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Cassillis, Earl of (S, 1509)

Creation: let. pat. 24 Oct 1509

Family name: Kennedy

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Arms:

See Marquess of Ailsa

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David [Kennedy], 3rd Lord Kennedy later 1st Earl of Cassillis, PC

1st son and heir of John [Kennedy], 2nd Lord Kennedy, by his first wife Elizabeth Montgomery, 2nd dau. of Alexander [Montgomery], 1st Lord Montgomery

born

mar. (1)

bef. Jul 1489 Agnes Borthwick, 1st dau. of William [Borthwick], 3rd Lord Borthwick

children by first wife

1. Hon Gilbert Kennedy, later 2nd Earl of Cassillis

mar. (2)

c. 9 Aug 1509 Lady Margaret Forbes (widow of Alexander [Forbes], 4th Lord Forbes;  dsp. aft. 9 Feb 1515/6), only dau. of Thomas [Boyd], 1st Earl of Arran, by his wife the Princess Mary, 1st dau. of James II, King of Scotland

died

9 Sep 1513 at the Battle of Flodden

created

24 Oct 1509 Earl of Cassillis

suc. by

son by first wife

note

knighted 1487/8;  suc. his father bef. 23 May 1509 as 3rd Lord Kennedy;  Privy Councillor to King James IV

Gilbert [Kennedy], 2nd Earl of Cassillis, PC

born

mar.

his second cousin Lady Isabel Campbell, 2nd dau. of Archibald [Campbell], 2nd Earl of Argyll, by his wife Lady Elizabeth Stuart, 1st dau. of John [Stuart], 1st or 10th Earl of Lennox, by his wife Margaret Montgomerie, 1st dau. of Alexander [Montgomerie], 1st Lord Montgomerie

children

1. Hon Gilbert Kennedy, later 3rd Earl of Cassillis

died

24/30 Aug 1527

suc. by

son

note

Privy Councillor to King James V

Gilbert [Kennedy], 3rd Earl of Cassillis

born

1515

mar.

1540 Margaret Wallace (widow of William Wallace of Craigie;  d. aft. 12 Jan 1596/7), dau. of Alexander Kennedy of Bargeny

children

1. Hon Gilbert Kennedy, later 4th Earl of Cassillis

2. Hon Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean (d. 11 May 1602), mar. bef. 28 Apr 1579 as her second husband Elizabeth Makgill (mar. (3) 4 Apr 1605 William Mew of Rowallan; d. Jan 1622), dau. of David Makgill of Nesbit and Cranston-Riddell, and had issue:

1a. Sir Alexander Kennedy of Culzean (d. Sep 1652), mar. Agnes Kennedy, dau. of Thomas Kennedy of Ardmillian, and had issue:

1b. John Kennedy of Culzean (d. 1665), mar. (1) Anne Blair (dsp. 16...), dau. of John Blair of Blair, and (2) 1653 Hon Margaret Hamilton (mar. (2) 1667 Sir David Ogilvy of Clova, 1st dau. of John [Hamilton], 1st Lord Bargany, by his wife Lady Jean Douglas, 2nd dau. by his first wife of William [Douglas], 1st Marquess of Douglas, and had issue:

1c. Sir Archibald Kennedy of Culzean, 1st Bt. (d. 12 Mar 1711), mar. Hon Elizabeth Leslie, 1st dau. of David [Leslie], 1st Lord Newark, by his wife Jane Yorke, 3rd dau. by his first wife of Sir John Yorke, of Gowthwaite, co. York, and had issue:

1d. Sir John Kennedy of Culzean, 2nd Bt. (d. bef. 28 Jan 1743), mar. 15 Mar 1705 Jean Douglas, dau. of Capt Andrew Douglas of Mains, and had issue:

1e. Sir John Kennedy of Culzean, 3rd Bt. (d. 10 Apr 1744)

2e. Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean, 4th Bt., later 9th Earl of Cassillis

3e. David Kennedy, later 10th Earl of Cassillis

1e. Anne Kennedy, mar. John Blair of Dunskey, and had issue

2b. Alexander Kennedy of Craigoch and Kilhenzie (d. c. 1698), mar. (1) ........, and had issue:

1c. ..... Kennedy, mar. David Kennedy of Drumellan, and had issue

Alexander Kennedy mar. (2) 14 Dec 1683 Anna Crawford, dau. of William Crawford of Auchenames, and had further issue:

1c. Archibald Kennedy, Receiver-General and Collector of Customs of New York (d. 14 Jun 1763), mar. (1) ..... Massam, and (2) Dec 1736 Maria Walter Schuyler, widow of Arent Schuyler, and had issue by his first wife:

1d. Archibald Kennedy, later 11th Earl of Cassillis

1. Lady Jean Kennedy (d. Sep 1598), mar. c. 14 Dec 1561 Robert [Stewart], 1st Earl of Orkney, and had issue

died

28 Nov 1558

suc. by

son

note

an Extraordinary Lord of Session 1546-58;  Lord High Treasurer of Scotland 1554-58

Gilbert [Kennedy], 4th Earl of Cassillis, PC

born

c. 1541

mar.

