DUFF, William Baron Braco of Kilbryde, 1st Earl Fife ^{1 2}

   User ID: M846.

  General Notes:

Of William Duff, James Moreira, editor of The Glenbuchat Ballads, writes in his introduction to his book:

"Titles held by the Duffs were not ancient. William Duff was named Lord Braco in 1735. In 1759 he was given the Irish title, Earl Fife, and his son was elevated to the British peerage as Baron Fife in 1790. Officially, he was Earl Fife of Braco and Dipple, and 'Earl Fife' is the correct form of address...Contemporary writings, however, including letters written by Duff House staff, invariably refer to him as the 'Earl of Fife.'"

Elsewhere in the Introduction the editor noted that Rothiemay was the seat of Earl Fife in his later years. One of his nephews was the parish minister. The family set up the Braco Burse, a bursary or scholarship at King's College, Aberdeen, for indigent students.

William Duff, Lord Braco, purchased the Glenbuchat estate from the Jacobite laird, John Gordon, in 1737-1738, and his family continued to own it for more than a century. Duff supported the government forces against the Jacobites in 1745. Glenbuchat estate was but one portion of a large fortune in land that the Duff family acquired over the years.

William Duff lived at Braco, in Grange parish, Banffshire, Scotland.

from Glenbuchat Ballads





"William Duff, first Earl Fife, who had sasine in the lands of Birkenburn, March 26, 1745"

from Birkenburn ²

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Built: Castle of Balvenie, About 1724.

2. MP: for Banffshire, 1727 to 1734. He was a Whig MP.

3. Created a baronet: Baron Braco of Kilbryde, County Cavan, Ireland, 28 July 1735.

4. Built: Duff House, 1740-1745.

5. Created: 1st Viscount MacDuff (Ireland), 26 April 1759.

6. Created: 1st Earl Fife (Ireland), 26 April 1759.

William had a relationship with someone.

William next married Janet OGILVY, daughter of Sir James OGILVY 4th Earl of Findlater, 1st Earl of Seafield and Anne DUNBAR, on 19 September 1719 in Cullen parish, Banffshire, Scotland.¹ (Janet OGILVY was baptised on 30 June 1696 in Cullen parish, Banffshire, Scotland,³ died in 1722 ⁴ and was buried in 1722 in Banff, Banffshire, Scotland ⁴.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Janet, married .... secondly, in 1719, to William Duff of Braco, afterwards Earl Fife s. p."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4)



"DUFF
WILLIAM
JANNET OGILVIE/
19/09/1719
150/ 20 426
Cullen"

from Index of Marriages ¹

William next married Jean GRANT, daughter of Sir James GRANT 6th Baronet Colquhoun of Luss and Anne COLQUHOUN Lady Luss, in 1723. (Jean GRANT was born on 28 September 1705 in Edinglarrie, Scotland and died on 16 January 1788 in Rothiemay parish, Banffshire, Scotland.)

  Marriage Notes:

William Duff and Jean Grant had fourteen children between 1728 and 1745.