A Brief Word on Infant Mortality and Onomastics

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For those of us fortunate enough to have been born in this technological and scientific age the sheer extent of infant mortality in years gone by is immensely difficult if not impossible to comprehend at a human level and perhaps the best we can do to try to understand the scale of such tragedy is to study it to an extent that available records will allow. Of course, even what may be considered to be "complete" record sets may not tell the whole story as not every child either lived long enough to be baptised or was baptised in the first instance, and, therefore, any alternative record of their existence will be be confined to some form of family note or letter, or else an entry within a burial register. Those also not being produced at the time or else not preserved, we can only speculate as to the true statistics.

The many children of Sir Archibald Hamilton of Rosehall by both of his wives is perhaps a good example of infant mortality in the later half of the 17th century, and it will be noted that he was succeeded at his death by his eighth son, Sir James, at whose death without issue in 1750, his thirteenth and youngest son, Sir Hugh picked up succession as next heir male. Of those thirteen sons, only three survived beyond infancy. Of course, the above deficiencies in record considered, it is impossible to now ascertain if those twenty children for whom we do have notice constitute all of Sir Archibald's children but on a balance of probability, it is quite possible there were others who have gone unrecorded.

Within the context of a modern research perspective, a curious practice has become quite common and is often referred to as "onomastics". This proposes that the eldest son is named after the paternal grandfather; the eldest daughter after the maternal grandmother; the second son after the maternal grandfather and the second daughter after the paternal grandmother - if only the reality we are confronted with were so neat and tidy! The issue in such a methodology is that those adhering to it are reliant upon the information they have to hand to work with constituting the totality of evidence relating to the children of the person of interest. If not, and, for example, should an eldest son or sons die young without leaving any trace in record - as is often the case - the name of the next eldest known son for whom there is evidence may well not be that of its paternal grandfather, and thereby the "methodology" in question becomes flawed. The study of senior lines of descent within multiple families over a period extending to several hundred years proves that eldest sons often do not bare their grandfather's forename and without adequate evidence, we are left to speculate if that were a consequence of infant mortality or personal preference.

 

Sir Archibald Hamilton, 1st Baronet of Rosehall, was a younger son of James Hamilton of Barncleuch and is so-styled when apprenticed to Laurence Barnes, Merchant in Edinburgh, on 23 June 1647. [1] He was admitted to Burgess of Edinburgh in right of his Master on 29 February 1660 [2] and successfully traded as a Merchant in that city to such a degree that enabled him to purchase the lands of Rosehall and be created a Baronet on 10 April 1703, with remainder to his heirs male whatsoever. He d. in November 1709 [3] having m. firstly, at Edinburgh, on 24 October 1661, to Elizabeth Jarden [4] by whom he was father of,

  1. George Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 30 July 1665 and dsp.
  2. James Hamilton bap. at Edinburgh, on 21 April 1667 and d. before November 1682.
  3. Robert Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 26 July 1668 and dsp.
  4. Archibald Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 6 October 1670 and d. before August 1679.
  5. John Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 4 February 1674 and d. young.
  6. Marion Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 28 August 1663.
  7. Margaret Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 24 July 1664 and m. on 7 June 1693, to James Hamilton of Dalzeil. She d. on 22 March 1704 and had, with other issue ;

7a} Archibald Hamilton of Dalzeil and Rosehall, who was served heir to his half-uncle, Sir Hugh Hamilton, 3rd Baronet of Rosehall, in the lands of Rosehall on 5 October 1757.[5]

  1. Violet Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 5 October 1662 and m. at Edinburgh, on 20 October 1685, to Sir Robert Stewart, 1stBaronet of Tillicoultry,[6] (he survived her and m. secondly, on 25 August 1693, to Cecil, daughter of Robert Hamilton of Presmennan,[7] by whom he had further issue. He d. on 1 October 1710). She was buried in the Greyfriars, Edinburgh, on 1 February 1690,[8] having had issue.
  2. Elizabeth Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 29 August 1672.

He m. secondly, at Edinburgh, on 26 September 1678, to Bethia, daughter of Sir Patrick Murray of Deuchar,[9] (she was buried in the Greyfriars, Edinburgh, on 28 October 1694[10]), by whom he had further issue ;

  1. Patrick Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 8 August 1679 and dsp before 1709.
  2. Archibald Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 28 October 1681 and d. before November 1689.
  3. Sir James Hamilton, 2nd Baronet of Rosehall, bap. at Edinburgh, on 24 November 1682 and succeeding his father, he was served heir general to him on 19 January 1710.[11] He m. at Edinburgh, on 2 March 1707, to Frances, daughter of Alexander Stuart, 4th Lord Blantyre,[12] (she d. at Rosehall, on 3 December 1744[13]), and dsp at his house in Craven Street, on Thursday 15 March 1750.[14]
  4. William Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 18 January 1684 and dsp.
  5. Alexander Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 8 May 1685 and dsp.
  6. Archibald Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 1 November 1689 and became a Merchant in Edinburgh. He dsp in 1731.[15]
  7. Robert Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 13 January 1688 and dsp.
  8. Sir Hugh Hamilton, 3rd Baronet, (see below).
  9. Anna Murray, bap. at Edinburgh, on 3 October 1686.
  10. Elizabeth Hamilton, m. at Edinburgh, on 18 March 1703, to William Cunningham of Brownhill, Advocate,[16] (c/m 24 February 1703[17]), and d. on 1 March 1760.[18]
  11. Euphame Hamilton, bap. at Edinburgh, on 10 August 1680 and is named in the settling of the Rosehall estate following the death of her niece, Marion, in 1757.[19] She m. Charles Hamilton, at Garion.

Sir Hugh Hamilton, 3rd Baronet, b. on 14 June 1691 and succeeded his brother, Sir James, to whom he was served heir general on 14 July 1750.[20] He m. on 23 June 1750, to Margaret/Peggy, daughter of James Stirling, 10th of Keir,[21] (she survived him and d. at Edinburgh, on 20 October 1802), and d. at Rosehall, on Monday 29 August 1755 “after a lingering illness.”[22].

 

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[1] SRS – Register of Edinburgh Apprentices.

[2] SRS – Edinburgh Burgess Roll.

[3] Date of death narrated in the service of his son, James, as heir to him in 1710.

[4] OPR – Edinburgh.

[5] Services of Heirs.

[6] OPR – Edinburgh.

[7] OPR – Edinburgh.

[8] Greyfriars Burial register.

[9] OPR – Edinburgh.

[10] Greyfriars Burial register.

[11] Services of Heirs.

[12] OPR – Edinburgh.

[13] Scots Magazine, 1st December 1744 edition.

[14] Derby Mercury, 16th – 23rd March 1750 edition.

[15] Edinburgh Tests.

[16] OPR – Edinburgh.

[17] RH8/405.

[18] Scots Magazine, 1st February 1760 edition.

[19] GD6/2131.

[20] Services of Heirs.

[21] OPR – Edinburgh. See also: Caledonian Mercury, 31st July 1750 edition.

[22] Derby Mercury, 12th September 1755 edition.