Re: Arthur St. Clair

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

At 15:40 13/01/01 -0800, you wrote:
> I have down that Gen. Arthur St. Clair was a
> cousin to Gen. Gage.  Is that
> right?  Was that a first cousin?  If so is there a Sinclair
> connection to
> Gen. Gage?
> Laurel


The Sinclairs of Aldham, Igtham, Burstow, etc i.e. of Kent,
Sussex
and Hampshire.

The Sinclairs invariably failed to leave male heirs and that is
why there are
so few of that name left in England.  For example, Thomas Sinclair
of the
Manor of Stene died on 6th May, 1435, aged only 34. leaving his
extensive
properties and possessions to his three daughters, namely:

        

Elizabeth
who married (1) William Lovel (2) Richard Lewknor

        

Edith
married Sir Richard Harcourt

        

Eleanor
who married Sir John GAGE, ancestor of the Viscounts Gage

        

        

who
quarter the St Clair arms and still retain the ancient Court

        

        

Rolls
of Heighton St Clare.

        

        

A
descendant, Thomas Gage accompanied Braddock's

        

        

ill-fated
expedition against Duguesque (1755) and became

        

        

Military
Commander of Montreal in 1760.

        

        

From
1763 to 1772 he was Commander-in-Chief of the

        

        

British
Forces in America and, in 1774, became Governor

        

        

of
Massachusetts.

        

        

In
April 1755 he sent a force to seize arms from the

        

        

colonists
at Concord and, next day, the skirmish at

        

        

Lexington
took place which began the American Revolution.

        

        

After
the Battle of Bunker Hill he was relieved by William

        

        

Howe
(5th Viscount Howe) who had (earlier) served with

        

        

Wolfe
at Louisburg.  Howe shared the failure at Valley

        

        

Forge
with Major-General Arthur St Clair and was, in turn,

        

        

relieved
by Major General Sir Henry Clinton who was the son

        

        

George

  

Clinton,
Governor of Newfoundland and, afterwards, of

        

        

New
York.

        

        

Therefore, it will be seen that the Generals Gage and Sinclair
were related
but somewhat distantly.

 

Niven Sinclair

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