In 1823, at the age of 18, Mary married 23 year old John Hamilton of Brownhall, Co. Donegal. John was a close friend of Mary’s brother and the two men had attended Cambridge University together.

Mary died at St Ernans House in 1854. St Ernans House was the family’s preferred residence and, while part of the estate, situated on a wooded island in the Donegal Bay.

John Hamilton – born 1800 Dublin. Died 13th June 1884 St Andrews, Scotland. Married Mary Rose 1st May 1823 Calrossie, Scotland..

Mary Rose – born 1804 – Calrossie, Scotland. Died 1854 St Ernans House Co. Donegal.

Their children :

1 ) James Hamilton – born Brownhall Co. Donegal. Served in the military as Major James Hamilton. Married 1863 to Dorothea Elizabeth Stewart of Horn Head Co. Donegal. Inherited estate of Brownhall in 1884 on the death of his father John. Took guardianship of sister Mary’s four children on the death of her and her husband Frederick A. Courbarron in 1877. Major James Hamilton died 1915.

James and Dorothea had one son, John Stewart Hamilton 1864-1952. As Capt John Hamilton he served with the 5th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. (Married Winifred Weston 1867-1950).

2) Mary – born 1825. Died 1877 Landulph England. Married 1862 Frederick Augustus Courbarron. Lived Jersey Channel islands. Four children – Augustus James (my GG Grandfather), Stanhope Frederick, Edward and Helen.

3 ) Isabella – born 1827 St Ernans House Co. Donegal. Died from ‘mysterious illness’ 1840 Karlsruhe, Germany. Buried there.

4) Arabella Rose – born 1829 at St Ernans. Married 1860 to Arthur Foster, a Judge. On the death of their father, John’s brother James inherited estate of Brownhall while Arabella inherited St Ernans house. She and and husband Arthur Foster were responsible for the sale of St Ernans House in 1904.

5) Helen – born 2nd March 1831 St Ernans House Co. Donegal. Married Abraham Gustav de Veer 20th August 1855 at Neuwied. They had one son, Gustav Hamilton de Veer born 18th August 1856, died 1872.

Mary Rose, first wife of John Hamilton. My 4th Great-Grandmother.

There were also two step-siblings. After the death of Mary Rose father John remarried in 1858 to Mary Simpson. Two children were born from this union – John Pakenham Hamilton and Catherine.