Biography

Robert Maxwell. (1728-1786) (aka. of Orchardtoun)

8th Bart of Orchardtoun. Son of Mungo Maxwell (1700-?). Married to Margaret Maclellan of Barscobe. He was sent to France at age 7, brought up as a strict Catholic, educated the R.C. College in Douai and was a soldier in one of the french regiments which landed in Scotland in 1745 to support the Jacobite rebellion. Later on he converted back to prostetantism, and, in that capacity, won a lawsuit concerning the estates of Sir Thomas Maxwell of Orchardtoun in 1761 (although the lawsuit had begun as early as 1756). In 1782 he sold the Castle of Kirkcudbright to the Earl of Selkirk.

Life with James Boswell:

Maxwell arrived at Kirroughtrie (Patrick Heron's estate), where Boswell was staying at the time, together with Lord Kames on September 22, 1762. Boswell described him as "a good, honest, plain man, by no means destitute either of natural sagacity or of knowledge." On October 4 of that same year, Boswell spent the night at Maxwell's estate at Gelston.

External links:

• Orchardton Tower - Info about Maxwell's family

This article was last updated at January 31 2008 22:49:40 CET

Other links of possible interest