David Smythe, Lord Methven
David Smythe, Lord Methven (1746–1806) was a Scottish lawyer and judge.
Life
The son of David Smythe of Methven, and Mary, daughter of James Graham of Braco, he was born on 17 January 1746. Having studied for the law, he was admitted advocate on 4 August 1769.[1]
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. He died in Edinburgh on 30 January 1806.[1]
Family
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, 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. 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]
Notes
- 1 2 3
Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Smythe, David". Dictionary of National Biography. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Smythe, David". Dictionary of National Biography. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co.