Biography of William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry 1637-1695

Before 4th June 1630 [his father] James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry [aged 8] and Mary Hamilton were married. She the daughter of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton and Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton [aged 45]. He the son of [his grandfather] William Douglas 1st Earl Queensberry [aged 48] and [his grandmother] Isabel Kerr Countess Queensberry. They were half fourth cousins.

On 26th March 1635 [his father] James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry [aged 13] and [his mother] Margaret Stewart Countess Queensberry were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] John Stewart 1st Earl Traquair [aged 35] and [his grandmother] Catherine Carnegie Countess Traquair [aged 35]. He the son of William Douglas 1st Earl Queensberry [aged 53] and Isabel Kerr Countess Queensberry. They were third cousin once removed.

In 1637 William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry was born to James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry [aged 14] and Margaret Stewart Countess Queensberry.

On 8th March 1640 [his grandfather] William Douglas 1st Earl Queensberry [aged 58] died. His son [his father] James [aged 18] succeeded 2nd Earl Queensberry, 2nd Viscount Drumlanrig, 2nd Lord Douglas Hawick. [his mother] Margaret Stewart Countess Queensberry by marriage Countess Queensberry.

In 1657 William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 20] and Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry [aged 14] were married. She the daughter of William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas [aged 68] and Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas [aged 57]. He the son of James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry [aged 34] and Margaret Stewart Countess Queensberry. They were fourth cousins.

On 18th December 1662 [his son] James Douglas 2nd Duke Queensberry was born to William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 25] and [his wife] Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry [aged 20]. He married before 1696 Mary Boyle Duchess Queensbury, daughter of Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford and Jane Seymour, and had issue.

On 25th March 1669 Robert Maxwell 4th Earl Nithsdale [aged 41] and [his sister-in-law] Lucy Douglas Countess Nithsdale [aged 25] were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas and [his mother-in-law] Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas [aged 69]. He the son of John Maxwell 3rd Earl Nithsdale [aged 64]. They were fourth cousins.

In April 1670 [his son] William Douglas 1st Earl March was born to William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 33] and [his wife] Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry [aged 28]. He married before 1st August 1696 his fourth cousin Jean Hay Countess March, daughter of John Hay 1st Marquess Tweeddale and Jean Scott Marchioness Tweddale, and had issue.

In 1671 [his father] James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry [aged 48] died.

In 1675 [his brother-in-law] George Douglas 1st Earl Dumbarton [aged 40] was created 1st Earl Dumbarton.

On 21st September 1676 Robert Grierson 1st Baronet [aged 21] and Henrietta Douglas Lady Grierson [aged 19] were married at Drumlanrig Castle [Map] or Sanquhar Castle [Map]. She the sister of William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 39]. She the daughter of James Douglas 2nd Earl Queensberry and Margaret Stewart Countess Queensberry.

Before 29th June 1677 John Maxwell 3rd Earl Nithsdale [aged 72] died. His son Robert [aged 49] succeeded 4th Earl Nithsdale, 13th Lord Maxwell. [his sister-in-law] Lucy Douglas Countess Nithsdale [aged 33] by marriage Countess Nithsdale.

On 3rd November 1684 William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 47] was created 1st Duke Queensberry. [his wife] Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry [aged 42] by marriage Countess Queensberry.

John Evelyn's Diary. 10th May 1685. The Scots valueing themselves exceedingly to have ben ye first Parliament call'd by his Ma* [aged 51], gave the Excise and Costomes to him and his successors for ever; yfc D. of Queensberry [aged 48] making eloquent speeches, and especialy minding them of a speedy suppression of those late despe rate Field-Conventiclers who had done such unheard-of assassinations. In the meane time elections for the ensueing Parliament in England were thought to be very indirectly carried on in most places. God grant a better issue of it than some expect!

In or before 1687 [his brother-in-law] George Douglas 1st Earl Dumbarton [aged 51] and Anne Wheatley were married. He the son of [his father-in-law] William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas and [his mother-in-law] Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas.

On 2nd December 1691 [his wife] Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry [aged 49] died.

In 1695 William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry [aged 58] died. His son James [aged 32] succeeded 2nd Duke Queensberry.

[his daughter] Anne Douglas was born to William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry and Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry. She married 13th August 1697 her third cousin once removed David Wemyss 4th Earl of Wemyss, son of James Wemyss 1st Lord Burntisland and Margaret Wemyss Countess Cromartie 3rd Countess Wemyss, and had issue.

[his son] William Douglas was born to William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry and Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry.

[his son] George Douglas was born to William Douglas 1st Duke Queensberry and Isabel Douglas Countess Queensberry.