CLELAND, Alexander 'Cleland of Cleland', owner of Cleland estate ^{1 2}

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Alexander married Margaret HAMILTON, daughter of William HAMILTON 3rd of Wishaw and Anne.¹ (Margaret HAMILTON was baptised on 20 July 1662 in Edinburgh parish, Edinburgh, Scotland ³.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Alexander Cleland (46). - Son of James Cleland the younger, brother to Alexander of the 14th Generation. Selfstyled 'Cleland of Cleland,' and owner of Cleland Estate. This is probably the Alexander Cleland, 'pupil of the 4th Class,' in Glasgow College, in 1675. Grossart says of him : -

'In 1685 and also in 1689, Alexander Cleland of Cleland was one of the Commissioners of Supply. He was married to Margaret Hamilton, daughter of William Hamilton of Wishaw. This marriage must have taken place about 1680, as William Hamilton of Wishaw was married in 1660, and could not have a marriageable daughter much earlier than that date. The following curious corroborative document is here introduced for preservation : -

Edinr., Dec. 2nd, 1726.

'Pay to me, Margaret Hamilton, relict of the decesit Alexander Cleland of that ilk, or order at Muirhead's Coffee House in Edinburgh, betwixt and the tenth day of January next, nyne pounds four shillings and eleven pence halfpennie sterl., value received by you of me. ' Margaret Hamilton.

' To Gavin Hamilton, Purchaser of the estate of Cleland.'

' Accepts - Gavin Hamilton.'

Margaret Hamilton, or Lady Cleland as she was then called, was life-rented in part of Cleland estate, and long survived her husband, which may explain her connection with Gavin Hamilton at the above date.

Alexander, as I have already stated, was the last of the Clelands of Cleland. Finding himself deeply indebted to William Hamilton of Wishaw, Archibald Hamilton of Dalserf, advocate, and many other persons, he sold and disponed Cleland estate, in 1702, to William and Archibald Hamilton, for behoof of his creditors, and shortly after his death, or in 1711, it was sold by public roup, and purchased by Gavin Hamilton of Inverdovat for the sum of £29,185 5s. 8d. Scots money, being £2,432 sterling."

from Family of Cleland ¹