William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale


William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, 1st Marquess of Annandale KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Annandale and Hartfell and Henrietta Douglas. He succeeded to the Earldom of Annandale and Hartfell on the death of his father in 1672.
He was a friend of Monmouth and nominally supported Revolution, but joined "The Club" of Jacobite malcontents and was imprisoned in connection with the Montgomery plot. He was restored to favour on making a confession and was created an Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1693, and a Lord of the Treasury. He received a pension for services in connection with the Glencoe inquiry.
He was created Marquess of Annandale in 1701, Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1701 and 1711, Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1702, and president of the Privy Council of Scotland from 1692 to 1695, 1702–4 and 1705–6. He was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1704, joint Secretary of State from March–September 1705.
He opposed the Union, but later served as a representative peer from 1709 to 1713. He was Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland from 1714 to 1716.
William was married twice: first on 1 January 1682 to Sophia Fairholme, daughter of John Fairholme of Craigiehall, and second on 20 November 1718 to Charlotte Van Lore Bempde, daughter of John Vanden Bempde of Hackness.

Children of first marriage

by Sophia Fairholme
  1. Lady Henrietta Johnstone married on 31 August 1699 to Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
  2. Mary Johnstone
  3. James Johnstone, 2nd Marquess of Annandale died unmarried
  4. John Johnstone born in 1688 and died young
  5. William Johnstone

    Children of second marriage

by Charlotte Van Lore Bempde
  1. George Johnstone, 3rd Marquess of Annandale died unmarried
  2. John Johnstone married Mary Beddoe of Ludlow