Historic Earls and Earldoms of Scotland - Chapter VI - Earldom and Earls of Findlater, and Seafield

JAMES, FIFTH EARL OF FINDLATER AND SECOND EARL OF SEAFIELD—HIS FAMILY, MARRIAGE OF HIS DAUGHTER TO THE LAIRD OF GRANT—HIS DEATH—JAMES, SIXTH EARL—HIS EFFORTS TO INTRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS—HIS DEATH—JAMES, SEVENTH EARL—SIR LEWIS ALEXANDER GRANT — DEATH OF EARL JAMES—SUCCESSION OF SIR LEWIS ALEXANDER GRANT.

EARL James married Lady Elizabeth Hay, a daughter of Thomas, sixth Earl of Kinnoull, by whom he had a son and two daughters. His eldest daughter, Lady Margaret Ogilvie, married Sir Ludovick Grant of Grant, Bart., on the 31st of October, 1734. This was a very important marriage, and some details associated with it are quite in character. The marriage gave much satisfaction to the Earl of Findlater, who on the occasion wrote to the chief of the Grants thus:-

"The constant and uninterrupted friendship which has always been between our families, and the great esteem I justly have both for you and your son, makes the honour you do me of proposing a third alliance between our families most agreeable, and it is with great pleasure that I renew our ancient ties of relation and friendship." After the consummation of the marriage, the Earl again wrote :—"I have the pleasure to acquaint you that your son was married on Monday last. We made all possible despatch, because of his being obliged to be so soon in Edinburgh. . . I have great satisfaction in this alliance, because it strengthens and renews the ancient friendship which has constantly been between our families, and which the instructions of my father and grandfather had made habitual to me from my infancy. There is sincerely nothing I wish more heartily than the prosperity of your family, and that my daughter may have the happiness of contributing to it according to her duty. My wife and my son join with me in offering you their humble services, and I am, with the greatest truth and esteem, dear sir, your most faithful and obedient humble servant,

FINDLATER AND SEAFIELD."

On the same occasion the famous Lord Lovat, who was related to the Chiefs of Grant through marriage, wrote to Sir James Grant as follows :—.

"My Dear Sir James,—It is with inexpressible joy that I congratulate you on the marriage of your eldest son to the Earl of Findlater’s daughter, whom I believe is the best match in Scotland. She is a young lady not only beautiful in her person, but much more by her good sense and understanding, and by her sweet and even temper, which I hope will make him as happy as he was before, and I could not wish him better. He sent me an express to go and solemnise the infer at Castle Grant with the Earl and Countess of Findlater and his other friends; but my chariot-wheels being broke I could not go but on horseback, and that I durst not venture without the imminent danger of my life—which would be no service done him or to your family —which I am resolved to stand by while there is breath in me . . . I got here last night and my best friends of the Aird and Stratherick, and put on a very great bonfire on the castlehill, and there drank heartily to the bridegroom and bride and your health and my Lord Findlater’s, and, in short, to all the healths that we could think of that concerned the family of Grant, and then had a ball, and concluded with most of the gentlemen being dead drunk. We fired a random platoon at every health that was drank at the bonfire, where I stood an hour and a half, and drank my bottle without water—and while the bonfire was burning. I having sent my officers to the three parishes, all the country of the Aird and Great Barony of Beauly was, I am sure, better illuminated than London was on the 30th of October. . . . I. had at once in this country about 200 bonfires, which made as pretty a figure as ever I saw of fireworks. . . . After our earthly rejoicings we should all thank heaven for this happy event. May God bless them and give them a very numerous offspring, and may you see their grandchildren. . .
Yours against all quarrels,

LOVAT."

The descendants of this marriage eventually succeeded to the Earldom of Seafield.

Earl James died in 1764, and was succeeded by his only son, James, sixth Earl of Findlater and third Earl of Seafield. He was born in 1714, and completed his education by travelling abroad.

In 1761, when Lord Deskford, he was appointed Chancellor of the University and King’s College, Aberdeen, and held the office for nine years.

He was appointed one of the Commissioners of Custom in Scotland in 1754; he was one of the trustees for the improvement of manufactures and fisheries; and also a member of the Board of Commissioners for the management of the forfeited estates in Scotland. He directed his attention to the business of these boards with much energy and commendable assiduity. Through his efforts linen manufacture was introduced in Cullen in 1748, and in 1732 he established a bleachfield at Deskford.

His lordship made many efforts to introduce improved methods of agriculture on his estates in the lower district of Banffshire. Until the later part of the last and the first quarter of the present centuries there was no regular rotation of cropping, while all the agricultural implements and appliances in use were of a very primitive description. The Earl, while Lord Deskford, introduced the alternate method of cropping, and he was also among the first to introduce the culture of turnips.

He married Lady Mary Murray, a daughter of John, First Duke of Athole, by whom he had issue. Earl James died at Cullen House, on the 3rd of November, 1770, in his 56th year, and was succeeded by his only surviving child, James, Seventh Earl of Findlater and Fourth Earl of Seafield.

At Brussels, in 1779, he married Christina Teresa, a daughter of Joseph, Count Murray of Melgum, but had no issue.

On the 6th of September, 1787, Burns stayed a night in Cullen when on his Highland tour. On the 14th of December, 1788, Sir James Clark, Bart., M.D., was born in Cullen House, where his father was butler. He received the elements of education in the parish of Fordyce, and became a distinguished physician.

It appears that the Earl was on the best terms with his heir-apparent, Sir Lewis Alexander Grant, who, in the beginning of March, 1789, visited the Earl at Cullen House. On the occasion of the first appearance of Lewis at the Scottish Bar, in January, 1789, the Earl of Findlater wrote to Sir James Grant (Lewis’s father) thus:—"I cannot delay congratulating you on the brilliant appearance which Lewis has made on his entry to the Bar. Mr. Mackenzie wrote me wonders about it, and Mr. Davidson wrote me that nothing had ever been heard equal to it for wit, judgment, and eloquence . . . I thought it proper to write Lord Henderland, acknowledging my gratitude for the public commendations he had given of it . . ." The Earl in another letter says :—" I wrote my young friend not to go on as he had began, otherwise the vanity of belonging to him would prolong my life 20 years beyond its natural course."

Earl James died at Cullen House on the 5th of October, 1811, leaving no issue, and the titles of Earl of Findlater and Viscount of Seafield, which were limited to heirs-male then became extinct. But the titles of Earl of Seafield and Viscount Reidhaven, created by the patent of 1701, were not so restricted, and accordingly devolved with the whole of the family estates on Sir Lewis Alexander Grant of Grant, Bart, a grandson of Sir Ludovick Grant of Grant, and his wife, Lady Margaret Ogilvie. Thus Sir Lewis Alexander Grant became fifth Earl of Seafield, Viscount Reidhaven, and Lord Ogilvie of Deskford and Cullen, and assumed the surname of Ogilvie.

At this stage it is requisite to present a brief account of the Chiefs of Grant prior to their succession to the Earldom of Seafield. This will form the subject of a few sections.