George Hamilton, 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane

George was born in 1636 or 1637,{{Sfn|Cokayne|1953|p=320a|ps=. "George (Hamilton), Lord Hamilton, Baron of Strabane [I.], only br. [brother] and h. [heir], was b. [born] between 14 Feb. 1835/6 and 1 Dec. 1637."}} probably at Strabane Castle. He was the younger son of Claude Hamilton and his wife Jean Gordon. His father was the 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane and a member of the Strabane cadet branch of the Abercorns. The lords of Strabane owned much land around Strabane and Baronscourt in County Tyrone.

{{Chart top|width=auto|collapsed=no|align=right|clear=right|Family tree}}

{{Tree chart/start|style=clear: both; font-size: 90%; width: 41em;}}

{{Tree chart|Txt|Txt=George Hamilton with wife, parents, and other selected relatives.{{Efn|This family tree is partly derived from the Abercorn pedigree pictured in Cokayne.{{Sfn|Cokayne|1910|p=[https://archive.org/details/completepeerageo01coka/page/4/ 4]|ps=. "Tabular pedigree of the Earls of Abercorn"}} Also see the lists of siblings and children in the text.}}|boxstyle_Txt=border: 0 solid white; text-align: left;}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Tree chart/start}}

{{Tree chart| | | | | | |JmsA1|y|MrnBd|boxstyle=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em;

|JmsA1=James
1st Earl
1575–1618|boxstyle_JmsA1=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;

|MrnBd=Marion
Boyd
d. 1632
Recusant}}

{{Tree chart| | |,|-|-|-|v|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| }}

{{Tree chart| |JmsA2| |CldS2|y|JenGn|y|Phelm| |GrgD1|boxstyle=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em;

|JmsA2=James
2nd Earl
d. 1670|boxstyle_JmsA2=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;

|CldS2=Claud
2nd Baron
d. 1638|boxstyle_CldS2=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: lavender;

|JenGn=Jean
Gordon

|Phelm=Phelim
O'Neill
d. 1653|boxstyle_Phelm=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: lightcyan;

|GrgD1=George
1st Baronet
Donalong
d. 1679}}

{{Tree chart| |,|'| | |,|-|-|^|.| | | | | | | |,|'}}

{{Tree chart|GrgA3| |JmsS3| |GrgS4|y|ElzFg| |JmsHm|boxstyle=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em;

|GrgA3=George
3rd Earl
c. 1636 –
bef. 1683|boxstyle_GrgA3=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;

|JmsS3=James
3rd Baron
1633–1655|boxstyle_JmsS3=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: lavender;

|GrgS4=George
4th Baron
1636/7 –
1668|boxstyle_GrgS4=border: 2px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em; background: lavender;

|ElzFg=Elizabeth
Fagan

|JmsHm=James
c. 1630–1673}}

{{Tree chart| | | | | | | | |,|-|-|^|.| | | |,|'}}

{{Tree chart| | | | | | | |CldA4| |ChrA5| |JmsA6|boxstyle=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em;

|CldA4=Claud
4th Earl
1659–1691|boxstyle_CldA4=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;

|ChrA5=Charles
5th Earl
d. 1701|boxstyle_ChrA5=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;

|JmsA6=James
6th Earl
c. 1661–1734|boxstyle_JmsA6=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;}}

{{Tree chart| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!}}

{{Tree chart| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |JmsA7|boxstyle=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em;

|JmsA7=James
7th Earl
1686–1744|boxstyle_JmsA7=border-width: 1px; border-radius: 0.5em; background: beige;}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Tree chart/start|style=clear: both;}}

{{Tree chart|Leg|Leg=Legend|boxstyle_Leg=border: 0 solid white;}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Tree chart/start|style=clear: both;}}

{{Tree chart|SbjBx|SbjTx| |Bk1Bx|Bk1Tx| |Bk2Bx|Bk2Tx| |Bk3Bx|Bk3Tx

|SbjBx=XXX|boxstyle_SbjBx=border: 2px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em; color: white;

|SbjTx=Subject of
the article|boxstyle_SbjTx=border: 0 solid white; text-align: left;

|Bk1Bx=XXX|boxstyle_Bk1Bx=background: beige; border-radius: 0.5em; border-width: 1px; color: beige;

|Bk1Tx=Earls of
Abercorn|boxstyle_Bk1Tx=border: 0 solid white; text-align: left;

|Bk2Bx=XXX|boxstyle_Bk2Bx=background: lavender; border-radius: 0.5em; border-width: 1px; color: lavender;

|Bk2Tx=Barons H.
of Strabane|boxstyle_Bk2Tx=border: 0 solid white; text-align: left;

|Bk3Bx=XXX|boxstyle_Bk3Bx=background: lightcyan; border-radius: 0.5em; border-width: 1px; color: lightcyan;

|Bk3Tx=O'Neills|boxstyle_Bk3Tx=border: 0 solid white; text-align: left;}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Chart_bottom}}

