George Oswald

File:Scotstoun 1878.jpg

He was the son of the Rev. James Oswald (1703–1793), and nephew of the merchant Richard Oswald (1705?–1784). Initially he worked in the Glasgow firm run by his father's cousins the brothers Richard Oswald (1687–1763) of Scotstoun and Alexander Oswald (1694–1766). They left him the Scotstoun and Balshagray estates, both having died by 1766. He lived at Scotstoun House and adopted the overall name of "George Oswald of Scotstoun".

Oswald became head of the tobacco firm of Oswald, Dennistoun, & Co. of Glasgow, and partner in the Ship Bank there. He was left the Auchincruive estate on the 1784 death of Richard Oswald his uncle, coming into possession of it on the death of his aunt in 1788.{{cite web|url=http://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/resources/220|title=University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections, Special Collections, Correspondence of the Oswald family of Auchincruive, including Richard Oswald|accessdate=23 July 2017}}

Oswald died on 6 October 1819, aged 84.

File:Mrs. George Oswald by Gainsborough, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.jpg]]

In 1764 Oswald married Margaret Smythe (1747–1791), daughter of David Smythe of Methven. They had four sons and at least five daughters.

The children included:{{cite book|last=Crawfurd|first=George|title=A General Description of the Shire of Renfrew: Including an Account of the Noble and Ancient Families ... To which is Added, a Genealogical History of the Royal House of Stewart, and of the Several Noble and Illustrious Families of that Name, from the Year 1034 to the Year 1710|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bpnmAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA347|year=1818|publisher=J. Neilson, sold by H. Crichton|pages=347–8}}

• Richard Alexander Oswald
• David (died 1797 in the West Indies), major of the 38th Regiment
• James, third son (died 1822), a naval captain{{cite book|last=Nicolas|first=Sir Nicholas Harris|title=The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson: With Notes|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xiXUTjBKud8C|accessdate=23 July 2017|year=1845|publisher=H. Colburn|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xiXUTjBKud8C/page/n461 426] note}}
• Alexander Oswald (01 Apr 1777–12 Jul 1821), Advocate, married Miss Anne Dalrymple (who died 22 Jun 1820), youngest daughter of Sir Hew Dalrymple Hamilton of Bargany House{{cite book|title=History of the Speculative Society of Edinburgh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a7xAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA205|year=1845|publisher=The society|page=205}}
• Elizabeth
• Catherine or Katherine Cochrane, second daughter, married Robert Haldane{{cite book|title=The Scots Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iysoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA206|year=1786|publisher=Sands, Brymer, Murray and Cochran|page=206}}
• Margaret, married Major General John Wilson
• Christian, married to the merchant Alexander Anderson
• Mary Ramsay, married James Dennistoun{{cite book|last=Burke|first=Sir Bernard|title=A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BSkAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA362|year=1862|publisher=Harrison|page=362}}
• Camilla, died 1808
• Isabella.

{{reflist}}

;Attribution

{{DNB|wstitle=Oswald, Richard|volume=42}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oswald, George}}

Category:1735 births

Category:1819 deaths

Category:18th-century Scottish merchants

Category:Rectors of the University of Glasgow