DRUMMOND [later KERR, WILLIAM [SSNE 5006]

Surname

DRUMMOND [later KERR, CAR, KAIR, CARR]

First name

WILLIAM

Title/rank

2nd EARL OF ROXBURGH

Nationality

SCOT

Region

ROXBURGH, BORDERS

Text source

William Drummond [aka Kerr] appeared on 15 October 1627 as an Officer of Justice in the Scots-Dutch Brigade. He was certainly a captain in the Earl of Morton's regiment in 1629 though by 1639 he appears in Douglas's company of Balfour's regiment. Drummond was served heir to the Roxburgh title on 2 May 1650 through his mother's claim [she was Jean Ker, daughter of Robert ker, 1st Earl of Roxburgh]. In 1651 William [Drummond] Kerr wrote to Lothian regarding the baptism of the Prince of Orange and noting his intention to go and salute Ancram in Amsterdam in 1651. Ferguson notes that A Captain William Kerr took the oath of allegiance to the States General on 13 September 1655 when he took over the company of Colonel William Drummond, 2nd Earl of Roxburgh. It is not clear if this is actually Drummond retaking his oath under his new name, or if it is a different man. In any case, ten years later William Kerr was still in Dutch service. He was accused in 1665, along with other officers, of disowning and disclaiming both Charles II and Scotland.

NAS GD40/A/IV/77; Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage (8 vols., 1904-1911), VII, p.348; J. Ferguson, Papers Illustrating the History of the Scots Brigade in the service of the United Netherlands,1572-1697 (Edinburgh, 1899), pp.333, 400, 451, 452, 492-3, 497, 526, 530, 535.

Service record

THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, THE DUTCH ARMY

Arrived 1629-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1666-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY