Katherine (Murray) Somerville (abt. 1532 - abt. 1594)

Born about 1532 in Philiphaugh, Selkirkshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 22 May 1594 at about age 62 in Scotland [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Herbert Wolfe [send private message]

Biography

Katherine (Murray) Somerville is a member of Clan Murray.

This profile is part of the Murray Name Study.

Katherine Murray was born:

• Philiphaugh. ^{[citation needed]}
• Fala, Midlothian, Scotland. ^{[1][citation needed]}

She was the daughter of:

• John Murray of Philiphaugh & Lady Margaret Hepburn (daughter of Patrick Hepburn). ^[2]
• Patrick Murray of Falahill & Margaret Fleming. ^{[citation needed]}
• Patrick Murray of Philiphaugh and Janet Campbell. ^{[1][citation needed]}

She was "a former mistress of James V". ^{[3][citation needed]}

She married John Somerville of Camnethan^[2] in 1552^{[3][citation needed]}.

According to lawsuits of the time Katherine tried to have her son, John, supersede his elder half-brother, James, from their father's first marriage, to the title of Laird of Cambusnethan. The suit went on for some years during which time many of her allies had the surname of Murray. In the Somerville Morie Mr. Somerville states "it was alleadged by some, ther was a designe against [Katherine's stepson, the heir]'s life; for this gentlemans eye being strucken out by a shott from Cam[bus]nethan house, it was never yet knoune from what hand it came, however this lady [Katherine Murray] bore the blame thereof, and was judged by most to have occasione therto: And really her proceedings and actings aftirward gave too great ground to confirme that suspitione." ^{[citation needed]}

Katherine died:

• aged 61/62, Scotland 22 May 1594. ^{[citation needed]}
• 1605. ^{[3][citation needed]}
• Cambusnethan, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. ^{[1][citation needed]}

Research Notes

I was just doing a quick tidy on this in passing, but it's a real tangle that I have no interest in tackling. Whoever does want to, further sources are cited here and here. -- Philip Broughton-Mills 08 Dec 2020.

Sources

• Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members, http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=24147239&pid=135
• https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I19021&tree=CC

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/196678689/katherine-somerville : accessed 08 December 2020), memorial page for Katherine Murray Somerville (unknown–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial no. 196678689, citing Cambusnethan Old Parish Churchyard, Cambusnethan, North Lanarkshire, Scotland ; Maintained by Memerizion (contributor 48072664).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Bernard Burke, The Royal Descents and Pedigrees of Founders' Kin, 1858, page 183, https://archive.org/stream/royaldescentsped00burk#page/n183/mode/1up
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144450605/james-john-somerville : accessed 08 December 2020), memorial page for James John Somerville (1520–1594), Find a Grave Memorial no. 144450605, ; Maintained by Memerizion (contributor 48072664) Unknown.