William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock

William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock
Earl of Kilmarnock
William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock ca 1746
Tenure1717 to 1746
PredecessorWilliam Boyd, 3rd Earl of Kilmarnock
SuccessorJames Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll (1726–1778)
BornWilliam Boyd
(1705-05-12)12 May 1705
Dean Castle, Kilmarnock
Died18 August 1746(1746-08-18) (aged 41)
Tower Hill
Cause of deathExecuted for treason
BuriedSt Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London
NationalityScottish
ResidenceDean Castle
Callendar House
LocalityEast Ayrshire
Wars and battles1745 Jacobite Rising
Falkirk Culloden
OfficesGrand Master, Masonic Grand Lodge of Scotland 1742-1743
Spouse(s)Anne Livingstone (1709–1747)
IssueJames (1726–1778), Charles (1728–1782), William (1724–1780)
ParentsWilliam Boyd, 3rd Earl of Kilmarnock
Eupheme Ross

William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock (12 May 1705 – 18 August 1746), was a Scottish peer who joined the 1745 Jacobite Rising, was captured at Culloden and subsequently executed for treason on Tower Hill.

His family were supporters of the government and Kilmarnock had not previously been involved with the Stuarts; he later stated "for the two Kings and their rights, I cared not a farthing which prevailed; but I was starving."[1]

His title was declared forfeit and his heavily mortgaged estates confiscated; they were later returned to his eldest son James, later Earl of Erroll, who fought at Culloden on the government side.

  1. ^ Lenman 1980, p. 256.