Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

46 GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF
name, nor does it appear that Sir James himself ever went to Ireland ;
indeed, it is likely the arrangement was left mainly to his heir-apparent
William, but in 1614, in order to meet this purchase, and perhaps on
account of other debts besides, Sir James mortgaged the whole of the
Duntreath estate to his son-in-law, Sir William Graham of Braco, redeem-
able on the payment of 80,000 merks. In the course of the same year,
however, the mortgage was made over to Sir William Livingston of
Kilsyth, but not quite on the same terms, as some portions, for which
20,000 merks were paid, were alienated for ever. Happily the greater part
of this mortgage was paid off, and the Duntreath estate recovered sixteen
years after, in 1630, by Archibald, grandson of Sir James.
Sir James Edmonstone of Duntreath married first, Helen, daughter
of Sir James Stirling of Keir, by Jean, daughter of William Chisholm,
Bishop of Dumblane. The celebrated John Napier of Merchiston, inventor
of the Logarithms, married another daughter of Keir's. By this lady he
had—
First, William, his eldest son and heir. Second, Mary married, first,
John Cunningham of Cunninghamhead, in Ayrshire, by whom she had
several children ; and secondly, the Honourable Sir William Graham of
Braco, second son of John, third Earl of Montrose, and had issue. Third,
Marjory married Claude Hamilton of Cocknay, in the county of
Dumbarton, and had issue. Fourth, Helen married John Lennox of
Bransogle, in Lennox, and had issue.
Sir James married secondly, in 1585, Margaret, daughter to Sir John
Colquhoun of Luss, by Agnes, daughter of Robert Lord Boyd, by whom
he had one son, Robert, who died unmarried, and four daughters.
Elizabeth, married to James Edmonstone of Broich. Margaret, Agnes,
and Jean, unmarried.
Sir James died at an advanced age, in or about 161 8, and was
succeeded by his eldest son William. This gentleman, during his father's
lifetime, had been appointed one of the Justices or Commissioners, 1 with
many others of the nobility and gentry, for effectually repressing Jesuits
and seminary Priests, by an Act of the General Assembly, dated March 6th,
1589. He subsequently settled in Ireland, and built the house of Redhall.
1 Note 52, Appendix.