married Lady Mary Ramsay. She was a widow and was known as the Countess Dowager of Dalhousie. Lady Mary was the daughter of Henry Moore, 1st Earl of Drogheda. Before marrying John, she had been married to William Ramsay, 3rd Earl of Dalhousie.
John and Lady Mary had seven children together:
- John Bellenden, 3rd Lord Bellenden (1685–1740): He was the eldest son and inherited his father's title. He married Mary Parnell.
- Hon. Mary Drummond Bellenden (1685–1736): She was a special helper, called a maid-of-honour, to Princess Caroline of Wales in 1715. She later married John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll.
- Hon Robert Bellenden (born 1689): He never married.
- Lt. Col. William Bellenden (around 1702–1759): He was a military officer and married Jacomina Farmer.
- Hon. James Bellenden.
- Hon. Sir Henry Bellenden (died 1761): He was a governor of Hurst Castle and received a special honor, becoming a knight in 1749.
- Hon. Margaret Bellenden: She never married.
John Bellenden passed away in March 1707. His eldest son, John, then became the 3rd Lord Bellenden. After John's death, his widow, Lady Mary, married for a third time to Dr. Samuel Collins.
Later Generations
Through his eldest son, John, the family line continued. His grandsons included Ker Bellenden, 4th Lord Bellenden and Robert Bellenden, 6th Lord Bellenden.
Through his son William, John Bellenden was the grandfather of William Bellenden (1728–1805). This William later became the 7th Lord Bellenden in 1797 and then the 4th Duke of Roxburghe in 1804. When William died in 1805, the title of Lord Bellenden of Broughton came to an end.
Through his daughter Mary, John Bellenden was the grandfather of several notable children, including Field Marshal John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll (1723–1806).
