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Kay's Originals Vol. 1

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204 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. heirs, extended it first to the female line, and then vested in him the power of nomination. Of this power he availed himself, having a short time before his death nominated Sir John Hay of Killour-the immediate ancestor of the present Earl-his successor ; and of course, under that character, he held it by an undoubted right. The Lord Chancellor concluded by moving, “That the Earl of Errol is duly elected,” which motion passed unanimously. He died, after several months’ illness, at London, on the 14th June 179s.’ His lordship married at Portpatrick, in 1790, Miss Blake, daughter of Joseph Blake of Ardfiy, county of Galway, in Ireland ; but leaving no issue by her, the iitle devolved on his brother. The Earl did not long enjoy his seat. The other noble friend represented in the Print, is the Right Honourable LORD HADDO, eldest son of the third Earl of Aberdeen, and brother to Lord Rockville, noticed in an early part of this work. He married, in 1782, Charlotte, youngest daughter of William Baird, Esq. of Newbyth, Haddingtonshire, and sister of the late gallant Sir David Baird, Bart. and K.B. Lord Haddo was a young nobleman of considerable public spirit, and much esteemed by the citizens of Edinburgh. He was Grand Master Mason of Scotland in 1783 and the two following years, and presided at the meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1785, when the charter was granted for the institution of the “ Lodge of the Roman Eagle,” formerly alluded to in our sketch of Dr. Brown. His name is also associated with one of the most important improvements in Edinburgh, he having the same year laid the foundation-stone of the South Bridge. The masonic display on this occasion was very splendid-upwards of eight hundred of the brethren walked in procession. The Grand Master was supported on the right by the Duke of Buccleuch, and on the left by the Earl of Balcarras. In the evening the Grand Lodge and a number of the nobility and gentry were invited by the Lord Provost to an elegant entertainment in Dunn’s Assembly-room. Lord Haddo was cut off in the prime of life, in consequence of a fall from his horse. His lady did not long survive him: she died on the 8th October 1795. Their eldest son, George, succeeded to the earldom on the death of his grandfather in 1801 ; the second, William, entered the navy-he is presently M.P. for Aberdeenshire ; the third, Alexander Gordon, was a lieutenant in the 3d Regiment of Foot Guards. He was aide-de-camp t.0 his uncle, Sir David Baird, at the taking of the Cape of Good Hope, Buenos Ayres, and Copenhagen-and in the Spanish expedition in 1808. He was sent home with the despatches respecting the battle of Corunna, Lord Haddo left three other sons and one daughter. He died at Formartine, on the 2d October 1791. 1 His lordship accompanied the expedition undertaken against Ostend the year previous. He was then labouring under the disease which terminated his existence, and was subject to occasional attacks of delirium. In this state of mind he is said to have disclosed the object of the expedition prematurely.
Volume 8 Page 287
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Volume 8 Page 288
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