The Hon David Smyth or David Smythe, Lord MethvenFRSE LLD (1746–1806) was a Scottish lawyer and judge who rose to be a Senator of the College of Justice.
Cameo of David Smythe, 1794, Scottish National Portrait GalleryDavid Smythe, Lord Methven, caricature by John KayMethven Castle
Lifeedit
The son of David Smythe of Methven (d.1764), and Mary Graham, daughter of James Graham of Braco, he was born at the family home of Methven Castle on 17 January 1746.
Smythe was raised to the bench, in succession to Francis Garden of Gardenstone, on 15 November 1793, taking the title of Lord Methven. He was appointed a commissioner of justiciary on the death of Lord Abercromby, 11 March 1796, resigning the post in 1804. In 1797 he was living at 15 St Andrew Square.[3]
He was taken ill suddenly while walking and died half an hour later[4] at his house at 28 St Andrew Square in Edinburgh on 30 January 1806.[1] He is buried in Canongate Kirkyard on the Royal Mile with his second wife. The grave lies within the eastern extension, close to the church.
The grave of David Smyth, Lord Methven, Canongate Kirkyard
Familyedit
Smythe married, first, on 8 April 1772, Elizabeth, only daughter of Sir Robert Murray, bart., of Hillhead; she died on 30 June 1785, leaving three sons and four daughters. By his second wife, Euphemia Amelia Murray of Lintrose, a noted singer,[5] daughter of Mungo Murray of Lintrose, who was reckoned a beauty of her time and was the subject of one of Robert Burns's songs, he had two sons and two daughters. Euphemia was known as "The Flower of Strathmore".[6]
Smythe was succeeded in the estate by Robert Smythe, only surviving son of his first marriage; when Robert died in 1847 without issue, the succession fell to the elder son of the second marriage, William Smythe (1805–1895) of Methven Castle.[1]
In 1827 his daughter, Catherine Campbell Smythe, married one of his legal colleagues, David Boyle, Lord Boyle.[2]
david, smythe, lord, methven, david, smyth, frse, 1746, 1806, scottish, lawyer, judge, rose, senator, college, justice, cameo, david, smythe, 1794, scottish, national, portrait, gallery, caricature, john, methven, castlelife, editthe, david, smythe, methven, 1. The Hon David Smyth or David Smythe Lord Methven FRSE LLD 1746 1806 was a Scottish lawyer and judge who rose to be a Senator of the College of Justice Cameo of David Smythe 1794 Scottish National Portrait Gallery David Smythe Lord Methven caricature by John Kay Methven CastleLife editThe son of David Smythe of Methven d 1764 and Mary Graham daughter of James Graham of Braco he was born at the family home of Methven Castle on 17 January 1746 Having studied for the law he was admitted advocate on 4 August 1769 1 From 1786 to 1793 he served as Sheriff Depute of Perthshire In 1788 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh His proposers were Robert Arbuthnot Dugald Stewart and Alexander Fraser Tytler 2 Smythe was raised to the bench in succession to Francis Garden of Gardenstone on 15 November 1793 taking the title of Lord Methven He was appointed a commissioner of justiciary on the death of Lord Abercromby 11 March 1796 resigning the post in 1804 In 1797 he was living at 15 St Andrew Square 3 He was taken ill suddenly while walking and died half an hour later 4 at his house at 28 St Andrew Square in Edinburgh on 30 January 1806 1 He is buried in Canongate Kirkyard on the Royal Mile with his second wife The grave lies within the eastern extension close to the church nbsp The grave of David Smyth Lord Methven Canongate KirkyardFamily editSmythe married first on 8 April 1772 Elizabeth only daughter of Sir Robert Murray bart of Hillhead she died on 30 June 1785 leaving three sons and four daughters By his second wife Euphemia Amelia Murray of Lintrose a noted singer 5 daughter of Mungo Murray of Lintrose who was reckoned a beauty of her time and was the subject of one of Robert Burns s songs he had two sons and two daughters Euphemia was known as The Flower of Strathmore 6 Smythe was succeeded in the estate by Robert Smythe only surviving son of his first marriage when Robert died in 1847 without issue the succession fell to the elder son of the second marriage William Smythe 1805 1895 of Methven Castle 1 In 1827 his daughter Catherine Campbell Smythe married one of his legal colleagues David Boyle Lord Boyle 2 References edit a b c Lee Sidney ed 1898 Smythe David Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co a b Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF The Royal Society of Edinburgh July 2006 ISBN 0 902 198 84 X Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 July 2017 Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1797 Kay s Originals vol 2 p 325 Grant s Old and New Edinburgh vol 2 p 251 Robert Burns Country The Burns Encyclopedia Murray of Lintrose Euphemia b 1769 www robertburns org Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1898 Smythe David Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Smythe Lord Methven amp oldid 1147996231, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