30 Sep 1566 Hon Margaret Lyon (mar. (2) after 30 Dec 1577 her second cousin John [Hamilton], 1st Marquess of Hamilton;  d. 1626), only dau. of John [Lyon], 7th Lord Glamis, by his wife Lady Janet Keith, sister of William [Keith], 3rd Earl Marischal, and 2nd dau. of Hon Robert Keith, styled Lord Keith (by his wife Lady Elizabeth Douglas, 1st dau. of John [Douglas], 2nd Earl of Morton), 1st son and heir ap. of William [Keith], 2nd Earl Marischal

children

1. Hon John Kennedy, later 5th Earl of Cassillis

2. Hon Hew Kennedy, Master of Cassillis (d. bef. 25 Mar 1607), mar. 2 Sep 1600 Katherine Macdowell (mar. (2) bef. 16 May 1622 as his first wife James [Stewart], 1st Lord Ochiltree; d. bef. 25 Mar 1607), dau. of Uchtred Macdowell of Garthland, and had issue:

1a. John Kennedy, later 6th Earl of Cassillis

2a. Gilbert Kennedy (d. aft. 1632)

1a. Jean Kennedy, mar. William Stewart, of Carragar, co. Tyrone (d. after 9 Apr 1665)

died

14 Dec 1576

suc. by

son

note

Privy Councillor to Queen Mary 1562

John [Kennedy], 5th Earl of Cassillis

born

1575

mar.

4 Nov 1597 Hon Jean Maitland (widow of John [Maitland], 1st Lord Maitland;  d. 23 Jun 1609), only dau. and hrss. of James [Fleming], 4th Lord Fleming, by his wife Lady Barbara Gordon, widow of Hon Alexander Gordon, styled Lord Gordon, and 1st dau. of James [Hamilton], 2nd Earl of Arran

died

s.p. 14 Nov 1615

suc. by

nephew

note

Lord High Treasurer of Scotland 1598/9-99

John [Kennedy], 6th Earl of Cassillis, PC

born

mar. (1)

Jan 1621/2 Lady Jean Hamilton (b. 5 Feb 1607; d. 15 Dec 1642), 3rd surv. dau. of Thomas [Hamilton], 1st Earl of Haddington, by his second wife Margaret Foulis, dau. of James Foulis, of Colinton, co. Edinburgh

children by first wife

1. Hon James Kennedy, Master of Cassillis (dvp. betw. 29 Sep 1642 and 7 Feb 1662/3)

1. Lady ..... Kennedy

2. Lady Catherine Kennedy (bur. 15 Feb 1653), mar. 1653 Hon William Cochrane, styled Lord Cochrane (dvp. 25 Aug 1679), 1st son and heir ap. of William [Cochrane], 1st Earl of Dundonald, by his wife Eupheme Scott, dau. of Sir William Scott of Ardross, and had issue

mar. (2)

15 Mar 1644 Lady Margaret Ker (widow of Hon Harry Ker, styled Lord Ker, only child of Robert [Ker], 1st Earl of Roxburghe, by his second wife Hon Jean Drummond, 3rd dau. by his first wife of Patrick [Drummond], 3rd Lord Drummond; bur. 22 Apr 1695), sister and sole hrss. of Gilbert [Hay], 11th Earl of Erroll, and only dau. of William [Hay], 10th Earl of Erroll, by his wife Lady Anne Lyon, 1st dau. of Patrick [Lyon], 1st Earl of Kinghorne

children by second wife

2. Hon John Kennedy, later 7th Earl of Cassillis

died

Apr 1668

suc. by

son by second wife

note

Lord Justice-General of Scotland and an Extraordinary Lord of Session 1649-51;  Privy Councillor [S] 1660/1;  an Extraordinary Lord of Session 1661-62

John [Kennedy], 7th Earl of Cassillis, PC

born

mar. (1)

26 Dec 1668 Lady Susan Hamilton, 2nd dau. and cohrss. of James [Hamilton], 1st Duke of Hamilton, by his wife Lady Mary Feilding, 1st dau. of William [Feilding], 1st Earl of Denbigh

children by first wife

1. Hon John Kennedy, styled Lord Kennedy (dvp. 1700), mar. 18 Jun 1697 Elizabeth Hutchinson (mar. (2) 22 Mar 1701 as his second wife John [Hamilton], 1st Earl of Ruglen, later 3rd Earl of Selkirk; d. 10 Mar 1734), dau. of Charles Hutchinson MP, of Owthorpe, co. Nottingham, by his wife Isabella Boteler, dau. and cohrss. of Sir Francis Boteler, of Hatfield Woodhall, co. Hertford, and had issue:

