Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

OF HAMILTON OF BROOMHILL. &J
Almernes, being a 10 pound land of old extent, in the Stewartrie of Kirkcud-
bright ; and upon the 22d of March, he purchased the lands of Broom-
hill and Floors from his aboue brother-in-law, John, at a tyme when
William Duke of Hamilton had more claims against that estate than it
was worth.
In the year 1693, he went from Edinburgh with his wyfe and sex
children to the house of Broomhill, no better than ruinous, tho' with
much mony and pains he repaired, and here he lived in good respect,
both with gentry and commons, judgeing themselves happie in his advyce,
till his death, which happened upon the 17th of May 1716, and in the
74th year of his age. Jean, his aboue spouse, dailie languishing, lived
but about seven moneths after, and dyed also at Broomhill of a sinking
of the spirits, the 11th of December 1716. She was eleven years younger
than her husband. They both lye in the church of Dalserf, and their
pictures, very well done by old Scougall, anno 1693, are in the family.
William, his second son, bred ane chirurgeon, and infirm, being dead
at Almernes, and Robert and James, the first a chirurgeon, also the other,
ane sea apprentice, being also dead in the Indies ; he left of ishue aliue
John, who succeeds him. Mr Alexander, ane advocat, who, anno
1720, went up to London, most opposite to his elder brother's will, to
that infamous South Sea work, broke, and there married, God knows
whom ; but no ishue.* His picture, done very well by Robert Lindsay,
wee haue, and that in pawnd of 25,000 merks of patrimonie giuen by his
father to him, which sume, by promise to his said father upon death bed,
he was to restore, in case of no children of his own body, back to the
familie.
Mr John left also one daughter, I sob el, married to George Muirhead
of Whytcastle, or Persielands ; also without ishue ; and she dyed 19th
January 1733.
• Can this be the individual alluded to in the Caledonian Mercury, June 28, 1722 ?
"John Howe, Esq. of Gloucester, died on the 10th past. He was first married to the Lady
Morgan, by whom he had issue John Howe, who succeeds him in his estate. He was afterwards
married to a sister of the late Lord Mohun, by whom he had one daughter, a lady of singular vir-
tue and sprightly wit, married to Birnie, Esq. one of the hon. Faculty of Advocates in
Scotland, and now entituled to a great fortune on her said father's decease."