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Nathaniel Spens, MD, was the 4th son of Thomas Spens of Lathallan by his wife Janet Douglas, daughter of Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, 4th baronet, the genealogist. He was born 17 Apr 1728 and died 21 Jun 1815 at Craigsanquhar, Fife, a former family property which he had bought back in 1792. For an account of his career see James Balfour Paul's 'History of the Royal Company of Archers', pp. 73-85. The Lathallan family was an old one, and branches of it had settled in France in the 15th Century and in Sweden in the 17th. With both these groups of distant kinsmen Dr Spens established friendly contact; their existence had been recorded by his grandfather Sir Robert Douglas. He was able to give some assistance to his French cousins when they became refugees at the Revolution. Dr Spens married in 1759 Mary Milliken, younger daughter of James Milliken of Milliken in Renfrewshire by his wife Jean MacDowall daughter of Alexander MacDowall of Garthland (Crawfurd & Robertson, 'The Shire of Renfrew', p. 375). After her death on 3 Mar 1774 ('Scots Magazine', xxxvi, p. 166), a Mrs Steuart, probably one of the Steuarts of Allanbank, kept house for him; she seems to have been an elderly kinswoman, but the exact relationship has not been determined. By his wife Dr Spens had issue: (1) Colonel James Spens, afterwards of Craigsanquhar, born 1761, who entered the 42nd regiment in 1778, transferring in 1791 to the 73rd which he subsequently commanded. He married, first, Isabella Macleod, daughter of John Macleod younger of Macleod, who died without issue; secondly, in 1797, Frances Steuart, youngest daughter of Sir John Steuart of Allanbank, 3rd baronet, who died, also without issue, at Madras in 1798 ('Scots Magazine', lx, p. 652); and thirdly Elizabeth Davidson, daughter of John Davidson of Ravilrig, by whom he had issue 2 sons, Nathaniel (1805-1869), afterwards of Craigsanquhar, and John, MD, and a daughter. He died in 1840. (2) Dr Thomas Spens, born 1763, died 1842. He married in 1799 Bethia Wood, daughter of Andrew Wood, surgeon in Edinburgh, by whom he had issue 6 sons and 3 daughters. In 1785-1787 he was studying and travelling on the Continent, mostly in France, during which time he formed a warm and lasting friendship with the heads of the 2 French branches of his family, the President de Spens de l'Anore and the Baron de Spens de Severs. (3) Nathaniel, a sailor, first with the East India Company, later in the Royal Navy. He rose to the rank of lieutenant but died 'lately, at the Isle of Wight' before Oct 1798 ('Scots Magazine', lx, p. 719), unmarried. (4) Graham, born about 1771, went to Glasgow University, and died of a lung complaint 'at Shrubhill, in his 15th year' on 26 Apr 1785 (ibid, xlvii, pp. 257-258). The papers include a very affectionate correspondence between him and Mrs Steuart who was evidently as a mother to him. (5) Janet, died unmarried. Dr Spens was a most distinguished member of the Royal Company of Archers, who commissioned Raeburn's famous portrait of him. The Spens Medal was instituted in his memory. Colonel James Spens, who presented the Pagoda Medal, Dr Thomas Spens, and the Colonel's younger son Dr John Spens, were also members of the Royal Company. |