Dalserf - Birnie Brown(e)

[whiteout7]

"The son, John Birnie, styled of Birnie, married Jean, daughter of James Hamilton of Broomhill, Bishop of Galloway, second son of Sir James Hamilton of Broomhill, baronet, a younger brother of Lord Belhaven, from whom the bishop seems to have acquired the lands of Broomhill.

The bishop had two sons, both of whom died without issue, and the estate of Broomhill, came into possession of his daughter Jean above mentioned, through whose right it devolved upon the Birnies. She was succeeded by her eldest son, John Birnie of Broomhill."

AND

"The estate of Broomhill, which is in the parish of Dalserf, Lanarkshire, remained in possession of the Birnies till about 1825, when, from the death of the last direct descendant, a lady, the estate was sold by her heirs to James Bruce, Esq., a native of the parish, who had returned from India, with a fortune."
https://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/birnie.htm

So you have a John Birnie marrying a Jean Hamilton (doesn't that make them Hamiltons??), then the land that Jean Hamilton inherited was passed on to her son John Birnie.

1728 has John Birnie SNR passing land the John Birnie JNR
https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95375127?mode=transcription

"Upon the 6th of June 1717, the aboue John Birnie married for the second tyme his before spoken off cussen, Margaret, only daughter of Mr Alexander Miln, one of the ministers of Glasgow, and Ann Hamilton ((Hamilton!!!)), youngest daughter to the also before James, Bishop of Galloway."


Margaret Birnie (nee Miln) died in 23d March 1729. "She dyed at Edinburgh, and left of ishue James,* born at Edinburgh, 10th August 1720."
https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95375175?mode=transcription

Just 43 years later
"1773 The King has been pleased to grant his Royal Licence and Autho-
rity to James Birnie of Broomhill, Esq. in the County of Lanark, and his Issue, to take and use
the Name, and bear the Arms of Hamilton, the same being first duly exemplified according to the
Laws of Arms, and recorded in the Heralds' Office."

I would be wary of assuming anything about this family of Birnie-Hamiltons?
A sister of James or John Birnee of Broomhill could have married to a Brown(e) could have been the heiress and this could be where Brown(e) surname came from too.

[garyhb]

thanks for the new information. Yes James Birnie's maternal side was a branch of the Hamilton's and he also married Margaret Hamilton heiress of Dalserf on 09 Sep 1753 in Midlothian. As his elder brother, Alexander owned Broomhill, ownership reverted to Alexander's daughter Katherine who married Samuel Mitchelson after James dies on 22 April 1796.

what i am struggling with is James 4 children.

Birnie Browne born about 1765 in Dalserf
James Hamilton born about 1768 died about 1798
Margaret Hamilton born about 1780 deceased by 1808
and Elizabeth Hamilton born about 1787 died 21 Feb 1808 married Robert Campbell on 24 May 1803 and had a child James Campbell Hamilton born 01 Nov 1807 died 16 Feb 1869 at Dalserf.

what i would like more information about Birnie Browne and his siblings above. ie assuming the Hamilton siblings are Margaret's but the dates dont seem to quite work.

i have all the information about his father but do not know where the Brown(e) comes into the picture.  The other children seem to be born late for someone who was married in 1753.

[camhenham]

Elizabeth is my 4th GGM she had 4 children with Col. Robert Cambell (Campbells of Glenfalloch)she died age 34. Robert the eldest died in 1855 but was not well enough to inherit. Jean and Kathrin twins born 1805 died In their late teens 1823/24. James the youngest 1807 married Mary Rorrison and had issue which carried the Campbell and Hamilton surname on by their eldest Daughter Mary who married Charles Henderson. Hence my user name CamHenHam as I am all three!

Elizabeth 1773 was one of 4 the others being Barbara 1771, James 1777 and Margaret 1779. Margaret I have as married to Col. Irving however it looks like he became a general from the parish survey of 1853. I have no record of children on any of these children other than Elizabeth hence I guess why her children inherited Dalserf and General Irving's  estate.
Back to Captain James Birnie who I have a picture of somewhere, I guess as a navy man with a young bride they decided to wait for children. Maybe he got bored of waiting and had an illegitimate child in 1760 hence Birnie Browne. Either way we know he prospered despite whatever family politics keeping them estranged.
Btw if anyone discovers more about the Gpeneral in Dalserf I would be interested.

[Lodger]

Hi Camhenham,

Would they have lived in Dalserf House? Do you have any photographs of it?

[camhenham]

Captain James apparently didn't like the idea of living so close to the village so built Milburn house to live in. There are pictures of Dalserf house on the internet archives inside and out before it was demolished. His Daughter lived there and later his Grandsons Robert Campbell and James Campbell Hamilton.

[garyhb]

Thank you camhenham.

That helps to clear it up. for your 4th GGM Elizabeth, the Scots Magazine of Mar 1, 1808 listed for Feb 21, at Edinburgh, in the 21st year of her age, deeply lamented by her family and friends, Mrs Elizabeth Campbell Hamilton, of Dalserf and Milnburn, wife of Robert Campbell Hamilton.

i guess they used the day (21st) also as her age hence my confusion about her age.

Birnie Browne also lived at Dalserf house as the Caledonian Mercury of 23 Oct 1790 under Game Duty for Lanark lists Birnie Browne, Esq. residing at Dalserf House.

James Birnie from the appendix of the book House of the Hamilton's
age 465 Captain James Birnie Hamilton of Broomhill, Dalserf & Milburn in 1796, excluding his eldest son Birnie Browne, formerly an officer in the Royal Scots Fusileers, and subsequently a wine merchant in Leith, who died at Morpeth in Northumberland, 1825, devised the two latter estates to his other children: 1st James Hamilton, Esq of Dalserf and Milburne, who died shortly after his father. 2ndly, To Margaret, who married Colonel Irving, and died without issue. 3d, Elizabeth, married to Colonel Campbell Hamilton, and died leaving four children, of whom two survive. The eldest son of the above-named Birnie Browne, so excluded, James Hamilton Browne, was however nominated in the entail after the afore-mentioned Elizabeth Hamilton and her issue. Birnie Browne married Grace Catherine Cresswell, first born twin-daughter, and co-heiress of John Cresswell, Esq of Cresswell-Hall in Northumberland, representative of that very ancient family.

The Broomhill property, according to a previous settlement, devolved on the demise of Captain James Birnie Hamilton, upon Mrs. Mitchelson (Katherine Birnie daughter of Alexander Birnie),  his niece, relict of Samuel Mitchelson, Esq of Clement, on of the principle Clerks of Session.

i was unware of Barbara and can only assume she died before James did.

thanks once again for this information! i am a descendant of James Hamilton Browne and James Birnie Hamilton through his son Birnie.

[sancti]

Caledonian Mercury 1809 mentions Birnie Brown, wine merchant, selling a dwelling house, cellars and small house in Coatfield Lane, Leith

[garyhb]

Thank you Sancti!

He does eventually move his family to Morpeth and dies in 1825.

[Skoosh]

 Folk of this name still about in Glasgow I think? 

Skoosh.