p. 69). After the battle of Sheriffmuir he intimated his intention of marching as soon as possible to Perth to recover the town from the rebels (ib. p. 70). This purpose was not carried out; but after the retreat and dispersion of the rebels he displayed great activity in collecting arms from those who had been in rebellion, and also endeavoured still further to ingratiate himself with the government by capturing, 4 June 1717, Rob Roy (Robert Macgregor), with whom he had for years been on friendly terms (ib. p. 71). Atholl died at Huntingtower, Perthshire, on 14 Nov. 1724, and was buried on the 26th at Dunkeld. By his first wife, Lady Catherine Hamilton, eldest daughter of Anne, duchess of Hamilton in her own right, and William Douglas, third duke of Hamilton, he had six sons and one daughter: John, marquis of Tullibardine, matriculated at Leyden University 22 Jan. 1706, became colonel of a regiment in the service of Holland, and was killed at the battle of Malplaquet, 31 Aug. 1709; William, marquis of Tullibardine [q. v.]; James [q. v.], to whom, on account of the rebellion of his brother William in 1715, the heirship of the estates and titles was conveyed by act of parliament, and who succeeded his father as second duke; Lord Charles [q. v.]; Lord George [q. v.]; Lord Randolph, died young; and Lady Susan, married to William Gordon, second earl of Aberdeen. By his second wife, Mary, second daughter of William, twelfth lord Ross [q. v.], whom he married in 1710, he had three sons : Lord John, Lord Edward, Lord Frederick, and a daughter, Lady Mary, married to James Ogilvie, sixth earl of Findlater and Seafield.
Lockhart states that Atholl was 'endowed with good natural parts, tho' by reason of his proud, imperious, haughty, passionate temper he was noways capable to be the leading man of a party which he aimed at' (Papers, i. 73). This estimate is corroborated by Macky: 'He is of a very proud, fiery, partial disposition; does not want sense, but cloaks himself with passion, which he is easily wound up to when he speaks in public assemblies' (Secret Memoirs, p. 184). Lockhart also adds that 'tho' no scholar nor orator' he 'yet expressed himself very handsomely on public occasions.'
[Burnet's Own Time; Macpherson's Original Papers; Lockhart's Papers; Macky's Secret Memoirs; Ker of Kersland's Memoirs; Carstares's State Papers; Luttrell's Brief Relation; General Mackay's Memoirs; Leven and Melville Papers (Bannatyne Club); Nathaniel Hooke's Negotiations (Bannatyne Club); Napier's Memoirs of Viscount Dundee; Hist. MSS. Comm. 3rd Rep. and 12th Rep. App. pt. viii.; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 148-51.]
MURRAY, JOHN, third Duke of Atholl (1729–1774), eldest son of Lord George Murray [q. v.], by his wife Amelia, only surviving child and heiress of James Murray of Glencarse and Strowan, was born 6 May 1729. For some time he was captain in a company of Lord Loudoun's regiment of foot, afterwards the 54th. At the general election of 1761 he was chosen member of parliament for Perth. On the death of his uncle James, second duke of Atholl, 8 Jan. 1764, Murray, who, besides being nearest male heir, had married Lady Charlotte Murray, the duke's only surviving child, laid claim to the dukedom of Atholl. As, however, his father, Lord George Murray, had been forfeited, he deemed it advisable to petition the king that his claim to the dukedom might be allowed. The petition was referred by the king to the House of Lords, who on 7 Feb. 1764 resolved that he had a right to the title. His wife, on the death of her father, the second duke, succeeded to the sovereignty of the Isle of Man, and to the ancient English barony of Strange, of Knockyn, Wotton, Mohun, Burnel, Basset, and Lacy. For some time negotiations had been in progress with the English government for the union of the sovereignty to the English crown; and in 1765 an act of parliament was passed to give effect to a contract between the lords of the treasury and the Duke and Duchess of- Atholl for the purchase of the sovereignty of Man and its dependencies for 70,000l., the duke and duchess retaining their manorial rights, the patronage of the bishopric and other ecclesiastical benefices, the fisheries, minerals, &c. The arrangement rendered them very unpopular in Man, and the 42nd, or Black Watch, under Lord John Murray, had to be stationed in the island to maintain order. The money received by the duke and duchess was directed to be laid out and invested in the purchase of lands of inheritance in Scotland, to be inalienably entailed on a certain series of heirs. The duke and duchess had also a grant of an annuity of 2,000l. for their lives.
Atholl was chosen a representative peer in succession to the Earl of Sutherland, who died 21 Aug. 1764, and he was rechosen in 1768. In 1767 he was invested with the order of the Thistle. He died at Dunkeld on 5 Nov. 1774. By Lady Charlotte Murray he had seven sons and four daughters : John, fourth duke of Atholl, who in 1786 was created Earl Strange and Baron Murray of Stanley in the United Kingdom, and was the author of ' Observations on Larch,' London,