George's mother was the fourth daughter of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly in Scotland. His parents were both Catholic. They married in 1632.{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/50/ 50, line 8]|ps=. "He married, 28 November 1632, Lady Jean Gordon, fourth daughter of George, first Marquess of Huntly, by Lady Henrietta Stuart, daughter of Esme, first Duke of Lennox;"}} He was one of four siblings, who are listed in his father's article.

In 1638, while George was still an infant, his father died and was buried in the church of Leckpatrick near Strabane.{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/50/ 50, line 7]|ps=. "Dying 14 June 1638, he [Claude Hamilton] was buried in the church of Leckpatrick, County Tyrone."}} His older brother James succeeded as the 3rd Baron Hamilton of Strabane as a young child. His mother ran the family estate and they continued to live in the Castle of Strabane.

In 1641, when George was about four years old, the Irish Rebellion broke out. The rebel leader Phelim O'Neill captured and burned Strabane Castle and took him, together with his mother and siblings, as prisoners to Kinard, his usual place of residence.{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/50 50, line 12]|ps=. "[Jean] who was taken prisoner by Sir Phelim O'Neile, in the rebellion of 1641, when he burned and destroyed the castle of Strabane, but whom she afterwards married ..."}} Phelim released his prisoners after some days and sent them to Sir George Hamilton, one of George's uncles.{{Sfn|Graham|1841|p=[https://archive.org/details/irelandpreserve00ashtgoog/page/n300/ 277]|ps=. "He [Phelim] carried the unfortunate lady to his castle at Kinnaird, where he kept her two or three days, and then sent her to Sir George Hamilton ..."}}

In 1649, when George was about 12, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Strabane Castle was attacked again, this time by Robert Monro and his Covenanter army. The castle was relieved by Phelim O'Neill, its previous attacker.{{Sfn|Webb|1878|p=[https://archive.org/details/acompendiumiris00webbgoog/page/n425/ 417, line 51]|ps=. "He [Phelim] had just before relieved her castle of Strabane, attacked by Monro."}} Phelim married George's mother in November.{{Sfn|Webb|1878|p=[https://archive.org/details/acompendiumiris00webbgoog/page/n425/ 417, line 48]|ps=. "In November 1649 he [Phelim] married Lady Jane Gordon a daughter of the Marquis of Huntly and the widow of Lord Strabane."}} Phelim became his stepfather and his half-brother Gordon O'Neill was born in due course.

In 1649 Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland with the Parliamentarian forces. In July 1650, in the Siege of Charlemont, his brother and his stepfather defended Charlemont Fort with remnants of the Confederate Ulster army against a Parliamentarian army under Charles Coote. Having resisted several attacks, the fort finally surrendered to Coote on terms in August and the garrison was allowed to march away. In July 1650, the family's lands were confiscated by the Parliamentarians.{{Sfn|Cokayne|1896|p=[https://archive.org/details/completepeerage07cokahrish/page/n261/ 260, line 3]|ps=. "He [James] incurred forfeiture of his lands by joining the Irish under Sir Phelim O'Neill ... 20 July 1650, at Charlemont ..."}} In 1652 Phelim O'Neill was captured. He was tried and convicted for treason in October and executed.{{Sfn|Webb|1878|p=[https://archive.org/details/acompendiumiris00webbgoog/page/n425/ 417]|ps=. "He was tried and convicted in October, and was executed with all the barbarities then inflicted on persons adjudged guilty of high treason."}}

