Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk
Encyclopedia
Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk (December 1, 1722 - June 24, 1799) was a Scottish peer. Born Dunbar Hamilton, he was the grandson of Lord Basil Hamilton, younger brother to John Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Selkirk.
He attended Glasgow University
from 1739, being greatly influenced by Francis Hutcheson
, Professor of Moral Philosophy
. In 1745 he was granted the honorary Doctorate of Civil Law
.
Selkirk was a supporter of the government during the Jacobite Rising of 1745
. He was Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1766 to 1768. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright
and, from 1787, as a representative peer
for Scotland.
In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War
, Selkirk was the target of a raid by John Paul Jones
, sailing in the service of the Continental Navy
. Jones landed his ship, the Ranger
on the shore of St Mary's Isle, intending to kidnap the Earl. Finding only the countess and her young family at home, his men made off instead with the silver of the household.
In 1782, he became a member of the radical Society for Constitutional Information
.
Lord Selkirk had seven sons, six of whom predeceased him. The youngest, Thomas, succeeded him as 5th Earl of Selkirk
.
He attended Glasgow University
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
from 1739, being greatly influenced by Francis Hutcheson
Francis Hutcheson (philosopher)
Francis Hutcheson was a philosopher born in Ireland to a family of Scottish Presbyterians who became one of the founding fathers of the Scottish Enlightenment....
, Professor of Moral Philosophy
Professor of Moral Philosophy, Glasgow
The Chair of Moral Philosophy is a professorship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, which was established in 1727.The Nova Erectio of King James VI of Scotland shared the teaching of Moral Philosophy, Logic and Natural Philosophy among the Regents...
. In 1745 he was granted the honorary Doctorate of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
.
Selkirk was a supporter of the government during the Jacobite Rising of 1745
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
. He was Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1766 to 1768. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright
Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright, now the Lord-Lieutenant for Dumfries and Galloway Region .*George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway 5 November 1794 – 1803...
and, from 1787, as a representative peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
for Scotland.
In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Selkirk was the target of a raid by John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
, sailing in the service of the Continental Navy
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
. Jones landed his ship, the Ranger
USS Ranger (1777)
The first USS Ranger was a sloop-of-war in the Continental Navy, and received the second salute to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power The first USS Ranger was a sloop-of-war in the Continental Navy, and received the second salute to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power The...
on the shore of St Mary's Isle, intending to kidnap the Earl. Finding only the countess and her young family at home, his men made off instead with the silver of the household.
In 1782, he became a member of the radical Society for Constitutional Information
Society for Constitutional Information
Founded in 1780 by Major John Cartwright to promote parliamentary reform, the Society for Constitutional Information flourished until 1783, but thereafter made little headway...
.
Lord Selkirk had seven sons, six of whom predeceased him. The youngest, Thomas, succeeded him as 5th Earl of Selkirk
Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk
Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk was a Scottish peer. He was born at Saint Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He was noteworthy as a Scottish philanthropist who sponsored immigrant settlements in Canada at the Red River Colony.- Early background :Douglas was the seventh son of Dunbar...
.