Sir Francis Hamilton, 1st Baronet, of Killock facts for kids

Sir Francis Hamilton, 1st Baronet, of Killock (1606–1673) was an important Irish landowner. He was also known as of Castle Hamilton and of Killeshandra. Sir Francis was a member of the Irish Parliament from 1640 to 1649 and again from 1661 to 1666.

Early Life and Family

Francis Hamilton was born in 1606. He was the oldest son of Claud Hamilton of Clonyn and his wife, Jane Lauder. His father, Claud, was the second son of Alexander Hamilton from Innerwick in Scotland. Francis was sometimes called "of Creichness" in Scotland and "of Clonyn" in County Cavan, Ireland. His mother, Jane, was the daughter of Robert Lauder from the Bass in Scotland.

The Ulster Plantation

The Ulster Plantation was a plan by the British government to settle Protestants from England and Scotland in the province of Ulster in Ireland. This happened in the early 1600s. The goal was to bring more people loyal to the British Crown to Ireland.

On June 23, 1610, Francis's grandfather, Alexander Hamilton, received a large piece of land. This land, about 2,000 acres, was called Clonyn or Tagleagh. It was located in a part of County Cavan called Tullaghchinko, which is now known as Tullyhunco. Alexander never visited this land. Instead, his son Claud, Francis's father, took control of it.

Becoming a Baronet

On September 29, 1628, Francis Hamilton was given the title of Baronet. A Baronet is a special title of honor, like a knight, but it can be passed down through the family. This title was given to him in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, which was a way for the King to raise money by selling titles.

First Marriage and Children

Around 1630, Sir Francis married Laetitia Coote. She was the daughter of Sir Charles Coote, 1st Baronet and Dorothea Cuffe.

Francis and Laetitia had at least one child:

• Sir Charles Hamilton, 2nd Baronet, of Castle Hamilton

Castle Hamilton Manor

In 1631, three areas of land – Clonkine, Carrotubber, and Clonyn – were combined. They formed a large estate called a manor. This manor was first named Castle Killagh, but it later became known as Castle Hamilton. These lands are now called Clonkeen, Corratober, and Clooneen. They are all in the Tullyhunco area of County Cavan. Castle Hamilton is located to the east of the village of Killeshandra.

Serving in Parliament

Sir Francis Hamilton was a member of the Irish Parliament twice. The Parliament was a group of people who helped make laws for Ireland.

• 1640–1649 Parliament: In 1640, he was elected to represent Jamestown Borough in County Leitrim.
• 1661–1666 Parliament: In 1661, he was elected again, this time to represent County Cavan.

Second Marriage

After 1658, Sir Francis married Elizabeth Barlow. This was her third marriage. Elizabeth was the daughter of Randolph Barlow, who was the Archbishop of Tuam (a high-ranking church leader). Elizabeth had first married William Hay, who died in 1635. Then she married Sir Francis Willoughby, who died in 1658.

Death and Successor

Sir Francis Hamilton died in 1673. After his death, his oldest son, Charles, became the 2nd Baronet.