Murray, John, 1st Earl of Annandale (1601 -1640)

John Murray of Dundrennan was the seventh and youngest son of Sir Charles Murray, of Cockpool in Dumfriesshire, and Margaret, eldest daughter of Hugh, 5th Lord Somerville. He entered royal service at a tender age as a gentleman of the bedchamber to James VI, and accompanied his master to England in 1603. He was successively Master of the Horse and Keeper of the Privy Purse, and in 1606 and 1612, the abbacy of Dundrennan with other lands, including Lochmaben Castle were erected into a barony in his favour. On 28 June 1622, he was created Lord Murray of Lochmaben and Viscount Annand, and, on 13 March 1624, Earl of Annandale, Viscount Annand, and Lord Murray of Lochmaben and Tyninghame. On this last occasion he was granted the canton or with a Scottish thistle as an augmentation of honour. When Charles came to the throne he was retained as gentleman of the bedchamber, but complained of neglect. In 1626 he was sent to Scotland to explain the king's delay in visiting that country, and when Charles came north for his coronation he accompanied him and was made Governor of the Palace of Falkland. Eventually, in 1636, all his elder brothers having died without issue, he came into the family estates. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Shaw, who was in the service of Anne of Denmark. They had an only son, James, who succeeded his father in 1640, but died without issue in 1658 when the title became extinct.