In June 1655 his brother, James, drowned in the River Mourne at Ballyfathen, aged about 22.{{Sfn|Cokayne|1896|p=[https://archive.org/details/completepeerage07cokahrish/page/n261/ 260, line 5]|ps=. "He died s.p. 16 June 1655 (a recusant) being drowned while bathing in the River Maine at Ballyfatty near Strabane."}}{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/50/ 50, line 28]|ps=. "... and died, without issue, a Roman Catholic recusant at Ballyfatten, near Strabane, 16 June 1655, being drowned bathing in the River Mourne ..."}} His brother had never married and George succeeded him as the 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. He is usually called Lord Strabane rather than Lord Hamilton to avoid confusion with the Lords Hamilton of the senior, Scottish, branch of the family.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

George married in or before 1659 Elizabeth Fagan, daughter of Christopher Fagan of Feltrim, County Dublin, and of Anne, daughter of Sir Nicholas White of Leixlip Castle.{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/51 51, line 8]|ps=. "He married Elizabeth, daughter, and ultimately sole heiress, of Christopher Fagan of Feltrim in the county of Dublin, by Anne, daughter of Sir Nicholas White of Leixlip, in the county of Klidare ..."}} Christopher Fagan had lost his estates during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland but would get them back in 1663 as an "innocent papist" in the terms of the Act of Settlement 1662.{{Sfn|Lodge|1789|p=[https://archive.org/details/peerageofireland05lodg/page/115/ 115, note]|ps=. "In the court of claims for executing the act of settlement, the said Christopher Fagan claimed his estate and by the decree of that court 20 March 1663 was adjudged an inncocent papist ..."}} Elizabeth would eventually turn out to be a rich heiress, the only surviving child after the deaths of her two brothers.{{Sfn|Cokayne|1896|p=[https://archive.org/details/completepeerage07cokahrish/page/n261/ 260, line 10]|ps=. "He m. in or before 1659 Elizabeth, only da. and on the death of her two brothers (Richard and Peter) h. of Cristopher FAGAN, of Feltrim, co. Dublin."}}

{{Anchor|chldrn}}

George and Elizabeth had two sons:{{Sfn|Lodge|1789|p=[https://archive.org/details/peerageofireland05lodg/page/116/ 116, line 17]|ps=. "His [George Hamilton] issue were two sons and two daughters, Claude and Charles successive earls of Abercorn;"}}

1. Claud (1659–1691), succeeded him as the 4th Earl of Abercorn
2. Charles (died 1701), became the 5th Earl of Abercorn

—and two daughters:

1. Anne (died 1680), married John Browne of the Neale, County Mayo{{Sfn|Lodge|1789|p=[https://archive.org/details/peerageofireland05lodg/page/116/ 116, line 18]|ps=. "Anne, married to John, son of George Browne of the Neale in the co. of Mayo, Esq. and died 14 Aug. 1680."}}{{Sfn|Burke|Burke|1915|p=[https://archive.org/details/b3136410x/page/54/ 54, right column, line 24]|ps=. "1. Anne, m. (art. dated 27-8 May, 1680) Sir John Browne, 3rd Bart, of the Neale, ancestor of Lord Kilinaine. She d.s.p. (died childless) 14 Aug. 1680."}}
2. Mary (born 1668 or 1669), born after her father's death, and would marry as his second wife Garrett Dillon, Recorder of Dublin{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/51/ 51, line 19]|ps=. "Mary, born after her father's death, married to Gerald Dillon, Recorder of Dublin ..."}}

After the Restoration (1660), Lord Strabane, as he was now, obtained the return of most of the family lands, which had been confiscated in 1650 by the Parliamentarians. Although his brother James had fought with Phelim O'Neill's Confederates rather than with the royalists, his brother had fought against the Parliamentarians, not against the royalists and, Lord Strabane, being born about 1636, was too young to have been involved in the atrocities of 1641. His brother's lands were therefore restored to him as an "innocent papist" on 16 May 1663.{{Sfn|Cokayne|1953|p=320b|ps=. "His brother's forfeited lands were restored to him as an 'innocent papist', 16 May 1663."}}

He died on 14 April 1668 at Kenure House, Rush, Dublin, and was buried at nearby St. Mechlin's Church.{{Sfn|Paul|1904|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/page/50/ 50]|ps=. "George, 4th Lord Strabane, who, dying 14 April 1668 at his house at Kenure, County Dublin, was buried in St. Mechlin's Church, near Rush in that county ...}}{{Sfn|Brewer|1829|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=KWA_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA258 258]|ps=. "In the immediate vicinity of Rush is the ruined Church of St. Mechlin, in which is a large tomb, adorned with the coat-armour of the deceased, and bearing an inscription to the memory of George, fourth baron of Strabane, who died on the 14th of April 1668."}} He was succeeded by his eldest son Claud as 5th Baron Hamilton of Strabane, who in about 1680 became the 4th Earl of Abercorn.

