Sir William Gordon, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir William Gordon, 1st Baronet (who passed away in 1742), was an important Scottish politician. He served in the British Parliament, known as the House of Commons, for many years between 1708 and 1742. He was also given the special title of Baronet.
Early Life and Family
William Gordon was the oldest son of Sir Adam Gordon of Dalpholly. His mother was Anne Urquhart. When his father passed away in 1700, William took over the family's lands. By 1702, he had also bought another estate called Inverbreakie. He renamed this new estate Invergordon, which is a town in Scotland today.
In 1704, William Gordon was given the title of Baronet. This is a special hereditary title, like a knight, but it can be passed down through the family.
Sir William Gordon was married twice. His first wife was a daughter of Sir William Henderson. They did not have any children. On March 19, 1704, he married his second wife, Isabel Hamilton. She was the daughter of Sir John Hamilton.
Starting in Politics
Sir William Gordon became an important citizen in Glasgow in 1704 and in Edinburgh in 1708. These were important steps for someone wanting to be a politician.
In the 1708 general election, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sutherland. An MP is someone elected to represent their area in the House of Commons. He was elected again in 1710.
By 1713, Sir William faced some difficulties. Because of these challenges, the powerful Sutherland family, who had a lot of influence in the area, decided to support a different candidate for the next election. So, Sir William had to step aside. However, the other candidate chose to represent a different area. This allowed Sir William to be elected again in a special by-election on May 7, 1714.
A Long Political Career
Sir William Gordon was re-elected without opposition for Sutherland in 1715. That same year, he was also appointed as a Commissioner for stating army debts. This meant he helped manage money matters for the army, a role he held until 1720.
Around 1717, he became the Sheriff of Ross, a position he kept until 1725. He was elected MP for Sutherland again in the 1722 general election. However, in 1727, he once more had to step aside for another candidate supported by the Sutherland family.
He tried to be elected for Sutherland again in 1734 but was not successful. In the 1741 general election, he finally became an MP again, this time for Cromartyshire. He got this position with help from the 3rd Earl of Cromarty, who had married Sir William's daughter, Isabella. She was sometimes called 'Bonnie Bell Gordon'.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir William Gordon's wife, Isabel, passed away in 1740. Sir William himself died in Chelsea on June 9, 1742.
He had four sons and five daughters. His oldest son, John, took over his estate and the Baronet title. John also became an MP for the same area, continuing his father's political legacy.
