Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Graham, James (1631?-1669)
GRAHAM, JAMES, second Marquis of Montrose (1631?–1669), surnamed the 'Good' marquis, was the second son of James, first marquis [q. v.], by his wife, Lady Madeline Carnegie, daughter of the sixth Earl of Southesk. Shortly after the death of his elder brother at the Bog of Gight in 1645, he was seized by General Urrie at Montrose, where, 'a young bairne about 14 years,' he was attending school under the care of a tutor (Spalding, Memorials, ii. 455). Both he and his tutor were sent by Urrie to Edinburgh, where they were for a time imprisoned in the castle. On the execution of his father, the great marquis, for high treason, 20 May 1650, the estates were forfeited. After the defeat of the attempt of Charles II in 1652 Montrose made his appearance in London, but being disappointed at his reception by Cromwell took his departure for Scotland, where, however, his estates were restored to him ('Nicholas Papers,' published by Camden Society, p. 302). In the following year he took part in the rising in the highlands under the Earl of Glencairn. The presence there of his hereditary enemy, Lord Lorne, led in March 1653-4 to a quarrel between them, in which Montrose 'had like to have killed him' (Whitelocke, Memorials, p. 583). When matters in the highlands began to look desperate, he and Glencairn sent to Monck that they might be received on terms of life (ib. p. 599). Shortly afterwards Montrose with a force of two hundred men was completely routed by a much smaller force under Cornet Peas (ib. p. 605). He and his party then made separate terms with Monck, agreeing on the 23rd to come to Dundee and deliver up their arms, and to give security for 3,000l. (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1654, p. 300). After the Restoration he took part on 1 Jan. 1661 in the state funeral of his father at the abbey church of Holyrood. He declined to vote at the trial of the Marquis of Argyll in the following April, admitting that 'he had too much resentment to judge in that matter' (Burnet, Own Time, ed. 1838, p. 84). Montrose established a claim of 100,664l. Scots against the Earl of Argyll, as a recompense for lands which had been given to the Marquis of Argyll on his father's forfeitures (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1661-2, p. 357). The matter led to a long litigation between them, but finally by mutual concessions a satisfactory arrangement was reached, and on 23 Feb. 1667 they drank each other's healths in the presence of the lord commissioners (Argyll Correspondence, published by the Bannatyne Club, p. 73). Montrose was appointed an extraordinary lord of session, 25 June 1668. He died in February of the following year, and Argyll, whom he appointed guardian to 'his son, journeyed all the way from Inverary to Perthshire to attend his funeral (Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. p. 609). By his wife, Lady Isabella Douglas, countess dowager of Roxburghe, fifth daughter of the second Earl of Morton, he had two sons (James, third marquis, d. 1684, and Charles, who died young) and two daughters.
[Authorities mentioned in the text; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), ii. 244.]