1a. Hon John Kenendy, later 8th Earl of Cassillis

1. Lady Ann Kennedy (bur. 24 Feb 1699/1700), mar. 21 Jun 1694 as his first wife her cousin John [Hamilton], 1st Earl of Ruglen, later 3rd Earl of Selkirk, and had issue

mar. (2)

27 Feb 1697/8 Mary Fox (d. 12 Sep 1746), dau. of John Fox, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, by his wife Mary Weld, dau. of Thomas Weld, of Richmond, co. Surrey

children by second wife

2. Hon James Kennedy (dsp. bef. 1759)

2. Lady Elizabeth Kennedy

3. Lady Mary Kennedy

died

23 Jul 1701

suc. by

grandson

note

Privy Councillor [S] 1689;  a Lord of the Scottish Treasury 1689-95

John [Kennedy], 8th Earl of Cassillis

born

Apr 1700

mar.

6 Oct 1738 his cousin Lady Susan Hamilton (b. 1 Nov 1699; d. 8 Feb 1763), 2nd dau. and cohrss. of John [Hamilton], 1st Earl of Ruglen, later 3rd Earl of Selkirk, by his first wife Lady Anne Kennedy, dau. by his first wife of John [Kennedy], 7th Earl of Cassillis

died

s.p. 8 Aug 1759

suc. by

fifth cousin and heir male

note

Governor of Dumbarton Castle 1737-59;  on 29 Mar 1759 executed (unknown to his wife) a strict entail of the estate of Cassillis in favour of his distant cousins and heirs male

"From 1759 to 1762 the titles and estates were in dispute between the heir male and the heir general.  The latter, William [Douglas], Earl of Ruglen and March later Duke of Queensberry, was son and heir of William [Douglas], Earl of March, by his wife Anne [Hamilton], suo jure Countess of Ruglen, 1st dau. and heir of line of John [Hamilton], Earl of Selkirk and Ruglen, by his first wife Lady Anne Kennedy, the only daughter that had issue of John [Kennedy], 7th Earl of Cassillis.  He claimed the estates under an entail of 5 Sep 1698, which he contended could not be set aside by the entail of 1759.  The entail of 1759 was however upheld, though by a narrow majority, in the Court of Session, and confirmed, on appeal, by the House of Lords.  He then, under the designation of "William, Earl of Cassillis, Ruglen and March" claimed "the titles and honours of Earl of Cassillis and Lord Kennedy," on the ground of certain charters of 24 Apr 1641 and 29 Sep 1642.  Sir Thomas Kennedy, Bart., claimed the said titles as heir male, and the two petitions having been laid before the House of Lords, it was adjudged, 27 Jan 1762, that the latter had a right "to the honour and dignity of Earl of Cassillis as heir male of the body of David, the 1st Earl of Cassillis, and [to that] of Lord Kennedy as heir male of the body of Gilbert, the 1st Lord Kennedy.""

The Complete Peerage, vol. III, pp. 78-79

Thomas [Kennedy], 9th Earl of Cassillis

born

died

30 Nov 1775

suc. by

brother

note

suc. his elder brother 10 Apr 1744 as 4th Baronet of Culzean;  a Representative Peer 1774-75

David [Kennedy], 10th Earl of Cassillis

born

died

18 Dec 1792

suc. by

second cousin once removed and heir male

note

Member of Parliament for Ayrshire 1768-74;  a Representative Peer 1776-90;  on 2 Feb 1790 he entailed the estates of both Cassillis and of Culzean on the heirs male of the family;  on his death the Baronetcy of Culzean (cr. 1682) became extinct

Archibald [Kennedy], 11th Earl of Cassillis

born

mar. (1)

bef. Jun 1765 Katherine Schuyler (dsp. bef. 21 Jun 1768), only dau. and hrss. of Peter Schuyler, of New Jersey, by his wife Hester Walter, only dau. of John Walter

mar. (2)

27 Apr 1769 his first wife's cousin Anne Watts (d. 29 Dec 1793), dau. of John Watts, of New York, by his wife, a sister of Governor de Lancy

children by second wife

1. Hon Archibald Kennedy, later 12th Earl of Cassillis later 1st Marquess of Ailsa

2. Hon John Kennedy (b. 1771; dsp. 7 Aug 1859), mar. 1800 Charlotte Gill (d. 27 May 1846), dau. of Lawrence Gill

3. Hon Robert Kennedy (b. 1773 ; d. 15 Nov 1843), mar. Jane Macomb, sister of Gen Alex Macomb, US Army, and had issue

died

30 Dec 1794

suc. by

son by second wife

note

Captain in the Royal Navy 1757

Archibald [Kennedy], 12th Earl of Cassillis later 1st Marquess of Ailsa, KT

created

12 Nov 1806 Baron Ailsa, of Ailsa in the County of Ayr

10 Sep 1831 Marquess of Ailsa

The Earldom of Cassillis has been held by the Marquesses of Ailsa since 10 Sep 1831.

 Last updated 5 Aug 2003

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