James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose

His Grace The Duke of Montrose KG KT PC
President of the Board of Trade
In office 7 June 1804 – 5 February 1806
Monarch	George III
Prime Minister	Hon. William Pitt the Younger
Preceded by	The Earl of Liverpool
Succeeded by	The Lord Auckland
Personal details
Born	8 September 1755
Died	30 December 1836 (aged 81)
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	(1) Lady Jemima Ashburnham (1762–1786) Lady Caroline Montagu (1790–1847)

James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose KG KT PC (8 September 1755 – 30 December 1836), styled Marquess of Graham until 1790, was a Scottish nobleman and statesman.

Background

Montrose was the son of William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose, and Lady Lucy, daughter of John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland.^[1]

Political career

Montrose was Member of Parliament for Richmond from 1780, and for Great Bedwyn from 1784 to 1790, when he succeeded his father in the dukedom. According to Robert Bain, Scotland can thank him for the repeal in 1782 of the Act of 1747 prohibiting the wearing of tartans.^[2] He served as a Lord of the Treasury from 1783 to 1789, and as co-Paymaster of the Forces from 1789 to 1791. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor and Vice-President of the Board of Trade in 1789. He was Master of the Horse from 1790 to 1795, and from 1807 to 1821, Commissioner for India from 1791 to 1803, Lord Justice General of Scotland from 1795 to 1836, President of the Board of Trade from 1804 to 1806, Lord Chamberlain from 1821 to 1827 and from 1828 to 1830.

He was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1793, resigning from the Order when appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1812. He was Chancellor of the University of Glasgow from 1780 to 1836, Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire from 1790 to 1793, Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire from 1795 until his death, and Lord Lieutenant of Dumbartonshire from 1813 until his death.

Graham was a very effective member of the House of Commons, especially when speaking on Scottish topics. Early in his career as a Minister under William Pitt the Younger, Graham was attacked in the Rolliad:

——Superior to abuse,

He nobly glories in the name of GOOSE;

Such Geese at Rome from the perfidious Gaul

Preserv'd the Treas'ry-Bench and Capitol, &c. &c.

Family

Montrose was twice married. He married firstly Lady Jemima Elizabeth, daughter of John Ashburnham, 2nd Earl of Ashburnham, in 1785. After her death in September 1786, aged 24 (following the death of a son, who died as an infant), he married secondly Lady Caroline Maria, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester, in 1790. They had several children. Montrose died in December 1836, aged 81, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, James. The Duchess of Montrose died in March 1847, aged 76.^[3]

Ancestry

Ancestors of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose

16. James Graham, 2nd Marquess of Montrose               8. James Graham, 3rd Marquess of Montrose                       17. Lady Isabel Douglas               4. James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose                             18. John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes               9. Lady Christian Leslie                       19. Lady Anne Lindsay               2. William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose                                   20. David Carnegie, 2nd Earl of Northesk               10. David Carnegie, 3rd Earl of Northesk                       21. Lady Jean Maule               5. Lady Christian Carnegie                             22. John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford               11. Lady Elizabeth Lindsay                       23. Lady Margaret Hamilton               1. James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose                                         24. John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland               12. John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland                       25. The Hon. Frances Montagu               6. John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland                             26. Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden               13. The Hon. Catherine Noel                       27. Lady Elizabeth Bertie               3. Lady Lucy Manners                                   28. William Sherard, 1st Baron Sherard               14. Bennet Sherard, 2nd Baron Sherard                       29. Abigail Cave               7. The Hon. Lucy Sherard                             30. Robert Christopher               15. Elizabeth Christopher

External links

• Pedigree at Genealogics

References

1. Lundy, Darryl. "thepeerage.com James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose". The Peerage.
2. Bain, Robert (1959). Margaret O. MacDougall (ed.), ed. Clans & Tartans of Scotland (revised). P.E. Stewart-Blacker (heralidic advisor), forward by The R. Hon. C/refountess of Erroll. William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. p. 108.
3. Lundy, Darryl. "thepeerage.com James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose". The Peerage.