Notes |
- (Note: Previously shown as daughter of John (of Carnwath) 2nd LordSomerville. The Scotts Peerage (p 332) says she was "daughter of John,third Lord Somerville of Carnwath" as does Burke's Peerage (106th Ed., p104) but that father does seem imposssible as Doug Hickling & Mr MacEwenpoint out below. Her husband dying Bef. March 1439/40 but John, the 2ndLord of Carnwath marrying firstly in July 10, 1446 and again in March1455/56, and The Complete Peerage shows John, the 3rd Lord, was born in1482 and DSP (Died with out children).
"...you show that Elizabeth Somerville, the mother of Colin (1st Earl ofArgyll) Campbell, was a daughter of John (of Carnwath) 2nd LordSomerville. There is ample evidence, much of it chronological, thatElizabeth's father was Thomas (of Linton and Carnwath) Somerville, whowas frequently called the first Lord Somerville in error. This ThomasSomerville was the grandfather of John, 2nd Lord Somerville.
Archibald/Celestin Campbell, Elizabeth's husband, died "probably before1439," according to SP 9:18. CP 1:198 says that Archibald died betweenApril 1431 and March 1440. As I explain above under part 1, ColinCampbell, the future 1st Earl of Argyll, seems to have been born about1433 as he was about 20 when he succeeded his grandfather in 1453, so hismarriage to Elizabeth must have occurred by 1432. John, 2nd LordSomerville married for the first time on 10 July 1446 (SP 8:12, CP 12,pt. 1:94), So he could not possibly have been Elizabeth's father,
having first married at least fourteen years after Elizabeth's marriageto Archibald Campbell, and long after Archibald's death.
William, 1st Lord Somerville, John's father, was born in or before 1400and was first married in 1428 or 1429 (CP 12, pt. 1:92-93),no more thanthree years before Elizabeth married
Archibald, so he could not have been Elizabeth's father, being ageneration too old. This leaves Sir Thomas Somerville, father ofWilliam, 1st Lord Somerville, as Elizabeth Somerville's probable father.Thomas Somerville was born about 1370 and married (1) Janet Stewartbefore July 1391, and (2) Elizabeth Keith, pursuant to a dispensationdated 2 November 1411. (SP 8: 7-9) Thomas's and Elizabeth's marriagelasted for 25 years, ending with her death in 1436.
The highly respected Andrew B. W. MacEwen, in his article, "The FamilyConnections of Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath," appearing in THEGENEALOGIST, Fall 1982, vol. 3, No. 2, at 131, states in note 77, at 151,that Elizabeth Somerville was the daughter of Thomas Somerville ofCarnwath, not John, Lord Somerville. MacEwen's assertion is based inpart upon the fact that Thomas Somerville of Carnwath witnessed anindenture, dated 9 July 1432, under which Sir John Scrymgeour and SirDuncan Campbell of Lochow, with the consent of the latter's son and heir,Gillaspy (Archibald), exchanged Sir Duncan's lands of Menstry for SirJohn's lands of Glassarie. This indenture is found, at 165, in vol. 2 ofHIGHLAND PAPERS (Scottish History Society Publications, 2nd series) vol.12 (1916). At 169, note 1, the editor, J. R. N. Macphail, referring toThomas Somerville's participation as a witness, commented that "ArchibaldRoy [the son of Sir Duncan] seems to have been married to his daughter."
"I pointed out above that Elizabeth Somerville must have marriedArchibald Campbell by 1432, so Elizabeth must have been born no laterthan 1416. Of course, Elizabeth and Archibald could have been marriedearlier than 1432 or Elizabeth could have been somewhat older than 16when she married. Elizabeth Keith seems to be the most likely mother ofElizabeth Somerville. Elizabeth Keith was married to Thomas Somervillefrom at least 1411 to about 1436 and they may have married earlier.Further, the first daughters of a marriage were frequently named aftertheir mothers, although the more usual practice was to name the firstdaughter after the maternal grandmother, while the third daughter tookher mother's name."
Douglas Hickling
Dhhic@comcast.com
516 Blair Avenue
Piedmont CA 94611
(August 2003)
SP = Scots Peerage
CP = The Complete Peerage by G E Cokyane
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