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}

• {{Cite book|last=Brewer |first=James Norris |author-link=James Norris Brewer |date=1829 |title=A History of Leinster: Embracing the beauties of Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Kilkenny &c. &c. |publisher=J. S. Taylor & Co. |location=London |oclc=875191110 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KWA_AQAAMAAJ}}
• {{Cite book|last1=Burke |first1=Bernard |author1-link=Bernard Burke |last2=Burke |first2=Ashworth Peter |date=1915 |title=A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council, Knightage and Companionage |edition=77th |publisher=Harrison |location=London |oclc=1155471554 |url=https://archive.org/details/b3136410x/}}
• {{Cite book|last=Cokayne |first=George Edward |author-link=George Edward Cokayne |date=1896 |title=Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant |edition=1st |volume=VII |publisher=George Bell and Sons |location=London |oclc=1180891114 |url=https://archive.org/details/completepeerage07cokahrish/}} – S to T (for Hamilton of Strabane)
• {{Cite book|last=Cokayne |first=George Edward |author-link=George Edward Cokayne |editor-last=Gibbs |editor-first=Vicary |editor-link=Vicary Gibbs (St Albans MP) |date=1910 |title=The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant |edition=2nd |volume=I |publisher=St Catherine Press |location=London |oclc=228661424 |url=https://archive.org/details/completepeerageo01coka/}} – Ab-Adam to Basing (for Abercorn)
• {{Cite book|last=Cokayne |first=George Edward |author-link=George Edward Cokayne |editor-last=White |editor-first=G. H. |date=1953 |title=The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant |edition=2nd |volume=XII, part 1 |publisher=St Catherine Press |location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A5CXROw2WFIC}} – Skemersdale to Towton (snippet view, for Strabane)
• {{Cite book|editor-last=Fryde |editor-first=Edmund Boleslaw |editor-link=Edmund Fryde |editor2-last=Greenway |editor2-first=D. E. |editor3-last=Porter |editor3-first=S. |editor4-last=Roy |editor4-first=I. |date=1986 |title=Handbook of British Chronology |publisher=Offices of the Royal Historical Society |edition=3rd |series=Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, No. 2 |location=London |isbn=0-86193-106-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbritis0000unse/ |url-access=registration}} – (for timeline)
• {{Cite book|last=Graham |first=Rev. John |date=1841 |title=Ireland Preserved; or the Siege of Londonderry and the Battle of Aughrim with Lyrical Poetry and Biographical Notes |edition=2nd |publisher=Hardy and Walker |location=Dublin |oclc=00992682 |url=https://archive.org/details/irelandpreserve00ashtgoog/}} – Short biographies in the biographical notes
• {{Cite book|last=Lodge |first=John |author-link=John Lodge (archivist) |editor-last=Archdall |editor-first=Mervyn |editor-link=Mervyn Archdall (Irish antiquary) |date=1789 |title=The Peerage of Ireland or, A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of that Kingdom |volume=V |publisher=James Moore |location=Dublin |oclc=264906028 |url=https://archive.org/details/peerageofireland05lodg/}} – Viscounts
• {{Cite book|last=Paul |first=Sir James Balfour |author-link=James Balfour Paul |date=1904 |title=The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland |volume=I |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |oclc=505064285 |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul/}} – Abercorn to Balmerino
• {{Cite encyclopedia|last=Webb |first=Alfred |author-link=Alfred Webb |date=1878 |title=O'Neill, Sir Felim |encyclopedia=Compendium of Irish Biography |publisher=M. H. Gill & Son |location=Dublin |pages=416–418 |oclc=122693688 |url=https://archive.org/details/acompendiumiris00webbgoog/page/n424/}}

{{Refend}}

{{S-start}}

{{S-reg|ie}}

{{S-bef|before=James Hamilton}}

{{S-ttl|title=Baron Hamilton of Strabane |years=1655–1668}}

{{S-aft|after=Claud Hamilton}}

{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton of Strabane, George Hamilton, 4th Baron}}

Category:1630s births

Category:1668 deaths

Category:17th-century Irish nobility

Category:People from Strabane

Category:Barons in the Peerage of Ireland

George